Help with four post lifts

[Joe Pennington]

Re: Help with four post lifts

I also have two of the Autolifters M6 4-post lifts. My garage ceiling is 10'6" and I can put the lift at the top position with the '64 coupe on top, but on the other lift I can only raise it to the next to top position with the '56(with hard top installed) on top. I had to rework the garage door tracks and opener to clear the rear of the 64.

[David W.]

Another thing

I have a Stinger and have been very pleased. I have two 64's and have found that I could put the coupe on top with the front of the car facing the garage door and I didn't have to move the garage door or the tracks. The door goes right over the hood and stops before it reaches the windshield. The convertible fits nicely underneath. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it. A job that would be a royal pain on your back becomes a snap with a lift. They aren't cheap but you will save some money in the long run plus it makes it very difficult for a thief to steal a car while it is up in the air.

[Chuck G.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

The Superior and the Backyard Buddy represent the 2 different designs available. The Superior and others have the C channel with the pulleys and cables inside the 4 posts. The Backyard Buddy and others have the external square "ring" which slides over the posts. SO....which is better? Both have been around for a LONG time. The Backyard Buddy and Stinger are the original older external slider design, while the Superior, AutoLifters, etc. are the newer C Channel design. Engineers....what's your opinion? I have a Superior. Seems neater....no worries about pinched fingers and greasy posts. Chuck

[Jason Upshaw]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Is the C-Channel (Stinger etc.) lift design weaker than the square beam? It would seem so, but I don't know. Any input??

Jason

[John H.]

Re: Headroom?

As Patrick said, we both have Cytech Double-Park lifts; I designed the garage for it, with 8'-high doors so I can move it outside if I need to, and a 12' ceiling for full clearance. That garage door has a high-lift track setup (check the link below for a photo), and I can raise the '67 all the way to the top set of stops with the door fully open (if I remove the antenna - it interferes with the open door by about 3"). With the door closed, full lift gives about 6" clearance from the top of the antenna to the ceiling. The top of the horizontal tracks are 9" from the ceiling.

[Jay Hastings]

Re: Help with four post lifts

I am sure all the lifts have to pass the same standards. so some may have better pulleys or sliders, but they are basicly the same. I looked at several for almost 2 years and decided on the direct lift. It is as beefy as others I looked at, but at almost 1/2 the price of the backyard buddy and the perfect park i picked one up. look them up at liftmyrod.com

Jay

[Jason Upshaw]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Jay,

Thanks for the help. I like the Pro-Park 7 (Direct Lift), especially for the money.

Jason

[Gary S.]

Don't tease us with

just a short view of your GarageMahal! I have seen your photos in your garage. Most of us want our houses to look that nice!
Gary

[Patrick H.]

Re: Don't tease us with

Gary,

The personal tour is even better.

Patrick

[John M.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Jason,
I have the ProPark by direct lift as well and am VERY pleased with it. I would agree that there is very little difference in most of the lifts, and DirectLift offers one hell of a lot bang for the buck. Go ahead and buy the aluminum ramp option, as you would be cussing the steel ramps within the first week. The steel ramps are incredibly heavy and cumbersome. I got the casters, drip trays, and jack bridge and still got out for less than $2K.

Regards, John McGraw

[Jay Hastings]

Re: Help with four post lifts

John, I paid $2172.00 could of gotten the one at the show for $1895. but
I would have to either load it assembled or take it apart and haul it home.
only problem was I drove the corvette out of state to the show. I only have the steele ramps and they dont bother me.

Jay

[Chuck G.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Paid $2995.00 for my Superior at the Bloomington Gold show. Included aluminum ramps, 3 drip trays, the jack bridge, and truck freight to a local terminal. I had to pick it up. Used my car trailer to go get it. Chuck

[John M.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Hi Jay,
I guess that I am just getting lazy, but I wouldn't lug the steel ramps arround even if the Aluminum ramps were twice the price! I keep my lift set up within 1 foot of the overhead door, so I have to take the ramps off whenever I close the door and then put them back on the next time I need to put the car on or off the lift. If I could just leave them on all the time it would not be a big deal, but I am not willing to give up space in the shop. I will gladly give the steel ramps to anyone who would come and get them. I figured that I would eventually cut them up to use in a project, but have yet to do so.

Regards, John McGraw

[Jim T.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

John if I lived close to you I would come and get the ramps if I needed them. I use the drive on ramps for the cars below my two lifts when I change the oil. I like them for driving my 85 and 96 up on to get the floor jack under the front of the car to lift them up to drain out all the oil with the front elevated.

[Craig S.]

Re: Help with four post lifts

Chuck - Autolifters is also the closed post design with outside sliding section like Backyard Buddy. They were the original designer of this style lift, Backyard Buddy copied it. I am an engineer, I vote for the closed post design with sliders outside, the safety interlocks are more postive and the post construction is sturdier. I also have a sales tape from Autolifters of them running a forklift into an M6 with a vehicle raised to show the sturdiness. They don't need grease on the sliders anyway, the delrin sliders can run dry on the post, the most you ever would need is a bit of silicone spray. Autolifters also now uses all ball bearing pulleys on the currently shipping versions...Craig