Question About Two Post Lift

[pturner]

Finished a new shop with 12' ceiling, now ready to buy two post lift. How did you deal with the shipping? Can you get them delivered to a freight terminal and then pick it up there? Delivery to my residence could happen, but I would have to rent a fork lift to unload it. Will the freight terminal load it on my trailer ?
Has anyone ordered one from an ebay seller? Redline Stands seems to be a reliable online seller (not on ebay).
I cannot find a seller within 300 miles of my house that I could go pick it up.
Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.
Thank you.
PT in Eastern Tennessee

 

[dadsbee]

Drop by a local business and see if you can use their loading dock for truck delivery and level door to load you. You're gonna need something or a few guys to help you at home though..

 

[sam dupont]

Some towns have commercial docks that will catch and hold freight for truckers and and us. I shipped a very large neon Texaco sign. I dropped the crate at the depot and the hauler picked it up when he came through the area. I don't know if they charged the hauler, but they didn't charge me anything.

 

[moparedtn]

From redline's website:
"We can arrange to have your lift delivered to a local shipping terminal where it can be picked up and the freight company can load it onto your truck or trailer. Contact us and we can give you an indication of where the closest terminal to you will be or if these options don’t work for you to come up with another plan."

 

[INTMD8]

I had mine dropped off at home and lifted it on to moving dollies myself, then lifted the posts upright myself

 

[OKDart]

I picked mine up from a freight terminal, they loaded it onto my trailer. I used an engine hoist to remove the posts from the trailer one by one and also to stand them up. Once they're stood up, you can walk them where they need to go. I ended up installing it by myself in about 8 hours going slow. Then I hired an electrician to wire it up.

 

[493 Mike]

I bought mine at a auction (installed). One friend and I disassembled it on site, manually loaded it, manually unloaded it, and reasembled it at my shop. 9,000 # Rotary. I did the entire installation. Back before I was old!
Mike

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

They are heavy for sure. See if you can get it delivered. $200 is well worth having it unloaded in the area you want. Then get plenty of friends and beer and have them help you set it up. FYI make sure the concrete is at least 8 inches thick also where it will be installed under the uprights.

 

[PlymCrazy]

I had my lift delivered from the distributor to a local lift outfit that does installations. The distributor can provide you with names of companies in your area that do that. You can then schedule with them a convenient time for installation. They will deliver and install the lift. Saves you having to be at the shipping company's mercy for delivery and potential rental cost for a forklift as you mentioned. Just make sure your electric is ready for hookup BEFORE the installation so they can perform their initial testing after the lift has been installed. A friend and I did the electric. We paid around $500 to the lift install company. Well worth the hassle for delivery, scheduling and handling IMO. This was about 2 years ago.

 

[moparedtn]

I picked mine up from a freight terminal, they loaded it onto my trailer. I used an engine hoist to remove the posts from the trailer one by one and also to stand them up. Once they're stood up, you can walk them where they need to go. I ended up installing it by myself in about 8 hours going slow. Then I hired an electrician to wire it up.

I was thinking an engine hoist could be used, thanks!
I'm a future lift owner as well.

 

[moparedtn]

I had my lift delivered from the distributor to a local lift outfit that does installations. The distributor can provide you with names of companies in your area that do that. You can then schedule with them a convenient time for installation. They will deliver and install the lift. Saves you having to be at the shipping company's mercy for delivery and potential rental cost for a forklift as you mentioned. Just make sure your electric is ready for hookup BEFORE the installation so they can perform their initial testing after the lift has been installed. A friend and I did the electric. We paid around $500 to the lift install company. Well worth the hassle for delivery, scheduling and handling IMO. This was about 2 years ago.

The sane approach for old guys for sure!

 

[Dragon Slayer]

I used a lift installation company also. Was delivered to them, then installed. I did all the electrical work and had preplanned concrete pour and where it would all be installed. Mine was 4 post. They also sold me 2 used airbag lifts for my unit cheaper than one new hydraulic style. Well worth it.

 

[GTXDAN]

I have a four post and I picked it up from Greg Smith Equipment. They loaded it on my trailer with a forklift and I used an engine hoist to unload it. Picked up one end and slid it to the back of my trailer, then set it on the floor and picked up the other end and drove out from under it. Even a four post is a load when it comes all bolted up for shipping.

 

[QuickBpBp]

I have a 4 post. I bought it from a friend in MD who only used it 2-3 times so he could store 2 cars in the same spot since he had the height. He lost his storage months later. We disassembled it and loaded it on my car trailer. I assembled it myself to put my 72 RR/GTX up in the air and could store stuff under it. That was 10 years ago and I just priced the same one at Carlisle and they are 5k now I got mine for $1200 and a few hours travel, a few hours disassemble, load and drive home. Wish I could find another like new for that price local..

 

[Pistol Pete]

I bought mine from Mohawk and they delivered and installed it (I did the electrical). Because it was a "home improvement" if they installed it, they did not charge me sales tax. The difference between the tax and their installation was less than $100.

 

[RemCharger]

Definitely a home improvement!!
Well, to us anyway.

 

[Krooser]

I bought mine from Mohawk and they delivered and installed it (I did the electrical). Because it was a "home improvement" if they installed it, they did not charge me sales tax. The difference between the tax and their installation was less than $100.

Mohawk is one of the best lifts period.

I bought a used 1970's era 9K Weaver back in 1995. $1800.
Disassembled it with some help... Same with reassembly. Never had instructions.

My Weaver is built from one and 1 1/2" steel. 4" hydraulic rams and leaf chain . It installed on 4" of six bag mix fiber mesh concrete....no wire or rebar.

Been in use for 29 years in my shop and maybe 20 years in the former shop. No cracks or any other issues .

Most new hoist buyers go nuts with thick concrete, rebar, extra prep work....then buy a cheap *** Chinese lift that is barely adequate for the job. Cheap cables, cast aluminum pulleys, thin steel, etc.

Buy a quality lift built with heavy duty steel.

 

[Fury63]

Bought a Tuxedo brand 2 post w/floor plate from, Lowe’s. Had it sent to the local store and they load it on my trailer, with their forklift. I10% off for military service didn’t hurt anything, either. Wish I had done this long ago.

 

[YY1]

I had the freight company (R+L) unload my 10 foot roll up doors into the bed of my truck.

It was about half the distance to the ground from their semi trailer and a manageable angle.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

You can find a local distributor that stocks lifts. Most will deliver or load on your trailer. When I bought mine the distributor delivered to my shop.