4 Post Auto Lift
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 21,915
Likes: 61
From: Miami Beach FL
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
This has been asked/answered in numerous past posts. I'd recommend that you go into C5 General or C5 Tech, click on search this forum in the red banner.
Use keywords "four post lift" or similar. You should find many of the past discussions with images, pros/cons, pricing, capacities, options, etc.
Then, you can also do an internet search using the same keywords and manufacturers names to determine more detailed information that only the manufacturer can offer.
My advice is to buy a good USA lift, not something sold by a USA distributor, but made offshore.
Also, commercial grade lifts don't cost much more than hobby grade lifts. They're built to more heavy duty standards and used by many professional shops.
Look for a lift that is built to ALI and ETL standards and independently tested.
Find a distributor that can also quote you a delivered and installed price. Mine cost me minimal extra for that service and my homeowners insurance preferred it for coverage.
Remember, your pride and joy will occupy the lift and you (friends, family) will be standing beneath it.
Use keywords "four post lift" or similar. You should find many of the past discussions with images, pros/cons, pricing, capacities, options, etc.
Then, you can also do an internet search using the same keywords and manufacturers names to determine more detailed information that only the manufacturer can offer.
My advice is to buy a good USA lift, not something sold by a USA distributor, but made offshore.
Also, commercial grade lifts don't cost much more than hobby grade lifts. They're built to more heavy duty standards and used by many professional shops.
Look for a lift that is built to ALI and ETL standards and independently tested.
Find a distributor that can also quote you a delivered and installed price. Mine cost me minimal extra for that service and my homeowners insurance preferred it for coverage.
Remember, your pride and joy will occupy the lift and you (friends, family) will be standing beneath it.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Jul 1, 2008 at 04:43 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 855
Likes: 40
From: Liverpool NY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,429
Likes: 44
From: Macon, GA
Jump on this one. I paid twice that for mine just last year and I love it. It's by far the best car related item I've ever bought.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: East of Atlanta GA
Check out Greg Smith Equipment located in Norcross, GA. Their web site is www.gregsmithequipment.com. My friend and I both purchased the ProPark 7 LL about a year back. Looks like the ProPark 8 is what replaced it. This is one of the best investments I have made.
PM or email if you have any questions. Looks like you live close as well so if you are interested in seeing mine let me know and I would be happy to give you a demo.
PM or email if you have any questions. Looks like you live close as well so if you are interested in seeing mine let me know and I would be happy to give you a demo.
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: East of Atlanta GA
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1873677
This is the link to the thread where you can see pics of my lift.
This is the link to the thread where you can see pics of my lift.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 335
Likes: 34
From: Lincoln Nebraska
I'm considering a four-post.... mainly to stack cars. However, I also would use it for minor maintenance. How does the four-post crowd manage wheel removal? I can imagine lifting the car, placing jack stands under the inside frame jack points, and lowering the lift. Is that correct?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
You can't beat a Back Yard Buddy !! They are a little pricey,but to me they are worth it VERY solid,solid 4x4 box steel tube post, heavy hydrolics and heavy and wide drive on tracks. The have a very heavy duty jacking tray that fits/slides between the treads.They are large enough to place jack stands on the treads and or the tray.I changed out the complete rear trailing arms/suspension on my old shark.Did a complete brake upgrade on a buddy's C5. Hope this helps!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 78
From: Forney Texas
I'm considering a four-post.... mainly to stack cars. However, I also would use it for minor maintenance. How does the four-post crowd manage wheel removal? I can imagine lifting the car, placing jack stands under the inside frame jack points, and lowering the lift. Is that correct?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,909
Likes: 1,858
From: Hot Springs AR
Second, yes, you can suspend cars on a 2-post as long as you want and park cars underneath. However, cars aren't designed to have their weight supported by 4 pads on the frame, and you can't get good contact on the cross members with 2-post lift arms. This causes the cars to "sag" over time and causes wierd things to happen, although the effect doesn't seem to be permanent. Doors won't close correctly, for example.
All I've stated comes from direct experience with my lift. YMMV. If I had to do it again I'd get another 2-post, but I thought this might be useful to someone.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
There's still so much misinformation about the pros/cons of a two post vs a four post lift. I wonder if some of the information comes from people who've never researched the wide range of lifts/options available.
I built two frame off and one frame on tri five Chevy cars over ten years. I used both a two post and two different four post lifts in three different home shops (FORWARD MANUFACTURING, SUPERLIFT, BEND PAK). All had their advantages.
With the options available for a four post (look at the image above with the jack bridge lift), an owner/builder can do just about anything they want to accomplish with a four post.
