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2 Post lift location?

jekquistk5

jekquistk5

Weld nekid
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I have a 24x32x12 shop with the door being a 12x10 on the short end(gable). I'm trying to figure out the best position for the lift. I want to still be able to store a vehicle next to the lift. I was thinking far end so I can get vehicles in and out easily. That also makes it more difficult to get vehicles on the lift. My lift is symmetrical, and the biggest vehicle that will go on the lift is my 02 extended cab short box. Going by the general guidelines here i need to be about 11 feet off of the back wall, 15 feet from the door and 6-8" from any seems/ side walls. To the guys that have lifts are you happy with your position and or what would you do different? I wont be drilling anytime soon just moving the lift in on friday and I would like to get it close to final position.

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My dilemma as well
The 2 post I was looking at is total installed width of 152"
Take that off the inside wall width of 256" and I got about 8' of space left in the width of the attached garage.....now I'm contemplating a shop addition, talk about the snowball effect....whoa!
 
Well I think my original plan is the best. Stick it in the back corner. That is how my dads lift is and it works well. Only thing I would change is not have so much crap around the lift. Leave it an open area to work. I can free up space by cutting my work bench down a bit. 3x8 is great but I never use all of it.

The only advise people seem to be giving at garage journal is to put it further away from the garage doors to get a crew cab long bed on the lift with the doors closed. I do not plan on having a truck like that, and I believe I could fit it anyway.
 
Make sure its far enough away from a wall that you can pull a rear axle out still on the truck (or room to walk a tire all the way around the vehicle). The "wheel spotting dish" is never in the right place if you work on multiple vehicles. No beams/obstructions up high that would crush an open door.
These are what stick out the most from shops I've worked in. No home hoist help.:dunno:
 
I installed mine offset from the door. Enough room to park the Jimmy next to it and still walk around both sides. Problem is, I have to back every car in. Tried driving the Blazer in. Getting it out sucked.

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Thanks guys I'm thinking a foot off the side wall and 13 off the back wall. This would leave me with 10 feet of space to park vehicles next to the lift. And 19 feet before to swing the car/truck onto the lift. I'm thinking I might have to invest in some wheel jacks/dollies for the longer vehicles.
 
We have 6 of the HF foot jack dollies and they work fine for the cars, I don't think they would work under a truck with a larger diameter tire. The shop is long and narrow so we like to roll some of the cars up against the wall leaving the jacks under the wheels against the wall.
 
I think I would go more than a foot off the side wall. That doesn't give you a lot of room to pull a tire and work on brakes and suspension, or what around the hoist. Mine at work is about 2 1/2 feet off a wall and it feels kinda cramped.
 
I would love to put it inline with the door but that wouldn't allow me any room to park vehicles next to the lift. My shop is only 24x32. If I go two foot off the wall that would leave me just under 10 feet. I think that would be a decent work area. I can move the quads, and the mower over to the house garage if needed in a pinch. Once I get the lift in and the new electrical, I will probably build more narrower shelfs between the posts to help organize it better.
 
I will have plenty of time to think about final position. I might refurb the whole thing before it goes up. New bearings, guides, and maybe have the cylinders rebuilt. Found a place that will rebuild them for 150 a piece.
 
I need to find a deal like that to get one. I can't stand working on stuff at home after having a lift at work.
 
Well here is what I'm working with. I think it's totally doable after that k5 frame gets cut up and thrown away.

Empty besides the k5 tub and full of everything that needs to go in there.

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Should have gone 24x48 or 30x32
 
Well it's all mine and I love it. I have about 1500 sf of shop and garage space, which is way more than some people have. It will have to do for now until I expand in 10 or so years.
 
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