Time4vett

I want a corvette but my garage was full, so I got a 4 post lift. I measured, I have the space,but it is tight. My problem is I need 2 more inches to get the Vett under the lift, but I can not go up one more click (4.5 inches per click) and have a safety margin for the top car to hit the ceiling. Is it ok to put a 2 inch concrete pad under each of the 4 posts? I can’t be the only one with this issue with needing to be between the clicks. Thank you.

jcgunn

2 inches of concrete is not going to be structurally sound. Get a locat steel fabricator to make the pieces you need. Also, make sure the anchor bolts are 2 inches longer!

Hotrodzz3

Have you tried putting the vette on top as it will go up higher than whats up there now and might give you enough room for what ever under it. That's what I had to do with mine and since it was getting put away for the winter didn't matter which position it was in

Time4vett

The lift is one that can be moved and does not need to be anchored, it comes with rollers) It sits on a 6 inch thick concrete floor, I just need to raise the lift 2 inches but not 4 inches and thought a 2 inch concrete pad just under the posts would give me the space. I can’t flip the other car to the bottom because it does not run (a mustang - I am sure that will bring jokes) so I would not be able to move the vett without 4 guys to help push the mustang out of the way. I can try to ask the manufacturer, just thought others might have already solved this.

Tuna Joe

yes, easily. Use structural grout. It has incredible compressive strength and that is one of its application.
I raised my 2 post lift using it.
check out the link below. I used Quickcrete from Home Depot.
I shimmed the column up where I wanted it and used a mortar bag to squeeze it under it. I also used my fingers to push it in and then finished it with a putty knife. After it hardens, remove shims and mix more grout to fill remaining void.



https://www.quikrete.com/productline...isiongrout.asp

Leo Guggenbiller

I second the structural grout, we used it extensively at the power plant for pump foundations, anchor points,etc. Will your wheeled Lifters bring the lift columns high enough to clear your new pads? Something to consider. Read up on the grout before using it, if I remember correctly we were required to roughen the surface wher the grout was contacting the concrete and use a adhesion promoter like (sika bond) to help the two materials bond together.Good luck be careful.

Drive em safe
Leo

Sydwayz

Can you have the lift modified to have another set of lock notches/holes put in?

That would be the simplest way.
Otherwise your ramp approach angle is going to be steeper, and you will have to deal with that.

Try cutting a couple of 2x12 pads and setting the lift down on that. See if that works.

grinder11

How about larger diameter roller wheels?

Ron Miller

I have a similar lift, have used mine for years without being anchored to the floor, was not required to be anchored by the manufacturer. I also have the removable wheels allowing the lift to be raised for relocating if/when required. If I were going to raise my lift I would prefer to do so with 2" thick wooden spacers rather than concrete/grout or similar materials. The wood is more forgiving of surface irregularities and imperfections and therefore less likely to crack/disintegrate during usage in my opinion. And, should the wood crack and/or split for some reason it is still in position and performing its intended function. The use of wood also provides a convenient method of anchoring/retaining the product beneath the footpads via either screws/nails, construction glue between the wood/metal footpiece, other means I'm sure you may wish.

James in MT

That’s easy to get whatever height you need. I would contact a reputable machine shop and have them make you X amount of 2” thick spacers x 2” min diameter (or larger and no need to turn the OD because it doesn’t matter as long it is 2”-2-1/2”) made from pre HT 1040/1050 round stock, drill clearance holes in the center of them (clearance = your diameter bolts + .100”/ -0.000”). Prime, paint and put them in place. Or use aluminum in place of steel and no painting required. Note - aluminum will cost you more. Either way the “puck” concept will work. BTW… I read it’s not going into concrete flooring? Would recommend having one side of the “pucks” counter board to accept and clear the bolt head and/washer and nut.

