I'm getting to old for this stuff!, Need a lift. Options

[mitchntx]

Knees are shot. Like ice cream too much to loose weight, means the obvious answer is to install a lift.

So, looking at the "reasonable" end of 9K lb, symmetrical lifts, what's the short comings of the following brands?

http://www.naautoequipment.com/2-post-lifts.html


http://www.derekweaver.com/update/products...9A_2_Post_Lifts


http://www.eagleequip.com/page/EE/PROD/LI-ETP/MTP-9F


http://www.nationalautotools.com/nt9-9000-...e-lift-p-2.html

[C3SS]

Mitch, you may want to check out this thread: http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showt...;highlight=lift

also here: http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showt...;highlight=lift

This post has been edited by C3SS: Dec 9 2008, 03:16 AM

[cccbock]

Knees are shot. Like ice cream too much to loose weight, means the obvious answer is to install a lift.

So, looking at the "reasonable" end of 9K lb, symmetrical lifts, what's the short comings of the following brands?

Cant speak to any specific brand except the one I own (Rotary) which is not one of your listed options. I am very happy with mine, however it was quite a bit more $$ than what you are looking at, and it was installed by a dealer. You may be planning to install it yourself.

They all look similar to me. Are you sure you mean "symmetrical" vs "asymmetrical"?

I don't want to start giving advice if you are already sure about what you want.

bock

[mitchntx]

The listed lifts I can get locally and not spend a few hundred on shipping costs.

Use will be occasional, not daily ... probably not even weekly, until all my "friends" find out. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) So commercial quality is not high on the priority list.

Symmetrical because I'm only using it for my TA and not my crew cab truck .

And I'm looking for overhead pan and not a floor pan.

I have ~126" of room for lift and car.

[mitchntx]

Mitch, you may want to check out this thread: http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showt...;highlight=lift

also here: http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showt...;highlight=lift

Cody! ... I just put 1 and 1 and 1 together. Doh! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif)

Thanks for the links. CC.com makes my head spin. If those guys spent as much time posting about searching and just answer the damn question it would save a lot of electrons.

Searching is great, but there are a crap load of dead links and dead photos in each of those links. so quality information is tough to ferret out.

[cccbock]

The listed lifts I can get locally and not spend a few hundred on shipping costs.

Use will be occasional, not daily ... probably not even weekly, until all my "friends" find out. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) So commercial quality is not high on the priority list.

Symmetrical because I'm only using it for my TA and not my crew cab truck .

And I'm looking for overhead pan and not a floor pan.

I have ~126" of room for lift and car.

Based on my experience, i think you will be happier with an "Asymmetric lift" unless there is some sort of space or locational issue.

You will likely find that the lift will be eventually be used for the truck, and a lot of other things (like maybe the neighbor's minivan for example). I put a 4wd Suburban up on mine all the time. Even though it has a 9000 lb rating, you can tell the lift is straining as compared to the Camaro.

How tall are you? If you are over 5'6" then 126 inches will give you a very low installed height and likely cause you to have to crouch while under the car...this is a real PITA. Better than crawling or a creeper, but still a PITA. Get a hard hat.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif)

One thing about my lift that is annoying is that once you lower one of our cars even a little, the swing arms no longer go under the car without first jacking the car for clearance...another PITA you may want to try to avoid. Its manageable but annoying.

Bock

[mitchntx]

Interesting info ...

It has a 76" of lift, meaning I can raise the car about 6'. The car sits about ~50" from floor to roof peak. I have 8" I-Beam that the outer post will sit under and it is 126" from the floor. The beam is angled up so where the car will actually be, is another couple feet, which I figure will give me a realistic 4-6" of clearance.

I am 6' tall and now I'm a little concerned about the feasibility of this. Does my math sound about right?

Also, the arms on one of the lifts only needs 3" of clearance and has some sort of flip up device to make contact with the chassis.

Thanks for all the advice ... keep it coming

Symm vs Asymm ... I won't have the overhead clearance for my truck to lift it very far off the ground. Enough to rotate tires and simple stuff only. I rarely start the race car, just push it around.

[rhit_rs]

I haven't worked with any of those brands, but my one piece of advice would be to run the lines up over the lift as opposed to them being on the floor. Having them on the floor is a major pita. You have to sweep everything around them, you trip on them, you have to push the cars over them, etc.

