Vehicle Lift. 2 or 4 post ? ? ? ?

[Fred n' Ethel]

Decisions, decisions.
The more I look, the more undecided I am.
I have a nice new building with room for either a 2 post or a 4 post lift.
Each have their pros and cons.
From what I've gathered:

The 4 post does not need to be anchored to the floor (but can be) and is mobile with casters with or without an auto on it. Very nice ! It is for a combination of service as well as overhead storage allowing a vehicle to park underneath. Cool !

The 2 post NEEDS to be anchored, is great for service, overhead vehicle storage ...... not sure but probably not recommended. More versatile lifting arm configuration might be a plus. Price is generally a bit less than the 4 post, but not really an issue at the moment.

If any of you would be so kind as to contribute your personal experiences and preferences in order for me to finalize my decision, I would be much appreciative.
This would be just for hobby, personal use in maintaining my ever growing fleet of toys and daily drivers. Nothing over a 3/4T truck.

I'm leaning toward the 4 post, but am still on the fence.
(saw some on display at Carlisle last week ... Backyard Buddy was one)
Thanks kindly.

[darrellyates]

Originally Posted by Fred n' Ethel

Decisions, decisions.
The more I look, the more undecided I am.
I have a nice new building with room for either a 2 post or a 4 post lift.
Each have their pros and cons.
From what I've gathered:

The 4 post does not need to be anchored to the floor (but can be) and is mobile with casters with or without an auto on it. Very nice ! It is for a combination of service as well as overhead storage allowing a vehicle to park underneath. Cool !

The 2 post NEEDS to be anchored, is great for service, overhead vehicle storage ...... not sure but probably not recommended. More versatile lifting arm configuration might be a plus. Price is generally a bit less than the 4 post, but not really an issue at the moment.

If any of you would be so kind as to contribute your personal experiences and preferences in order for me to finalize my decision, I would be much appreciative.
This would be just for hobby, personal use in maintaining my ever growing fleet of toys and daily drivers. Nothing over a 3/4T truck.

I'm leaning toward the 4 post, but am still on the fence.
(saw some on display at Carlisle last week ... Backyard Buddy was one)
Thanks kindly.

I normally don't see post here, as I have a '68 but noticed yours. I agonized for months before purchasing lifts. I purchased 2 4-Post lifts for my garage. Deciding factor for me was overhead storage. I part cars on the lifts, and under.

I purchased lifts from Best Buy Automotive. They have LOTS of service stuff. Yes, they are made in China. Even BendPak makes their small 4 post lifts in China. That was the deciding factor for me.

They are great! I got the sliding jack for doing tire and suspension work. I've used them for lifting/installing engines, bodies off of frames, and of course routine maintenance work that you do on all cars. I vastly prefer the 4 post lift, because I think they are simply safer. And, correctly installed and taken care of they work very well. I did not anchor mine to the floor, and they work great (I was advised to NOT bolt them to the floor)!!

Will try to submit a picture ... They were both under $2000 a piece when I bought them. Wish I would have gotten them 20 years ago!

[Fred n' Ethel]

Hey thanks Darrell !
I'm leaning a bit further now in the direction of the 4 post .... your photo nearly put me on my ear.
I hadn't considered lifting a body off with a 4 post. Did you suspend the body with straps ? At a glance, it doesn't look like the lift would go high enough for the body to clear the chassis unless it was a "thin" body ? Please expand.
(I squared up your pic, once I got back up on the fence)
Thanks again.

[mongocanfly]

it really depends on how your gonna use it....for me a 4 post would be useless...i wouldnt take a gold nickle for my 2 post. ...one of the handiest things I've put in my shop....do a search on here for lifts....its been beat to death before....

I still can't figure out how Darrel keeps those trucks on his lift withem turned that way....must be using that flexseal tape or gorilla glue or something. .....haha

but check with greg smith equipment....good prices and free shipping if you have a way to unload it.....that's where mine came from....atlas brand

[Fred n' Ethel]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

....do a search on here for lifts....its been beat to death before....

