4-post Car Lift Has anybody put one together?

[92646]

I almost have my wife talked into letting me buy a 4-post car lift. Is it best to hire a professional to put it together and install it in my garage or can I put it together by myself? Can I get some feed back please?

[PxTx]

I've found that typically, the quality of the installers don't quite have the level of detail as a DIY lift owner might have. That said, the one ramp with the hyrdaulic ram on it is pretty heavy.

They are not really that hard to set-up. How much have you been quoted to set one up? You could always fine tune an install after the fact.

[BlueSS454]

I bought a 4 post lift from Greg Smith Equipment. My cousin and myself put it together in a about 6 hours. The hardest part is picking up the runways. Th ones with the cylinder is insanely heavy 400+ lbs. It really is not hard to do at all. Just follow the instruction booklet and you'll be fine.

[budnate]

you need 4 guys to do it without blowing a back out.....the biggest trick they dont tell you is, listen to the teeth click as it goes up and keep tensioning the cables until they click all at the same time or dang close,

when you first run it up you will here them click all over the place and you will know what I am trying to tell you, the rest is just follow the instuctions.

B.

[BlueSS454]

I didn't do it that way to set the locks, I used a level to do it. I put it about half way up went between the locks and tensioned the cables until it was level each way. After that, I lowered it onto the locks and adjusted the lock ladders to level each way. Seemed to work ok. They all click at the same time.

[PxTx]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: budnate</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you need 4 guys to do it without blowing a back out.....the biggest trick they dont tell you is, listen to the teeth click as it goes up and keep tensioning the cables until they click all at the same time or dang close,

when you first run it up you will here them click all over the place and you will know what I am trying to tell you, the rest is just follow the instuctions.

B. </div></div>

The tuning the clicks to all happen at the same time is a good idea, provided the floor is not slightly pitched- which I have seen. The cool thing about the 4 post lift is being able to roll the thing outside in the nice weather and work on your car, detailing or whatever. May have to adjust those cables, the more you move it, but worth it to me. You'll need a garage door more than 7' to roll a lift out.

[L-79 Nova]

Just bought a Rotary 12,000 lb. four post from a closed Chrysler testing facility in Detroit.This thing is HUGE, Myself and two friends took it apart in a couple hours but I hired the company that originally installed them to assemble it. The lift cost me $1200 and $900 to install. They had 100 lifts to sell, most of the two post went fast. I have contact info for anyone interested. Ron....

[Charley Lillard]

You can do it yourself if you have a way to lift the long runners. Do you have a engine lift ?

[92646]

Thanks for the input everybody. I was limiting myself on who to buy a lift from because I needed to find somebody local to build it. I have an engine lift and 2 boys that help me with the heavy stuff.

[L-79 Nova]

Charley, I kind of supervised the dis-assembly, I was lucky enough to work 35 year with 100% disability from the service, so now I'm old I have to be careful. Easier to pay somebody. Ron....

[Charley Lillard]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 92646</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the input everybody. I was limiting myself on who to buy a lift from because I needed to find somebody local to build it. I have an engine lift and 2 boys that help me with the heavy stuff. </div></div>

Go for it.

I have one like this and it works fine. My only gripe is with 110 volt motor it takes 2 minutes to lift all the way. I also have a 220 volt lift that takes 40 seconds.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8-000-LB-...omotiveQ5fTools (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8-000-LB-4-Post-Drive-Car-Hobbyist-Storage-Lift-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439fa3dccdQQitemZ29044 1125069QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools)

[PxTx]

There just isn't enough volume in those 110v power units. I've never wired one up for 220v, but I know they are a dual voltage motor, so you can. Is that what you mean?

I have installed a 2.5hp 220v power supply for a 2 post lift on one of those hobby 4 post lifts, and it really performed well!