Looking at getting a garage lift for storage and service. With the jack points where they are on my 997 my first thought was a 2 post. But maybe a 4 post with the add on 2 point jack I beam thing that fits on the parking lift?

Any thoughts or suggestions? I've got plenty of room for either.

 

The only reason to get a 4-post is if you're pressed for parking spaces. Guys do succeed in doing engine and suspension work with them, but it's an extra step and there's a lot of lift apparatus to bump into while you're doing the work.

Then again, a two-post is lame if you need to park two cars in one space. And you have to attach it to the slab.

 

This is the one I'm thinking about (not for over/under storage though):

 

That s cool. Whats the cost?

 

Thanks Jack! Well you've got me thinking now. I don't NEED the extra parking space at this point. I would like a service oriented lift, but that bay with the lift would be my regular parking spot for my 997...which would mean driving in and out of the lift every time I took the car out. A 4 post lift would be better for door swing and of course parking of a second car if needed as well as using for general service of our other vehicles and toys. So sounds like I'll go the 4 post direction. I could see doing some suspension work. Probably never dropping an engine out.

 

Either way, you'll love having it.

Mine is a no-post. But it's perfect for my 911 and my small garage. And if you saw it, you wouldn't even know it's there.

 

Jack...please...your car, garage and video precede you! I've watched that video and forwarded it probably a dozen times!

I'm a home builder in the KC area. I absolutely loved your innovation in the space you had to work with. I have plans (in my head) for a fold down welding table of some kind. I sold an awesome welding table, I built probably 12 years ago, last summer because it just took up too much room and I wasn't using it near enough to justify the space it occupied. Even though my current garage is a 3 car + 4th tandem, it's filled with dirt bikes, lawn equipment, kids bikes, etc. I still hate the clutter and wasted space that come from "work benches" that eventually become catch-alls!

Anyway, new house foundation is going in now, so I'm planning some things out in advance....which is rare for MY OWN projects. Lot's of thought into the house plan, not so much on the garage. I'm so busy worrying about my customers homes and running my business, I end up winging it in some areas when it's time to layout my personal garage. And, even though I'm the builder, I of course still have a budget (reminding my wife of that daily) and typically build a new home every 3 years or so...thus I never get to build my dream home as I would be buried in it price wise when it came to resell. But it does let me show customers certain features that are more value oriented vs. "ya, this floor was $10,000, looks great doesn't it!". It's easy to throw money at features and build a beautiful high end home. Take more thought and innovation to build something functional or beautiful and still cost effective. So I will guinea pig my own house for ideas and new sub contractors because I can deal with the consequences if things don't work out.

I am wondering about that style lift you have...say I wanted to lift my F150 for an oil change or wheel swap. Are there arms or adapters?

 

Thanks very much, Wheeler. I know how it goes with the whole 'the shoemaker's kids go barefoot' thing. I guess it's a fact of life that when you're busy, the for-myself-and-my-family projects keep getting pushed back.

My lift is actually an industrial lift table that I sunk in the floor and adapted to automotive use. On the one hand, that's a really bad idea -- going off the designated path with a tool that lifts up 4,000 pounds. But on the other hand, an industrial lift table is built to a very durable standard -- it's got a much higher duty cycle than an automotive lift would have, and is also made to withstand hits from forklifts all day.

I tiled the top of the thing to match the rest of the floor. People who think ceramic tile is brittle would be surprised to see me lifting a car with this as the mating surface.

Up:



Down:



Would it work for an F-150? No. I don't think so. For my other cars (a Jeep CJ7 and a BMW) I use rubber blocks at the jacking points. But it's really only a perfect lift for the 911, which has nothing to service in that 48"x48" square area. If I were using it frequently for other cars, I think I would have gone with one of the two-piece scissors lifts which raise the car at the rockers.

But it's there for the 911, so it fits the bill perfectly for me. I especially like the fact that I can raise the car without even thinking about it. So long as it's parked in its space, there are no arms to move or blocks to position. You just push a button and watch it go up.

 

i have this lift and it works well enough. the up side is the portability the downside is it doesnt go high enough. im 5'10 and with a 15" stool my head is always cranked to the side or im hitting car parts with it. if it went up 12" higher it would be perfect. there are a couple other lifts in the maxjax style that go to 5 ft and with better locking systems.
also the maxjax quick disconnect fittings are junk. ditch them immediately and get some better fittings that dont leak. i sent another 140$ on better fittings
if you have a 8 ft ceiling like i do then also consider a liftmaster jackshaft garage door opener and give yourself another foot of height at the ceiling. you will thank yourself later!

 

I can second the tip on the jack shaft openers. I had to put one on my high lift door when I built my current house. I came out to the job site and my overhead guy had installed the opener and a battery backup and an automatic locking mechanism. I called and was like "uhhh...I don't thing all this is $500??" He said they screwed up and just comped me the extra goodies. But since then I not only upgraded my other overhead door to a jack shaft, but have sold dozens of them to my new home customers and neighbors that have seen them. They are slick. I love how fast they are on a smaller single door! Super quiet and far less moving parts.