4-post lift question- what are the limitations?

I am considering a 4-post lift for storage and service. I cannot expand my garage past its existing 2 bays, since I am on the beach, so the storage would be really helpful. I can expand upwards, however! I would use the lift for service regularly as well. The question I have is: what are the limitations of a 4-poster? Is it possible to drop and engine and transmission with a 4-post lift? Does anyone have experience with this? I recognize that brake and suspension work is more cumbersome with a 4-post. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

oh, your on the beach and can't expand? thats terrible.. i'll tell you what... I'll trade you so you dont have that problem... . ;-)

Quotes source post: 8170280

I have a 4-post lift, and its been a great resource! Get a hydraulic jacking bridge, and you can easily lift one end or the other to work on wheels/brakes/suspension. The center between the ramps is basically wide open. Most engine/tranny workl should be servicable from underneath, unless you get a lift that's very narrow. IIRC, the standard width between ramps is around 37 inches. Great for storage, easy to get on and off, and IMHO, less risk than if working on a 2-poster. Plus the ramps are handy for placing tools/parts while working on the car. FWIW, my garage is a bit tight, and when the lift isn't fully up or down, getting around/under the lift can be annoying. But that's a function of my garage layout. Remember you'll need air compressor to operate the safety locks and jacking bridge. 220V would be better than 120V. Many 4-posters also have a wheel kit available which would allow you to roll the entire lift, as long as air & electric cables reach.

Here is mine. It is great for storage(although the top car doesn't get out much) but not so great for working on cars especially if you do not have much room on each side of it, like mine. I also measured to see if my 965's motor would fit between the ramps and it wouldn't so it is at the shop for work right now. Remember you will have to raise the heigth of the garage door and remove the opener for the type that runs on the spring temsion rod. I have a Chamberlian for this. For 2 911's I needed about 12' so I had to cut a "hat" into the ceiling.

Nice Set up

Thanks Tim!

Quotes source post: 8170357

I wonder what the minimum width would be for clearance... I think that some of the 4-post lifts have adjustable ramps. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Quotes source post: 8170357

Nice set up, nice 911s

Quotes source posts: 8170848, 8170900

I went out and measured and mine is 8' 4" total width. I will say that my ramps are not adjustable and with both the turbo or the 996 on it there is not a lot of spare room on the ramps to keep the tires completely on the ramps. So mine I would not reduce the width of the ramps but you could move them out but it would increase the overall width to more then a one car bay and I do not think they make this? I only have 8" between the lift and the side wall so I had to take the pump off the lift itself and hang it on the wall with uni-strut. I measured and check and re-measured for a couple of years before pulling the trigger and lucky for once my plan worked. Many questioned if it would including myself? Thanks!

I think I might be able to afford the lift, but not the second 911. Darn!!! I think I am jealous.

Maybe I should buy a lift, park the Honda underneath it, and then "accidentally" lower the lift!

Quotes source post: 8171123

I won't tell a soul

Quotes source post: 8171123

Come on over and use mine

While I am showing off here is my other car that lives on the lift.

Quotes source post: 8171194

Have always loved the look of that Alfa. Also reminds me of my old '73 BMW 2002. Traded that car in for an engagement ring 15 years ago..

Quotes source post: 8170280

My ceiling height is 10.5', inner depth is 21' and inner width is 21' (2 bay garage).... you have to lift the door track to make room for the car hood to clear. No need to raise the ceiling, but you can only put sedans underneath (our Honda and BMW 328 fits underneath it with no issues.). The primary reason I use it is for storage for the winter. Limitations.... you can drop the transmission between the floor ramps but not the engine. However you can drop the engine by rolling the wheels close to the edge of the ramps and drop the engine outside of the cross member (frame that holds the ramps) of the lift. You need to support the engine/tranny if you remove one of them first. Woking on suspension around the wheel well area with the wheels on is a pain. Removing the wheels will free up tons of space and can access any bits of the suspension. If you are going to work on your car I suggest getting 2 hydraulic lift jacks so you can get the whole car up in the air similar to a 2 post. With that said... if you DIY on your car, the lift has paid itself over and over again.

Great looking garage

Quotes source post: 8171675

thanks.... now how to go about fixing that f^ck up by the steps (check the pattern). It might just have to stay that way.

Quotes source post: 8171215

Oh, that ^ was a smart move!!! Bawhahahahahah!!!!!

Quotes source post: 8171716

Ferd, A few too many beers as you got to the finish line?? Do you have any tiles left? You just need to swap the colors in front of the steps.

Really? Just cause you are on the beach you cant expand? Even if you could have afforded a bigger lot, they just wont let you do it on the beach? Wow glad i dont live there!

Quotes source post: 8171841

Thanks for all the comments. I will do some measuring and see what the lift I am looking at will accommodate in terms of clearance. I want the ability to drop the engine and transmission at the same time with ease, so the parking lift may have to be sacrificed for the convenience of the service function. LOL. We can barely afford the small lot we have now! New regulations just went into effect this month making us subject to oversight by six or seven agencies, including the Federal Dept. of Ecology. In addition, in some circumstances (on the water side of the property) we have get approval by a local Native American tribe. The footprint of our house is pretty much set in stone, unfortunately. I am very happy to protect the environment, but many of the new regulations are pretty punitive and misguided. BTW, I never take for granted where I live- we are very fortunate. Cheers! Tom

Quotes source post: 8171815

Thanks for reminding me that I'm a brainiac! SSSSHHHHHHHHHH......she is coming! Gotta go!

I have a new Bend Pak 4 post, the narrow version and love it. Purchased thru American Equipment in CT. Had a local company take delivery and do the install for me. No issue accessing the entire underside of the car. Working on brakes and suspension is more complicated than a 2 post, bottle jacks and/or the jack stand that attaches across the ramps is a great option.

Correction....I purchased my Bend Pak from Automotive Equipment in CT and it's the HD-9 (Narrow)model.

Quotes source post: 8175110

Are your ramps adjustable for width? I mean, is the space between the ramps adjustable for width? I just came across a lift system, that has ramp spacing that can be adjusted between 37 - 57 inches. As long as the ramps are longer than 165" or so, there should be plenty of room to drop the engine and transmission through the middle. To do suspension and or brake work, I would have to get the additional rolling hydraulic jacks.

Does anyone know the width of the engine without the mufflers.... You can take those out first before dropping the engine.... Edit: just too some measurements, engine width is about 36".... Worst case pull the cans off to drop the motor. My lift has only 33"....

The lift I was looking at was adjustable all the way to 57." The left-hand ramp was fixed and the right-hand was adjustable all the way out to the posts. If the car was pulled all the way forward on the lift, and the ramps were at the widest that they could be to safely support the tires, there would be quite a bit of room to drop the engine and transmission. I do agree that you would probably have to drop the cans to make it work, but that is pretty simple. I have learned to change out the hardware on the cans at clutch or engine drop time, when it is really easy, to save a potential headache later. 33" is a bit too narrow, IMHO... On your lift, you only need about 5 -6 more inches! From the center of the front wheels to the rear of the bumper cover it is about 165" and that means that the car would have to be forward of the rear lift cross member to allow clean access to the engine. I am guessing a lift that has ramps about 185" to 190" would do the trick. I hesitated and missed out on a great deal on a lift locally... I'll keep up my search.