Frankie the Fink

Many "drive on/storage" lifts come with a tray that will support a jack or (a bit pricey) you can buy something like this: http://www.garagegadgetsinc.com/prok...ack-p-273.html

Tampa Jerry

You can work on suspension or brakes two ways. You can purchase a jack from the mfg. that slides on channels on the inboard side of the ramps and uses compressed air to jack the car up. These jacks are a little pricey. I use a jack plate. It slides on the same channel and provides a flat surface to place a bottle or floor jack. I just changed both rear trailing arm bushings using my jack plate two bottle jacks and two jack stands. My son and I had both trailing arms out in just under two hours. Jerry

Frankie the Fink

Well you guys put me over the edge - I just bought a Challenger lift (the one that is often demo'ed and used for judging at the Kissimmee NCRS meet) for a very good price including installation. This lift is sold under different brand names but they are all identical.

If things work out perfectly I won't even have to deal with the garage door/opener depending on how I park the '61 on top. Worst case I'll have to shuffle garage door opener around and add a panel. No roof mods necessary whatsoever..

The new design has slack cable locks, double safety catches and seems like a very reasonable setup for a home hobbyist and runs on 110V.

stratplus

Frank. I hate you the other lift owners.

I just came in a few hours ago adjusting the clutch and doing some other stuff. I wish I had a nickel every time that my creeper rolled over the drop light chord, got stuck, couldn't move, forgot a socket, grabbed the wrong socket, forgot a wrench, hurt my back getting up again from the creeper for the 10th time. You know the drill....

Enjoy and best of luck with your lift.

Frankie the Fink

And don't forget laying down too far up (or down) on the creeper and having to squirm around like a hooked fish to get just the right position for comfortably working.

I'm 63 in a few weeks and I find that I'm more willing to spend $$$ to make life a little easier. Besides, the lift will free up another spot in the garage that the wife can clutter up. Everybody wins...

Post #19 above is what finally made me pull the trigger - my garage is 10'4" high and the other stuff in the picture looks exactly what I will have when everything installed - a very acceptable setup.

uvettcha

you need to try thishttp://cdn3.volusion.com/o3n9t.dyzs5/v/vspfiles/photos/RangerBL-3500-2.jpg?1397139149

C2Jeff

I'm in Miami and have a narrow garage but had no problem installing the Auto Lift Car-Park-8. My ceiling is about 10' but I'm opening it up next week and creating a recessed section so that I can run the lift up to its highest lock and get the most space underneath for ease of walking and getting in and out of the car parked below. PM me if you want contact info for the dealer/installer. My total cost installed came to $2800.

DansYellow66

10' 3" is enough to get by with. I had a 9' 11'1/2 in ceiling once and parked my 66 Coupe over the top of my 67 Plymouth GTX. It's enough if you can get the OH door up high enough anyway.

DansYellow66

I have a lift but primarily use it for storage, sometimes to work under. I prefer working off of a creeper most of the time. I look at getting down and up off of the creeper as an aerobic workout to stay fit.

rtruman

Check this one out.

I found this product at www.bestbuyautoequipment.com and thought you might find it of interest.

Richard


Auto Lift Car-Park-8 Car Storage Lift 8K lb 4 Post Parking Lift




Car Park 8
8,000 lbs.
86 1/4"
103 1/2"
94.5"
19"
165.5"
70"
1HP 110v 20A


Auto Lift 8K lb. 4 Post Car Storage and Service Lift |Parking Lift

8,000 lb. capacity and large 3" cylinder, one-piece diamond-plate runways and scratch-resistant powder coat paint. The clearance between the column posts are about 6 inches wider than most hobbyist lifts.
•Free Caster Kit
•Free Jack Tray




, $1,799.00




Read more about this product

wmf62

room for 1 more... actually, i'm getting ready to change transmissions; so this is only a temporary thing. i still have one empty garage stall open (and to be honest, it's so full of 'stuff' there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of getting another vehicle in it) but this is a convenient way to park the truck in the interim.
Bill

C2Jeff

That's where I sourced mine. Anthony was very helpful and set me up with a local installer. With shipping and installation it came to $2800.

Frankie the Fink

Mine will be about $2,300 installed including delivery, hydraulic oil and installation. Includes 4 casters, jack plate, drip tray.....best deal I could find that was also safe enough for me to feel comfortable using it.

Casters are about a wasted accessory IMO - I'd rather they gave me lightweight aluminum drive up ramps instead of the steel but I can get those later...

Chuck Gongloff

You're right, Frank............

The casters are a waste. I didn't get a set when I bought my lift, but I have access to a set that a neighbor has. I have used them ONCE in 5+ years, and that was after the initial set-up of the lift.

I decided to move the lift a few feet back to give me more room for my work bench.

The aluminum ramps are almost mandatory for old geezers like us.

Those steel ramps are HEAVY and awkward to use. I guarantee that you'll be buying a pair of those quickly.

Chuck

Frankie the Fink

I hear ya Chuck. A little ironic - I just bought my lift from your same guys AND I talked to them at length about buying the demo lift at the 2009 Kissimmee meet back then and even got the green light from the "household finance committee" (if you know what I mean). But then figured I would just tough it out since I only had one classic car. Buying the second car forced the space issue.

Also, doing the rust treatment on the '63 frame using ramps/jack stands was a life altering experience - don't have that in me any more...

Chuck Gongloff

It's tough when you get old. My knees and my back won't take the "ups and downs" anymore.

I love my lift. I had one at the house in Maryland, but it was impractical to move it 1000 miles to Florida, thus I left it at the house, and it went as part of the sale............

I had a Superior brand lift in MD. The one here in Florida is a Direct brand which came from Garage Gadgets. As you know, it was a Kissimmee demo.

I got 3 drip trays, 2 aluminum ramps, and a jacking bridge with my deal.

It was delivered via a rollback, already erected, and set up at my house.

I paid $2,000.00 total, including sales tax and delivery back in early 2009.

Chuck

Beggers

My shop ceiling is also 9.5', there is room though for stacked low profile cars like these. Mine is not bolted down and it has never been an issue. I too have the castors but have only used them once. I found mine barely used for $1500, I see them on Craigs list regularly. Brian

http://i41.tinypic.com/2w7j12e.jpg

Frankie the Fink

You got a killer deal Chuck - I prob should have pulled the trigger on the same deal back in '09. Your lift is a little higher rated than mine but what the hey ? We're only lifting 2,900 lb cars so 8,000 lb vs 9,000 lb capacity ? And the cables are rated at 14,000 lbs -- I think its covered...

One thing to avoid is those plastic drip trays - brake fluid can eat through them and damage anything below....mine is metal.

SpartyGW

I have been looking at lifts also. I taped out my floor for the Pro Park 8 dimensions and it's too big for my wife to comfortably be able to park her Enclave.

I'm going to get out there and retape with the BendPak ST narrow lift and see how that looks.

My dad has had a lift in his garage for probably 10 years and it's awesome.

I don't get this quote. Brake fluid is sold in plastic bottles. Modern day master cylinders are plastic.

skids

On the subject of ramps, the steel one's are a little hefty, but why would you really need to move them? I have a Pro Park 9plus, with steel ramps, I just leave them in place. They are designed to attach to lift, but I leave them about two inches away, and they never move.