FromZto5

What's up Pascal - been a while. You still on here much?

I looked at your link, but I don't know about that one... it looks to be essentially a more convenient jack/jackstand setup. You'd have to crawl/crouch underneath there to work under the car. Not sure how much value that would provide you other than simplifying or quickening the jacking process.

I've always wanted a "real" lift, and this is my only opportunity to do so

Thanks man! I appreciate it. Yeah, I don't know how families can get by with 2 or 3 car garages anymore. Between cars for each parent, cars for the kids, lawn equipment, snow equipment, kids toys, recreational toys, etc... you name it. Not enough room.

So my updates are: we just met again with builders - I changed the location of my sink. It also looks like we are going with the tray ceiling solution. They gave me a truss drawing! I will get 13' in my 11x25 pocket! I'm stoked! Again, no guarantee yet

2k7gtcs

Quick question

The 11'x25' foot pocket is in the ceiling?

The width in that stall is more than 11' I hope. I thought it was like 15' which I what I have in my lift stall. And 15' would be the least I would ever do again. But then again I have the extra wide model four post bedpan lift so I could get the raptor on it when I had it.

It's only a matter of walking between the posts and the wall. The space between the rails and the wall is plenty.

FromZto5

Hey Gary... sorry for the delay in the response. Got busy at work plus doing all this house planning stuff. They had to tweak the design plan again.

Yes, the 3rd stall width is almost 16' where the lift is, plus it opens up to the main garage floor, so it's even wider in the center area.

And yes, the 11x25 pocket/tray is in the ceiling. You can see it in my attached drawing below.

So further updates:

- I moved the sink location to be by the laundry (inside) closet. It will have hot and cold
- the garage spigot I changed to just be regular... don't need hot and cold there when I can get the hot/cold from the sink to wash cars.
- I was going to add an automatic opener to the rear garage door, but I might save the $$$ and skip it (or do it myself later on). I don't need power for that door.
- the garage doors are R value of 12 for insulation. The walls and ceiling will also be insulated.
- I am having them add a 220V outlet (includes all the wiring, outlet, breakers, panel, etc....)
- I am asking for the concrete to be thicker in the 11x25 lift area. However, the minimum thickness required is 3.5" so I think I'm already good, but I don't know at what psi the concrete is laid at.

4-POST LIFTS

DESCRIPTION

MIN. CONCRETE SPECS

HD-9STX-B

9,000-lb. Capacity / Four Post Lift / Narrow Width

3-1/2" Min. Thickness / 2,500 psi

I'll find out more when we meet Friday. Hopefully we can sign all the paperwork this week...unless my wife has more changes

EDIT: I also added a snippet of the tray ceiling truss that they will do, to make my ceiling 13' in that pocket. Also added the 220V snippet.

2k7gtcs

For my bendpak four post the minimum thickness was like 3.5" but we have 5" thick slabs so I was good. You gotta figure the weight is spread over 4 posts and they make casters for these things even to roll around which is freaky to me but they do.

I epoxied the floor and then afterward drill 4 holes at each post and used 6" thunderbolts.

The posts have ladder like things that ramp safeties catch in. These ladder looking things are adjustable up and down so you can level you ramps if your floor isn't exactly level. Which it shouldn't be for drainage even if it's ever so slight.

Horspla

Coming together nicely Burton. I'm fairly certain min spec for household residential concrete here in the northland is 3.5" 5000#. A suggestion to help minimize cracking is to add chopped fiberglass to the mix if your cement plant will do it for you.


John

FromZto5

Yeah, I'm a little worried about the whole install process. What does that entail? Say I order a Bendpak 4 post - I have to go pick it up via a trailer, I'm sure because it's HUUUUGE. But say I get it at my house - now what? Do I install it myself? Are there authorized installers locally?!?!?!

Thanks John! I think the 3.5" thickness is standard with the builders here, and I will probably just go with that. The psi I will ask, but I'm also sure it's at least 2900.

============================

So we did some final cursory financial looks for everything and I this afternoon might be the day we sign.... or at least let them know we plan to sign, pending the other contractual agreements.

More to come...

2k7gtcs

The instructions are good but the install is not necessarily fun.

Depending on your area there are definitely installer. Someone has to install and service all those lifts at car dealers and auto shops. They sure don't do it. I think the seller can even recommend local or area installer. Looking at how easy I thought it was and with my somewhat educated construction experience and novice auto mechanic experience I tackled it along with the help of my large college football playing nephew.

I chose to have it sent to the local terminal and I picked it up. I took a 20' flat bed trailer and they fork lifted it onto that and we headed home. We broke it apart on the trailer in the driveway and then proceeded to bring it in and assemble as needed. The hardest part was having to have the ramps and their cross supports lifted about 2-3' off the ground while the cables are run. This meant lifting them and it was more than a two person job and since it was inside the garage our tractor wouldn't fit inside to lift. I'm not sure how we finally did it but it sucked. One of those genie lift things would have done the trick. Of better yet a small fork lift.

