Car/truck garage lift?

[R7]

I’m at a point in my garage where I’m ready to add a lift. Does anyone have one, or have used one they would recommend? I’m looking for a 2 post, asymmetrical, clear floor type lift, seems 9,000lbs is a good baseline. Pricing seems to be anywhere from $1,500-$5,000. I’m not usually one to go the cheapest, but for the amount I’m going to use it, really like to keep the cost less than $2,500
Headroom isn’t an issue, nor is the concrete floor. I did plan for this and poured an 8” floor slab where the lift is going.

This is the style I’m thinking of..

https://jmcautomotiveequipment.com/j...post-car-lift/

[number9]

I’m at a point in my garage where I’m ready to add a lift. Does anyone have one, or have used one they would recommend? I’m looking for a 2 post, asymmetrical, clear floor type lift, seems 9,000lbs is a good baseline. Pricing seems to be anywhere from $1,500-$5,000. I’m not usually one to go the cheapest, but for the amount I’m going to use it, really like to keep the cost less than $2,500
Headroom isn’t an issue, nor is the concrete floor. I did plan for this and poured an 8” floor slab where the lift is going.

This is the style I’m thinking of..

https://jmcautomotiveequipment.com/j...post-car-lift/

I've waited 39 years to post this, but: I have a lift in my garage and it's awesome. I'm never going back. Mine came with the house, it is a Rotary asymmetric SPOA-10 rated to 10K lbs. If I had to buy my own, I probably would have gone with an Atlas lift from Greg Smith Equipment.

I've heard anecdotally that there is a robust market for used lifts; mostly from dealerships or garages that shut down. You could try and get a nice, used Rotary or a Bend-Pak?

[Stoneman]

Whoa! Those are A LOT less expensive than I thought. I may have to rethink a few things about the garage when we build our new house!

[RandyO]

my son has a lift, I don't recall what brand, I'll find out, I know he did quite a bit of research, I know it's American made, 10k he found it for $2500 used

I helped him set it up twice, in the shop bay he originally had, and a year later, he moved, it does take 4 guys to upright each side, but once upright, one person can walk em to position with some muscle, drill yer lag holes in the concrete, it take 2 people to get em shimmed

I know it's not a Mohawk, but has the same specs as this https://mohawklifts.com/automotive-l...lifts/system1/ I believe runs about $7k new

[jasnmar]

It might be worth checking with your insurance company (homeowners) before making a purchase.
Local Makerspace was looking into it, and the increased insurance liability made it a "not right now" thing.

I don't know if there are similar concerns for homeowners insurance, as it's clearly different than a Makerspace, but maybe something to check before you are committed.

[number9]

Whoa! Those are A LOT less expensive than I thought. I may have to rethink a few things about the garage when we build our new house!

Yep. The lifts from Greg Smith get great reviews on Garage Journal and the like... they're really not that expensive. My gravel bike costs more than an Atlas lift! The previous owners of our house were not going to move the lift no matter who bought the house; as Randy says they're a pain for your average homeowner to install or move.

my son has a lift, I don't recall what brand, I'll find out, I know he did quite a bit of research, I know it's American made, 10k he found it for $2500 used

There aren't many American manufacturers left.. and to be honest I don't think there are many in China either.

[Vovchandr]

I have nothing to chime in here with other than I'm considering a single post for my 1 car garage to make it a two car when I'm not using the fun car for 6 months out of the year.

[RandyO]

my son's has low 3½" height on the arms on his

[butcher bergs]

A friend of mine runs a repair shop and recently purchased a John Bean lift. Thing looks like it's built fairly robust. No idea on cost but I imagine it's on the upper end of the budget.

[golden chicken]

I've worked with Rotary and Mohawk two-post lifts and both are great. The place I work at currently has in-ground lifts and they are the tits. No posts.

[Vovchandr]

I've worked with Rotary and Mohawk two-post lifts and both are great. The place I work at currently has in-ground lifts and they are the tits. No posts.

Those are the dream. However I just recently heard that a lot of towns might have problems with it due to hydrolic fluid being below ground level. Sort of same reasoning why drains aren't allowed mostly anymore.

I haven't fact checked it however.

[R7]

It might be worth checking with your insurance company (homeowners) before making a purchase.
Local Makerspace was looking into it, and the increased insurance liability made it a "not right now" thing.

I don't know if there are similar concerns for homeowners insurance, as it's clearly different than a Makerspace, but maybe something to check before you are committed.

I didn’t think of that, and Ill have to check our policy. Because of the farm, we don’t have a normal homeowners policy. Ours is farm based and seems to cover quite a bit more outside of the house.

I've worked with Rotary and Mohawk two-post lifts and both are great. The place I work at currently has in-ground lifts and they are the tits. No posts.

I had access to an old oil/air single post lift years ago, they were pretty slick. It’s unlikely the older ones could be legally installed now, but I have seen some come up on marketplace.

I think I’m going with the JMC brand, seems to hit all the nails I need and is in my budget.
https://jmcautomotiveequipment.com/j...ymmetric-lift/

[xrocket21]

Someday Ill have one....

[LuvDog]

I need to finish my other projects so I can put time and money in to my garage project. Then I'll put in a lift.

[MUZ720]

A lift in my garage would be a dream come true.. if only I had the celling height! I hate crawling around my truck for oil changes and such... maybe one day?

[golden chicken]

There are mid-rise lifts.

[jasnmar]

There are mid-rise lifts.

Why do you hate fun?

[golden chicken]

Why do you hate fun?

I like that you think I've never done that.

[maxim_X]

I’m planning to install one this summer, so I love this thread.

Has anyone put some sort of a motorcycle table on half the lift for dual use?

[MUZ720]

There are mid-rise lifts.

i have seen them and have thought about it. Issues would be storage, my truck would be able to drive over it. But my wife's rides live in the garage and I don't think it would work.. more research needs to be done on that!

[RandyO]

I built my barn with plans for a lift, 16ft headroom under my loft, 23ft headroom everywhere else, and opening for a 10'wide x 12' tall overhead door, concrete floor has aramid fiber, and minimum 8" thick

now I just gotta find a home for all my surveying equipment, to make room

[R7]

A lift in my garage would be a dream come true.. if only I had the celling height! I hate crawling around my truck for oil changes and such... maybe one day?

I didn’t have the ceiling height at first either, but it was pretty easy in my case to make more room. I cut the loft floor out where the lift is going.

[MUZ720]

I didn’t have the ceiling height at first either, but it was pretty easy in my case to make more room. I cut the loft floor out where the lift is going.

Nice idea if you can get away with it structurally. Don't believe I have that option... but i will look at it!

[R7]

Nice idea if you can get away with it structurally. Don't believe I have that option... but i will look at it!

Mine is an 85 year old stick built garage, what I did would not work with a trussed roof system. I also put a triple LVL beam up at the ridge to keep the roof from sagging over time.

[keeena]

This 10k Forward brand lift popped up on an auctioneer who I follow; auction ends Feb 26: Link