I would feel uncomfortable standing under my car when it's on that.

 

I am not sure, but it looks like it would be hard to work under that scissor lift, although it does have a 5" lowered height. But with the ramps at either end it should clear less than 5". It also wouldn't let you use that area to drive thru when you just needed to get out the back door.

hecash, what brand/kind of lift do you regularly use? Would you recommend it?

How noisy is it? How do you like it? What would you like different about it?

 

now were talkin, this is a dream of mine.

 

that scissor lift looks good... how much?

 

We have a 10,000 lb Rotary Lift at my autoshop. I got my car on it.. the only down side was I had to jack it up by the rear diff/rear jacking point in order to get the lifting things under my car . Other than that.. I love the rotary lift.. and being able to use a lift whenever I want.. (even on the weekends, just hit up the auto teacher and ask him if it's okay) That's the best part.

 

Here's the thing about putting short pieces of wood under the tires. When the front wheels leave the lifting pad and touch the garage floor, you would bottom out the frame on the lifting pads until the wheel touched the wood. Maybe adding a concrete raised portion of the floor in front of and behind the lift pad. Make the concrete 4" tall and end just before and just after the lift pad, that way you can A. get a smooth, long, and easy grade to get up 4 inches, B. have no sudden bump as you cross the lift pad, and C. have no issues of bottoming out the car on the lift pads no matter how low it is.

 

They're swing arms? That's where my analysis went astray. I was working under the impression that they were stationary lifting arms. If you can swing them out of the way, then there's no issue, it just looked to me that the arms were solid and stationary, requiring you to drive over them. That's where the issue would be.

 

The wood is definitely one option, but while I am building the cost to recess the arms is very nominal IF I can get some accurate measurements as to where the arms will sit.

That is where the speed ramps come in, they are in a very precise location, all I have to do is give it room to slide closer or farther apart.

The biggest issue I see with the recess is now you don't have a smooth surface underneath. How often do you roll stuff under the car when you are working on it and would that be a bigger issue than juggling wood blocks all the time?

I like the wood idea because it's simple.

hecash that is a symmetric lift and I have been told that means you can't open the car doors hardly at all when it is up on the lift. Has that been an issue for you?

They make an assysmetric as well.

This is a hydraulic lift isn't it? Their website is very basic. I have sent them an email but some of these guys don't respond quickly.

I have never owned a lift before although I have used one occassionally in my misspent youth. Does anyone see any drawback to the speed ramp type of system? With the swing arms you can place them wherever you want to but with the ramp it goes the same place every time. I like the concept of the easy loading, but I like the pricing of some of the other swing arm brands.

Thanx for the help guys.

 

the lift that wildncrazy links to, shows fixed lifting pads that are only adjustable depending on width of vehicle. so a recess in the concrete is an option. however, the recess would have to big enough for all width's of cars. there would also be the hole in the floor that you could trip over everytime your under the car. also what if you want to park another car under the lift overnight? the holes in the floor could become an issue.

i would go with the 2 x 10 wood ramp option.

 

does anyone have any feedback on rotary brand lifts or eagle? The 7000lb eagle is about the same price ~2200 as the comparable bendpak.

i've only been exposed to the bendpak lifts way back in autoshop in highschool.

the house i'm closing on thursday comes with a 600sq ft. garage with 12ft. ceilings, so i think a lift would make a great birthday/xmas present from the fiance!