2k7gtcs

After having done it I dread ever taking it down and moving it. Plus ever having to store it if I love and it won't go in new house. I plan to sell it with the house unless the next bastard absolutely doesn't want it in which case is sell it provided someone came to disassemble it.

Horspla

A friend of mine bought one and did his own assembly as well. He opted to have it delivered to his house. The freight forwarder told him to have a forklift on site to unload it because the driver would not be available to help and did not have enough time to hand unload. He used a tractor with forks and it handled the load well enough to get it off the truck bed. I recall his reflection on setting it up to be much like yours: "I did it but am in no hurry to do it again!".


John

FromZto5

I'm going to have to make sure I get it installed properly when the time comes. Meanwhile, I'll research installers for the lift around here.

Some news... we signed the initial paperwork. The Man upstairs is good! . Blessings. Now it's all contingent on final appraisal of our current home. Per the plan, we close in May 2017.

Stage_3

SO awesome Burton! Congrats and good luck bro!
(I'm thankful to the Man upstairs everyday as well.)

FromZto5

thanks buddy! Things are moving along. Appraiser is coming to our home this week to get all the info for the sale. So still a lot of things pending, but if it all goes through, this is what my "view" will be, and what the garage/house will sit on. I purposely chose a lot that the backyard/view shoots straight out perpendicularly through the other houses and their backyards facing each other. Meaning, I will NEVER have a house behind me. I have a clear view of backyards spanning to that tree line in the distance. I hate being cramped/neighbors breathing on top of me.



And of course, here's the 2 champs who are ecstatic about their potential new lot, home, and lots of kids they can play with.



EDIT: I forgot to mention that another update/change I'm having them do to the garage - is to line up the Centerlines of the tray ceiling/lift area with the 2 doors. This will allow for seamless entry through the front, through the lifts, and out the rear door without veering. I verified through conversations and calculations with BendPak that the space between the lift post and the side walls will work for my application.

I'm also thinking about switching to the HD-9XW model. This will maximize my lift height, and also allow adjustment for narrow/wide wheel base vehicles (cars and suv's, trucks, etc...).


Lifting capacity*: 9,000 lbs. / 4,082 kg
*Max capacity / front axle: 4,500 lbs. / 2,041 kg
*Max capacity / rear axle: 4,500 lbs. / 2,041 kg
Overall width: 110‐1/4” / 2,800 mm.
Outside length: 198" / 5,029 mm
Overall length: 224" / 5,690 mm
Height of columns: 100" / 2,540 mm
Runway min height: 4-1/2" / 114 mm
Max rise: 82" / 2,083 mm
Max lifting height: 86-1/2" / 2,197 mm
Width between posts: 100‐1/4” / 2,555 mm.
Runway width: 19" / 483 mm
Width between runways: 37-1/4" – 44-3/8" / 952 mm – 1,127 mm
Length of runways: 188" / 4,775 mm
Min. wheelbase @ rated capacity: 135" / 3,429 mm
Min. wheelbase @ 75% capacity: 115" / 2,921 mm
Min. wheelbase @ 50% capacity: 95" / 2,413 mm
Min. wheelbase @ 25% capacity: 80" / 2,032 mm
Locking positions: 15
Lock spacing: every 4" / 102 mm
Lifting time: 50 sec
Motor: 220 VAC / 60 Hz / 1 Ph
Shipping weight: 2,040 lbs. / 927 kg
Shipping dimensions: 204" x 22" x 40" / 5,182 mm x 559 mm x 1,016 mm

xtc.inc

Burton just saw this thread, thats awesome man. If all goes through you gotta post progress pics of the construction and it coming together. I read that you were looking at a used m3? Its pretty similar to our GTs, if you are going to buy used, get a c63amg coupe, maybe a black series if you cant find it. With the 6.3 v8, that engine is one of the most serious things ive ever heard, seen or driven. You will not be disappointed.

2k7gtcs

I don't know if I ever mentioned this but I have the HD-9XW

I can walk under it without ducking and it's wide enough to hold a Raptor which is like 9" wider than a regular F150.

But the nice thing is with the ramps in the outside position it leaves more room between the ramps for access to the underside of the Mustangs because they ride on the inside of the ramps.

It's a great lift. Never given me any problem.

Stage_3

Very nice Burton!! Good thinking/planning.
I have a lot of space where I am as well.

FromZto5

Alex - thanks buddy! Where you been lately man? I don't see you post much. During winter, I usually "hibernate" from this forum as well, as I'm not doing anything mustang-related. This year though, if I play my cards right, I'll be updating this thread with the garage/house pics I plan on chronicling EVERYthing, from the day they break ground, to the day we close on the house and move in.

