4 Post Lift Recommendations….

MichaelPawelek · Post by **MichaelPawelek** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:35 pm

There appear to be multiple brands of 4 post lifts on the market. Any recommendations as to a good brand or comments/bad experiences with any particular brand? Though the Model T sits up much higher than more modern iron my age is showing more and more and crawling on the concrete floor is becoming a problem for me. I believe the biggest problem might be finding a company that actually installs….

Post by **TWrenn** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 4:01 pm

Here's mine. Yes its from China, but it seems real sturdy made, 8,000 lb. capacity, and Greg Smith Equipment has branches all over the country. Took me and a friend about 5 hours to put it together. I love it!

Post by **TWrenn** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 4:06 pm

Well, scratch Greg Smith co. off the shopping list! Permanently closed. Probly another casualty of Covid. Sum-b....!

Post by **TWrenn** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 4:25 pm

ToolTopia.com has taken over Greg Smith Equipment. All sorts of types and capacities of lifts.

Post by **Henry K. Lee** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 4:58 pm

Eagle Equipment brand, I believe they are in North Carolina. Enjoyed them, trouble free.

Hank

perry kete · Post by **perry kete** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:09 pm

This is a two post lift but all you need to do is add two more posts

DickC · Post by **DickC** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:16 pm

I looked at several before I bought a BenPac. Look at most of the tv shows on cars/car repairing/etc. and you will notice the lifts, both two post and four post are Ben Pac. I am happy with mine.

Post by **FreighTer Jim** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:28 pm

They are comparably equipped and competitively
priced - freight cost and proper set up expense
are important considerations ….

Don’t buy a used one.

FJ

MichaelPawelek · Post by **MichaelPawelek** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:53 pm

perry kete wrote: ↑
Mon Sep 06, 2021 5:09 pm
This is a two post lift but all you need to do is add two more posts

two post lift.jpg

Perry, I already have plenty of that style on hand…..

Post by **Dan Hatch** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:49 pm

I have a Rotary 4 post. I like it cause parts are available local if I need.
Mine was used, came out of a local trade school.

Post by **Mopar_man** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 7:39 pm

I have a Rotary two post. I use it for all sorts of cars. The 4 post is good for storing a car but it's hard to work on the suspension and tires. There have been posts of people putting a T on a two post lift.

To find a company go to a local tire shop that's new or service station that's new. Ask them who installed their lifts. Chances are they will do yours.

They may offer used lifts. A good company will change all the components that go bad. Be careful if you buy a used one that has 1000's of lifts on it without changing the internals.

Almese · Post by **Almese** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:36 pm

Hi Michael. Like you, at 74 I'm tired of concrete and jack stands. I purchased a "Backyard Buddy from Advanage Lifts and am very happy with it. I wish I would had done it 15 years ago before the price hike last year. I got the small footprint x-tra tall so I can stand upright underneath it and store another vehicle below. My max lift is 84 inches. It is American made steel. I checked a lot of other forums besides this one, Corvette, Classic Thunderbird and others and watched a dozen Youtube videos before I decided. I am happy with my purchase. I paid to have it assembled and it was well worth it. I purchased the casters and the sliding jack tray to go with it. I installed it in a pole barn with 10 foot ceilings and positioned it to go between the rafters so height is not a problem. A strong second choice was the Advantage lift, 9,000 pound lift with 5 inch columns. It is simpler and cheaper with more lift capacity then mine, a 7,000 pound lift. Their is lots to consider. Overall dimensions, ramp width, width between the ramps, maximum lift, etc. Shipping was a problem as my lift was in stock but with a shortage of truck drivers it took 3 weeks to get to Southwest Kansas from Dayton Ohio. You can't go wrong with a Backyard Buddy or Advantage lift, with a few extras and assembly available. My installer took his time and had it done in 4.5 hours. At least I know it was done right.

