Garage lifts - LotusTalk

cantwaitforelise · 06-03-2006, 03:18 PM

I'm going to be building a garage soon and thought it might be nice to have a lift in it. Anyone know what kind of lift would be good and where I can get one? How expensive are they? Can a regular contractor install these or are there companies that do this? Any thoughts, ideas, ect. would be appreciated.

MikeW · 06-03-2006, 03:33 PM

I have a friend that's had a couple of lifts. He swears by Bend Pak (spelling?).
I just got thru using his for the header install. It's a 4 post. That's what the Lotus needs. The capacity is overkill for 2000 lbs, they'll lift 9000 or so. Get a brand that's US made and not just a sticker with a US flag on the pump. There are lesser ones on ebay, use keyword "4 post lift" starting at about $1650.00 plus freight. If you're pouring a slab, get some advice about the concrete strength for anything heavy on the lift. I've decided to get one myself and put it on the patio. Covering for the Arizona sun, dust, occasional rain is an issue but not impossible. The pump will be removed and remote mounted near the house. Hydraulic cylinders will be under the runners. You might find a "special" at some of the bigger car shows like they have here in Phoenix, ie free freight, etc.

You'll like it and wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

CarNut · 06-03-2006, 04:30 PM

I have a lift by Backyard Buddy. Dumb name, but they make a very sturdy lift. They cost a bit more than some others, but worth it in my opinion. Their website is:

http://www.backyardbuddy.com

Watch the video to get an idea of how they are made. For example, the posts are full four-sided and not open channel like some cheaper brands. They are also sturdy enough that bolting to the floor is not necessary. It comes in three different heights and prices start at around $3500. The basic model is rated at 7000 lbs. The lift weighs about 1800 lbs. They are made in Ohio and freight to my house in VA was about $375, but that will vary depending on where you need it shipped to.

The treads are about 400 lbs each and although they say two people can put it together, you need two or more pretty strong guys to do it. They will also recommend an installer if you don't want to try to do it yourself. I had mine installed by one of their recommended installers for $500 and worth every penny.

One other caution, however, if you have it delivered to your house, the trucking company will not unload it. That's up to you. Another reason to use the installer. Mine picked the lift up at the freight depot and brought to me then assembled it - all included in his price.

Lumn8r · 06-03-2006, 05:27 PM

Mine is from Superlifts. I ordered it through Detailer's Paradise, had it delivered to Colorado and trailered it to Alaska with my Elise. I assembled it without any help. As mentioned above, the tracks are around 400lbs, but with the help of some rollers and my floor jack, I was able to get everything in place and assembled with no injuries or hernias.

Edit: Mine also has a castor kit so one person can easily move it without a car on it. I would want at least two people to move it if there was a car on it.

tvacc · 06-03-2006, 08:37 PM

I have had a lift in my garage since 1991. It was the first "parking" lift advertised in Road and Track.

It was from Parking Solutions. I dont know what happaned to them...but they went out of business. I would love to know why.

Anyways...Dave Redden (now transistioned to the great Lotus garage in the sky). former LOONY and Elise owner reseached this greatly about 2 years before he passed on. He thought the Eagle Lift was the best and I agreed with him after we discussed it at length. Dave was an engineer for Xerox...and previously for 3M and DeHavalind Aircraft..so I trusted his judgement. He bought one and I liked it alot. It is the one I would buy if I were to get another.

http://eagleequip.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=LI-SS'

They even have a neat castor kit that allows you to move the lift....with or without the car on it.

This is the website.

