4 post lifts

1stford

1stford

Senior Member
Anyone have experience with 4 post lifts? I was considering 2 different ones. One made by forward/direct lift or bendpak. The bend pack set up is going to run about 1500-1800 more then the forward.

Really just wondering if the name brand is worth the extra money or if direct lift is a good one?
 
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I have a 4-post and love it. But, I have had it for many years and the company is no longer around.
 
I have had a Backyard Buddy lift for many years with no problems. Perhaps the safest 4-post lift on the market. They are a bit pricey. I believe I paid around $3,200 fifteen years ago. Purchased the taller one to give me more head room. They are made in Ohio with USA or Canadian steel...no Chinese stuff!

Here is their link: www.advantagelifts.com

Good Luck and Stay Safe!
Pat
 

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I have an Atlas 8k extended height lift. I’ve had it about 4-5 years. It was professionally installed and have had no issues.
 

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I have both 4 post and two post lifts. The four post is good if you don’t need access to remove wheels. Currently use the 4 post for storing a car in the air to gain floor space, the 2 post is what I use the most. Oil changes, brake jobs, etc.

If I had to choose one it would be the 2 post.
 
I'm with Marvin, though there is nothing to stop you from storing a car on a 2-post lift . . . that is unless you live in a major "Earthquake" zone. ;). And if you had a major earthquake with a 4 post lift, you might have issues anyway . . .
 
I have an Atlas two post in one building and have plans to buy a four post to put in another building for storage. I’ve had no issues with the two post at all...... Mark
 
I have to agree with Pat/Ohio I have had a Backyard Buddy lift for many years with no problems. Perhaps the safest 4-post lift on the market. They are a bit pricey. I believe I paid around $3,200 fifteen years ago. Purchased the taller one to give me more head room. They are made in Ohio with USA or Canadian steel...no Chinese stuff!

Here is their link: www.advantagelifts.com

I have looked at them all and am staying away from the Chineese / off shore ones. Looking at the steel that the off shore / Chineese use is a bit thinner and are made of sheet stock bent then welded not like the ones made in the US that use extruded thicker material. I am looking at buying at least 4ea lifts and would not even consider anything but US made. Keep my money here in America.
vic
 
I am planning on buying and installing a 4-post lift next spring. I am more inclined to buy on price. I have to believe that any lift sold by a reputable distributor in the United States has to meet certain minimum safety standards. It seems the minimum capacity lift generally available is 8000 lbs. Since the lift I install will have minimal use and be called upon to be used with cars of less than half that weight, I should be on solid ground. I don't have a 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive truck, a large SUV or anything similar and will not use it for anything approaching commercial use. I am not automatically scared off by the "C" word either.
 
I replaced the front axle on my F1 using the Atlas 4 post lift. You can do almost anything a 2 post can do. A 4 post is not just a storage lift.

I do agree a 2 post makes it easier (for some jobs) however, I also like the advantage of the ability to store a car under option.
 
I have a BendPak 7000lb tall 4 post. Mines wired for 110 and works fine. I needed it for shop work but most of the time my 32 Ford pickup is stored on top. I have a 12ft 6inch ceiling so I can walk underneath with no problems. Also I bolted mine to the floor for more stability. I looked for quite a while before purchasing and thought BendPak looked like the best choice for me. I bought it from a company in Omaha who brought it down (125 miles) and installed it in a short day.
 
tubman said:
I am planning on buying and installing a 4-post lift next spring. I am more inclined to buy on price. I have to believe that any lift sold by a reputable distributor in the United States has to meet certain minimum safety standards. It seems the minimum capacity lift generally available is 8000 lbs. Since the lift I install will have minimal use and be called upon to be used with cars of less than half that weight, I should be on solid ground. I don't have a 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive truck, a large SUV or anything similar and will not use it for anything approaching commercial use. I am not automatically scared off by the "C" word either.
Click to expand...

Ended up discussing lifts with a truck driver at my old job. Said he got a bargain; but burning the paint off to repair skipped and shoddy welds was not something he planned on. Guy said the unit he was showed must have been a "show model" vs the "production" model that was delivered. Sales rep disappeared right away, too. A future failure of the non-repairable imported hyd power unit negated a bunch of his initial savings.
 
I have a Bend-Pak scissors lift , my latest one. Very disappointed it was made in China. The instructions were a jumble of English and misleading. It called for a 1 1/4 masonry bit which was expensive and only required a 1" which I already had. A big hammer and a lot of grinding to assemble. The console was so bad I finally drilled new holes and used the big hammer to make the cover fit. Way overpriced at $5000. I got little help as I am not versed in broken Chinese/English.
 
I also have 2 4-post lifts and a 2 post. I use the 4 posts mostly to store 2 cars. The 2 post does it all including storing one in the air.
 
1stford.....there are a lot of YouTube videos and reviews online of many lifts. I would suggest spending a rainy afternoon researching..... you’ll find one that your comfortable with the price, quality and function.....that’s what I did before purchasing mine.....
Good Luck with your search......Mark
 
One of the youtube channels I follow is Mustie1. he bought a Wildfire 4 poster. He bought it after seeing one on another youtube channel Vice grip garage. just mentioning as he (Mustie 1) seems very pleased with it.

https://youtu.be/jhwB237I360

No affiliation, just posting in case it proves useful.

Mart.
 
I also have a 4 post lift, made by Backyard Buddy in Ohio, with increased height and length as compared to their standard lift. I wanted to make sure I could lift a 3/4T, 4WD, extended length truck and most any type passenger car. Although I've had it for 3 years, I just set it up in a new shop last year, and have not used it that much. I will say it assembled relatively easily, works well, and is definitely a well designed, high quality lift. It was a bit more expensive than other lifts I priced but sometimes you get what you pay for. Safety, quality, reliability, and versatility were all carefully considered when making this purchase.
 
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