HI all,
I am building a garage and I intend to put a 2 post lift in it. I haven't really picked which one I want yet, but I was wondering if there was a "standard" answer as to what kind of concrete foundation I need to have in place for it.

I haven't poured any concrete yet, so I figure NOW's the time to make accommodations for it.

Any info that you guys can send along would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

I bought this one from Complete Hydraulics for 2k shipped. Been worth every dime since. I think it requires 4-6 inches thick of concrete. I cut my floor and made it 13" thick. I also used J-bolts. It was a little bit of a pain in the butt, but it was worth it. I would recommend pooring a strip, about 4 feet wide, about where lift is going to be, at least 12" thick. The lift comes with anchor bolts, they must work, but Im a little sketchy, but you can always buy bigger, longer anchor bolts and chemical anchor them in. Good Luck with your build heres a few pics of mine
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Um....did you consider contacting any of the lift manufacturers or you're local building inspection office? This is really a construction question, not a C5 tech question. Don't you think?

 

sure, and I will, but as you can see... there ARE people here who have done exactly what I'm planning on doing.

This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for.




- It never huts to have that kind of feedback.



.

 

Most lifts require 4" 3000 psi concrete. You could do 6" and be safe.

 

Yep, I did 6" thick in the area I put the lift (about an 8' by 6' area for each post), and the rest of the garage floor was 4". Note that it was all reinforced with 6" wire mesh (which I recommend for the entire house, rather than the fiberglass mesh stuff they try to use - obviously I have no problems with fiberglass, but........... ). My builder was very easy to work with. Note also that you do not want to have any seams or score lines near the post anchor points or under the lift posts, and make sure no water lines, etc. are run under that area.

Most lift manufacturers will offer to send you a copy of the install instructions prior to purchase, or you can get them online.

Plasticman

 

Contact the lift manufacturer or distributor for their specific recommendations on the concrete specs.

I've had three commercial grade lifts in my three shops in ten years. I researched lifts extensively as I literally built my shops around them. My first lift was a FORWARD MANUFACTURING 9,000# two post lift. I've had a SUPERLIFT four post and currently own a BEND PAK HD9 four post. Each are different and each have their pros/cons.

I'd suggest whatever lift you ultimately decide on, buy USA made! There's a lot of cheap off shore lifts out there and you do get what you pay for. There are several companies that say theirs are built in the USA, but the truth is they're manufactured off shore and assembled in the USA.

Look for ALI and ETL certifications. Those are independent certifications of USA manufactured lifts, assuring that the lift is capable of lifting more than what is advertised.

Also, consider using a commercial grade lift over a "hobby" lift. They don't cost that much more ($300+/-), but are built much more rugged than typical storage lifts.

3.5" to 4" of 3,000psi concrete, fully cured is just fine for a two post or four post lift for home shop use. Six inches is recommended for 10,000# and higher rated lifts, where you might be lifting heavy equipment. Decide with your contractor about any grade on the concrete beneath the lift. Building codes sometimes dictate that. I use absolutely flat grades throughout my shops. I use only saw cut concrete for suppression of cracks.

As an option, plan for two 3x3x3' (or larger) concrete/rebar footers beneath the legs of the two vertical columns. That allows for heavy lifting while still using 3.5" to 4" of concrete everywhere else.

While you're in the planning stage, plan for power to the lift and ceiling height. I prefer 220v over 110v and I use twelve foot walls for maximum lifting of any vehicle.

 

Ya know Uncle John, this is the part that I don't comprehend either. All lift manufacturers are very clear on the flooring requirements for their lifts. The information is readily available right from the source. Why someone would rather waste their time on opinions, or what someone has done confuses me. Just because someone has installed a lift in their garage, does not mean they did it correctly. Just for one vendor(Mohawk), I was able to find the concrete specs for a 7000 lbs lift. Total search time....30 seconds:

http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/specs/a7spec.php

 

Like has been stated above, check with the lift manufacturer for the foundation requirements. Different lifts may require different foundations.

I have looked at a few different lift manufacturers over the years and I prefer Mowhawk lifts: http://www.mohawklifts.com/ They are very well made and offer top notch safety features. They are also designed to not require anything special for the foundation; a typical floor slab will work just fine.

As far as concrete goes... it depends a little on where you live (basically what types of soil you're building on). Well reinforced 3,000 psi at least 4" thick over solid, well compacted base material can work just fine. Personally, any concrete that I plan on driving over I make at least 6" thick. If you are in a more northern climate (lots of freeze-thaw cycles every year), I'd also recommend using 4,000 psi concrete. I'm sure some here will claim "overkill" with this, but I've never had a failure in a slab using my specs... (I grew up in northern WY and worked for the City of Billings, MT for many years; I'm fairly new to the warm Texas climate)

 

I just put in a Rotary SPOA10 2 post, I built my shop last year. I poured a 5" slab, and put large dug out piers under where the lift posts would be. As it is, Rotary only specs 5" of 4k psi concrete for the pads.

BTW to add some "C5 relevance" to it, my 01 Z06 barely makes it through the front arms (pulled in, and swung wide) at rest, with the standard 8' 5 - 3/8" bay setting. The front track is so wide on these cars.

 

drivinhard,
How tall is that lift?

and, if you had it to do again, would you go with a rotary?

 

it's 11' and 8" I believe. I have a 12' 4" ceiling. I am 5' 11" and the bottom of the car at full lift height is perfect for me. I got the low arm option ($200) to get under the C5, you have the thread the pads all the way down when lifting a stock height (not lowered) C5. If you use lifting pucks (you should) they eat up a bit of clearance room. Of course worst case, you could always drive up on some 2x10's or such.

Yes I am happy with the Rotary. They are probably the most common lift you'll see at a dealership. Made in the USA, very well built.

I set it up myself and would recommend the same, it's fairly easy, and it allows you to get real familiar with it (how it works, etc). Save the several hundred dollar installation fee for mod $$.