The Ford Barn

JohnnyKeys · 06-26-2013, 11:01 AM

My name is John and I want to guide you on which lift is the best one for your garage. I hope this information helps.

I am in the installation and service department in JMC Automotive Equipment and have been working there for a couple of years now. We usually work with the Bendpak, Challenger, Dannmar and the John Bean Line from Snap-on because that is what we have in stock in our store and we also have installation contracts with Snap-on. All of these lifts are ALI and ETL certified and I have not had any problems with them outside of a missing part here or there in the delivery process but I can assure you these companies take care of it right away.

Now here is a detailed guide as to which type of lift you should get,:

Four Post Lifts
These lifts are great for a home garage and the smaller auto repair shop. They are great if you are looking to park your car there for an extended period of time because the car will be resting in the rails on all four wheels instead of being suspended by the middle of the car like in a two post lift and it is also great to do some minor repairs. You can also purchase these lifts with a rolling jack in order to lift the car of the rail so you can do some axle work and have the tire be up in the air. This type of four post lift is usually the smaller version of the bigger alignment machine and the most popular model in our store is the Bendpak HD-9 series. These lifts are very versatile, they can easily be moved by with the Portable wheel kit/caster kit and they also fit perfectly in a home garage.

Two Post Lift
Now the two post lifts are perfect if you are only going to use it for repairs and not for parking purposes. They take a lot less space than the four post lift and you will basically be able to do any repair underneath the car. The lifting capacity that you need for this lift is only about 10,000 lbs. Just make sure that you have the appropriate height in your garage so it can fit without a problem. Most of these lifts come with truck and van adapters so you would not need to purchase them, and you can also get the extra accessories like the frame craddle pads in order to lift the bigger cars like pick up trucks and big SUV's.

Four Post lifts: Parking purposes and small repairs
Two Post Lifts: Repairs only but takes up less space.

Delivery and Installation
It is not that hard to do the installation by yourself but I do have to warn you that it is very detailed oriented. I would recommend finding an authorized installer in your area and having him installing it. They can usually receive it in their warehouse, unload it off the truck with a forklift (A forklift is definitely needed in order to unload it off the truck), deliver it your garage and install it there. Usually the cost of this for either a two post lift or the smaller four posts lifts is anywhere from $600 to about $800. The difference in price varies depending on the installer and also what part of the country you are in. What we usually do and what I recommend is that you call every installer in your area and see who is the best and cheapest price. You can usually qualify them over the phone and see how much experience they have and how long they have been doing this for.

if you are looking to do it yourself then I would recommend having the lift delivered to a freight terminal close to your home. From there you can pick it up and bring it back to your garage to install it. Please follow all the directions in the manual that the lift comes and you should be fine.

I hope this helps and please feel free to call me or email me if you have any questions about which car lift you should get or installations.

John
JMC Automotive Equipment
[email protected]

06-26-2013, 11:01 AM	#28
JohnnyKeys Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1	Re: Car Lifts My name is John and I want to guide you on which lift is the best one for your garage. I hope this information helps. I am in the installation and service department in JMC Automotive Equipment and have been working there for a couple of years now. We usually work with the Bendpak, Challenger, Dannmar and the John Bean Line from Snap-on because that is what we have in stock in our store and we also have installation contracts with Snap-on. All of these lifts are ALI and ETL certified and I have not had any problems with them outside of a missing part here or there in the delivery process but I can assure you these companies take care of it right away. Now here is a detailed guide as to which type of lift you should get,: Four Post Lifts These lifts are great for a home garage and the smaller auto repair shop. They are great if you are looking to park your car there for an extended period of time because the car will be resting in the rails on all four wheels instead of being suspended by the middle of the car like in a two post lift and it is also great to do some minor repairs. You can also purchase these lifts with a rolling jack in order to lift the car of the rail so you can do some axle work and have the tire be up in the air. This type of four post lift is usually the smaller version of the bigger alignment machine and the most popular model in our store is the Bendpak HD-9 series. These lifts are very versatile, they can easily be moved by with the Portable wheel kit/caster kit and they also fit perfectly in a home garage. Two Post Lift Now the two post lifts are perfect if you are only going to use it for repairs and not for parking purposes. They take a lot less space than the four post lift and you will basically be able to do any repair underneath the car. The lifting capacity that you need for this lift is only about 10,000 lbs. Just make sure that you have the appropriate height in your garage so it can fit without a problem. Most of these lifts come with truck and van adapters so you would not need to purchase them, and you can also get the extra accessories like the frame craddle pads in order to lift the bigger cars like pick up trucks and big SUV's. Four Post lifts: Parking purposes and small repairs Two Post Lifts: Repairs only but takes up less space. Delivery and Installation It is not that hard to do the installation by yourself but I do have to warn you that it is very detailed oriented. I would recommend finding an authorized installer in your area and having him installing it. They can usually receive it in their warehouse, unload it off the truck with a forklift (A forklift is definitely needed in order to unload it off the truck), deliver it your garage and install it there. Usually the cost of this for either a two post lift or the smaller four posts lifts is anywhere from $600 to about $800. The difference in price varies depending on the installer and also what part of the country you are in. What we usually do and what I recommend is that you call every installer in your area and see who is the best and cheapest price. You can usually qualify them over the phone and see how much experience they have and how long they have been doing this for. if you are looking to do it yourself then I would recommend having the lift delivered to a freight terminal close to your home. From there you can pick it up and bring it back to your garage to install it. Please follow all the directions in the manual that the lift comes and you should be fine. I hope this helps and please feel free to call me or email me if you have any questions about which car lift you should get or installations. John JMC Automotive Equipment [email protected]