At Home Lifts Designed to Fit Your Garage Needs

By CCRC Editors

LIFT LEAD

For most of us, our first encounter with a garage lift was during a visit to a corner service station. We marveled as the family car was magically lifted in the air, propelled by a huge single steel cylinder that emerged from beneath the floor. These goliath lifts existed only in the dreams of car guys, as the expense to install one in a home shop put them out of reach for most.

As the years passed, the automotive lift continued to evolve. Today, a variety of lift styles and price levels make adding a lift to your shop an easy choice. If you’ve ever jacked up a car, crawled on your shoulder blades, and discovered you had the wrong size wrench, or, if you’ve ever had the unfortunate luck of having a jack or jack stand slip, you’ll understand that adding a lift to your shop will improve your productivity and make working on your car both more enjoyable, and most importantly, safer.

When I finally pulled the trigger and decided to install a lift in my shop, I was surprised by the number of choices available. There seemed to be countless lift manufacturers all claiming their lifts were the best, that their products were just as good as others but at a lower cost, or that their products had a feature the others did not. After much deliberation, common sense prevailed. We knew we wanted to buy from an established company with a solid reputation and good customer service that offered accessories for our specific needs. It was also important that the lift carried certification from an independent testing company.

CHOOSING A LIFT

auto lifts

TWO-POST LIFTS

Perhaps the most common in service garages today, this style of lift allows full access to the undercarriage of the vehicle. They are designed to lift the vehicle by the frame or the factory lift points. Their advantages include easy service of wheels, brakes, and axles. Care should be taken to ensure the weight is centered when placing a car on this style of lift. Most require a minimum of four inches of 3,000 psi concrete and a 13-foot ceiling height.

PARKING LIFTS

These styles of lifts have become popular with hobbyists working with limited storage space in their garage. The solid lift floor and design make them a poor choice as a service lift, but if your needs are simply to get your favorite toy out of the way to make room for the daily driver, they’ve proven themselves as a viable solution. They’re available in several styles from single-post to four-post design.

FOUR-POST LIFTS

These are the most popular for home shops. Most lift manufacturers offer caster kits that allow the lift to be moved once it’s fully assembled. Jack trays, jacks, and a host of other accessories are avail­-able to aide in wheel, brake, and other service work. Most require 12 feet of ceiling clearance at full height.

LOW & MEDIUM-RISE LIFTS

Popular in many body shops and wheel and tire service stations, low and medium-rise lifts have gained popularity with car enthusiasts as well. Their compact design and relative portability offer much more flexibility in the home shop where overall ceiling height can often be the largest restriction on lift style.

Lead Photo by: Matt Sprouse

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58 Responses to “At Home Lifts Designed to Fit Your Garage Needs”

  2. Paul Dobbin

    Remember a two post lift requires 8 trips to the floor to lift a car. A 4 post , you just drive on and lift. If all you do is brakes, get a two post, I love my 4 post and hate brake work, but I can still doo in on my 4 post, Another caution is under the ramp clearance, 20’s and 30’s cars are tall, make sure the space below the lift is tall enough for another car to be stored underneath. I had to buy a longer lift to get the underneath height I needed.

    Reply
  3. Scott Sparkman

    I have 2 4-post lifts in my garage primarily for storage but they do make it much easier to do maintenance. When the fuel pump went out on my 72 Vette it was parked on the ground under my other car. I could have pushed the Vette out of the garage, backed the other car out, then pushed the Vette onto the lift. Instead I purchased a Quick Jack. It got the Vette off the ground so I could get under it to change the pump. With a 454 it was pretty nose heavy so I put jack stands under the front. Worked great. Since then I’ve used the Quick Jack to lift my restoration project up, remove the suspension and put on a body dolly.

    Reply
  5. HECTOR

    I’m looking for a 4 post double wide, where I could store 2 vehicles on top and have my dailys underneath. Anyone have one of these and would you do it again? Thanks

    Reply
  7. Joseph Cutajar

    Interested in parking lifts. Please indicate source, price and max weight they can lift and if the can withstand loads for a long duration.

    Reply
  8. Clifford Benz

    I have a mid rise sissors lift I bought from harbor freight. Had it for 4 yrs. With no problems. Use it daily. Have only 10′ height. Love it.

    Reply
  9. Michael

    ‬ Is it a good idea to use a two-post lift for storage? I understand the four-post is better but I like the ease of working on suspension/brakes of the two-post.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi Michael,

      Thank you for contacting us. Here is the reply from our expert:

      Of course cars can be stored on a two-post lift. but I always recommend placing an under-hoist tall jack stand under the front and rear of the car to prevent accidental tipping.
      They can provide added security when working on the car also.

