Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

How do they install these lifts? Not sure if I like the floor one that has an open roof and is shorter, vs the top one where its about 2 feet higher but doeant have that floor connector .

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w..._375511_375511

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...1892_200331892

It looks like they get bolted in thru the concrete but that seems like a helluva job hehe. Im just starting to look into this.. and its mainly just for safe recreational work on the cars, and wanting to learn to do alot more to the car and do it safely.

Costs dont seem that bad, but then I guess if you have to hire someone to install it, itll be close to the purchase price? Thought I read somewhere that a guy and his brother installed one of these... how

anyways thanks, the website didnt really discuss the how to install stuff.

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

The guy who installed mine used a big hammer drill with a long 3/4" concrete bit. It chewed through my slab without a problem. The slab in my shop is about 6" thick.

He used 3/4" concrete anchors to install my lift. I have a floor plate low rise 2-post lift (looks almost just like the one above, but mine's black ). It's only a pain when pulling the transmission - using a floor jack and sliding around on that plate is real fun. Otherwise it's no big deal. I had to go with the floor plate model because my roof isn't high enough for a regular 12' lift.

Basically, the guy that installed mine drilled the holes, inserted the anchors, used a level and some shims to get the posts level, and set up the cables, hydraulics, and adjusted the safety stops. I ran the electrical myself. After about 6 months I noticed some of the nuts were slightly loose, but after tightening them down, they haven't loosened since.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

how much did installation run? That doesnt sound too bad.

I thought they would have to do more tearin up or something.

Do you have a pic ofyour lift in your garage? I still need to do som final measurements to ours. I also contacted northern tools about their lifts since htey have a shop about 45 mins away from me. and they are a sponsor

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

Just did some rough measurements and it should be about 140 inches from the edge of the outer wall to about mid point in the garage. and up to where the garage doors lifts and the tracks are its abut 11.5 feet.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

what is the eletrical demand for one of these lifts?
i dont think any home can have an outlet to support the current draw
of the lift? would u have to hire an electrician to install the required wiring?

wkdivr

iTrader: (8)

electrical demands aren't too bad. If you have a 220 line for a welder, you can power the lift. For awhile I was using the same line for both, just can't use them both at once. Most you're never lifting AND welding, anyway.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

Nods, Id assume we;d have to get some sort of special wiring in for it... Im just wondering like how deep those studs go into the concrete and if our flooring will suffice.

Shrugs.. May end up getting some huge 30 inch jack and jack stands.. and some wood haha.. and just slowly build it up to 3 feet

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

I paid the guy $300 to deliver and install my lift (that included the anchors, about a $40 value). I bought it used. To be honest, it was a lot easier than I thought. However, his adjustment of the safety stops was something I wouldn't have known how to do (I didn't get a manual with the lift). I bought it from Nitro Dave when he shut down his speed shop here in Waco. The floor in his (rented) building was only about 2"-3" thick, and the lift worked OK... though I would have been nervous with that. I'd say a 4" slab minimum. I was happy to find that my shop (that we bought with the house) had a 6" slab.

I have my lift hooked to a 40A 220V breaker - same breaker than runs my air compressor and my welder outlet. My compressor is always off unless I'm using it, and I don't run the compressor while welding, and I don't run my lift while welding or while the compressor is cycling... so it's no big deal to me.

As for wiring, if you're uncomfortable with it, yeah, hire an electrician. Mine only needed 3 wires though - 2 phases and a ground. I ran about 30' of 12 gauge Romex wire from the outlet to the box on the lift.

It'll run off of a 30A 220V circuit... a dryer circuit would work.

Here's a pic inside my shop. My shop roof is at 12' at the peak, inside it's just over 11' at the peak. So a 12' lift simply wouldn't fit. These posts are 9' tall, so they fit just fine. I can't stand completely upright under my car, because my garage door is in the way. I need to get a rollup door, but don't want to spend the $$ on a rollup. That pic was taken just after install, the car will go higher than the pic. I can stand up fully in the tranny tunnel when the car's at full height, or I can park my 94Z under the 98Z.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

very nice. I like how you off set the posts to give yourself more parking room. Is there any danger or problem with puting one post within 2 inches or so of a wall? I guess the lift hydraulic controller one or whatever would need to be in the middle.

We have a 4inch or deeper garage floor. or so he building specs say.. and then the 140 inches assuming its not staggered, covers to just beyond the halfway point of where we park the cars.

I guess Id have to draw it out and map it better once we can park in the garage again hehe.

But that picture and your response has been very helpful. I just wish I knew of a way to get lucky and find a shop closing around here for a lift hehe.

