Ceiling height for lift

[67HEAVEN]

What is the height of your interior garage walls, and how much extra clearance do you guys have in your garages when the Corvette is up on the lift?

I'd like to get enough room to throw my Tahoe Z-71 up there, but she's a tall one.

 

[JohnZ]

I have a 12' ceiling; with the Corvette (50" high with the top down) at stand-up working height (ramp surface 65" off the floor), I have 29" from the top of the windshield frame to the ceiling, and 15" from the tip of the fixed antenna (64" high from the floor) to the ceiling.

 

[bradfordsvettes]

I have 12 foot ceilings a tahoe would be no problem steve

 

[bossvette]

12 is the perfect height, that being said mine is 10 with one raised truss centered over the lift all but the Blazer can be raised full height. Just be sure you have an area 12 ft high where you plan on putting the lift especially for that Tahoe

 

[67HEAVEN]

I have a 12' ceiling; with the Corvette (50" high with the top down) at stand-up working height (ramp surface 65" off the floor), I have 29" from the top of the windshield frame to the ceiling, and 15" from the tip of the fixed antenna (64" high from the floor) to the ceiling.

Thanks for the measurements, John. My Z-71 is 28" taller than your '67 'vert. :ugh I had been planning on a 11' foot ceiling, but then I could only get the platform up to 54" with the Tahoe on there, not the 65" ideal height.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Just be sure you have an area 12 ft high where you plan on putting the lift especially for that Tahoe

Since I'm using a "hip" or cottage roof, truss changes will be complicated compared to a gable roof. :ugh

Maybe I'll just throw an extra row of cement blocks around the perimeter.

 

[Lucky 3]

Not sure how deep your garage is but you will need to clear the garage door and opener when the door is open and the Tahoe is raised up. I went to a Wayne Dalton opener that mounts on the wall instead of hanging down from the ceiling.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Not sure how deep your garage is but you will need to clear the garage door and opener when the door is open and the Tahoe is raised up. I went to a Wayne Dalton opener that mounts on the wall instead of hanging down from the ceiling.

Good point. Did you also use their door too, or just the opener?

 

[JohnZ]

My garage doors are 18' x 8' (vs. the standard 16' x 7'), and I had my garage door guy convert the door in the lift bay to a "high-lift"; added another dummy panel to the top of the door (not visible from outside), raised the horizontal tracks to 8" from the ceiling, raised the opener and its track to 3" from the ceiling, no other changes necessary - works like a champ.

 

[Lucky 3]

I used my existing door, they make two drives, one for their doors and one that fits others. My garage is 28'deep but i left my lift about 6' away from the front wall so with the car raised the opener was in the way. I have a Avalanche so with a 10' ceiling i can not raise it all the way up. Two Corvettes fit on it just fine.

 

[Scott Winebarger]

Lift it a little Bob and you can work under it without a lift :L

 

[bradfordsvettes]

I also put in the high lift kit for the overhead door steve

 

[nelson84]

I have seen pictures of some lifts buckling and the top car landing on the car beneath it, who makes the best and most sturdy lift? I could sur use one, my pickup sits outside.

 

[JohnZ]

I have seen pictures of some lifts buckling and the top car landing on the car beneath it, who makes the best and most sturdy lift? I could sur use one, my pickup sits outside.

The "lift disasters" I've seen were caused by operator error - not ensuring that all four corners were above the lock blocks and the locks were engaged before lowering the platform to the locks, and/or not maintaining the lift (lubricating the pulleys and locks). Have not seen or heard of any instances of locks failing or shearing or of lift structural failure.

 

[SebringBill]

Just caught this thread. My garage height at the outside ceiling is just under 16'. 'sputes such as yours would be no problem. I also purchased Wayne Dalton commercial roll up (like an old windowshade) doors that are Miami-Dade wind rated for 130mph. I didn't spring the $750 each :eek for their garage door openers. I have a good Corvette friend who's an engineer. He's adapted a 1hp chain drive opener to this type of door before; we'll probably have less than $400 total in both.