Auto lift advise

I have the AC 6.5 single post lift and love it (my neighbor has the same one as well). Not sure what your exact garage set up is but the four post lifts made too much space unusable for me by obstructing critical areas. With the single post it hardly imposes at all other than blocking some light from overhead (which any lift will do).

I looked at a lot of brands but the AC was the best built. The installation is certainly more involved than a simple 4 post but I would do it again every single time.



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A couple of questions: Can you service a vehicle on a single post lift? Any recommendation for 6500lb vs 4500lb capacity?

 

Agree 100% on the American Custom single post Lift. I originally had a 4 post lift and found it to be too obtrusive and not as stable quite frankly. I had it removed and replaced it with the single post lift from AC. Call them to ask about options. They're very accommodating. You won't be sorry.

 

another American custom lift fan!! just had mine installed a few weeks ago.. has to drill into slab, had it x-rayed first (post tension slab).. NO ISSUES at all!! like OP space at a premium that is why i went with single post... BUT!! not cheap!! Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I mainly have the 6500 lb for the height (I have 12 ft ceilings) but I also like being able to put my wife’s suv on the lift if I need to work on it. AC can custom make different specs for you but I think over a certain height they use the beefier version as the starting point. If you have the space go with the 6.5.

You can get to the underside no problem - there are two metal support bars that the tracks attach to but they don’t really get in the way unless you were trying to drop a transmission out etc. I also have QuickJacks if I need to take the wheels off. Attached are pics I snapped this morning (early so sorry for poor lighting).

I also had my post tension slab x-rayed. No issues but we did have to adjust the position forward by a few inches to avoid a cable.

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In all of these threads, you hear how great single post lifts are. But be forewarned, there are some important things you should know. Here's my experience.

I recently sold my home that had a single 4 post Bendpak HD-9 lift. I had 14ft ceilings and installed high lift garage door tracks and jackshaft operators. Loved the setup.

Fast forward to today. My cars are now in a 2 car garage with single post American Custom lifts. All is not so rosy.

First - the single post lifts have a big mounting hump that is bolted into the concrete. It juts out from the lift post into the parking spot - a hump that my Testarossa did not adequately clear. I had to back the car in and it literally just makes it. On top of that, having to drive over the hump is quite a jolt and you have to be moving to get it over.

Second - my Pista is on top. The upper runways are barely wide enough for the Pista to fit - but that's not the real issue. The runways have a tall lip that runs along the edge. See pictures. These are about 2mm from my rims on either side. I can't back the car off the lift without someone watching to make sure I don't scrape. So frustrating.

I called my lift guy. He said unfortunately the only thing you can do is put some Trex down as ramps and drive the car over the Trex to get it up higher so it clears the lip. For the kind of money these lifts cost, that's quite a disappointing solution.

See pics.
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hmmm.... just curious, when you ordered your lift from American, did you pay the the extra $495.00 for the LOW PROFILE base option (on 4.5 model only)? makes all the difference, i can drive my Stradale or 993 turbo over it no issues.

the ramp widths... are you adjusted all the way out? the ramps can move in or out depending on wheel base (im sure you knew that)..I guess the wider cars get and wider tires could be an issue.. I have heard though if not careful, guys have scratched there rims on those lips... the remedy is installing those laser parking guides that hook up to your garage door opener, and makes sure the car is in proper location when pulling onto ramp.. griots and other sell them..

I will say... for me.. if SPACE was NOT an issue, id of gone with a 4-post lift.. Cost is so much cheaper!! plus in my head (small space).. looks safer!! unfortunately like you, i have a small 2 car garage.. and the single post lift serves me perfectly...

 

Went through the same dilemma but ended up going 4 post as well. Seems like much better utility and the install requirements are a lot less (in theory you don’t even need to bolt them down and they often include casters to move them around). I put mine in a small two car (16 foot). I can fit two cars on the lift and another small car next to it if I really wanted (small as in a MX-5).

I did end up bolting mine down as it added a lot more stability. Because of the poor condition of my floor I also had 4 3’x3’x12” footings repoured. That added another $2000 to the project.


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I'm going to install a Bendpak GP7LC two post lift in my new garage. I'm limited by a ten foot ceiling so this unit makes sense. Price is pretty reasonable. Car storage is going to be tricky though. Since the two post lift is a frame lift, the wheels will dangle. Not good for suspension. I haven't found a good answer for that yet. Not critical as this is my second garage and will give me four large bays total.

 

Wonder if something like this would work


https://mohawklifts.com/automotive-lifts/specialty-items/tire-engaging-adaptors/


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Thanks! The secret to searching is knowing what to find. I hadn't searched for "engaging adaptor" before and found with this:

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I have a nice CNC machine and can make these myself for a couple hundred in raw materials.

 

The ramp width adjustment is setup for the Pista. It's the lip that's the problem, and I think a fix would be for the manufacturer to just widen the the actual ramps another inch or so and add some type of plastic lip protector so the rims don't get scratched or marred.

As far as the base, unfortunately I didn't spec the lifts, they were already there, so I don't think the guy who did knew or cared about the low profile option. I certainly would have spec'd it.

 

The other thing I'm not a fan of is how the car leans on the lift. The manufacturers all say it's normal but I just don't like it. Everyone that sees the lift remarks that it's "tilted".

 

I heard the same - could use the single post for my space, but been reluctant as I was told I need to redo my cement for more thickness and then bury that ramp base so I can have a flat drive in. The money involved just doesn’t seem worth it to me, hence why I can never bring myself to do it

 

Unless your house is a good bit older, I would be shocked if you really needed to add thickness to your slab. As someone mentioned above, if you get the 4.5 you can get the low profile base. My friend has that one and has fit several McLarens, Lambo, Aston Martin etc on the bottom with no problem. Really no need to dig down to make the bump flush. I would only do that if new construction.

I have the 6.5 and the low profile base is not an option (only on 4.5) and I have never had an issue parking any daily driver on it - doesn’t bother me at all.

In what way is the lift leaning with a car on it? Front to back of the car or side to side? Unloaded the lift has a little bit of built in positive tilt to the side in the same way most pick up trucks have a 2 inch lift in the back that levels out when loaded. Similarly the lift levels out side to side when you put a car on it. Front to back is a weight distribution issue. I wasn’t pulling my car far enough forward and there was a little bit of tilt towards the back where there was more weight. I pulled the car forward 3 more inches and it is perfectly level.

My only complaint is that the guys installing it scratched it up a bit during installation because 2 guys were trying to move around 4,000 lbs of metal. Also wish I had gotten a different color than black - black looks great but thinking the red or blue would have been cooler.

If you have the room for a 4 post it is an easier and cheaper option but if you need a single post I haven’t found a better built one than the American Custom.

As for the width - there is a wide track option as previously mentioned that is a must for any wide stance exotic. I have probably 5 inches on either side of each wheel. I do however agree that the lip on the edge of the track sucks and it is very easy to think you are going straight on to the lift but be off enough to hit that lip. I tried to have them remove the lip when they built it but it is structural to the design. I use a little handheld mirror that I stick out the window when pulling in so I can see where my tires are and if I am lined up straight. Super easy now and I can do it by myself very fast on and off the lift.


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Why is that?

I owned and operated an auto repair shop for 10 years and I don't think I ever saw a vehicle that didn't have hard stops for suspension extension.

 

I have plenty space in my barn/garage but bought a second hand lift for only € 800 including transport and instalation. In my opinion also a good "anti- theft" solution.
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I have a two post lift in mine, but for my daughters slot car track to sit on above the cars!