lift owners .... a question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 33
From: Texas-out west
lift owners .... a question
from your personal experience, which is more useful for work on our corvettes......2 post or 4 post? storing car is not a criteria in this question. thanks.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 719
Likes: 1
From: Liberty MO
I have to agree, the Two Post lift does certainly makes it easier to work on the car. The Only issue you have to be careful on with a Two Post is not to get one that is too big, as in a 10,000+ pound lift, as some of the larger capacity lifts have swing arms that are just too tall to swing under the side of the Corvette. Just be sure to measure your height/clearance under the side of the car and the lift you are looking at with the shortest lift pad spacers, or in most cases, no spacer needed, just the lift pad stuck in the end of the swing out arm.
I have five vettes, and I store them with a combination of (2) four post lifts, and a single post lift. I also have a two post lift that we use to service my other vehicles. I can do oil changes on the Four Post, as well as most exhaust, but aside from that, the four post does not allow you to do to much other service work. It is Great for getting a car up in the air to clean those lower rocker areas though.
I have five vettes, and I store them with a combination of (2) four post lifts, and a single post lift. I also have a two post lift that we use to service my other vehicles. I can do oil changes on the Four Post, as well as most exhaust, but aside from that, the four post does not allow you to do to much other service work. It is Great for getting a car up in the air to clean those lower rocker areas though.
Last edited by SNOWRAIDER; Dec 18, 2011 at 10:52 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 11
4 Post...hands down. But it depends on what you want to do. Try to do an alignment on a two post. Changing wheels is easier on a two post, but only marginally. I have my lift and floor marked for tire position and jack stand position...lift the car, put the stands in place, lower the car...car if in the air. If I really need the vehicle way up in the air with no wheels, then I go one extra step and place blocks or stands under the jacking positions on the frame depending on how high off the runways I need the vehicle.
Many 4 post lifts are too narrow between the runways, so be careful there. I went with the BendPak 9-HD which is plenty wide to lift a large pickup truck.
Many 4 post lifts are too narrow between the runways, so be careful there. I went with the BendPak 9-HD which is plenty wide to lift a large pickup truck.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 282
Likes: 2
From: Wappingers Falls NY
mowawk
[QUOTE=Bob K;1579501860]I've got a Mohawk A-7 in my garage. It does just about everything I need it to do. I'll be adding a 4 poster in the spring for storage/parking.
I have the same lift and I do alot of work on cars with it !
I have the same lift and I do alot of work on cars with it !
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
A good 4 poster with the jacking tray is very versatile as well. There are advantages ask dis advantages to bothMost good 4 posters have optional wheel packages that make them moveable,,2 posters are bit more of a pain on install,,and it's THERE. They ARE more open underneath which can be good and bad.Personally I like using the jacking tray to remove the wheels etc..Tracks are a great place to keep your tools handy. Love my Backyard Buddy!! Food for thought,,hope it helps!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 242
From: Russell Ontario
St. Jude Donor '09
I have a four post and I've done pretty well anything on it , just a matter of getting used to it . But you need a rolling bridge jack for sure or it's useless for work.Ron
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Indianapolis Indiana
St. Jude Donor '13, '15, ‘18, '21
2 post will be better. I have a 4 post and while I can work on the car if I wanted to it limits my use. It is a backyard buddy and they do make a center jack you can utilize to lift each end. The nice thing about a 4 post is not having to bolt it down.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Southwest Kansas
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
If you have no idea what strength your concrete garage floor is rated for then don't risk your life and limb on a 2 post.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 192
Likes: 6
I have a Mohawk A-7 2- post lift also. It takes a little getting used to because it is an asymmetrical lift so you have to try to get the CG of the car located just right to keep it stable on the lifting pads. When you get that experience down, then car is really easy to lift. I picked a 2-post because it takes up less space in my garage. I did get the floor reinforced with a 1-ft thick pad underneath per safety specs.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: High Desert Southern California
A 4 post bolted to the floor can handle most maintenance problems, often with a lttle more difficulty than a 2 post. I feel a 4 post is safer, better for storage and handles a few things better than a 2 post. If you do go with a 4 post get the widest one possible if you have that option. It handles a pickup truck's width better.
Last edited by Binski; Dec 20, 2011 at 12:20 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
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St. Jude Donor '12
I have a perfect park 7000 4 post lift and i can do most maintenance with it and it allows me to stack/park 2 cars. But brake/tire work is more difficult, fortunately i dont have to do that very often.
Engine/trans/rear diff/hoses, plugs, ect the 4 post lift works great, is safer imo.
As a kid i worked in a gas station for about 10 years and all we had were two post lifts and they were great but the design was different than they are now. We had the large single center post style that was built into the ground. Dont see any of those anymore.
Engine/trans/rear diff/hoses, plugs, ect the 4 post lift works great, is safer imo.
As a kid i worked in a gas station for about 10 years and all we had were two post lifts and they were great but the design was different than they are now. We had the large single center post style that was built into the ground. Dont see any of those anymore.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
Sounds like the best choice is to get a 2-post AND a 4-post side-by-side and the phone number for the local tow-truck for when you get it all back together and notice parts left over on the floor! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 242
From: Russell Ontario
St. Jude Donor '09
Another great benefit of a 4 post is you can move it , mine came with big casters and when I do undercoating of my cars I wheel it outside , undercoat and wheel it back in , or store a car on it and move it out of the way, Ron