Time to buy a lift! Which one/what type?

[John Mcgraw]

unfortunately, you can not. The torsion tube can not be lowered, and even if it could, you would find that the door extends several inches above the track. I think that about the closest you can run the tracks to the ceiling is about 6 inches.
Regards, John McGraw

 

[JohnZ]

My torsion spring shaft is 4" from the ceiling, the horizontal door tracks are 9" from the ceiling, and the anchor end of the operator track is 1-1/2" from the ceiling (12'). It's an 8' door, with an extra 24" section added (not visible from the outside) to get the lift/pull geometry correct for the operator.

 

[SeaLawyer]

Thanks for the info guys!

Gotta say - this forum is AWESOME!

A few updates:

The swing of my garage door above the track is about 4.5 inches. That's really the only limiting factor when using the Wayne-Dalton opener. JohnZ, your torsion spring is lower because of the opener rail. Without that, you can pretty mount the torsion spring flush with the ceiling (or close to flush), which I agree JohnM will give me a door track spacing of about 6". I'm getting the taller lift (AL's M80) so the extra 6" of clearance will be REALLY nice!

I think I've found a cheap solution (relatively) to my rolling air jack dilemma. Check this out:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/omega/18122.html

Two of the auto-return ones wired (with air) 'in parallel' on the sliding jack tray should do the job quite nicely! Not bad for under $500!

Or for a bit more money (and work), two of these:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/omega/21032.html

and just build a housing to hold both the lift arms and have one very similar to BB's $1700 job for less than half!

 

[IH2LOSE]

sealawyer

No what you have shown is not the same the rolling air jacks.If your getting the air assisted hydrylic you mine as well just get the regular pump style.(that what I have also) my partner has a 4 post lift with the rolling air jacks and there great.he pulls the jacks all the way to the front,drives the car on the lift,rolls his jacks into place,places a dense styrofoam under the lifting points for the car and up it goes and stays that way so he has no flat spotting on his tires.

 

[SeaLawyer]

True - because it's air-assist not fully hydraulic. I've got plenty of compressed air, and dropping a quick connect wouldn't be a big deal... Am I missing something? What BRAND of rolling air jack does your partner have? BB's is $1700. Even that seems high. Every other one that I found was $2500+!!

My other option would be to fabricate something fully hydraulic using something like this:

http://www.hydraulic-ram.co.uk/single_acting.html

with some jack arms...

 

[IH2LOSE]

Sea lawyer he has the bend back lift with there rolling air jacks.I know they were exspencive but what a plessure to work with.Every time he pull's his car in he raise'e up off the tire to prevent flat spotting. I know I am supposed to do that for prolonged storage but I never do because of all the addtional work I have to do to raise it up with jacks and then use the my jack stands.

 

[JohnZ]

NOT a good idea to put a car "up on jacks" for storage with the suspension hanging down in full rebound; this will over-stress the rubber bushings in torsion and lead to bushing rubber deterioration and bonding failure. Those bushings are designed to be torqued with the car at normal design ride height for a good reason - so they're under no torsional stress at all unless the suspension is moving up and down. There's no such thing as a permanent tire "flat spot" - mine have sat all winter (6 months) for 40 years, and the flat spots are gone within three miles in the spring.

Many folks don't understand that control arm/trailing arm/strut rod bushings have the rubber bonded to the inner steel sleeve, and to the inside of the outer sleeve; when you torque the through-bolt, that clamps the serrated ends of the inner sleeve solid to the frame, and the outer sleeve is pressed solid into the opening in the control arm and doesn't move either. The up and down motion of the control arm relative to the frame is absorbed entirely by the rubber inbetween the inner and outer sleeves, and that rubber wants to be under zero torsional stress when the car is parked.

 

[IH2LOSE]

John my partners car is actually a VIPER,He has special tires a real soft compound for his hot laps around the tracks when he goes to the viper meets,I also have an old caddy with vouge tires on it and it sits on its tires all year.(I just had the car inspected and it went a total of 180 miles total last year) These tire definatley have some flat spots in them I if driving it will correct it I may have to take it on a run to atlantic city

 

[69MyWay]

LIFT me up guys!!!!!!

Hey SeaLawyer..... Where in Jax are you building? We ought to get together some time.

I am now in a garage lift quandry myself.

I want to put a lift in my back workshop. I realize that I won't have enough ceiling room to crank it up high enough to walk under it. That is okay...as almost anything is better than jackstands! I don't mind rolling on a creeper...heck, sometimes it is comfortable! Plus, when messing with heavy stuff, I like to be low, and on my back where I can better support things, and take a break as needed.

For my purpose, a four post would be a problem. With the offset of my shop in the back yard, a four post design would take up too much floor space and cause problems getting stuff in and out. Plus, the ramps are in the way, and you have to work up and over them for brake/wheel work.

So, I am looking at lifts like this:

America's Pride

For $1,995, I can get a two post that will go against the far right wall of my shop. That will allow me to raise a car, and have full access to the suspension, trans, motor, diff, etc., without then having to monkey with a second air or hydraulic jack to get the wheels off the car.

However....it will prevent me from ever parking a car dead center of the shop!

I could put a rolling four post (portable) outside my shop under the tarp building. The good is, it would not tie up my shop. The bad is, I would be working outside, and have to leave my car outside (although it would be covered by the tarp shelter).

BTW--I am going to move this thread to the Corvette Stables as the info shared is much more related to that than just C1-C2 Vettes.

