63Bulldog

I'm starting a new garage in a few weeks (16' x 28') with a 10' wide garage door. What car lift would everyone recommend for my C7? I would like to stay in the $1500-$2500 range. I would also like this lift to be able to handle my new Impala but if that can't happen in my price range then I will eliminate it as a requirement. The cars will only need to be lifted approximately 3-5 feet. Also, could this lift be put on a racedeck garage floor without damaging the floor and compromising safety?

Bill Dearborn

How tall and wide is your garage and what kind of work do you want to do on the car?

A two post lift like a lot of repair shops have is almost ideal. Almost complete access to the bottom and sides of the car, they also let you work under the car while standing which can be a benefit. However, they have disadvantages as well. You have two big posts permanently in the way if you have a narrow garage and if you have a low ceiling you will need to put holes in the ceiling for the posts. A four post drive on lift provides a lot of the same advantages but the wheels aren't free to work on unless you have some sort of bridge jacking system to lift the car off the 4 post ramps. The drive on lift also helps when it comes to doing your own wheel alignments. However, the biggest problem is you now have 4 posts blocking other uses of the garage and you may still ceiling height problems.

That brings us to a low rise or mid rise scissors lift. They store nicely since you can park the car over them when not in use and are movable if you need to move them. However, they have two wheels that move back and forth as the lift goes up and down and a race deck floor won't be able to take the pressure under those wheels.

Then you have the Max Jax lift which is a compromise on a full two post lift. It has a lot of advantages and the posts can be moved so they aren't in the way when the lift isn't being used.

There is also a high rise scissors type lift that has two large pads that come up under the frame of the car but doesn't have the wheels of the other scissors lift. These lifts have two separate scissors and lift the car high enough you can walk under it and can also work in the center of the car. They are easily stored since you just park over them when not in use. http://www.carguygarage.com/lbhighrisesciss.html

All of these have the capacity to handle your Vette as well as your Impala or even a full size pick up truck.

It all depends on your constraints. If you are just building the garage you want to make your garage floor as level as possible and minimize expansion joints because they can affect lift location as well as be a general nuisance if you are working under a car on a mid rise lift sitting on a roll around stool.

I have had two lifts so far in two different houses. A mid rise 6000 lb Eagle scissors lift that I used for 10 years and a Max Jax which I have been using for 4 years. The Max Jax is nice but I find in my standard narrow 2 car garage its benefits don't outweigh the detriments. When the lift is in place it prevents parking a second car in the garage and the extra work space under the car hasn't been all that beneficial to me since I haven't done any drive line work on any of my cars. After 4 years of use the mid rise scissors lift would have been a better choice for me.

Bill

63Bulldog

Thanks Bill, My garage will be 16' wide by 28' deep. I plan on having the garage door to be 10' wide, if that makes a difference. I don't know for sure what my contractor has figured for the height but I have told him that I want to put in a lift. I will admit I know nothing about car lifts and the main reason for this lift will be to make it easier for me to clean and polish the lower part of the cars and to also have the ability to change wheels from summer tires to winter tires. Reason: bad back and closing in on 70 years old. But I want to do it right and not regret buying the wrong lift. Thanks again for the information.

Snowwolfe

Trust me, have a 12 foot wide door installed. You will thank yourself later.

Widgeon5

I have a 12 foot Rotary lift with the offset arms and consider it ideal by most measures. Being able to stand up beneath the car is a huge benefit. The purpose of my reply however is to recommend, if you are even considering a 2-post lift, to have your concrete floor poured deeper (like 6 to 8 inches) in the area around where the posts will be. I did not do this, just have the standard 4 inches which the installer said would be satisfactory, but I would feel better with a thicker floor there. Also, consult with the installer about where the posts should be; they will be farther forward in the bay than you might expect.

Richard Ames

Most Shops use Rotary or Bendpak. For storage a 4 post seems the normal for working on them a 2 post or 4 post with the 2 post preferred.

The two post requires a 144 inch width to install and heights vary but at least 144 inch ceiling height and at least a 6 inch slab according to a Rotary installation manual.

Backyard Buddy looks like a quality and made in the US but expensive compared to Rotary or Bendpak.

You also may find a used one like I did on ebay or craigs list or local auto trader.

nice1huh

I have a Direct Lift 8000 4 post works great

tractman

I use the Quick-Jack.....for all that I do it works great. Raises the car 22 inches so now I don't have to crawl all over the floor when detailing. I've had it over a year and used the heck out of it....best investment I ever made for my garage.

KemahGT

If you're not doing a lot of work on your own car a 4 post is the easiest to deal with. It'll be great for cleaning, oil changes, exhaust work etc. Be sure to check dimensions on your lift and any car you might put on it. The BendPak lift that I chose is too narrow for a GS, Z06 and 2015 Z28. I'm stuck with a Stingray!

Oh, and another thing. My 230v lift is a lot faster than some 115v lifts. Not a big deal but something you may need your electrician to consider. Have a 50a circuit put in and you'll be ready for welders or other bad *** power tools. Also, FYI, my particular lift also requires air for the safety lock release.

robert miller

How far from floor to top you need at least 14ft. I put in a door lift that the door goes to the very top. Get you flooring put up you 4 post lift then put down your flooring and just cut out the piece's around the plates on the post.

I have had a 4 post lift down for about 3 plus years and love it.. Robert

JohnnyDee

I just had a 18'x26' garage built with 10' walls. I installed a 7'x10' door with high rise and jack shaft opener. I put in a 4 post Direct Lift Pro 8000. I have my '16 Z51 under and my '99 FRC on top and there's a foot to spare.

FCento

^ Which model is this? 3500slx? 5000slx? I need one

berk4422

I have a 3500, I use it on my C6, C7 and my son's Cruze

robert miller

I have a 57 chev 2 DR HT on top & just have enough for that thing all the way up.. Robert

tractman

Its the 5000# model.

VH Vette

I have a couple of 4 post lifts. One is used as storage only and one is used for maintenance. When I built my house I planned for the lifts. First the slab was strengthened for the lifts. I also had the garage doors installed so that they (and the lift drive) would not limit the lifts with the door in either the open or closed position. I also put in 240 volt electric for the lift motor. For the maintenance lift, I had the builder put in a high ceiling (about 17 ft) so that I could get a wide range of vehicles up high enough to be able to stand under them (no sense putting in a lift if you are still going to squat under it).
There were several other considerations not related to the lift, but help you think through setting up the garage. Things like lighting, elec power lots of outlets drop down per for welder compressor etc. A good heater is nice and insulation on walls ceiling and doors. Also a single man door and Windows.
Also considered floor plan for tools and work benches , part washer compressor wash tub sink sand blast cab, etc and how they will be in relation to the lift.
Have fun with it.
VH

davekp78

I recommend a 12' minimum ceiling height. Maybe higher if you want the door open when the lift is raised. The door tracks will have to go straight up for the door to be close to the ceiling when open. Also, you want the ceiling high enough so that the door opener is high enough not to cause interference, or else use a side mounted door opener. I'd recommend a wire reinforced 6" slab.

blown81bu

maxjax is awesome for corvettes
im also selling it for 1500 mint condition

FCento

Thank you gentlemen.

Joe Knight

Thanks. I was interested to see if anybody had used the quick jack on the vette. Now I need to see how my floors will handle it.