thanks for the info guys...i appreciate it...

 

I have 10' 6" ceilings in my two car garage. I have the center mount standard garage door opener but I have raised tracks for the dodble door. I can park my DD Mercedes 4-door sedan under the lift with 2" clearance(lift on next to highest rasied point and can park my 64 coupe(about the same height as a C6 coupe) on top with 8" clearance (after allowing for the 2" overtravel to set the locks). So I could get by with a 10" 0" ceiling, but would not be able to raise my lift to the highest point when doing oil changes(no big deal).

Depending on the depth of your garage, you may have to back the Corvette onto the lift so the garage door fits over the hood.

 

I've got about 14' ceilings, but the problem for me is when my garage door is open its only about as high as the top of the garage door opening, about 8' or so. Is there anyway to change that ?

 

I'm no expert, but I'd think there would be a high ceiling kit that would include a track that went higher vertically before arcing and going horizontally. Really, all you'd need would be the different tracking, raise the actual opener up closer to the ceiling and that'd do it. Easier said than done of course, but not rocket surgery.

 

10' is doable. I had 9'6" but instead of door issues I had a light to allow for so I really only had 9'3". Now, there's barely room to stoop under the top car but you can get under there to work if need be. But, there's only room on the bottom for a sports car or something short. But that's all I needed.

 

I have 14 foot ceiling above my lift bay only. The 8 foot door opens with a jack shaft opener and has extended hardware and in the open position is about 2-3 feet horizontal. To lift higher would require some changes to springs and tracks.

A good base and 2500-3000 lb concrete is more than ample to handle most lifts.
If lift weighs about 2500 lbs and a Corvette weigh 3300 you have a total of 5800. So lets call it 6000 lb and roughly divide the car in two parts. Front and rear with each part weighing close to the same. So four posts equally loaded for 6000 lbs is 1500 per post.Yes, 6 inch would be better but 4 inches is ample. If one is that worried, lay out where the posts are to be and cut four holes in the slab and dig it deeper -add rebar etc and bump the mix up to 3500 lb
I have a 12000 lb lift on a 4 inch slab and have raised my 6800 lb GMC (6800 + 2500 = 9300/4 = 2325 to the max setting and have seen no signs of failure. This is if the four posts had equal weight.My truck may be heavier in the front so I could have maybe 3000 lbs per post on 2 posts and 1500 on the other two.These are just some examples and I have only gave some quick figures. Do the homework, it isn't that difficult

We must have an engineer or two on the forum that could further explain point loads etc? I'm just dumb old building inspector / plans examiner that poured concrete for 30+years

 

Absolutely... convert with a high lift track and wall mounted jack drive like the Liftmaster 3800>>

This is my old set up and note the ceiling hanger lengths and where the center drive attaches to the outer wall>>


Now with the high lift track and jack drive... again note the ceiling hanger length and where the center used to attach to the outer wall>>

 

You need 12' and a door opener without a center lift opener. If you have 2doors, Stanley makes an opener that will work.

 

There are high-lift kits. I had one put in for mine. I believe should have gone higher but even the installers groaned a little about it. The doors are larger, tracking higher, just more work to install. And I had three of them.

If I were going to get real serious and needed more height, I would take out at least one of the standard door openers and replace with Jackshaft-type of opener. But as is I have four garage bays and only three vehicles. Lots of options but I can see a four post one day...another car, store waverunners, etc.

 

Using a roll up type garage door as in post #25 (Texas08C6) would be the best bet when you have limited ceiling height. The depth of the garage may hinder the operation of the garage door when there is a car on the lift in the up position.
As I can see from some of the pictures many of the lifts have limited usage because of height and depth of garage.
Not everyone is using their lift for storage only. I use mine also as an elevator to move large items to the second floor. I can also put my truck on the lift, raise it and load tools etc directly into the bed from the second floor.

 

Ok I should be good on height. But...not sure which lift I will buy (1-2 years away),so how long/wide of footings should I pour to be safe for any 4 post lift I choose?

 

If your just breaking ground I would shoot for a minimum of 12 ft. My ceiling is 9.5 ft. and I had to modify the trusses to accomplish what I wanted my lift for, which was mainly more storage.

 

Problem I am having is trying to design a garage that is to my liking,but still trying to make it flow with the rest of my property without dwarfing my single story home

 

Yes, with enough room to park another Vette under it.

 

Breaking ground on friday,any more advise?

 

My garage is 10.5 ft. In this picture I have about 61" below the runway and about 9" above the car. It would be tight at 10' it depends on the height of the car. I would say the roof height could be no more than 60"

 

I have 10' ceilings, though the garage is deep, and the door does not affect it. I wish it were higher, but it works. Also, I got the standard height BendPak. Wish it were a foot or so higher when lifted so I could walk under it when raised without bending over (or bumping my head).

I am just getting to using mine, and what is scary is raising it high enough for the car beneath to fit. But the locks on the lift insert themselves when rising. But when lowering it, you need to raise it an inch or two before the locks release. I need to be sure I leave that between the roof and the ceiling when lifting or I won't be able to lower it withought bumping the roof. Always something. Go high as you can.

 

I have two 30'x40'X12' garages and one is my storage and the other workspace that is heated and cooled. Run Lines for telephone, Water, Natural Gas, Power before pouring the footer or at least stub oversized pvc conduit for them, its hell getting it in after.
Plan a low spot and run a washdown drain into the floor exiting the side that allows best flow and aesthitics. You will not regret that drain I promise and it does not have to be bigger than 4" or so with minimal slope towards it, the floor will never be perfectly flat anyway and you will not notice the 1/4" / 2 foot slope. Insulate well and use a Truss style rafter so there are no posts to hit doors or block your movement( this will also give you great amounts o storage in the attic area so thave them lay plywood ONTOP the rafters too. If you can swing the cost build as big as you possibly can, cant change it later, and if you do $$$$$$$.
Get insulated Garage doors, run big enough wire to support AC/ Air Compressor and handtools. These are just some things I learned along the way and I hope you may find them helpful in your project. Remember even if you think its big enough count space for work tables ( you lose 24-30" depth against every or any wall for each table, cabinets to store Oil, Filters, Tools, Small wire welder ..... stuff sucks up space quickly.
Oh I am new to vettes so consider your entry apron too, dont know how your land is sloped - if at all but it will play a part in where you pull into it with a Vette - Yukon - no problem.
Here is another tidbit.. Wall Plugs - put them up high because when you put in a table you dont want the plug smack in the middle of the table top - dont ask ok, and put in plenty plugs too -trust me. Good luck man, Just my $.02

 

Great info gentleman....much appreciated