Car lifts

[Ambenz]

I have been researching car lifts for my garage and I noticed some of the members here have them in their garage.
I wanted to get one installed before November.
I like Toms lift as shown in the picture below.....

http://www.windycitystangs.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=39&pictureid=245


I guess one of my big stopping points in getting a internet ordered lift is that you have to take it off the delivery truck when it arrives at your home garage.
I don't have a hoist or forklift, so I was wondering how did you get one in your garage?
Is there a local place that will bring it and install it in your garage?
My garage was built with a lift in mind with 10 foot ceilings and 9 foot tall doors.
I also have 220 vac.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/ambenz2/junk/car2.jpg

Any suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated.

[ShadyNinja]

the celing dont look tall enough ( even though you said they are 10 ft)

[Wolf]

guy on cmc is selling one fyi

[MustangGrl]

Do you have two garages?

[Wolf]

and four cars?

[Ambenz]

Do you have two garages?
and four cars?

I sold the Buick Rendevious reciently so I do have space for 3 cars.
Kyra, that's one garage 22 ft deep X 30 ft long with 2 9 ft tall doors!
I had it built about 5 years ago for $23,000 including about 3000 sq feet of concrete driveway with the intension of adding a lift.

Mike, I have our 2 personal cars, and a company car I keep outside during the summer.
During the winter I would like to keep the 3rd bay free so I can work on projects in a heated garage during the winter months.
The only way I can do that is if I buy a lift and store the Stang on top and park the company car below.
Yes, Shady, those ceiling are 10 ft but the doors are 9 ft. Most manifactures require between 8 and 9 ft ceilings from what I have read on-line.

Again, I just can't seem to get past unloading the lift off a semi if it was delivered to my home.
I need a company who can deliver and unload....being able to install is a plus but not necessary.
Any info will be appreciated.

[SonicGT]

I believe mot's lift is portable, I know he's mentioned rolling it out to the driveway to do some work. He uses it in the garage for storage of his cars, pulls one in, lifts it up and pulls the other under it.
I don't believe the portable ones are that bad, you just get them shipped to you and assemble them. mot250 would know for sure though since he does have one.

[mot250]

Yes, my lift is portable and though I have never moved it outside, I have repositioned it in the garage. The casters are installed temporarily with the lift up a few feet, then you drop the lift forcing the casters down which due to the fulcrum effect, lifts the posts off the ground.

Mine was from a relatively local company, I'll post a link later. I paid for delivery and installation which included garage door (potentially an extra panel though I didn't need one), repositioning the door track and repositioning the garage door opener head unit higher. If using the lift in a single bay, I'd suggest also relocating the door opener to one side or the other to gain a little more height for the lifted cars.

10' might be tight. My ceiling is 11'6". Figure 4 inches for the thickness of the runners, 1 to 4 inches between the top of the bottom car and the bottom of the runners (4 inch lift increments), 4 inches between the top of the top car and the ceiling (you need 4 inches to lift it off the safety stops before lowering the lift) and then add your car heights. Don't forget about the antenna!

PM me if anyone wants to stop by to see my lift.

[mot250]

Linky...

http://www.rhilifts.com/products/parking/

[91WhiteGeeTee]

Cool....Thanks for posting that link you might've just saved me as much as 7500 bucks. I was going to add on to my garage and make it double deep.

[Ambenz]

Tom, your the man!
Care to share what model number you bought?

[mot250]

Tom, your the man!
Care to share what model number you bought?

I know the VIN of my Mustang off the top of my head but the model # of my lift I'll have to check when I get home...

You won't need 220 V for the hydraulic lift. Standard 110 V will work just fine. Save the 220 V for a big air compressor or a clothes dryer for wash towels :)

If they still offer them, my neighbor also got two of the compressed air powered scissor jacks for use on the lift when he got his lift. They make it a lot easier for wheels-off work for the car on the lift. I opted the much cheaper route of 2 "jack plates" so need to manually set a bottle or small scissor on the jack plates or runners to get the car up for wheels-off work, then postion jack stands to secure the car off its wheels.

The air scissor jacks have safety pins so they can be used to lift the car into the air and keep it positioned safely without additional jack stands.

I'd also suggest the aluminum ramps to get onto the lift. The steel ones get heavy after a while.

Lastly, incase you ever need to drive onto the lift with wet tires, I'd also suggest adding your own anti-slip tape like I did. It takes the "excitement" out of putting away a wet ride (like after washing it even).

Boy, does it make it detailing easy without having to bend over!!

[mot250]

Model # for my lift is S201T * 5133 if that makes any sense.

BTW, if anyone has not looked them up yet via the link, they may still be located in Schaumburg (according to the sticker on the side of mine)...

[Ambenz]

Thank you all, for your replys.
I realize now I will have to reconfigure my door track and door opener to extend closer to the ceiling before I order my lift.
This will give me true 9' 5"+ height.
As it stands now I have 9 foot to the top of the door when opened.
Besides the place in Schaumburg, I also found a place in Woodstock, Blatt Equipment Inc.

[mot250]

Thank you all, for your replys.
I realize now I will have to reconfigure my door track and door opener to extend closer to the ceiling before I order my lift.
This will give me true 9' 5"+ height.
As it stands now I have 9 foot to the top of the door when opened.
Besides the place in Schaumburg, I also found a place in Woodstock, Blatt Equipment Inc.


Check with the lift company, RHI did the door track and opener relocation as part of the installation fees. Unless you are comfortable working door springs, it might be better left to a pro and getting in a garage door specialist prior to or after the lift install will likely cost more than having the lift installer do it. At least that's my 2 cents.