Recommendations on a 2 post lift

[66 383]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a 2 post lift. I have 12 ft ceiling in my shop so height shouldn't be a problem. Probably get a 10,000 pound. For you guys that have a floor plate, any regrets?

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I have a Benwell 8K just a bit short on lifting power for trucks. Only real thing I don't like is you can't open the doors up when the car is on it. Make sure your concrete is thick enough where it will be bolted down.

 

[VANDAN]

With your 12' ceiling, I'd go with the overhead brace for the cables. My BendPak is great, but would be better without the floor plate for cables. Either way, the lifts are a game changer, in a shop.

 

[Charlie Brown]

I have a Bendpak. You will need 12' minimum height, but 12' - 4" is better. 8 inch thick pads for posts. You will have better open door access with asymmetrical posts and not having floor plates means if you have to move your car by hand over a floor plate, you won't grunt and curse.

 

[dadsbee]

10' 3" ceiling. I can stand upright under our B Bodies.. and I'm 5' 10.

Didn't trust my floor with a relief cut very close to one post so I joined the post tops.

 

[RemCharger]

Rotary 9000lb. Top brace. Can lift diesel 1 tons. Nice to not have the floor plate when doing transmissions .

 

[H. Lindley]

I second the Rotary. I have one and it's the only one made in the USA.

 

[RJ Squirrel]

I have 12' 4" ceiling height, the top of the posts are 7" down from the ceiling. As others have said you want the cables going over the top to keep the floor clear.
It is a 10K and it is installed on a 4 inch thick slab. I put braces on the top to keep the posts from moving and possibly walking the anchor bolts out. I also went the extra mile and poured a thin anchoring epoxy around the bolts too. I put my Duramax diesel truck on it all the time, no problems at all after 3 1/2 years of constant use.

 

[493 Mike]

I have a 9,000# Rotary with floor plate. I purchased it 23 years ago at a auction ($2,000), it was old then, and I had figured a lift before pouring my concrete. I do find the plate to be troublesome when pulling trannys and doing oil changes but I still love it! The hoist was installed in a Dodge dealership-over a basement! They did have an old screw type press with blocking to support one post. I have 12' ceiling and the rams just kiss the ceiling steel at full extension.
Mike

 

[Krooser]

I have a 50 year old floor plate Weaver 9K. It's lifted an E350 loaded with 3,000 lbs of GM parts headed fir the Tonawanda engine plant.

No cables...leaf chain and roller chains plus 4" diameter hydraulic cylinders.

The best built today are the Mohawk lifts...made in NY iirc.

Don't buy a cheap Chinese lift...your life is worth more than you'd save.

I'd look for a good used unit...be patient they show up on Craigslist, marketplace and ebay.

I bought mine used, disassembled it, moved it and installed it in my shop. EZ.

 

[dadsbee]

Here's my cheap chinese "Direct Lift" 2 post lift, it's manufactured under Rotory Lifts Patent and I bet their major components are made in China as well and just put together in Indiana..

 

[VANDAN]

Here's my cheap chinese "Direct Lift" 2 post lift, it's manufactured under Rotory Lifts Patent and I bet their major components are made in China as well and just put together in Indiana..
View attachment 1766771

db, you're probably correct, as America doesn't produce many Metal products these days...

 

[70ChargerRT]

My friend bought one and hated it so bad he jerked it out. I think we sawed out a 3’x3’ about 9” deep for the pads. Put rebar in the hole and also tied it in with our existing 4” floor with rebar. My ceiling is 15’. Debating on building another garage so I don’t know if I’ll finish this one out all of the way or not.

 

[Mackman]

I have a 10000lb Atlas with hose and cable at the top. I would not want to walk on that tray.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Just before the concrete prices skyrocketed in this area, I had a floor poured in my 36' x 48' shop.
A 14' x 18' area around where the lift is installed we had poured about twice as thick as required by the manufacturer.
I installed a 10,000 Rotary 2-post, asymmetrical.
The shop has a 12' ceiling.

Although I don't utilize it much for storage, it is handy for the over/under feature.

It came in handy for working on the ski over the summer.

And it even came in handy when Esther wanted to help with a brake job.

 

[Curiousyellow71]

I bought a used 10k rotary two post and have to install it yet. It might be 9k...not sure. One of my friends is the shop foreman at a gm garage and set me up with it because it had some surface rust and they periodically upgrade there lifts.
I have to do the concrete yet. Hoping really soon. I wasn't impressed w Rotary's online concrete recommendations. Any suggestion? Seems to be in line w the ops question about lifts.