      Wrench Safe,

      Mark
      Classic Car Restoration Club

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello John,

      We do not sell lifts however we do give you information to assist in making your buying decision.

      There are numerous lift manufacturers out there, and as this article illustrates begin by determining the lift type that best serves your needs.

      Buy a quality lift from a company that has been around for awhile and you know will be there down the road to supply parts.

      One great resource in finding the lift you want is the American Lift Institute (ALI) an independent certification company that certifies lifts for construction and safety.

      Here is a link to their Directory of ALI certified lifts:

      https://www.autolift.org/ali-directory-of-certified-car-lifts/

      A lift is a great investment that is guaranteed to make your classic car projects go easier and safer.

      Wrench Safe,

      Mark
      Classic Car Restoration Club

      Reply
  12. James Nesci

    I bought a Mohawk 2 post lift about 9 years ago. Never had a bit of trouble with it and it has a really cool feature that I bought for it about 2 years ago—it has adapters to lift the car by the wheels. You drive the car into place, slide wedge shaped adapters around the wheels and lift. This allows you to work on the suspension at ride height. I’d you want to do wheel and brake work, take off the adapters.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi Bernard,

      Thank you for the question, here is the reply from our experts:

      We do not sell lifts however we do give you information to assist in making your buying decision.

      There are numerous lift manufacturers out there, and as this article illustrates begin by determining the lift type that best serves your needs.

      Buy a quality lift from a company that has been around for awhile and you know will be there down the road to supply parts.

      One great resource in finding the lift you want is the American Lift Institute (ALI) an independent certification company that certifies lifts for construction and safety.

      Here is a link to their Directory of ALI certified lifts:

      https://www.autolift.org/ali-directory-of-certified-car-lifts/

      A lift is a great investment that is guaranteed to make your classic car projects go easier and safer.

      Wrench Safe,

      Mark
      Classic Car Restoration Club

      Reply
  15. Ron Wolfe

    As a person who built car dealerships and repair facilities I must say 4 inches concrete BARE minimum 6 or more is best. they also make a two post A-symmectrical which is giving you door clearance. Id never put a 4 post lift in my garage unless it has a rolling bridge actually two. Do not cheap out on the install this thing needs to be level and installed in a safe manner if you cant do it there are companies that should charge around 500-750 to install. The overseas units are great on the pocket book but check for replacement parts before ordering. A power unit can be obtained anywhere but if you need roller bearings cables locks ect if the company you bout it from is part of the dollar store you may never get your parts. Also many overseas units use inferior metal that is just painted most of the good US brands are powder coated and parts are available in a few days. Do your homework and cheaper is not always good thing. Just imagine have you ever seen a car flipped inside a hoist it can happen.

    Reply
  16. Eric

    If you are looking for a low to medium-rise lift check out the EZ Car Lift. Great lift. Portable. Made in the USA. I have been using mine since 2008 and have been totally happy with it. Check it out.

    Reply
  17. Robert E Walton sr

    I purchased a four poster lift about 20 years ago. I have a two story colonial barn style home shop that was originally 24 X 28 feet. My first floor ceiling is approximately 9.5 feet. My lift is a PerfectPark 7000. I have never had a major problem with it but have made a couple of dumba** mistakes using it that could have created problems. I also had to make some modifications to my shop to allow easier access for the lift. I had to enlarge the entrance door for the lift bay from 8 to 10 feet. I also had the post shorten 6 inches and installed new cables to match the post. My lift came with a full set of accessories, a rolling jack tray, two sliding jack trays and three drip pan that fit nicely between the jack platforms. It also came with a caster kit that allows me to roll it out into my driveway for jobs that require me to get the jack up to full height. Even shorten I can still walk easily under the jack at full height and have a couple of positions to spare. At 73 years of age I can move the lift in and out of my shop with ease. I purchased my lift for $3500 and it is worth every penny I paid for it. I have a degree in Industrial Engineering Automotive technology so I do most of my maintenance and repairs on my vehicles. My lift has saved me thousands of dollars over the years by allowing me to do repairs that require the vehicle to be lifted.
    At the time I purchased my PerfectPark 7000, one of the same model had been involved in a serious accident. I inquired of the company and received a full report including pictures. The accident was caused by an owner that did not follow instructions and use, that rare commodity, sense in assembling his lift. I have used my PerfectPark 7000 for 20 years without injury to myself or damage to my vehicles. It requires minimal maintenance.
    My best advice is follow the instructions for assembly and operation and always be safety conscious when using your lift. I do safety checks every time I use my lift and I keep the cables and pulleys lubricated.
    A home lift is a wonderful tool that will make building, maintaining and working on your vehicles an easier, safer and more enjoyable process.