Post by **351cmach** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:09 pm

I got a Bendpak HD-7W and have no complaints. I decided to go with a Bendpak for few different reasons. Bendpak seems to be popular on a few different forums as well as a few car shows. Its was also available from a local lift company.

Post by **TLeroux** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:31 pm

try Direct lift.com you can buy it direct from them
8,ooo or 9,000 lbs made in usa
I also install them in California
any questions please e-mail or call me
714-412-3200
tom

DickC · Post by **DickC** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:26 am

One thing I didn't mention was I also thought about a two post lift. All my cars (T's and one Marmon) have frames above the running boards. It would require about a 12 inch adapter on the arms or like others use a 4x4 wood frame . I didn't think I would like to work under a heavy car with any additional lift add-ons. Two posts are great for more modern cars.

Post by **Duey_C** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:45 am

An old friend added more leg length to his two post 7000 pound lift so it'd be less apt to fall over if he couldn't balance something out.
Neat thread! On my wish list.

Post by **TWrenn** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:00 am

Larry, interesting how similar in construction your lift, and others for that matter are, to mine. I suspect a lot of them are
made by the same mfg. with different labels slapped on them. Kind of like how Whirlpool mfg. near me in Clyde OH makes not only Whirlpool appliances but at least a half dozen others with various names.

MichaelPawelek · Post by **MichaelPawelek** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:08 am

One of the reasons I am leaning towards a four post is mobility. I have too many cars in my 40X60 barn and I have to move them around on occasion to work on any one in particular. I do not have one spot a post lift would be handy all the time so those that are somewhat mobile interest me the most.

Post by **TWrenn** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:46 am

One thing Michael about lifts is they're like oil, water pumps and types of ignition systems...you choose what you feel is best for you and your needs. I have never had any issues working with my 4-poster, and like you, I also like the mobility of it. And I just plain feel more comfortable with 4 posts holding it up. While rare, two-post lifts have been known to come "un attached" to their mounting in the floor, obviously 'cause someone didn't secure them well enough. As they say, "to each their own". Regardless of the type, it sure beats crawling on the floor doesn't it!!

Post by **Mark Gregush** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 11:06 am

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthre ... &showall=1
And this one with 5 pages of reading;
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1990506

MichaelPawelek · Post by **MichaelPawelek** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:14 pm

Thanks for the links Mark….

Post by **TXGOAT2** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:29 pm

I would avoid a 2 post in earthquake zones.

Post by **Bill Everett** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:32 pm

Our son came up with the idea for the procedure shown in these pictures.

My wife & I were out of town, and he texted us these two pictures. We'd struggled with "How do we raised the body enough to install a new fuel tank?", and he texted us these pictures.

Post by **TXGOAT2** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:50 pm

A very busy Goodyear tire store near here used BendPak lifts. They were 4 post units with a rolling center jack. I think they used them for years.

MichaelPawelek · Post by **MichaelPawelek** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:02 pm

Bill Everett wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:32 pm
Our son came up with the idea for the procedure shown in these pictures.

My wife & I were out of town, and he texted us these two pictures. We'd struggled with "How do we raised the body enough to install a new fuel tank?", and he texted us these pictures.

Bill, What’s with this raising the body nonsense? I thought you were supposed to put the gas tank in your freezer next to the new flywheel. Let them both shrink and then just drop the ring gear on the flywheel and slide the tank in….

Post by **Mark Gregush** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 4:02 pm

The 4 post don't come with a sliding jack to raise the rear or front axles, that is an add on. So if you buy used, make sure it has one or still can be gotten.

DickC · Post by **DickC** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:57 pm

The issue of raising the front end or rear end was solved by buying tall jack stands. I raise the lift to normal height and place these jack stands under the axle and lower the lift a couple of inches. The front or rear is lifted to work on wheels, brakes and just recently changed shackles on a 25 T. When I changed the shackles I put the jack stands under the frame and lowered the lift to release the spring tension. No problem. The jack stands were cheap, I think about $200 for a pair.

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