4 post lift
- Thread starter Stingray70
- Start date
Licensed to kill
Well-known member
While it is true that you can get some real worthless junk out of China, It's wrong to automatically assume that its junk just because it is Made in China just like it is wrong to automatically assume that it is quality just because it is made in the USA. China puts out some quality stuff (but it's not cheap)and the USA puts out some junk. You have to loom at the actual product to determine it's quality, not it's country of origin. However, there is nothing wrong with wanting to support local manufacturers and therefore only look at Made in USA products. Just don't assume that it means they are quality. Bottom line, you can NOT get quality cheap, regardless of country of origin. You can, however get expensive junk so beware.
Words of wisdom here. Thanks!
redmodelt
Well-known member
or distracted car lifting as some sweet thing walked by! https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294796 
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Licensed to kill
Well-known member
I'm thinking more that it is photoshopped. The yellow bar across the top is the safety switch to prevent such an occurrence and the bar appears to be still in the neutral position and not bent at all, the "wrinkles" in the door are un-natural and why would the roof pillars and windows be stronger than the doors and quarters?.
Not to mention that he cross bar is a relatively light cause sheet metal and would crush/bend with VERY little contact.
Keith True
Well-known member
That picture has been around for a few years.When I first saw it the story that came with it was the car had been damaged,then put on that lift for disassembly.Then some guys there took the picture for a joke.It is crushed in all the wrong places for it to have been damaged by that lift.It is still a fun picture,and a friend has it taped on his lift.
STILL have it still use it. Great for under car work. Jacks make front end work easy. S-I-L did complete rebuild of a front on his pickup. We have done brake jobs. I can store my Karmann Ghia UP and move around under it. It is easy to move when empty. I have done it several times due to circumstances. VERY solid.
Re: Garage Hoist
I have an Atlas 4 post. Wish I had bought it sooner. Works with my 1970 VW Karmann Ghia, 1965 Mustang (wife's), 1961 CORVAIR, 2001 Dodge Dakota, 2011 T&C and will work with the Model A when it arrives from the bodyman (son Andrew).
Best thing I ever bought. Works great, easy to move by myself (30 x 40 shop not quite bug enough, should have built a 60 x 80 LOL)
Pick it up and NO FREIGHT. I think the price picked up was $2295. Don't have the paperwork handy.
ATLAS Garage PRO 8000 https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/4-Post-Lift/Hobbyist
Re: Garage Hoist
I have an Atlas 4 post. Wish I had bought it sooner. Works with my 1970 VW Karmann Ghia, 1965 Mustang (wife's), 1961 CORVAIR, 2001 Dodge Dakota, 2011 T&C and will work with the Model A when it arrives from the bodyman (son Andrew).
Best thing I ever bought. Works great, easy to move by myself (30 x 40 shop not quite bug enough, should have built a 60 x 80 LOL)
Pick it up and NO FREIGHT. I think the price picked up was $2295. Don't have the paperwork handy.
ATLAS Garage PRO 8000 https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/4-Post-Lift/Hobbyist
SwampLedge
Member
LEM you should go over to the Garage Journal forum where you’ll find tons of posts about the Maxjax- you just won’t find many related to use on a Model A.
1stford
Senior Member
I just went through all this. It only took me 8 months to make a choice. I looked at most brands, talked to everyone that sold them within 250 miles and even paid a small REshipping fee to send the lift back after I decided to buy a different one.
I have a bendpak 2 post 10,000 LBS and a bendpak 4 post HD-7W. The bendpak, for me, seemed to be the best overall value. It’s not the most expensive lift out there but not the cheapest either. For me and my life I’m not trying to save every dollar I can on something I’m standing under that’s holding 4,000 to 5,000 lbs. I read many articles and reached out to many folks in this site.
One thing you will find is that there are a couple of manufactures that make most lifts and rebrand them. Most all are made in China except for backyard buddy, that I know of. Back yard buddy was super nice but also came with a price tag.
On a 4 post lift you can expect to pay 1800-2000 on the low end, 3500-4000 mid range and 4800+ for the back yard buddy stuff.
I have a bendpak 2 post 10,000 LBS and a bendpak 4 post HD-7W. The bendpak, for me, seemed to be the best overall value. It’s not the most expensive lift out there but not the cheapest either. For me and my life I’m not trying to save every dollar I can on something I’m standing under that’s holding 4,000 to 5,000 lbs. I read many articles and reached out to many folks in this site.