If you are a Lotus Ltd member..they used to have a discount program as I recall...but I dont know if it is still in effect. (I might be wrong on that...I know the LOONYs had a discount..and I might be getting that mixed up).

tesprit · 06-03-2006, 11:50 PM

I have had a Pro-Lift from Eagle Equipment in my garage since 1989. It is the best piece of equipment I have ever purchased and has paid for itself at least 5 times over since I bought it. It is a 2 post asymmetrical 4 arm lift rated at 7,000 lbs. and the lift mechanism is the same as a fork lift. I chose it over the 4 post style because it is more compact and more versitile than the drive on 4 post style lifts. My lift is very narrow between the posts but you can still have the doors of your car open when it is on the lift because the posts are located just in front of the doors. It also has a clear floor design so all the cables and hoses are on top of the lift and not on the floor. This allows you to easily push a non-running car between the posts without having to push it over a bump on the floor in preparation for lifting. Having the car lifted by 4 arms leaves the wheels free so brake/suspension work is easy. I also have used the beam structure that ties the posts together and houses the cables/hoses to hang a chain hoist for pulling engines when a car is on the lift. This allows you to lower the car and/or raise the engine at the same time. I have serviced everything from a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud to my old Turbo Esprit and now my Elise on this lift. I have also used it like a fork lift to remove machinery tools from my truck. The only drawbacks are that the garage ceiling above the lift must be at least 13' 6" high, the floor must be at least 6" thick and flat, and even though you can leave a vehicle on it indefinitely, the suspension will be at full droop so it is not a good choice if you are looking for storage. When I am not using the lift, it still allows me to park 2 cars in my 24'X24' garage or 3 if I decide to leave one on the lift overnight. This is a very well constructed USA made lift and has a delivery weight of 1,750 lbs. so it is not a cheap Chinese made copy. If you would like more info. PM me.

06-03-2006, 03:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
cantwaitforelise Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: TX Posts: 252	Garage lifts I'm going to be building a garage soon and thought it might be nice to have a lift in it. Anyone know what kind of lift would be good and where I can get one? How expensive are they? Can a regular contractor install these or are there companies that do this? Any thoughts, ideas, ect. would be appreciated.

06-03-2006, 04:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
CarNut Phantom Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern VA Posts: 419 Images: 1	I have a lift by Backyard Buddy. Dumb name, but they make a very sturdy lift. They cost a bit more than some others, but worth it in my opinion. Their website is: http://www.backyardbuddy.com Watch the video to get an idea of how they are made. For example, the posts are full four-sided and not open channel like some cheaper brands. They are also sturdy enough that bolting to the floor is not necessary. It comes in three different heights and prices start at around $3500. The basic model is rated at 7000 lbs. The lift weighs about 1800 lbs. They are made in Ohio and freight to my house in VA was about $375, but that will vary depending on where you need it shipped to. The treads are about 400 lbs each and although they say two people can put it together, you need two or more pretty strong guys to do it. They will also recommend an installer if you don't want to try to do it yourself. I had mine installed by one of their recommended installers for $500 and worth every penny. One other caution, however, if you have it delivered to your house, the trucking company will not unload it. That's up to you. Another reason to use the installer. Mine picked the lift up at the freight depot and brought to me then assembled it - all included in his price. __________________ 2006 Elise - Phantom Black, Magnolia, Black Pack, LSD, Touring 1970 Elan - Yellow, Restored/updated, Spyder chassis, Panasports 2004 MINI Cooper S - Pepper White, many mods 2002 MINI Cooper - Chili Red/White 1969 Morris Mini Cooper S - White/Black, Restored to original

06-03-2006, 05:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lumn8r On the road again Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: 20 miles from Santa's house Posts: 958	Mine is from Superlifts. I ordered it through Detailer's Paradise, had it delivered to Colorado and trailered it to Alaska with my Elise. I assembled it without any help. As mentioned above, the tracks are around 400lbs, but with the help of some rollers and my floor jack, I was able to get everything in place and assembled with no injuries or hernias. Edit: Mine also has a castor kit so one person can easily move it without a car on it. I would want at least two people to move it if there was a car on it. Attached Images __________________ Hibernating through another long winter. Last edited by Lumn8r : 06-03-2006 at 09:26 PM.