 

[SeaLawyer]

Hey Chris,

I'm building in that new subdivision going in on Doctor's Lake right off 220 -- Paradise Moorings is the name of it, but I don't think they have a sign up yet, just a huge wall. The house won't be ready for probably 10 months. No room in the current garage for a lift, so I'll have to wait - I'm just trying to plan ahead as much as possible.

What PSI is the floor of your shop now? I'd be concerned about bolting the 2-post to a floor not made for it. Working outside here isn't much of an issue but for a few weeks during the winter. That is, unless your shop has AC which would make summertime working much more enjoyable.

I like the portability of the 4-post. You could always roll it inside for certain uses, but keep it outside the rest of the time?

Cool 69 btw, did you take it to the show at World Golf Village - I seem to remember one there very similar. I especially admired the wheels since I'm shopping for a similar look on my '63.

Cheers,
Vaughn

 

[69MyWay]

Vaughn,

I don't know the PSI of the floor. I do know that when we poured it we used the fiberglass reinforced stuff, and plenty of metal under it. It is over 5" thick in most places.

The wheels on my car are from www.hvydeez.com They have a set of Vista wheels on a midyear that looks sweeeeet.

I am working on a 70 convertible for a friend of mine that lives off Doctors Lake in an older more established area. I lived of the lake as well at one time. Nice view, and a beautiful place to be.

I have not heard of that new subdivision, but I know they are building like crazy all the way into Green Cove Springs. I remember when that was just county land out there.

Yes, I was at the World Golf Village with my 69 aka Killer.

We did the little car show at Hooters yesterday, and the cruise in at Orange Park Kmart last night.

Log onto http://www.carcouncil.org/ to see all the latest bru-ha-ha with the local car scene.

 

[stall]

lift

I have a Backyard Buddy thats now about 6 years old and I love it. I feel that their design is very safe and the lift is substantial. Its the drive on type and I find I'm using it more and more. Take a look at the lock mechanism into a solid square tubing, nicely done.

Good Luck

 

[Grizzly]

Backyard Buddy

Just finished putting my backyard buddy together. If there is a more solid lift I haven't seen it. Looks more substantial than the stuff you see in repair shops. Like the man said, check out the locks, that is what will save your life...............

 

[Skyguy007]

You might want to check out Wayne-Dalton's garage door and opener site at -

http://www.wayne-dalton.com/default.asp

W-D offers an opener that attaches to the wall and works around the torsion spring for their brand of doors. By doing this, you could run the door tracks up the wall to the ceiling instead of having the traditional tracks, which put the door in your way when using a lift.

The product's been out for more than a year. The firm's doors are first-rate, so I presume the opener is of good quality.

I've been contemplating getting a lift for my 13 foot tall garage too. If I do this I'll be replacing the builder's door with its traditional tracks and opener with the W-D setup.

 

[winnipeg69]

Sealawyer

Did you end up ordering a lift from Autolifters?? If so how do you like it?? How about anyone else who has dealt with them and owns one of their 4 post lifts?? I looking to place an order in the next week or so for the M80. and any feedback would be great.
Also what accesories are most used if you have a 4 post now??

Thanks
Mike

 

[kbelcher]

Hey guys,

I know some of you here have lifts. I'm building a new house, and the 3rd garage bay will have a 13 foot ceiling. Any suggestions on what I should buy - type/size/brand/etc....

Thanks!
Vaughn

I just ordered my Backyard Buddy (http://www.backyardbuddy.com/). My friend has one and he did lots of investigating before he bought it.

Check out their site and video they have. I expect mine to be delivered in the next couple of weeks.

Kevin

 

[JohnZ]

Sealawyer

Did you end up ordering a lift from Autolifters?? If so how do you like it?? How about anyone else who has dealt with them and owns one of their 4 post lifts?? I looking to place an order in the next week or so for the M80. and any feedback would be great.
Also what accesories are most used if you have a 4 post now??

Thanks
Mike

Aluminum instead of steel ramps (the steel ones are a PITA to handle and store), drip pans (if you're going to stack cars), offset power unit bracket (mounts it in front of the column, not sticking out from the side), caster kit (so you can move it around), jack bridge (so you can work on suspension and brakes), and the telescoping oil drain container on wheels.

 

[SeaLawyer]

Sealawyer

Did you end up ordering a lift from Autolifters?? If so how do you like it?? How about anyone else who has dealt with them and owns one of their 4 post lifts?? I looking to place an order in the next week or so for the M80. and any feedback would be great.
Also what accesories are most used if you have a 4 post now??

Thanks
Mike

Mike,

Actually the plans on the house fell through -- my wife decided to get out of the Navy, and until I'm practicing law in the civilian sector (in about two years), we have to stay put. No room in the current garage for a lift. Let me know how you like the M80.

Vaughn

 

['63split]

Hi Vaughn,

What type of law do you plan on practicing when in the civilian sector? My wife passed the Maryland BAR this past May and has been practicing family law out of our home since June. We estimate about 1-2 years to build her practice, then we plan to buy a C6.

Good Luck!

Mike

 

[bossvette]

I have a 2-post baseplate from Team Lift it was the best $2000 I ever spent. I bought the baseplate model for ease of Installation and did it myself over a weekend. I have it in a pole barn with a 10 ft ceiling and modified one truss so I can get my truck most of the way up. You will not believe how much easier it is to change tires standing up:L