    Reply
  19. Roy Toschi

    Would like Info, Brochures, specs, and pricing on 12ft lifts. Especially interested in four post.

    Reply
  20. GEORGE LINDLEY

    Building a garage now for my hot rods will have a 16′ ceiling. Wish I had known about concrete floor before we poured it. Can correct. Would like a Two-post lift. Recomendations?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello George,

      BendPak, Rotary, Challenger, Dannmar, Whip, Launch Tech, all make good lifts, look for one that is independently certified.
      My personal preference is for the BendPak lifts, but the others are just as good.

      I prefer an asymmetrical two-post lift to make opening the doors easier while on the lift.

      Talk to your concrete contractor, as many home enthusiasts run int the same issue and often a section of the floor can be removed and a new floor section poured that is keyed into the existing slab. 6-inches is the minimum… consider going thicker… 8″-10″ and rebar reinforced (3000 psi min strength concrete).

      Wrench Safe,

      Mark
      Classic Car Restoration Club Video Membership

      Reply
      • Ronald wolfe

        Rotary by far is the best lift in the market. most all the other use roller bearings chains or cables. Rotary uses a slide block which I have never seen one go bad. They are the most expensive but you get what you pay for. Over the years I sold Rotary, Western Challenger, I did get hands on with most of the others but there are my preffered.

        Reply
    • Ronald L Wolfe

      you cold cut out some concrete and repour thicker if you need it Id make sure it has rebar or mesh added to it. Also since you are building may want to add electrical overhead as well. most of the lifts will go 110 or 220 but building the place opt for 220.

      Reply
  21. Roger Glen

    I’ve been looking at a new single post (with folding top to enable it to fit through 7′ high garage door) with the swing out spider leg arrangement. They are for sale at $2800 in Pittsburgh Mills mall in Pa – strange place for garage equip but I guess malls now rent space to anyone who will pay rent.
    My question is what American safety standard applies to lifts such as this? Are lifts regulated?While this obviously Chinese constructed product looks substantial enough, it only has to fail once to be potentially disastrous.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi Roger. Lifts are certified by companies like the Automotive Lift Institute ( http://www.autolift.org ). And it’s a good idea to select a lift that has been certified.
      The proof of ETL-ALI certification is a gold sticker bearing the ETL and ALI logos, as well as the ANSI testing standards stamp of approval
      Although there is no regulation that lifts must be certified there are some good lifts that are not and there are some lifts on the market that can be downright dangerous.
      Do your research on any lift before making a purchase.
      Thanks
      Mark-CCRC

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi Ryan. There are so many good quality lifts on the market, it would be hard to recommend one.
      Look for a good quality lift that is independently certified.
      Price alone should not be your driving concern when hoisting a couple tons of metal over your head.
      Most 2-post lifts will require at least 12-feet of ceiling clearance and 6-inches of concrete.
      Thanks
      Mark-CCRC

      Reply
  24. BB4spd

    I bought a Dannmar 7000X – 4 post lift and installed it myself with 1 friend. Pretty easy install. The hardest part was the instructions. Had to call the company to find answers. Love it. Can’t go to full height because of low ceiling beams. Can get it to go to 7’3″ from floor to floor pan of car. Great for parking my Chevelle on and my tractor and lawnmower under the Chevelle.

    Reply
  25. RONALD

    Looking at purchasing one now for my new workshop. Have installed the extra concrete and rebar where it will set when foundation was poured.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Jerry,

      Most two and four post lifts fall into the same price ranges although two-post lifts demand at least 6-inches of reinforced concrete and 12-foot plus ceilings. Selecting which lift is best suited and economical for you would depend on your particular situation and the tasks you would like to use it for.

      Hope this helps,
      Mark CCRC Video Membership

      We’d love to have you be a part of our community. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. We would like to offer you a special promotion for your first year membership.
      http://go.ClassicCarRestorationClub.com/C9111

      Reply
      • Customer Service

        Hello John,

        We do not sell lifts however we do give you information to assist in making your buying decision.

        There are numerous lift manufacturers out there, and as this article illustrates begin by determining the lift type that best serves your needs.

        Buy a quality lift from a company that has been around for awhile and you know will be there down the road to supply parts.

        One great resource in finding the lift you want is the American Lift Institute (ALI) an independent certification company that certifies lifts for construction and safety.

        Here is a link to their Directory of ALI certified lifts:

        https://www.autolift.org/ali-directory-of-certified-car-lifts/

        A lift is a great investment that is guaranteed to make your classic car projects go easier and safer.