Oh damm, I hate it when that happens. First attempt didn't reveal much, I'll dig a bit deeper and wider.
Sorry for that.
Thanks Greg

[mongocanfly]

if your not familiar with it in the tool bar at the top on the right side is the search feature. ..I just put 2 post lift in it and got 4 pages of stuff...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...archid=6057164

[mongocanfly]

here's one for 4 post....http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...archid=6057168

[Killer Bee]

only have a minute but I'll share a little bit now and expand later if necessary..

drive-ons are fantastic for just about everything except wheel for end work which requires a little extra set up.. if you have the sliding chassis trolly jacks or even a set of floor stands, they are very versatile and solid.. axle components suspended on trolly jacks can also be moved back and forth for temporary clearance.. also movable if you need to rearrange things later.. we use 50k plus rotary drive-ons with trolly jacks and everyone loves them, never heard a single complaint..

drive-ons also offer a unique benefit to those with space challenges.. due to their stability, you can usually park a vehicle out of harms way long term on the hoist and another vehicle underneath when not in use.. this is also handy for keeping valuable vehicles off the ground from pets, kids, etc. so your hoist can double your parking space while top vehicle access is still fast and easy..

post lifts have a similar drawback, have to use floor stands to support chassis for axle work but at least wheel ends are still accessible..

swing arm two post chassis lifts are handy and offer quite a bit of flexibility but they can be awkward, especially for irregular weight distributed or irregular sized vehicles.. they are also not convenient for some body and exterior type of work and even interior work can be inhibited straddling the arms and post proximity to body.. for example seat removals, door alignment work, etc. can be inhibited while hoisted or even positioned for hoisting.. post anchoring is critical however and not always ideal in residential applications.. slab thickness, quality and integrity must be verified.. and overall they are less stable for heavy pounding, prying, etc. type of work or even major changes of weight distribution like engine/trans removal, etc. can be of concern with smaller lifts of this type..

so it really all depends on your intended use.. if you have more questions please feel free to send pm.. professional mechanic over 30 years and I've worked on/under everything from portable column lifts to desert sand so I may be able to give you some more ideas to think about..

good luck!

[dsraven]

when I worked in an auto and truck shop we had both styles. the 2 posters work great for doing ball joints or whatever because the suspension parts are open but I have seen vehicles fall of 2 posters, never a 4 poster. the guys would lift trucks just off the ground to get the wheels off because they were afraid of it falling off. hard to balance a truck compared to a car. I always thought the job could then be done on the floor because thats how it looked anyway, except the hoist lifted the truck quicker maybe, still using stands under it though. the 4 post would be the one I would buy personally, but that's just my take. it sucks to see a vehicle fall off with the life hazard and damages to things. that said, when the 2 posters got into trouble they were usually being used for something that was a bit iffie anyway. like a truck heavy on one end and light on the other end is a hard thing to get on there and have it "balance" when you are pulling and pushing and hammering etc on the front end, or if you plan to remove weight, like a rear axle, then you gotta plan for that or maybe do that job on the floor. I always tried to use the 4 poster because it was easy and quick to drive on, do the job, and drive off. I was also used to working on the floor so working around the platform didn't bother me much. the hydraulic trolly jack was awesome and had a built in set of stands that were great too. you could easily fab a set of "drop on the rails" style of stands if you needed some and didn't wanna drop the cash for another hydraulic trolly.
just my 2 cents. my shop isn't tall enough for a hoist so I carry on with a jack and stands. maybe next time.

[Tiger Joe]

i have two 4 post lifts. for me the primary use is storage so the 4 post fits that perfect. and secondly i constantly rearrange my garage so i didnt want something a permanent as the 2 post.

one thing- the 4 posters are movable with the casters, but ONLY when empty. you cannot move them with a car on, casters arent designed for that kinda weight.

I bought 1 from best buy auto equipment, and 1 from greg smith. I picked up both of mine, its cheaper if you do. Best buy has a terminal outside Carlisle you can pick up the lifts at.

if my lift was going to be pure maintenance, never used for storage, I would get a 2 post. best all around, including some storage, I want the 4 post.

[dsraven]

I have also thought about the portable midrise hoists. they have several different styles but basically lift the vehicle from under the middle, similar to a 2 poster I guess, so the front and rear are accessible and the wheels hang. some can be driven over by low slung cars and the hydraulic unit can be disconnected for storage elsewhere. they still would be a lazy guys version of the floor jack and jack stands but maybe get the vehicle higher and safer than the old way. not a huge lift, just gets the vehicle off the ground and you can roll around on a chair instead of laying on your back with a creeper.

[darrellyates]

Sorry for the long view.... I actually took that with my Nikon and am surprised that it turned sideways... Or I think I did, it's an old shot and I can't remember.

