Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rootes75]

I am loosing storage for one of my non running classics, only a small Ford 10. My workshop is full but has plenty of height available so one of my friends suggested looking into a 4 or 2 post vehicle lift. The suggestion being that one car could be raised while another is underneath as long as the lift is properly In position and chocked safely.

Any thoughts? I have seen this done down the village garage but not sure if it is possible to leave a car on a lift for months at a time?

[47p2]

I have a car on the ramp and another underneath most of the year


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ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars

[Rootes75]

You've got a nice garage set-up. My workshop is a only rented (very reasonably) and it is a converted barn. The barn was split into several units and mine is the smallest on the end so its quite narrow but about 14 metres deep with a very high roof. I have always seen the height as being wasted space.

I was looking into buying a single car pre-fab garage until I was told that I would need planning permission because it would have to be cited in front of the line of the house even though its off to the side and we have a very large driveway.

[kevin2306]

I have been thinking about doing just this, the only prohibition is the cost!

Kev

[Rootes75]

I know its not ideal but after scanning ebay I have found a few near me that are range between £200 and £500 for second hand.

When you consider the cost of storing a car for a year alone this would be a cheaper option.

You are right though with this being expensive.

[47p2]

Be very careful buying a used ramp from ebay, they're usually ex repair shops that are worn out an uneconomical to repair due to the cost of spare parts or even worse unobtainable parts. Caveat Emptor
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ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars

[MikeEdwards]

That doesn't sound too bad for a decent lift, to me.

One thing to check is that a lot of ex-garage ones are three-phase so some conversion might be needed. A local garage (old Rover dealer) was knocked down a few years ago and their ramps were sold off at £50 each, dismantle and remove yourself. But you've got to be sure that the hydraulics are good (or budget for replacement) if it's going to be safe. Some have mechanical locks for extra safety, which would probably be worth having if you're going to have the car up there for long periods.

[badhuis]

I have bought three 4 post lifts in the last twenty years. All were cheap old garage lifts. Here in Holland they need a yearly inspection so maintenance is always good. The lift I had the longest was also the oldest one, from 1964. I bought new cables for it but that is the most I needed for any lift. All lifts use a large hydraulic horizontal cylinder, these were always good.
when a car is on the lift, the cables keep it up together with the cylinder. There are mechanical locks which are automatically engaged when the liftgoes down. So if the cylinder would leak or a cable snaps, then the lift will go down only max 5 CMS or so until the next lock is engaged. To lower the lift you have to pull a lever to disengage the auto mech lock.
I bought other lifts because I changed garages, leaving the old behind. My current lift is twenty years old and Ifrequently leave a car on it with a car underneath. When raised I lower it a fraction until the lift rest on its mechanical locks. No need to keep it up straining the cables, especially if this is for many days. Hope this helps! I cannot live without a lift, great for any maintenance work.
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[michael1703]

I've had a few secondhand ramps, new cables are £130-£175 so even budgeting with new cables they are still cheap, I had one for £500 and one for £350

[Rootes75]

So, in the UK do they need to be inspected even if they are for private use not commercial?

[emmerson]

Our local LPG mender has had his Range Rover up on the four poster for over four years!

[peter scott]

Given that you are renting you might consider this device that doesn't require major installation..

http://www.park-in-space.co.uk/products_carlift1.php

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Minxy]

From experience of workshops my cautionary words would be;

As above old ramps can be money pits so buy a new/good used one

Be cautious that the the ramp cannot be lowered onto the car below either accidental or on purpose.(Yes I have known it happen more than once)

Make sure the car above does not 'drip' onto the car below (Again experience of a car emptying its brake fluid onto another, so much so that the covers/blankets offered no protection)

All that said a ramp is useful but due diligence needs to be exersized

[mid]

if you go down the 2 post route... check that the floor in your unit is strong enough. these require bolting down and have a very small footprint for the load they are taking and usually require some reinforced concrete 'pads' in the area they are attached.

my brother has just fitted one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-POST-PARKING-SERVICE-CAR-LIFT-XMAS-PRICE-4-2M-MOBILE-OR-STATIC-1498-VAT-/121252866481?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item1c3b3be9b1 into his garage - it comes with full length drip trays as an option so the top car doesn't drip onto the bottom car.

[Rusty]

If you decide to go down the two post hoist route you could look for one with a stabilising style mount. For the farm we bought a second hand "Molnar" unit (3 phase that had to be converted) with a long bottom mount held into the concrete by 3 large loxons and it seems very stable. A lot of the modern units only have a very small mounting foot and I don't know how they would go over a long period, but I suspect if they are intended for everyday workshop use the strain of putting vehicles on and off them would be more than the strain of leaving one perched in space (as long as its balanced correctly). All the ones I have seen have a locking system on them designed to not let the vehicle down without first lifting it slightly to release the locks and I don't believe there would be any problem with leaving a car of any weight on them for as long as you would want. We have had loaded Landrovers, Landcruisers and a Lincoln Continental on ours without any problems, and personally I would have no problem leaving vehicles up there as long as we would want.