New Lift has Arrived!!

[Toms007]

tom,
I dont know if this helps but I back my cars in on the lift and let the garage door open above the hood. When its fully open, its up against then windshield. Works for me..
Good luck..

Is your garage door a standard 7' or is it an 8' door? Mine is a 7'. When open, from the floor to the opened garage door is 95". I'm not sure if that's enough, it would be great if it was.

A high lift kit would take care of the problem, but I'm not sure where to acquire the parts to do it, does someone here know?

 

[Wayne64]

It is an easy fix but you will require a jack post door opener. I ended up paying 1200 $$ 600 for the opener rest for the rails.and coil spring.
I also had to make a couple changes to the rafters. (Boxed two of them )The door is 7 inches from my hood. The windshield extends into the rafters. I need to find an antenna that will go down all the way.http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u101/waynepartridge/IMG_1215.jpg

 

[jims427400]

I do have an 8ft. garage door. Guess that would make backing in work for me..

 

[JohnZ]

It is an easy fix but you will require a jack post door opener. I ended up paying 1200 $$ 600 for the opener rest for the rails.and coil spring.

You don't need a jack-post door opener to do a high-lift conversion. I had the 18' x 8' door in my lift bay converted to a high-lift (horizontal tracks 8" from the 12' ceiling, opener track 2" from the ceiling) for a little less than $400.00, including the additional dummy top door panel, using the original 1/2-hp Lift-Master opener.

 

[Toms007]

You don't need a jack-post door opener to do a high-lift conversion. I had the 18' x 8' door in my lift bay converted to a high-lift (horizontal tracks 8" from the 12' ceiling, opener track 2" from the ceiling) for a little less than $400.00, including the additional dummy top door panel, using the original 1/2-hp Lift-Master opener.

Now this is more what I was thinking of doing. Adding what JohnZ calls a "dummy panel" and extending the vertical pieces a like amount. That would give me the clearance I would need.

JohnZ who did you have do yours? If you did it yourself where did you get the parts? Parts supplier for my brand of door is questionable (door is 22 years old).

 

[Wayne64]

Nice garadge. I only have 10 foot ceilings with two single doors. great set up.

 

[JohnZ]

Now this is more what I was thinking of doing. Adding what JohnZ calls a "dummy panel" and extending the vertical pieces a like amount. That would give me the clearance I would need.

JohnZ who did you have do yours? If you did it yourself where did you get the parts? Parts supplier for my brand of door is questionable (door is 22 years old).

I had my garage door guy do the conversion (same guy who installed the doors when we built the house seven years ago); he's done lots of high-lift conversions, has it down pat. The added dummy panel is essential, as it solves the geometry problem of translating the horizontal motion of the operator to vertical motion of the door during the initial portion of the lift. Even used the original connecting link to the door - just unbolted it and made it longer.

 

[Toms007]

I had my garage door guy do the conversion (same guy who installed the doors when we built the house seven years ago); he's done lots of high-lift conversions, has it down pat. The added dummy panel is essential, as it solves the geometry problem of translating the horizontal motion of the operator to vertical motion of the door during the initial portion of the lift. Even used the original connecting link to the door - just unbolted it and made it longer.

I knew that by adding the panel at the top would solve that issue. My problem is I'm a cheap-scape, I have done all the work myself (I built the house myself even), so I am not sure where to acquire the hardware I need to do the conversion. The place where I bought all of my materials has changed owners and they don't carry the same brand of garage doors any more. I need to find another source for my brand of door. thanks for the input.

 

[Wayne64]

You could make the door yourself from plywood ( sounds like you are handy )and the tracks are standard from any door company . Google it in you're area. Depo might carry it. Hope this helps

 

[Toms007]

I hadn't really considered building the top panel myself, it could be done. As far as the track we can probably round some of that up without too much trouble. Thanks for the input.

 

[Kid_Again]

i had the jack shaft conversion on my door done by a local outfit (uncharacteristically for me)...i simply did NOT have the desire to fart around with garage doors even though i could now work at a comfortable height by standing on the elevated ramps

when i assembled my lift, i did it in a very crude way...disassembled the lift in the "rent a wreck" truck that i rented, had my son and three of his friends help me to "drop" the components on the garage floor and then i used the engine crane to assemble the components (interesting to see how the "old man" kept up with the kids...they were exhausted and i was just hungry)...i did all the assembly alone with an air impact gun

...i first marked the ramps in the exact linear center (assuming that linearity equaled weight balance and it did), used wooden shims to get the ramps high enough off the ground to get a Johnson bar under them and cribbed them with a single 4x4 block at each corner....slipped some store bought chain under the center and looped that up to an engine leveler on the engine crane and had a very stable setup to bolt the ramps to the cross members....used vice grips to keep the chains from slipping...total time from the shims to the car on the lift was a full saturday and sunday

..glad i bought the 240v version as i can't imagine how long a 120v pump would take....filled my hydraulic reservoir with Walmart brand ATF

...i took great pains to "Buy American" so i did pay more and felt good about it until i realized that the pump module comes directly from our friends the Chicoms (you can buy either the 120 or 240 versions directly from Harborfreight) and that the company went out of business about 3 months after i took delivery...i hope my purchase at least did some good for those guys

...a word of caution, the first lift i purchased never showed up because the company went out of business before they could ship my product...i always use my credit card so i got my money back but i was astounded at the number of guys who used checks and they just lost their money.......

