Four post Lift

[Xcentric]

Xcentric - there is a way to add a special washer that BP supplies a 2-3" almost square item with a hole and a cut out in it... probably in the extra parts bucket with the shims you have left over.

The "washer" goes through the pin that hold the ramps on and will keep them from drooping but 2-3" when lift goes up...

I had to use this option to insure I could park another car under the first one without getting out and removing,moving and storing ramps separate of lift (a PIA).

If ya need more deatils - PM me with contact info

Thanks for the tip! I found reference to "optional drive up ramp locks" in the manual. The place I bought the lift from is going to fix me up.

 

[Sinovac]

I took the ramps off as they were a pain to work around. Gary's garage is set up like mine, and with the garage door down and the car raised, you can't walk between the rear of the car and the garage door when the ramps are on. It isn't a big deal if you are using the lift primarily for storage, but when you're using the lift to work on a car, the ramps are in the way.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I took the ramps off as they were a pain to work around...with the garage door down and the car raised, you can't walk between the rear of the car and the garage door when the ramps are on.

I designed my detached garage with that very issue in mind. The car bays are deep (25 feet) and the roof is high (15 feet)...so, no matter whether the hoist is up or down, or the hoist bay door is up or down, I can walk under and around the hoist/ramps whether the ramps are attached or not. Yeah, I may have to 'duck' a bit when the ramps are attached depending on how high the hoist is raised, but bay door/walk around clearance is not an issue...

 

[Sinovac]

Sounds like a nice setup EP. My garage is very workable, but it is the proverbial 10 pounds of you-know-what in a 5 pound bag.

 

[Xcentric]

I took the ramps off as they were a pain to work around. Gary's garage is set up like mine, and with the garage door down and the car raised, you can't walk between the rear of the car and the garage door when the ramps are on. It isn't a big deal if you are using the lift primarily for storage, but when you're using the lift to work on a car, the ramps are in the way.

My garage may be a bit deeper. For those wondering how it would fit in your garage, mine is 21 1/2 deep. The lift is about 16 1/2 to the end of the ramps when the lift is down. I can walk around with the garage door closed as is. I could also roll the lift about a foot more toward the back and still have room to open the tool box drawers (photo on previous page). The ramp locks will be nice if I want to park another car. You can see that the drooping ramps are a safety feature...the car cannot roll off.

I don't notice any lack of stability with no floor bolts. The installers commented that the BendPak is much more substantial than many of the cheaper lifts they install.

 

[Sinovac]

Another GT will fit under that lift nicely Gary.

 

[FBA]

My garage may be a bit deeper. For those wondering how it would fit in your garage, mine is 21 1/2 deep. The lift is about 16 1/2 to the end of the ramps when the lift is down. I can walk around with the garage door closed as is. I could also roll the lift about a foot more toward the back and still have room to open the tool box drawers (photo on previous page). The ramp locks will be nice if I want to park another car. You can see that the drooping ramps are a safety feature...the car cannot roll off.

I don't notice any lack of stability with no floor bolts. The installers commented that the BendPak is much more substantial than many of the cheaper lifts they install.

View attachment 32132

The only thing you would notice with no floor bolts, is when the lift is pretty much fully extended, there is a bit of wobble with the car on it, but even at that, it's not moving and the car is never coming down off the lift on its own. I'm bolting mine down because I'm putting down ceramic porcelain tile and it will sit very tight around the posts, so I can't have movement or the tiles will crack, but my two lifts have never been bolted down and have never had an issue. Most of the lift sellers tell you that the floor bolts are not necessary. I agree.

 

[BlackICE]

I bolted mine down because I am in earthquake country. Also my floor is sloped requiring the posts to be shimmed to be vertical.

 

[FBA]

Those are two of the best reasons I can think to bolt them down!!

 

[BtwoG]

My garage door opener is at 8'6" and the ceilings are 10'6". In order to move the garage door opener higher, do I simply need to get longer/taller tracks and remounting everything?

 

[Sinovac]

My garage door opener is at 8'6" and the ceilings are 10'6". In order to move the garage door opener higher, do I simply need to get longer/taller tracks and remounting everything?

You can do it that way but you will still lose some height with a conventional opener hanging from the ceiling. I suggest a wall mounted jackshaft opener which will allow you to roll the door up tight to the ceiling.

 

[MAD IN NC]

My garage door opener is at 8'6" and the ceilings are 10'6". In order to move the garage door opener higher, do I simply need to get longer/taller tracks and remounting everything?

If you have no center beam perpendicular to the lift placement where the "center opener" will hide underneath the clearance - a center will work but the door and tracks have to be raised.

To what Sinovac says, if there is clear space above the car in the garage (ie no cross or support beam) I would go with a "wall mount" opener such as the Liftmaster Elite 8500 but that will also require the door and track to be raised to max height

in the pic below you can see what I did - as best as I could do with what I had.

 

[Xcentric]

My garage door opener is at 8'6" and the ceilings are 10'6". In order to move the garage door opener higher, do I simply need to get longer/taller tracks and remounting everything?

Taller tracks and a jackshaft opener.

 

[Cobraguy]

My garage door opener is at 8'6" and the ceilings are 10'6". In order to move the garage door opener higher, do I simply need to get longer/taller tracks and remounting everything?

In addition to the wall mount jackshaft opener and tracks mounted as close to the ceiling as possible, I also set the opener so it only opens the door 7'. This leaves a few panels in the vertical position which allows more room for the roof of your car in the raised position. ......of course if you require more than 7' this is impractical.

 

[FBA]

Suggest you have a professional come over and measure the tracks for you, or you may be stuck with doors that don't close and/or seal correctly. As others have mentioned, liftmaster 3800 or 8500 jackshaft motor is the way to go; I have them on all 3 doors. You can get the bundle which includes the upgraded remote and keypad. Typically they sell for around 275-300.

 

[Xcentric]

Bendpak HD-9.

I reset the ramp from narrow position to wide position. This gets the GT just about perfectly centered on the ramps. In the narrow position, the rear tires overhang the ramp slightly, but it still works fine. It's easier to get the car positioned correctly with the ramps in the wide position. Only the driver side ramp is adjustable.



And, I took a few more measurements, because OCD.

My garage ceiling is 10' 4", but the limiting factor is the 7" deep garage door light. So...I effectively have 9' 9" height limit, unless I move the light.

There is 78" clearance from floor to belly pan in this photo.



I have the ramp locks installed, so the ramps don't droop. However, they are still a hazard.

Safety tips:

1. Don't wear a hat with a brim while working.

2. A couple of pool noodles cut in half and slit lengthwise make easy on/off safety cushions for the ramps.

 

[Gary]

Had two Advantage 900XLT lifts installed today. Very impressed. The installer recommended byAdvantage was one 60year old guy. From uncrating to final install in 6 hours. The installer did not waste a step. Making room for NFGT coming in June.