06-03-2006, 08:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
tvacc Head LOONY Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 2,226	I have had a lift in my garage since 1991. It was the first "parking" lift advertised in Road and Track. It was from Parking Solutions. I dont know what happaned to them...but they went out of business. I would love to know why. Anyways...Dave Redden (now transistioned to the great Lotus garage in the sky). former LOONY and Elise owner reseached this greatly about 2 years before he passed on. He thought the Eagle Lift was the best and I agreed with him after we discussed it at length. Dave was an engineer for Xerox...and previously for 3M and DeHavalind Aircraft..so I trusted his judgement. He bought one and I liked it alot. It is the one I would buy if I were to get another. http://eagleequip.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=LI-SS' They even have a neat castor kit that allows you to move the lift....with or without the car on it. This is the website. If you are a Lotus Ltd member..they used to have a discount program as I recall...but I dont know if it is still in effect. (I might be wrong on that...I know the LOONYs had a discount..and I might be getting that mixed up). __________________ Tony Vaccaro 2005 Ardent Red, Katana Supercharger, Touring, Hardtop, Driving Lights, HIDs, Rear Window Shield, Red Mounts, Laser Shifters, V1, LETSLA Shifter, www.lotusowners.com LOONY (Lotus Owners of New York) and the Church of the HolyLotus Supplier of Polycarbonate Shield for Rear Window IN STOCK , Drive Fast Take Chances Last edited by tvacc : 06-03-2006 at 08:48 PM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-03-2006, 03:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
MikeW Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,372	I have a friend that's had a couple of lifts. He swears by Bend Pak (spelling?). I just got thru using his for the header install. It's a 4 post. That's what the Lotus needs. The capacity is overkill for 2000 lbs, they'll lift 9000 or so. Get a brand that's US made and not just a sticker with a US flag on the pump. There are lesser ones on ebay, use keyword "4 post lift" starting at about $1650.00 plus freight. If you're pouring a slab, get some advice about the concrete strength for anything heavy on the lift. I've decided to get one myself and put it on the patio. Covering for the Arizona sun, dust, occasional rain is an issue but not impossible. The pump will be removed and remote mounted near the house. Hydraulic cylinders will be under the runners. You might find a "special" at some of the bigger car shows like they have here in Phoenix, ie free freight, etc. You'll like it and wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

06-03-2006, 11:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
tesprit Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Racine, WI Posts: 1,925	I have had a Pro-Lift from Eagle Equipment in my garage since 1989. It is the best piece of equipment I have ever purchased and has paid for itself at least 5 times over since I bought it. It is a 2 post asymmetrical 4 arm lift rated at 7,000 lbs. and the lift mechanism is the same as a fork lift. I chose it over the 4 post style because it is more compact and more versitile than the drive on 4 post style lifts. My lift is very narrow between the posts but you can still have the doors of your car open when it is on the lift because the posts are located just in front of the doors. It also has a clear floor design so all the cables and hoses are on top of the lift and not on the floor. This allows you to easily push a non-running car between the posts without having to push it over a bump on the floor in preparation for lifting. Having the car lifted by 4 arms leaves the wheels free so brake/suspension work is easy. I also have used the beam structure that ties the posts together and houses the cables/hoses to hang a chain hoist for pulling engines when a car is on the lift. This allows you to lower the car and/or raise the engine at the same time. I have serviced everything from a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud to my old Turbo Esprit and now my Elise on this lift. I have also used it like a fork lift to remove machinery tools from my truck. The only drawbacks are that the garage ceiling above the lift must be at least 13' 6" high, the floor must be at least 6" thick and flat, and even though you can leave a vehicle on it indefinitely, the suspension will be at full droop so it is not a good choice if you are looking for storage. When I am not using the lift, it still allows me to park 2 cars in my 24'X24' garage or 3 if I decide to leave one on the lift overnight. This is a very well constructed USA made lift and has a delivery weight of 1,750 lbs. so it is not a cheap Chinese made copy. If you would like more info. PM me.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)