...as a reference, I have 12' ceilings, i park the CR-V under the ramps and the dogs sit in the second-from-the-top cutouts...if memory serves me correctly, i bought the larger lift specifically advertised to clear an Explorer

...a question that i have for you guys is how you route the power to the lift...i have 8ga 3/1 wire running along the floor under those long rubber computer cable floor "speed bumps" but i'm wondering if there's a better way....thanks



....as an aside, i've seen lots of pictures of installed lifts on the 'net and my opinion is that while i didn't pay for what some consider a "top quality" lift, all these lifts look alike (i suppose there really are only a few ways to build a lift) and i wonder what really makes the difference....every picture that i remember seeing has the Chicom hydraulic pump and perhaps my lift skimped on the quality of the hydraulic ram....but i gotta wonder...

 

[JohnZ]

...a question that i have for you guys is how you route the power to the lift...i have 8ga 3/1 wire running along the floor under those long rubber computer cable floor "speed bumps" but i'm wondering if there's a better way....thanks.

Mine's 120V - I just use an extension cord from the adjacent wall outlet. Also allows me to move it around with no issues.

 

[Toms007]

From the research that I have been doing the big difference seems to be in the Safety locks or latches that the different lifts use. There appears to be some difference in the construction of the main posts as well. Some using straight U shaped channel were as others have an additional "wrap on the ends of the U to strengthen it.

I have just about determined that the best buy for the money is the lift from Greg Smith Equipment. http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Direct-Lift-Pro-Park-8S-p/tppro-park8s.htm

It has many features that make it appear to be a better product for the money (IMO), three locks/latches/safety catches is one of the big ones.

 

[robert64]

In Sept. I purchased the pro park 7 from ADZ in Canada for 2095+tax+300. shipping. They are now down to 1795+tax+shipping. this is the identical unit that gregsmith is selling. It is very well made and the info. shown at the gregsmith website is well detailed and excellent. I put it together myself with the aid of an engine hoist and a few blocks of wood. Regards, Bob

 

[67HEAVEN]

In Sept. I purchased the pro park 7 from ADZ in Canada

Hi Bob,

Is it possible that name is ADG?

 

[2X4's 60]

Here's a nice accessory that makes your lift even more usable and they're 1/2 the price that the lift dealers want for them. http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc..._Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=
They are shipped for free which is good because they are quite heavy.

 

[Kid_Again]

thanks for the responses....

why is the higher capacity air jack priced lower than the lower-rated unit?...looks like an interesting tool anyway...

...yup, i paid more for my lift than i should have, about $2900 for the big guy, with casters...


my posts don't wrap around, look like they're just butt welded the length and i have 4 positive locking dogs on each post (they pop into place at each cutout in the posts as they rise, unless you pull them back)...


...i've gotten into arguments about tool quality with guys that i respect but i think i did my homework and this lift was as safe as any that i saw advertised....my safety is foremost but as far as durability, i'm not running a JiffyLube here...


to be fair, i should add in the cost of 75' of that 3/1 Romex to power the lift...damn but Home Depot has done well by me

 

[Toms007]

thanks for the responses....

why is the higher capacity air jack priced lower than the lower-rated unit?...looks like an interesting tool anyway...

...yup, i paid more for my lift than i should have, about $2900 for the big guy, with casters...


my posts don't wrap around, look like they're just butt welded the length and i have 4 positive locking dogs on each post (they pop into place at each cutout in the posts as they rise, unless you pull them back)...


...i've gotten into arguments about tool quality with guys that i respect but i think i did my homework and this lift was as safe as any that i saw advertised....my safety is foremost but as far as durability, i'm not running a JiffyLube here...


to be fair, i should add in the cost of 75' of that 3/1 Romex to power the lift...damn but Home Depot has done well by me

You don't have to defend your choices here....to me at least. You got what you figured was the best deal for you. Fact is you are way ahead of many of us here, in the fact that you actually have your lift, while many of us are sitting here wishing. I hope that I didn't come off as sounding condescending and like you didn't do your homework, I'm sure you did and are satisfied with your decision. That's the way is should be. Frankly I have not seen any of these home lifts in person and I have to go by what I read and what I know about materials and the properties of construction.

As far as the Romex...I bet you have done well for Home Depot.

 

[2X4's 60]

thanks for the responses....

why is the higher capacity air jack priced lower than the lower-rated unit?...looks like an interesting tool anyway...

It has a 2 segmented bag vs. 3 and doesn't lift as high as the lower capacity one. I bought 2 of the 1.8 ton ones. They really work great.

Jim

 

[robert64]

Hi Bob,

Is it possible that name is ADG?

ADG is correct. One of my two fingers was out of sync. Regards, Robert