As for the next car - you know what, this house is a MAJOR step in accomplishing that. You know WHY? Because the wifey gave/made me a deal. She gets her house first, then annnnnnnnnnnnnything after that can be car stuff for me. So I obliged. She gets her house (of course I make arrangements for my man cave/garage as well) then I get my car or should I say carS, plural. I say cars, because I told her, I will be buying 10 cars or more before it equals the value of her/our home. LOL

Gary, I knew you had one, but I didn't know you had the exact same lift that I was looking at. So you like the adjustability? and the fact that the mustang fits on the inside part of the ramp does give you more access to the underbody of the car, as opposed to having the ramps block it. Hmmmm.. I never thought of that.

Any other concerns you had about the lift? How about maintenance? How long have you had it? Any replacements? Cleaning? etc? All I need is my 220V outlet, right? Voila - good to go, plug and play?

Installation is also an issue for me - did you do it yourself? I might have to hire it out.

Do you have epoxy floors? I'm thinking about doing that too myself... did you epoxy before or after? I heard from a concrete guy that I could save myself money during the build process by NOT having the builders do the final finishing of the garage floors, and leaving them rough like the driveway. I would be epoxying anyways, so then it would be even easier.

Thanks Tony... amazing what you learn in life. This will be our 3rd house we have lived in or bought. We keep thinking, oh, for our next one we'll do this. We'll add this. We should have had this, etc. So we're trying to account for all that in this new house. There's probably still a few things we are missing, but.... there's also a lot of things we now have covered. SPACE and DISTANCE from neighbors is a BIG thing for us. I really hate that we are so close to our neighbors. We've outgrown them - and the nose to nose distance really gets annoying. I don't want to see the color of their snot when they sneeze in their backyard. LOL.

2k7gtcs

I've had no issues with the lift and I've had it for over 5 years now.

It is very safely engineered. Basically there's three things keeping it up. The cable raises it and it locks into the notches every 4 inches or so. And once it locks it isn't budging. Plus the cables can hold the weight. And if the cables fail and there's slack or they break there are safety catches that spring into place.

You will need the compressor to release the locks to raise and lower it. They require clean dry air so I have one of those little Campbell hausfield dryers and oilers. I think if you don't you run the risk of it rusting or corroding inside the air system and leading to failure.

My floor is epoxy. I did it right before we moved in and before I put the lift in.

I guess I should take a look at the manual again and maybe have it serviced. I haven't changed the hydraulic oil or anything in 5 years. About all I have done is grease the inside bearings on the pulleys through the grease fitting.

My electrician hard wired mine to the 220v outlet I had with conduit. He said it was better and safer than a pigtail.

And the most important thing I can say is to have the locks on each post adjusted to the exact same level as each other. Even though the floor might not be level you can adjust the ladder looking bars the locks go into to be level. This way the ramps are level and for another reason so they release all within the same few millimeters of each other. If you've ever seen YouTube videos or pics of failed lifts where the ramps are cockeyed and the car is falling off what happens is the locks aren't all in unison and one of mine is a little off like this and I need to fix it. But if you take your hand off the air release and keep lowering it thinking you're gonna get the next set of locks then the one that's off locks and the rest keeps lowering.

They are easily adjustable posts at the top.

And yes I do always check the locks before I get under it. I take a flashlight around and check that all four are engaged before I leave it or go under it. It's never failed but it's just me being **** about being safe.

shaneyusa

As long as you backyard does not face south/south-west you are in great shape.

I assume you are having no support load baring posts in your garage. The entire thing is one big area so it is easy to move things (cars & toys) around? Looking very nice there Burton!

FromZto5

Oh wow, yeah - I didn't about all the locks/and how they work. This will be my first time with a lift so I will learn as I go along. I am debating typing "failed lifts" in google, as they will fearful and worried of what could go wrong.

So for the epoxy - did you do it yourself? Or did you hire someone to do it? I got quotes for the good epoxy stuff, and it's somewhere between 4 to 5 bucks/sq foot. It will cost me about $4k-$5k to get my whole garage done. UGH... that's MORE than the lift itself. I know I can go to Menard's or Lowe's or something like that to get the buckets of do-it-yourself type of stuff - but I heard these things peel and flake, and you have to do it over again. Can you please provide some insight on this? I've been thinking about this for a while now.

Also with the epoxy - once it's laid down, then you install the lift, do you have to cut around the epoxy??? I bet that was a major PITA?

Thanks Shane!!! Yes sir - no load bearing posts/columns in the garage. I do have a couple in the house/basement, but I'm burying that behind drywall walls (not a post), so you won't see it.

As for the lot, the house will face east/west, as I outlined in my first post. I purposely picked that too. This is all for my Car Detailing therapy which I need to do.

House is getting appraised this pm, so crossing fingers that numbers come out good, or this thing is dead in the water

2k7gtcs

I did the epoxy myself. It's easy. Especially on clean but cured concrete. I used tileclad from sherwin Williams.

I did not cut the epoxy out under the posts. I let it dry a week or so and then put the posts right on top of it. There's no reason I know of to cut the epoxy out. The posts aren't glued down, merely anchored.