The two post lift can sometimes pose more issues for an owner, especially with a lowered C5/Z06 car...getting down on your knees to set the arms, driving up on wood, lift arms that don't correctly contact the lifting points, etc
My current four post lift has width adjustable runways. I can get four jack stands beneath the four BMW pucks on my car, or I can use the jack bridge to lift beneath the front/rear suspension cross members. I use a two ton tripod jack or bottle jack on the jack bridge to lift beneath the cross members.
Decide what you intend to use the lift for and research every (USA manufactured hopefully!) lift that you can get material from.
I built two frame off and one frame on tri five Chevy cars over ten years. I used both a two post and two different four post lifts in three different home shops (FORWARD MANUFACTURING, SUPERLIFT, BEND PAK). All had their advantages.
With the options available for a four post (look at the image above with the jack bridge lift), an owner/builder can do just about anything they want to accomplish with a four post.
The two post lift can sometimes pose more issues for an owner, especially with a lowered C5/Z06 car...getting down on your knees to set the arms, driving up on wood, lift arms that don't correctly contact the lifting points, etc
My current four post lift has width adjustable runways. I can get four jack stands beneath the four BMW pucks on my car, or I can use the jack bridge to lift beneath the front/rear suspension cross members. I use a two ton tripod jack or bottle jack on the jack bridge to lift beneath the cross members.
Decide what you intend to use the lift for and research every (USA manufactured hopefully!) lift that you can get material from.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Jul 3, 2008 at 01:32 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,220
Likes: 987
From: Think BEFORE hitting "Submit Reply"
There's still so much misinformation about the pros/cons of a two post vs a four post lift. I wonder if some of the information comes from people who've never researched the wide range of lifts/options available.
I built two frame off and one frame on tri five Chevy cars over ten years. I used both a two post and two different four post lifts in three different home shops (FORWARD MANUFACTURING, SUPERLIFT, BEND PAK). All had their advantages.
With the options available for a four post (look at the image above with the jack bridge lift), an owner/builder can do just about anything they want to accomplish with a four post.
The two post lift can sometimes pose more issues for an owner, especially with a lowered C5/Z06 car...getting down on your knees to set the arms, driving up on wood, lift arms that don't correctly contact the lifting points, etc
My current four post lift has width adjustable runways. I can get four jack stands beneath the four BMW pucks on my car, or I can use the jack bridge to lift beneath the front/rear suspension cross members. I use a two ton tripod jack or bottle jack on the jack bridge to lift beneath the cross members.
Decide what you intend to use the lift for and research every (USA manufactured hopefully!) lift that you can get material from.
I built two frame off and one frame on tri five Chevy cars over ten years. I used both a two post and two different four post lifts in three different home shops (FORWARD MANUFACTURING, SUPERLIFT, BEND PAK). All had their advantages.
With the options available for a four post (look at the image above with the jack bridge lift), an owner/builder can do just about anything they want to accomplish with a four post.
The two post lift can sometimes pose more issues for an owner, especially with a lowered C5/Z06 car...getting down on your knees to set the arms, driving up on wood, lift arms that don't correctly contact the lifting points, etc
My current four post lift has width adjustable runways. I can get four jack stands beneath the four BMW pucks on my car, or I can use the jack bridge to lift beneath the front/rear suspension cross members. I use a two ton tripod jack or bottle jack on the jack bridge to lift beneath the cross members.
Decide what you intend to use the lift for and research every (USA manufactured hopefully!) lift that you can get material from.
The problem with the corvette is access to the drivetrain.
Now, this only matters if you do 99.9% of the work on your own car.
I do, so a 2-post made the most sense.
Minor inconveniences, such as those you mentioned, don't bother me as much as having to work alot harder to pull the drivetrain on a 4-post.
Each user has to be VERY honest about its intended use, and then the correct choice can be made.
It is not easy at all to do this with a 4-post...
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
...the vast majority of Corvette owners don't do 99.9% of the mechanical work on their own cars. They have extended warranties and dealerships/independent shops to do that for them. I dropped solid rear axles and transmissions out of my tri five cars on my four post lifts. It required some thought process, gorilla muscle, leverage and swinging the axles 90 degrees on a transmission jack. I knew the kind of work I would primarily be using the lift for and planned/purchased accordingly.
Luckily, a frame off build (or your complete drive train drop out) isn't a regular occurrence. Ideally, a large enough home shop would have a four post and a two post lift.
Most want a lift for storage or to do less extensive mechanical work as you're brave enough to tackle. For them, a four post works just great.
I liked my two post asymmetric lift for doing frame off work, but my four post lifts offer much less effort to get the car in the air and keep me off my knees and back, which is the objective of a lift (for me)...
Last edited by hotwheels57; Jul 3, 2008 at 03:34 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 632
Likes: 6
From: St. Louis Missouri
Good post and I agree but there are ways around it if you are not going to do that type of work often. Here is a post with pics on how someone did a portion of what you show on a 4 post lift: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1753571