Hello Everyone!!!
Quick question… I hope someone could help. I’ve heard so many different heights to use that I’m now more confuse than Adam and Eve in mother’s day….
I’m designing a simple and humble typical 3 car garage for our new home and I would like to install a 4 post lift. I was wondering what would be the ideal ceiling elevation. I’m planning to have the P-Car up and daily driver under. (Jetta GLI)
My goal!!!! A Lambo -murci above and 911 turbo below!!! So I need to start getting ready for it…
Your help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,

Arod

Sincerely,

Arod

 

Arod,

Depending on which lift you want it will vary. I suggest you go to the individual manufacturers website. While doing my homework that was very helpful. In fact, most of them provide a worksheet to help with the calculations. If you are doing a 3 car you may want to consider making the single bay a little wider to accommodate a 4 post lift. Remember, you will want to walk around the lift and will need some wiggle room.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

Sethm2… thanks for the quick respond!!!
I’m allowing 4’ distance from the wall so I can add some cabinets and a work bench and 3’ from my wife’s SUV. So I should be ok I hope… so, let me ask you which lift do you consider is the best purchase for the money?
Champagne taste and beer pocket!!!
Arod

 

Min ceiling height for your two cars is about 10'.

10'6" being a bit more comfortable.

I stack a Z06 and a '69 Camaro (about 6" lower than your Jetta) and my ceiling is 10'6". I have about 18" to spare.

Add the bottom car height + the distance to reach the 'next' safety lock (varies by manufacturer) + 5" for the runway height + the top car + 2" to get off the locks. That's your min height to the ceiling. Factor in your door height. Lot's of fixes for low doors, but not many for low ceilings

If I could build my house again, I'd have 13' high ceilings - that way you can get an SUV high enough to walk under it.


Lots of opinions on lifts. My opinion is Bend Pak. I have 2 and 2 more on order. Great lifts - certified - good support. Plan ahead for the cars that might someday be on the lift.. Many brands of lifts runways aren't wide enough to accommodate wide-*** cars like Murci's/Ford GT's/Z06 (ask me how I know)/997 TT's.

Bend Pak sells a wide version of their standard height lift: HD-9. Adjustable width ramp allows you to have rear tracks as wide as 82"

My $.02

 

awesome information, thanks for the posting that!

 

^^ no sweat, happy to help.

 

An optional type of lift (Harding Steel), not for maintenance, just for storage. It eliminates the need to have the high clearance doors. If the two cars are particularly low, as in a Lambo and a Porsche, then you don't even have to reprogram the door opener as I did (look at the top of the 1st and 2nd pics, see the difference in how far open the doors are). I wanted the car at the ceiling (10'3") so I could still walk around the back of the car. My garage layout uses the outer wall with parts storage shelves so the lift fit more practically in the center of 3 bays, hence a need to get around the back of the lift. I have to duck a little since the car overhangs, but it beats the alternative.









The current garage resident. It leaves a lot of room around the lower car if the lift is left at max height. I recently installed a new brake master cylinder/booster and bled all the brakes with the Lotus sitting right where it is. If the lift was left in a minimally low position, granted I could fully open the garage door but that would be the only advantage, no work could be done on the car under the lift and I'd have to open the garage every time I needed to get to the end bay and my workbench.

 

If you're building a garage, don't skimp on the height. Go 12'. I did and it allows me to use full height shop lifts and walk around under the car.

 

Guys!!! Thanks a bunch for all the helpful information I got back from the architect’s office and according to his calculations I should have 12’-8” clearance. I’ll be ordering the 7k pound lift capacity plus the price is not that bad either. I think it could be a weekend project. I’ll post few pics when done early next year.

Arod

 

HIRISC,

thanks for the info! i think Bend Pak has HD9 (wide 117") and HD9ST narrow (100"), I'm looking into one for my 996TT, would the HD9ST be fine, or should i go with the HD9?

 

Happy to help.

HD9ST is 19"+37"+19" (75") edge to edge. The standard HD9 adds 7" to that (82").

I don't know the rear track width is for a 996TT, but I do know that a C6Z, Viper or Ford GT will not fit (without cutting the angled supports) on a the 'ST' version of the HD9.

In short, if you have the width/room, go for the HD-9.. You'll never have to wonder if your cars will fit

 

I'll def look into the HD9 version then...thanks for the help and input.

 

This single post style is also good for storage while maintaining access in the garage. Others from europe offer similar solutions to storage.

http://www.asedeals.com/single_post_storage_lifts.html

 

very cool option, def look into this as well...thanks!