New Lift....not on life

[1FATGMC]

   

I finally got a car lift right before B'ville and just finally got it all installed a week or so ago.  I've always wanted one of these and boy do I like it  .  I no sooner got it working and the starter quit on the Buick, after only about 3 months since it was replaced.  I had the car up and the starter out in less time than it normally takes to get the car jacked up and on jackstands.  Since I've had to take the starter in and out 3 times so far it has really been handy.  They checked the started and it checked good, but dosn't work long in the car, so they finally decided  to give me a new one that will arrive tomorrow.  Hopefully that will fix it.

   

Well the real reason I posted wasn't about the Buick, but to give you something to think about if you are looking for a lift.  One reason I decide on this Bend Pak was that They have both center load or asymmetric load  models and you can get either the narrow (105 inches between the posts) or the wide version (118 inches between the posts).

I got the wide version and the 10,000 lb. model as I want to easily load with Julie's 3/4 ton pickup with the side mirrors and the camper on it.  I also got the center load model as they told me for older vehicles it is probably safer than the asymmetrical model.  The extra width has some additional benifits now that I've been using it.  You can open the doors easier on the lift as they open into the columns and you have more width.  Also if I have a car parked in the bay it is easier to walk along between the car and the posts as there is more room between the posts than the narrow model has.

Well anyway if you are looking at a lift, so far I'm very happy with this one and I'm glad I bought the wider version.  I bought this one from THE AUTO LIFT SHOP on the internet and the guy was very helpful before the sale and the lift came right on time by truck.  It was $2515.00 and that included the freight.  The wide version is only $50 more than the narrow one.  The only negative about the whole thing was that the instructions for installing it were terrible, but I finally got it all figured out and it works great.

Hope this helps someone that is looking at lifts.

c ya, Sum

[Sean]

Now you have room to pile up more stuff  That looks like my Garage...

[C9]

How tall is your garage?

It looks like the ceiling is the standard 8' height and it also looks like you put a "well" into the ceiling for clearance.

I've been looking at the 24" on center trusses in my new garage.  I think about four of them could have a steel brace added and the lower part of the wooden trusses removed.  That should allow proper support for the roof and maybe gain enough clearance that a lift would work in there.

[1FATGMC]

Now you have room to pile up more stuff  That looks like my Garage...

Somewhere under that pile is the other teardrop trailer I started.  I offered it for sale on the teardrop board for what I have in it for materials, yet no one was interested.

So now it is going to either become a trailer to haul firewood or I'm going to cut it up and use the steel in the lakester.

You are right though that if I'm not careful all my new found space will quickly disappear.

c ya, Sum

[WZ JUNK]

Looks like we will be making the belly pan for the race car at your shop.  I really like the lift and I wish I had one.

[1FATGMC]

How tall is your garage?

It looks like the ceiling is the standard 8' height and it also looks like you put a "well" into the ceiling for clearance.

I've been looking at the 24" on center trusses in my new garage.  I think about four of them could have a steel brace added and the lower part of the wooden trusses removed.  That should allow proper support for the roof and maybe gain enough clearance that a lift would work in there.

The main ceiling is 10 foot tall.  The area where the lift is is 12 feet tall.  One thing I can't figure out is that the Bend Pak is 145 inches tall to the top of the column.  Of course once you sheetrock a normal 12 foot ceiling it is going to probably be 11 feet 11 3/8 inches.  I thought I was going to buy this lift when I built the shop/house, so between two of the trusses I went up another couple inches with the ceiling where the lift is.  I still should have gone higher as it was a pain to get the bolts/nuts in the cross piece at the top.

That step in my shop is actually made with trusses that are raised 2 feet for a distance in the center of them.  It looks like they end on the wall to the left, but that wall is a nonsupporting wall and the trusses continue on for another 13 feet to the left and form a 10 foot height ceiling over the rest of the shop behind that wall.  I was surprised to find that the trusses that had the 2 foot raise centers actually cost less than the rest of the trusses.  I didn't want the 12 foot ceiling over the whole shop for heating/cooling reasons and that would have also raised the outside walls of the entire house/shop by another 2 feet and wouldn't have looked good and would have cost more to build.  

Hope I was clear on this.  Your idea with the beam might work, but I really don't know for sure what you plan.  Remember you can't spread the load from the four altered trusses on to the ones on each side of that area.  Also the truss is a truss since all the components of it work together and if you remove the bottom cord you now have no truss and the top chords might not be the right size for the load.  I would take your ideas to the lumber yard where they would call a truss manufacture and see what your options are.  I don't know if you could still get stepped on the bottom side (like I used) trusses up and under the roof next to the present ones and then cut the present ones out.

c ya, Sum

[SKR8PN]

Congrats on the new lift,Sum.You will soon wonder how in the WORLD you ever got by without it! That is THE SAME exact lift I bought for my shop 4 years ago,and I love mine.  
The Problem I had with MY shop height was the FLOOR,not the CEILING! Had my cousin pour the floor for me and he a got a little "off" on his calculations...........I had Bend Pack cut 2 inches off the top of the towers and shorten the hydraulic hose for me!
Fortunately,we discovered his mistake BEFORE I had ordered the lift

[slocrow]

Good luck with the lift. It sure saves on the old knees. Like he said, soon you won't know how you got along without it.........Frank

[purplepickup]

That's a really nice setup Sum.  Well thought out.

Now those of us that use your shop for a pit stop on our annual pilgrimage to the salt can do it in style.....last year Bob and this year Hooley and me.  By the way.....Thanks
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In case you haven't seen it, I sent you a PM last night.

[Dusty]

Hey Sum....

The lift looks good....I have had mine up almost 2 years, and like everyone else said.  After you use it for a while, you won't know how you got along without it.  I have made lifting racks for mine to lift the cab off of the '54 while fitting the frame to it, and a rack for the riding mower.  I also have a sheet of 3/4 plywood with blocks screwed to the underside that fit the arms, that makes into a emporary, adjustable height work bench.

[1FATGMC]

you won't know how you got along without it.  

I'm already at that stage just trying to get the starter problems figured out on the Buick.  I would have really been cussing if I would have had to take it in and out 3 times laying on my back.

I have made lifting racks for mine to lift the cab off of the '54 while fitting the frame to it, and a rack for the riding mower.  I also have a sheet of 3/4 plywood with blocks screwed to the underside that fit the arms, that makes into a emporary, adjustable height work bench.

Some good ideas there  .

BTW did you get my e-mail were I mentioned the problems I was having seeing the pictures on some of the pages on your site.

c ya, Sum