Otherwise I guess I will end up talking with the Northern tool guys.

Torkman15

iTrader: (2)

Greg Smith equipment has real good lifts for cheap. I bought and brought mine home and had it working in 2 days. I had a fresh concrete slab poured two weeks before. 4 inches thick is all you need but I went with 6 and lots of rebar.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

Was just checking their site. Not a bad company by the looks of it. Though they arent anywhere near me and I guess Id have to get it shipped hehe... shudders.

How hard was the installation? How wide is it? about the same? 138 inches or so?

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

The reason my posts are offset like that is because of my shop door. The shop door is only 12 feet wide... It is not a 2-car door, or a single car door, though the shop is 30 feet wide. So one car can pull in straight (the 79Z in that picture), but the other car has to go in at an angle. No way to pull the second car straight. I did not put the lift where the 79Z is parked because of the roof line.

Here is a pic of the outside of my shop. Yeah, it is the reason we bought the house.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

ok, yea we have a 2 car/oor garage. Think the opening is around 18 feet. Haha will be funny having a lift in the house garage. The housing development ppl around here wont let you build additions outside the house etc.. and we wouldnt really have room to add on another building outside.

Well I really appreciate all the pics and help

Torkman15

iTrader: (2)

Not too hard...in fact quite easy. My Atlas Pro V10 is if I remember right 144 wide and 12'2" high. If you look real close I have 12 foot walls and the hoist goes up in between the trusses, I boxed the opening in so I wouldnt lose any heat there.

Dip Stick

iTrader: (1)

Nice. Yea I am going to have to resort to one of the two posters for low ceilings. With the floor cross member. We have about 11 feet before it will interfere with the garage door rails etc. As for width I will need to get the online engineering schematic and then draw it out in there and make sure itll have room for it, and the other car.

Im still liking that one guys et-up with the off set posts. Seems like it might help out some of the width requirements possibly if it is a tight fit.

Im going to eventually take some automotive classes at the local CC, probably a welding one for sure.

I know its goign to be a couple months before i get one, but I am already terribly excited hehe.

b1er

iTrader: (1)

here's mine....way cheaper than the one pictured above:

http://www.americanautomotiveequipme...ts-p/tp09a.htm

here's the install pics:

http://www.cablebandit.net/gallery/v...6e13198a6b9d6c

The lift seems well made and has a 9k capacity plus it's a clear floor for trans work and asymetrical for door access....it took us about 4 1/2 hours to install.....very basic stuff....the kit comes with everything you need....anchors, bolts, hoses....the only thing I had to buy extra was the 10w fluid and of course the electrical stuff....we ran a 10/3 w ground feed from a 30 amp breaker in the panel for the 220v....

2 guys that are handy could set it up in prolly 6 hours or so....the hardest part was setting the equalization cables as theres very little access to the lock nuts on the ends....and it's a bit tall at 143 inches....my ceiling is 145....

the whole thing was 1670.00 shipped....

Tony @ MPH

iTrader: (20)

A great lift for the home garage is the Bendpak SP-7X. I have this at my house. It's not a two post (it's a scissor lift) but I have done EVERYTHING on my car other than drop the rear end so far with this lift (including dropping and swapping the motor). The reason I went with the SP-7X was to not lose any space in the garage, to be able to use the lift bay as a regular parking spot, and for safety. Also, the SP-7X did not require massively high ceilings since it scissors up from the bottom instead of raising the car on two fixed posts. FWIW.

If you want any pics just let me know... I'll throw some together and post them up. We have a homeowners association around here too, and while some people have made some comments in jest (e.g., "oh, you're the guy with the lift in his garage!") nobody has ever said anything negative. I am guessing because it's a quiet, inconspicuous lift for the most part.

It did need a 220v feed but my panel is in my garage so it only took me about an hour or two to run some nice conduit and put in a new breaker. I needed 220v for my air compressor anyway so it all worked out.

Joel_SS

iTrader: (8)

Nice shop! Are you going to are you going to insulate any drywal? What are the demesions? Got any more pics.. It looks just like what I want to build.

b00sted

iTrader: (7)

We have these. They're heavy, so use a fork lift to take them off the truck and move them in. Then you take the two posts apart(they're shipped bolted together usually) and 3-5 people can stand each one on end and put them in position. Then drill ancor and shim.

b1er

iTrader: (1)

Thanks...I will eventually.....my next project is putting a ceiling in....the building is 28 deep by 32 wide....20x8 garage door....2 foot block base with 10 foot studs for a ceiling hight just over 12 feet....total cost I have in it is around 17k...it's a work in progress.....