One thing you will find is that there are a couple of manufactures that make most lifts and rebrand them. Most all are made in China except for backyard buddy, that I know of. Back yard buddy was super nice but also came with a price tag.
On a 4 post lift you can expect to pay 1800-2000 on the low end, 3500-4000 mid range and 4800+ for the back yard buddy stuff.
Attachments
Licensed to kill
Well-known member
Looks like the same 2 post i have. Bend pac, 10,000 lb, asymmetrical low profile. When I set mine up I went with the wide stance thinking about door clearance then found that the front arms BARELY reach the frame on a model A. Have to be dead centre between the posts.
Model A Ron
Well-known member
I have a heavy duty 9000 Backyard Buddy and love it. Also got the extended height as I am 6'3'' and wanted to be comfortable when working on my cars. Four post lifts are much safer in my opinion and they can double as car storage freeing up a spot in your shop. Sure it is a bit more work to use the rolling jack stand when you need to get the wheels in the air but I am not working on cars for a living and the added safety is well worth it. Be very careful when looking for lifts as many have cheep China Steel and are nothing but junk. Not saying you need to get a Backyard Buddy but after much research I decided to go with quality and more importantly keeping myself safe......Being made in the USA was also important as I support American jobs. Trust me China steel is not good. The metallurgy is a nightmare, the Chemistry is not controlled under ASTM Standards, and the strength is unpredictable due to both. Do yourself a favor and watch the videos on backyard buddy and the competition and I am sure you will make the right choice.
By the way when my backyard buddy arrived I could not believe how thick the steel was. I am a big man and I struggled just to get the thing off my trailer with a cherry picker and 2 friends. You will need friends as assembly is required.
Hope this helps
Ron
By the way when my backyard buddy arrived I could not believe how thick the steel was. I am a big man and I struggled just to get the thing off my trailer with a cherry picker and 2 friends. You will need friends as assembly is required.
Hope this helps
Ron
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SAJ
Well-known member
I have a 4 post English Bradbury. Instead of rolling transverse jacks, it has two extra longitudinal beams that adjust sideways on small rollers supported on two lateral beams. These beams rise and fall with the car ramps, but can be locked in any position under the car to support either the axles or chassis when the ramps are lowered away. This leaves the wheels free for brake work or spring and axle removal if stands are placed on the beams to reach up and support the chassis.
For rear axle and driveshaft removal using the rear wheels to roll the assemblage out from under the car, the beams can be rolled outside the car before driving it onto the ramps, in which case small hydraulic jacks are used from ramps to frame.
I have not seen this scheme on any other brand, but for me it works very well. Brake work at chest height is so much easier, and greasing, oil changes, main bearing checking etc at full height easy too.
SAJ in NZ
For rear axle and driveshaft removal using the rear wheels to roll the assemblage out from under the car, the beams can be rolled outside the car before driving it onto the ramps, in which case small hydraulic jacks are used from ramps to frame.
I have not seen this scheme on any other brand, but for me it works very well. Brake work at chest height is so much easier, and greasing, oil changes, main bearing checking etc at full height easy too.
SAJ in NZ
SwampLedge
Member
I don’t think it has been mentioned here, but I find my 4 post lift very useful as a maintenance platform in my shop. I can roll it anywhere in my shop, and with the wood fillers I built to span between the runways, I have a “dance floor” useful for working up at the ceiling level.
modela@aol.com
Well-known member
There is a weak link in many of the electric motor controllers used on many of these cheaper lifts both in 2 and 4 posts. There is an electromechanical relay used to control the ups and downs... The companies that use a Chinese made electromechanical relay have issues with the contacts welding themselves together. So sometime when you release the up lever it keeps on going up until it finally hits the safety stop. Oil change shops were getting sued when pickup trucks with tall camper shells were being accidentally shoved into the ceilings. The real high end lifts being sold typically use more expensive solid state relays that are contactless.
Stingray70
Senior Member
That is scary. I wonder if a 220v model would have less chance of that happening. Less voltage drop, less heat in the contacts, etc
Licensed to kill
Well-known member
This is the first I've heard of this. I have, however seen that picture before. I wasn't there when this happened but I am pretty certain that the wreck was caused by someone lifting by the body and not the frame so the weight of the frame/drive train ripped the body bolts out. Whether that is true tor not I don't know (just my observation) but I am even more certain that it was NOT caused by a faulty switch. There appears to be zero damage to the roof of the vehicle and I fail to see how squishing ta vehicle against the ceiling would cause the frame to separate from the body. Again, just my observations.