Ron Miller

No doubt that any of the methods suggested would accomplish what you're trying to achieve, metal pads, grout, etc. But none will be as quick and inexpensive as a simple wooden pad beneath each of the four corner posts. Start with four lengths of ground contact treated 2 x 6, 2 x 8, or whatever width you need to fill the width of you existing base plate on the posts. Then, cut four lengths of the 2" (which is actually 1 1/2" in actual thickness) to the same dimension as the actual width (which will also be 1/2" less than the stated width), giving you four square pads as a starter. Then, top these with four matching squares of 1/2" plywood which will get you to your desired actual thickness of 2 inches. Attach the plywood to the 2 by material with small nails, a few screws, or construction glue if desired. Attaching with screws will allow you to fine tune the thickness of the pad should you find during actual usage that you need to adjust the pad thickness by some amount. A simple matter to adjust the thickness of the plywood top to increase/decrease the pad thickness. And the plywood will also have the added benefit of keeping the 2 by material together should it crack (I highly doubt, I should think, but not outside the realm of possibilities I suppose . . . ).

You should be able to put four of these together for $25 to $50 or so, just off the top of my head. Could probably visit a woodworking friend or a nearby construction site and pick up enough material for this job for free if you so desired. These should last you many years, I can't imagine needing replacement anytime in the near future. And meanwhile, should you decide to replace these with another solution in the future (you may decide to raise the roof and ceiling, who knows . .) it's an easy matter to accomplish. As mentioned previously, you can use a bit of construction adhesive as a tack between the wooden pad and the metal base plate of the four post lift. Without being anchored, I find mine will move about 1/2" or so from its initial location over the course of a year or so. I have the location marked on the concrete with permanent marker as a reference. This is normal and to be expected when the lift is not anchored to the floor, caused by the movement of vehicles on to and off of the ramps.

Whatever you choose, enjoy the four poster, mine has been a life saver. Your decision as to how you choose to raise the lift, "you pays your money and you makes your choice" at least that's what I'm told!!

Have a great Holiday Season!!
Ron

moncal90

I know you have the type that is designed to be moved around but if it were me and I was having to put it up an additional 2 inches on some type of pad, I'd want to anchor the sucker down. Just my personal preference of course. I have a BendPak that is designed to do the same thing which I did for a couple of months. However, we came to find out that the lift will definitely move on you when pull our 2017 SS sedan off the lift. Wife was pulling it off the lift for me and as soon as the rear wheels grabbed on concrete the front wheels grabbed the lift and started pulling it out the garage. Luckily, she caught it quickly before it hit the garage. Now she knows to put the SS in neutral once it's on the ramps (of course now she won't touch a car on the lift) but I would not have imagined that it would have had the torque to do that while just idling in reverse like that. Anyways, I anchored the lift down once I got it back in position just to be on the safe side.

KOZ

Wood blocks

Ron Miller

!

Hey Mike, and Hello and Merry Christmas to a fellow Missourian!

I'd absolute anchor mine down the minute I began to have the problem you've experienced, no question about it. I've owned mine for 15+ years now and remember thinking when I installed it that if necessary I might have to anchor it in place. But, due to uncertainty about the exact location I thought I might want it installed, I decided to use it a bit without anchoring before fastening it permanently. Turned out that the position I initially picked and marked with magic markers is the postion I'm still using some 15+ years later. In that period of time I've probably relocated the lift back to its original position 2 or 3 times possibly, and never more than 1/2 inch or so out of its original position. So, it just hasn't been a problem in my case, and I service and maintain three Corvettes, an F150 Extended Cab pickup, Subaru Outbacks (all wheel drive), and a motorcycle or two. The lift gets a lot of up and down, on and off usage over the course of a year. At the first indication that anchoring might be necessary, it'll be done. But based on past experience I'm not expecting that to happen. I have on one or two occasions rolled the lift out of the shop to give the floor a thorough cleaning as well, unanchored makes this chore quite a bit simpler for me.

I really don't think that addition of a couple of inches height under the posts would make a significant difference, I always pull on and off cautiously and slowly, primarily to insure the side mirrors on my vehicles are clearing the posts. I would think that the speed of the vehicle hitting the ramps might do more to move the lift than any other single factor that comes to mind. My background is engineering as well, although I was primarily involved with military construction activities. It should be somewhat simple to anchor the wooden spacers I referenced in a previous post in the event the lift needs anchoring. Just my thoughts . . .

Merry Christmas!

Also left out a couple of Genesis G70's and G80's that I no longer have, replaced with the last/latest 2016 Corvette after parting with my 1965 Corvette as well . . . .