Yes, I used 2 2x6 boards across the ramps, and then you can use a chain, a hoist, or tie-down straps that I use on the car hauler (what I used). Picks the 1973 Camaro up real nice, and allowed me to bolt it to the rotisserie very nicely.

Same cross member, and a chain allowed me to install the 6.2 and transmission into my C10. Also held up the frame for work on the rear differential; and the taller lift even allowed me to lift the cab (by the roof) to install it on the frame. Of course, the frame of my truck is a lot lower than stock, so I am sure that helps.

I prefer the 4 post. Nothing wrong with a 2 post, just feel safer with a 4 post. Very hard for the car/truck to drop thru the ramps on a 4-post. I do have a couple of sliding jacks, and doing suspension and tire work is very easy.

Last note, the installation professionals I talked to advised me against bolting them to the floor. I was concerned about them buckling. My concern was that if somebody bumped it when parking, it would collapse. They said the only ones they had ever seen that collapsed were bolted to the floor. They said if you bump one and it's NOT bolted down, it just slides. The ones bolted to the floor have a tendency to buckle, so mine are NOT bolted to the floor.

I've been very pleased with them. Understand mine are used more for storage than repairs, but have been versatile for either use.

Thanks for "straightening" me out....

[darrellyates]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

it really depends on how your gonna use it....for me a 4 post would be useless...i wouldnt take a gold nickle for my 2 post. ...one of the handiest things I've put in my shop....do a search on here for lifts....its been beat to death before....

I still can't figure out how Darrel keeps those trucks on his lift withem turned that way....must be using that flexseal tape or gorilla glue or something. .....haha

but check with greg smith equipment....good prices and free shipping if you have a way to unload it.....that's where mine came from....atlas brand

Super Glue and duct tape..... Hold everything in place... ( I thought about saying a giant magnet, but knew that idea wouldn't "stick"....

Believe it or not, I do appreciate the humor... I'm just old and tech-challenged and don't know how to turn them the right way....

[darrellyates]

Sorry for the long view.... I actually took that with my Nikon and am surprised that it turned sideways... Or I think I did, it's an old shot and I can't remember.

Yes, I used 2 2x6 boards across the ramps, and then you can use a chain, a hoist, or tie-down straps that I use on the car hauler (what I used). Picks the 1973 Camaro up real nice, and allowed me to bolt it to the rotisserie very nicely.

Same cross member, and a chain allowed me to install the 6.2 and transmission into my C10. Also held up the frame for work on the rear differential; and the taller lift even allowed me to lift the cab (by the roof) to install it on the frame. Of course, the frame of my truck is a lot lower than stock, so I am sure that helps.

I prefer the 4 post. Nothing wrong with a 2 post, just feel safer with a 4 post. Very hard for the car/truck to drop thru the ramps on a 4-post. I do have a couple of sliding jacks, and doing suspension and tire work is very easy.

Last note, the installation professionals I talked to advised me against bolting them to the floor. I was concerned about them buckling. My concern was that if somebody bumped it when parking, it would collapse. They said the only ones they had ever seen that collapsed were bolted to the floor. They said if you bump one and it's NOT bolted down, it just slides. The ones bolted to the floor have a tendency to buckle, so mine are NOT bolted to the floor.

I've been very pleased with them. Understand mine are used more for storage than repairs, but have been versatile for either use.

Thanks for "straightening" me out....

[Fred n' Ethel]

Great info folks, thanks.
Expanding the search to the entire forum, not just this board really helped.

Pictured is an older Eagle 4 poster. 1st I've seen with the cyl. on the top. Although it is over 15 years old.
I might be able to nab a used one locally for dirt cheap, its a 15k lb. model.
Any of ya have any experience with this type ?
I think it uses chain instead of cables.
Called eagle, they no longer support it ... at all, not even paperwork.
(forum searched "eagle lift" also ... not much there)

[mongocanfly]

a local muffler shop uses those same lifts....but if theres no parts support itd be hard to buy unless its a real steal... the biggest thing that might give trouble is the pump unit....but those could be interchangeable...

[Fred n' Ethel]

After reading through this:
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com...-your-shop.98/
as well as earlier mentions here regarding certs., whatever I get will have a sticker on it !
Check out that 15k lb test video.
A lot to be aware of with these 2 posters, many happy homeowners might not be as aware as industry pros.
Be careful out there.
Thank you all.