Height needed for 4 post lift

[Richard Cranium]

In the other part of the garage, I have an additional 3 feet if necessary.

 

[jlclark44]

Good morning, I am in the planning/permitting stage of building a stick built shop. I would like to eventually get a 4 post lift, what wall or ceiling height is generally needed?

Thanks,

Dan

Dan, I just purchased a new 4 post lift that I am putting my 2021 1500 Ram on the bottom and a 64 Dodge Polara on the lift. My ceiling height is 14 ft and the car just fits under the garage door tracks. Hope this helps.
jlclark44

 

[Chopper1967]

Dan, I just purchased a new 4 post lift that I am putting my 2021 1500 Ram on the bottom and a 64 Dodge Polara on the lift. My ceiling height is 14 ft and the car just fits under the garage door tracks. Hope this helps.
jlclark44

12 foot walls is the highest I can go.

 

[dusterkid]

I'd go with atleast 12' min. Possibly 14'. I have 11'6" I think in my garage. I measured it for a 4 post lift and it just won't work out like I would like. My garage is a 30x30 with 1 18' door in the center. With the size of the garage and where the door opener and door rails are I'd have to postion the lift kind of in the middle of the one size. I'd also I'd have to aware of the opener and rails when raising the car high to be able to walk under it to work. I can currently get 3 vechiles in there without any issues, but if I were to get a lift I could still put 3 but the lift to me work be more in the way with stuff. Just wish I layed out the garage better before I built it.

 

[ckessel]

Thats a good point for the build planning. My doors are 9x10 and 12x12 if memory serves me right. Conventional 8 wide and high doesn't leave much room for a truck/suv/crossover to get in. You can gain some clearance by having the tracks raised as high as possible for the door travel and also use a direct drive/jackshaft style opener. It mounts off to the side of the shaft/spring unit giving you way less obstruction under the door.

 

[BigMopar440]

Thats a good point for the build planning. My doors are 9x10 and 12x12 if memory serves me right. Conventional 8 wide and high doesn't leave much room for a truck/suv/crossover to get in. You can gain some clearance by having the tracks raised as high as possible for the door travel and also use a direct drive/jackshaft style opener. It mounts off to the side of the shaft/spring unit giving you way less obstruction under the door.

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High rise track, I think, is a must for any shop build.

 

[Chickenman21]

Off topic but before you move anything in I recommend painting the concrete floor with an epoxy paint. Easier to clean and looks much better. I have 12 foot ceilings and it works great but if you are doing hanging lights make sure of placement to not interfere with the lift usage.

 

[Don selleck]

I am building a new pre-engineered free span building this spring for a new fabrication and paint shop. 40x60 red iron building with 14' sidewalls. The steel structure allows a low pitch of 2/12. so in a 20ft (half of the gable end distance) span the rise is 40". so thats about 17' 4" plus the height of the steel framing members 6 to 8" so 18' max. (for outside dimensions), these can be built with 12' or 10' side wall so 2 or 4' less and can maintain a higher distance in the center for door and lift heights. Costs about 15% more that wood but labor may be less, depending on your local pricing. I know that its easier and faster to bolt together a building on a concrete slab than building a wood one. I've done both. its not hard need a skytrack, a scissor lift, 3 guys and alot of beer. good luck.