Car lift in garage

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Average_gatsby45

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Any one I stall a lift in their shop

How hard was it to install and was it worth it
 

GTyankee

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My BiL has 2 setups similar to this in his converted barn

1629327750252.png
 
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LugsLeadOut84

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This is a useless answer, but I can swear I saw a thread on here showing a member who had one. Although it was cool, it would never be in my realm of possibility so I didn't save it.
 

Rlaf75

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Like already mentioned, the concrete floor needs to be a certain thickness in order to anchor the lift posts and to support the weight. The average homeowner's garage is not that thick. Now with that said, there are some mobile lifts that can be purchased for under $3k and sometimes just over $2k if you can find the right deal. Some of those lifts can pick up 7k lbs but they only go up to roughly maybe 36 inches or less. Look on Napa auto parts website because they usually have them https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/FWD6000MRLFBK?impressionRank=9
 
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Average_gatsby45

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It would be for a future shop , not garage
I have 1 primary a weekend jeep and a project gmc pickup, and figured lift would be helpful

Yeah I know about the concrete , I used to do civil structural design work
 

Fast69Mopar

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Any one I stall a lift in their shop

How hard was it to install and was it worth it
I have installed several lifts in my shops and in my garage.

In your future shop the main things is to make sure you have the proper masonry drill bit and the proper fasteners/anchors to secure the lift to the floor. Don't skimp on the wiring. Get the good stuff along with an amperage-correct breaker.

Also, decide in advance if you want an asymmetric lift where each leg points to the rear or a symmetrical lift where a leg points to the front and the other points to the rear on each side.
 

Rlaf75

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I'm honestly considering expanding my own garage to put a lift in. I'm a mechanic but I dont always have access to the lifts at the shop so I'd like to be able what I want when I want.
 

EdGs

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My FIL has a lift at his house, but its in a separate 28 x 45 detached garage with 10' to the trusses that he built.

20210213_195940.jpg

He did the complete install himself, so I cannot comment on how difficult it was. He did build the shop with the lift in mind, though.

This is from when I replaced my exhaust manifold bolts earlier this year. I only have it up a couple feet here, but it will lift high enough to just about stand underneath.
 
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Average_gatsby45

Average_gatsby45

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My FIL has a lift at his house, but its in a separate 28 x 45 detached garage with 10' to the trusses that he built.

View attachment 468185

He did the complete install himself, so I cannot comment on how difficult it was. He did build the shop with the lift in mind, though.

This is from when I replaced my exhaust manifold bolts earlier this year. I only have it up a couple feet here, but it will lift high enough to just about stand underneath.
This is exactly what
My FIL has a lift at his house, but its in a separate 28 x 45 detached garage with 10' to the trusses that he built.

View attachment 468185

He did the complete install himself, so I cannot comment on how difficult it was. He did build the shop with the lift in mind, though.

This is from when I replaced my exhaust manifold bolts earlier this year. I only have it up a couple feet here, but it will lift high enough to just about stand underneath.


This is exactly what I've been looking for
 

EdGs

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I have no clue what it cost him.

The only thing that he said was he should have had the trusses modified over the lift to allow for more lift height.

In order to do that now, an engineer has to draw it up so that the trusses can be modded, and still be structurally sound, etc.

It is a huge blessing to have access to it
 

LouM

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The actual install is really quite easy.
One thing to consider is your age and the intended usage.
The two post or I guess conventional lift is very nice for most work,
I actually prefer the four post type that you drive onto.
When you get older and have a knee replaced or arthritis getting down on your hands and knees a half a dozen times or more to get the arms and saddles all lines up and placed right and the correct spacers installed is a ROYAL PAIN in a lot of places.
The driveon style may require the jack rail and such for some work but that is all done while standing and oil changes are a piece of cake to do. Then add in not having to worry about unbalancing the load while pushing or shoving at things.
 

GTyankee

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The discount tire shop near me has 2 story roof height & they 5 lifts
If i recall correctly they only have 1 drive on
They use metal rods to maneuver the arms around
When i have my RAM in for tire rotation, they pull it on to some drive on raised area & they use Four 3 ton floor jacks. That is because of my Nfab Nerf Bars

1629440140630.png

1629440569937.png

The Alignment Shop that i use 6 bays
no lifts. half the vehicle is on cement & the other 1/2 is on metal ramps that extend out over a large pit area that is around 4 foot deep
 

EdGs

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........getting down on your hands and knees a half a dozen times or more to get the arms and saddles all lines up and placed right and the correct spacers installed is a ROYAL PAIN in a lot of places......
I will agree that the back and forth to get set up is a chore.

Witness marks on the concrete for vehicle position helps alot here. Also, writing down the spacers used is a timesaver as well.

I am not exceptionally fast either, so it's just a little bit more time to me. Some good tunes helps the extra time pass.
 

Scottsjeeprolet

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10k Rotary asymmetrical lift. Picks up my dually no problem.
30x60 pole barn with 10’ ceilings . Had the contractor double up the joist where each lift went. That way I had the overhead height for the lift. I knew the measurements for the post locations and made the concrete about 10” thick at those positions . The rest of the floor is 4” to 6” thick with wire and fiberglass in the mix, 15 years and the concrete is still perfect, gotta seal it right after it is poured. E69ABA73-186C-4D5C-82EA-B9DA10DF4EE5.jpeg
 

tron67j

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I'm honestly considering expanding my own garage to put a lift in. I'm a mechanic but I dont always have access to the lifts at the shop so I'd like to be able what I want when I want.
A shop in a town I lived in used to rent out his lifts on Saturday and Sunday for DIY. Never used it myself but helped a few friends do muffler and brake work. Didn't advertise it, just word of mouth.
 

Snowchief

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Yeah wish I did it 20yrs ago! Pretty easy as lots of videos on assembly.Biggest jobs cathedralled ceiling for height,(20x38 garage,8ft walls 6/12 pitch rafters)cut 4x4 ft concrete out where post go,dig out repour 8 in high strenghth crete and rebar,lay a 2x2 osb pad in wet crete and level from pad to pad and front to back.Then you don't need shims.Purchased longer wedge bolts for thicker pad,biggest harbor freight hammer drill/bits,and thats 5-6yrs ago works good.Nice to be able to walk under a fullsize truck or load n unload a motorcycle from truck.
 
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