        Wrench Safe,

        Mark
        Classic Car Restoration Club

        Reply
  30. KENNY M

    I have a four post. Best tool I ever bought. I had to put it up outside, my shop is not tall enough. Outside under a lift sure beats crawling around the floor.

    Reply
  31. gary

    Ask about a used one. Some of these dealers sometimes replace older lifts or pickup ones no longer used. I lucked out and picked one up seven or eight years ago for $700 delivered and installed ! Best thing I ever did. Even though it’s a two post I still store a car on it during the winter.

    Reply
  32. Tom Matthews

    I purchased a two post low lift (54″ lift height from bottom of vehicle frame) capable of lifting 6000 lbs. easily from MAXJAX about 18 months ago. I would have went with a larger two post unit but only had a 10′ ceiling height in my garage. I found that at this height I can scoot around and work comfortably while sitting on an adjustable roller seat. I have swapped transmissions, removed and replaced gas tanks, rebuilt complete brake systems, and replaced exhaust systems this way with no regrets (saves on my 65 year old legs). My lift has at least one vehicle a week on it since friends and family have discovered my big boy’s toy. Another plus with this lift is the ability to stow it out of the way between uses, if you don’t have the space to leave it up all the time like I do. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a reasonable priced , compact lift. (google MAXJAX for info). One other side note on this unit, if using it a lot like I do, do yourself a favor, and save stumbling over the portable hydraulic hoses, by adding hard piping on the ceiling with quick disconnects to hook the system up, and placing the pump against a back wall out of the way. It works fantastic that way and keeps floor space open and clear.

    Reply
    • LD

      Like Tom, I purchased a MaxJax for my shop about 3 yrs ago and am very pleased with it. I have used it for everything from small jobs to total car restorations, total suspension upgrades, engine swaps you name it. My motor/pump assembly is mounted on wall of shop and lines go overhead. Well worth the extra expense and effort regardless of frequency of use. Highly recommend this unit – one of my best investments.

      Reply
  33. Bob MORAZES

    BE SURPRISED AND CHECK OUT NAPA.
    I bought a 10000lb Forward Lift from NAPA for $2460. I love IT . best money I ever invested.

    Reply
  36. Jon Slawik

    I didn’t have a lift for the first few years of building funny car and dragster chassis at my Northwest race Cars shop. Picked up a used four poster from a dealer that wanted to upgrade for trucks. Don’t know how I ever got along without it. I adapted my digger jig to fit. Thing’s a life saver. The first car I used it on was the red :Revellution” funny car I built for Ed McCulloch in the early 70’s. Now I restore Model T’s and it’s great for that too.Slowed down a little bit. From 300 mph to about 35.

    Reply
  37. David

    I love my 4 poster. I too shopped and shopped, and ended up with one of those safety certified by a US organization. I chose the option to have someone bring it to the house and assemble it–the cost was the same as me renting a forklift and hoping the freight truck arrived that day! The guy that assembled mine was awesome. He usually did the big lifts for school districts and their busses, but allowed me to work side by side, with all of his wisdom and experience flowing out. I know what to inspect, where to check for issues, and how to operate it safely–money well spent….and if I have a problem he is only 20 miles away. I have 12′ ceilings, put my 67 Mustang on it to do any work I need, and I park my Toyota under it in the winter. Great investment—and you will suddenly know who all your friends are that want to see the bottom of their cars! The real value for me in my shopping adventure for my 67 was to always ask to see a car on a lift–so easy to see if rust is an issue, or if someone gubered 20 gallons of undercoat to cover up the rust! Never buy a car w/o seeing it’s bottom!!!

    Reply
    • Zeke

      Who was the company and what brand did you use.?

      What was the cost if you don’t mine

      Reply
      • Customer Service

        Hi Zeke. The lift we installed was a Bendpak HD-9, at the time of purchase we paid just under $3,000.
        We also added a Bendpak bridge jack for another $1,000 at the time of purchase.
        It has been a great investment and allowed us to improve the quality of our restorations.
        Thanks
        Mark-CCRC

        Reply
  38. douglas birgfeld

    i have a 15′ sealing with 6″ reinforced concert floor. all i need is money to get one. every time i think i have enough the price goes up more. sume day i hope.

    Reply
    • Rodney Sherwood

      I am interested in learning all I can before I purchase. I am a building contractor by trade but have always wrenched on everything I could, at home plus maintenance on all my business vehicles.
      I have never owned a lift an now am in a position to consider one. I have one ton trucks to raise. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ron

        Check out Backyard Buddy. I have 3 of their lifts and they work great and they are free standing 4 post lift for home. You want a 2 post lift to work on brakes and tires. They are nice, but you have to get on the ground to swing the arms into position.

        Reply