[mitchntx]

I haven't worked with any of those brands, but my one piece of advice would be to run the lines up over the lift as opposed to them being on the floor. Having them on the floor is a major pita. You have to sweep everything around them, you trip on them, you have to push the cars over them, etc.

I can certainly see that and considered that.

A decision I have to make is if I want to live with the inconvenience of the floor plate or inconvenience of altering ideal placement due to overhead obstruction.

[BryanL]

Mitch-I don't have time to look at them right now but I wouldn't be surprised if they are all the same lift made in China.

[ledfoot2]

Hey Mitch.

I have an old assemetrical lift with the floor cables. It is great to be able to open the doors, but the cables on the floor do suck.

You might also want to look at how low the arms are when they are on the ground. You need to have thin ones, or have the screw pads (sorry, I don't know the real names) that are thin.

Many on the screw parts of the pads screw the pads up a lot, but they are too long to slide under a low race car. It sucks having to put the car on blocks just to get the lifting arms under it.

[mitchntx]

Thanks for the nuances ... I'm trying not to go off half-cocked ...

This is the one I'm leaning towards.
http://www.nationalautotools.com/nt9-9000-...e-lift-p-2.html

Pros:
It has the highest lift of the other "budget" lifts and is the cheapest.

Cons:
It also requires the most ceiling clearance

I know I would be hating life 5 minutes after I got the floor pan version. But to use the overhead design, I will have to significantly remodel and rethink how my shop is laid out.

I need a bigger shop! 24x54 just isn't big enough any more.

[Blainefab]

I had a 2 post symmetric floor cable lift at the old shop - I never thought it was a big deal having the stuff on the floor, and most of the cars that went on the lift were pushers. I found it on Craigslist, paid $1500 for a nearly new 9K# Bend-Pak from a small shop that was downsizing. Probably going to be more of that going on.

Do you know for sure that your slab is thick enough? FWIW, here's a install/operation manual from Bend-Pak:
http://www.bendpak.com/files/215_1491777197.pdf

[mitchntx]

I had a 2 post symmetric floor cable lift at the old shop - I never thought it was a big deal having the stuff on the floor, and most of the cars that went on the lift were pushers. I found it on Craigslist, paid $1500 for a nearly new 9K# Bend-Pak from a small shop that was downsizing. Probably going to be more of that going on.

Do you know for sure that your slab is thick enough? FWIW, here's a install/operation manual from Bend-Pak:
http://www.bendpak.com/files/215_1491777197.pdf

You know, I thought that too about a symetrical lift. I very seldom start and drive in my little shop. Mostly push. It's a neighbor thing.

I've been watching CL and just haven't found anything in the last few weeks. I began shopping eBay for local pick up stuff before Thanksgiving. Rotary seems to be buying up a lot of the smaller lift vendors.

Much to the chagrine of my contractor, I had beams dug for my foundation and made him use 1/2" rebar (yes, 1/2" ... I already had it) instead of wire mesh.

[shortbus]

http://www.americanautomotiveequipment.com...s-p/tp09a-d.htm

The over or under on sale for 1300... I got mine yesterday. =)

[2manyfbods]

how about a lift that is both symmetrical and asymmetrical?


Hanmecson 10 VSM 10,000 LBS 2 POST

[Crazy Canuck]

most lifts require a 144" clearance... unless you have to go w/ low clearance models.

[Crazy Canuck]

should consider something similar to this: http://www.adgforward.com/directlift/hr8000.htm

here's a link for te US side: http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/DIRECT...ft_p/hr8000.htm
this will clear too: http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/Auto_L...autoal29kfp.htm

[shortbus]

That one is pretty much the same as the one I posted. The post height on mine is 9'7" for the floor model.

[mitchntx]

Thanks for all the links ... keep them coming. I'm learning a lot.

I also found this lift ...

http://www.pantherlifts.com/Panther/index....amp;prevstart=0

What I am finding is that many of these vendors/manufacturers are very flexible on pricing, willing to price match in many cases.

The fine print is interesting as well. For instance, the American Automotive lift shortbus linked to has a $50 pick up fee and has to charge me Texas sales tax. Out the door is over $1400.

The Panther lift I refernced above, has no pick up fee and is $1350 out the door.

Still scanning the local Craiglist and haven't found anything that I would go with. The ones in the D/FW, Houston and Austin areas are either more expensive than I can get for new or in need of repair.

I'm not in a huge hurry, but I do have a couple weeks off coming up and could use that time to get the thing installed and working and do the necessary remodeling inside my shop.