Car Hoist

[greeno]

Just about done with my he-shed, and starting to think about a car hoist. I have a Dodge M37 3/4 ton I want to restore so it needs to be stout.

I see you can get 2-post lifts from China for dirt cheap, but not sure I’d trust my life under it.

Anybody running a car hoist at home? Thoughts and opinions please.


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[bearskinner]

I will never have a shop without a lift again. From simple maintenance to complex rebuilds, it’s much better than working on the floor! I ended up with the Atlas 11,000 pound lift. A little wider and taller than standard, but I would rather have more than I need than be just barely adequate. This one cost $2,100. No tax, no shipping. I picked it up at the warehouse in Oregon, probably right off the ship. Fortunately I had two friends to help with set up! It’s big and heavy.

 

[bearskinner]

Trailer loaded at the warehouse, I ran out to the coast, picked it up and home in half a day. Saved many hundreds on shipping and tax.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Always wondered about those... What is the concrete requirement for the posts? Did you have to dig a couple of voids to add mass underneath? Or can you go with 4" slab?

 

[200mph]

Always wondered about those... What is the concrete requirement for the posts? Did you have to dig a couple of voids to add mass underneath? Or can you go with 4" slab?

Yes, there are requirements for concrete size, strength and rebar placement.

Here's what BendPak recommends.
https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/concrete-floor-requirements/

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The lifts divides out the weight pretty well, and most lifts have an option for larger floor plates to divide it out even further.

If you want to build the floor for a lift, It's not only the thickness but the type of concrete you use that matters.

When I did the floor in my house garage, I did 8" of 7.5 sack concrete (6000PSI) with rebar and wire mesh and hydronic heated.

I don't know if I'll ever put a lift in that garage, but I wanted the option to do it in the future.

The big shop will have 8" thick slab Hydronic heated 7000psi with fiberglass and 1/2 rebar, imbedded steel plates and eye bolts and pilings for an indoor overhead crane.

I already have the crane, just need to build the shop around it!

 

[CaveCreekRay]

When my brother built his auto shop in CA, they put two single post lifts in. They came in in the morning, cut the holes for the post and the cuts for the lines to the lift control valving, used an auger to bore the lift recess, hung both lift tubes and grouted the whole project before 4pm. He let it harden up for a few days and was literally, in business. I like two post lifts better because they don't obstruct the "nads" of the car like a single post.

 

[greeno]

Should have mentioned the Crete is already dry. 5” over hydronic w rebar

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[DaTow'd]

I have a 5 Ton. two post hoist in my shop- The one I have was made in Texas which I hope will be better built than a off shore model.
I've had it for 9 years now and so thankful for it.
I poured the concrete floor 20 years before I bought the hoist but over did the thickness (12") of the concrete at where the pads mount and then bolted the top to vertical wooden post. 18Ft. high ceiling.

 

[shootem604]

I have a 3 phase Bradford 8 ton four poster drive on hoist with wheels free. I have my 1941 Ford universal carrier on it usually. I have a 6" slab underneath. Close to the best $1200 I ever spent...

 

[Tooljunkie]

I have a 9,000 lb four post. In hindsight i should have gone bigger. It will lift everything i need including 1 ton diesels but a slightly wider one would be better.
I can do everything on the 4 post,and i use it daily as my source of income. I recently broke a cable, contacted backyard buddy and they were very quick to get quotes on replacement. I had one made by a local wire rope supplier,but next go round i will go with byb. A few weeks after i got hoist going, a rep called to see if i got the hoist going.

 

[vic gerbasi]

I have an eagle lift 4 post with jack tray and drip shields i got the 8000 lb unit but i suggest the larger unit with more capacity -- the unit comes with roller bars in order to move the empty lift.. mine works very well- does take 2 people to assemble plus a number of box and open end wrenches shipped from georgia to usa border town for pickup shipping to canadian city would have more than doubled the shipping payment we from the winnipeg area had a great system for importing: ship to holding customs place at pembina ND go get it return home $60 in full $ 50 in holding charges make sure you strap it down well to the trailer Our north south hwy is terrible and the load will move if not properly secured for Canucks be sure you have your invoice copy with you for the customs guys worked well for me and serves the intended purpose