Which lift is preferred (2 post or 4 post)?

Mustang2360 · Oct 11, 2022

So I am selling my house and I am leaving my 2 post lift and will be purchasing a lift at the new house. I wanted to get opinions on which lift is preferred by most members (2 post or 4 post). The lift I am leaving is a Directlift DL-9 with asymmetric arms which has been fantastic but it is kind of a pain positioning the arms when putting a car on there (I have a bad knee). I use my lift for repairing cars not for storage and was wondering which style lift you guys prefer.

MikeGriese · Oct 11, 2022

I prefer a 4-post with a dolly kit.

mjlan · Oct 11, 2022

If you mainly use it for repair then to me the 2-post is a no-brainer.

I have worked on stuff with a drive-on lift and I did not care for it. I don't like having to work around the ramps and always seem to hit my head on them when they are up.

Just my $0.02...

rvrtrash · Oct 11, 2022

I have a Direct Lift 4 post with the sliding jack tray, dolly kit (and removable ramps). I use it mainly for storage, but also working on cars. If you're doing brake or suspension work, it's not as convenient as a two post because you have to jack up the corner after putting the car on the lift, but it's not a huge deal, and I like being able to move the lift around the shop if I need to. I also have infrared floor heat in the shop, and didn't want to work around the concrete bases for a two post. I just poured a 6" floor and I'm good to go.

Idaho Chris · Oct 11, 2022

Two post for maintenance, four post for storage or a quick oil change. I've had both for years.

tpj71mach · Oct 11, 2022

Idaho Chris said:
Two post for maintenance, four post for storage or a quick oil change. I've had both for years.

I agree, I definitely prefer two post for repairs or maintenance. All the dealerships I ran for years were all tow post except for the alignment rack. When we were swamped and all the two posters were occupied, it was very difficult to convince a technician to work on a car on the alignment rack due to restricted access.

giantpune · Oct 11, 2022

After weighing all the options, I'm going 2 post symmetric.

2 post lets you have the most unblocked access to under the car. If you want to replace some large component like an axle or suspension on a 4 post, you will have a lot more lift and jacks in your way.

4 post requires significantly more space in the length, and a little more space in the width. 4 post always takes up as much space as it would need for the largest vehicle it could ever hold, even if you personally will never ever lift a car that big. 2 post lift is just the 2 posts and then the length is whatever car you happen to have on it at the time.

4 post costs more. Especially once you start adding the cost for the sliding supports and jacks to lift the car up to be able to get the wheels off.

I chose the symmetric lift just because i was tight on space. That lets me pull the car in forwards or backwards depending on how I'm feeling. With an asymmetric lift, the car always comes on in the same direction. So the lift would need to be further from the back wall for those times you'll be wanting to work up under the hood or yank a motor out.

But you say you have issues with positioning the legs on a 2 post. I would first try using mirrors and a stick or cane to position the legs. If you cant find a workable solution, then that would take the 2 post completely off the table. You would basically be deciding between a 4 post you could use or a 2 post you couldnt use.

tpj71mach · Oct 11, 2022

Although there was a Nussbaum drive over scissor jack that we used for the Express Service lanes that still has some access restriction but went up and down at least twice as fast as the Rotary 9K two posters did, so the technicians wouldn't mind using one of them in a pinch. The Nussbaum were really expensive though as I recall I could buy a Rotary for around $3400 and the Nussbaum was $6K and that was 7-8 years ago.

tpj71mach · Oct 11, 2022

giantpune said:
After weighing all the options, I'm going 2 post symmetric.

2 post lets you have the most unblocked access to under the car. If you want to replace some large component like an axle or suspension on a 4 post, you will have a lot more lift and jacks in your way.

4 post requires significantly more space in the length, and a little more space in the width. 4 post always takes up as much space as it would need for the largest vehicle it could ever hold, even if you personally will never ever lift a car that big. 2 post lift is just the 2 posts and then the length is whatever car you happen to have on it at the time.

4 post costs more. Especially once you start adding the cost for the sliding supports and jacks to lift the car up to be able to get the wheels off.

I chose the symmetric lift just because i was tight on space. That lets me pull the car in forwards or backwards depending on how I'm feeling. With an asymmetric lift, the car always comes on in the same direction. So the lift would need to be further from the back wall for those times you'll be wanting to work up under the hood or yank a motor out.

But you say you have issues with positioning the legs on a 2 post. I would first try using mirrors and a stick or cane to position the legs. If you cant find a workable solution, then that would take the 2 post completely off the table. You would basically be deciding between a 4 post you could use or a 2 post you couldnt use.

The only down side to symmetric that I can think of is getting the doors open when on the lift.

giantpune · Oct 11, 2022

tpj71mach said:
as I recall I could buy a Rotary for around $3400 and the Nussbaum was $6K and that was 7-8 years ago.

I dont even know if 9k is still an option. Rotary has 7k and 10k models. I got the quote for the 10k back in april. Lift is $6200 and some change, install is $800, sales tax is $400. Total price $7500 if you have the local rotary dealer do it. And then they start getting you for more with the different accessories and lifting pads.

For speed, they have something called shockwave. The lift has a battery and a DC motor on it. Those can lift the car in half the time of the non-shockwave models. But they were significantly more expensive so I passed it up.

Mister 4x4 · Oct 11, 2022

My experience has been primarily with 4-post lifts, and I 100% recommend a 4-post over a 2-post any day of the week. Drive the car on, have no issues getting in/out of the car, lift it up to a convenient height, and slip the trolley jack(s) into place and raise the car off the drive-on pads if you want to do tire or suspension work. There's might be unrestricted access to the underside with a 2-post lift, but there isn't anything that can't be done on a 4-post lift with a little bit a thought - I tore mine completely apart, cut it in half, replaced the front clip, and put it all back together on a 4-post, along with everything else I've ever done to my cars in the past 30+ years, thanks to the Auto Hobby Shop on base.

We did have a 2-post drive-on alignment rack in the shop I was using, but I was always leery of using it because it still had balance issues to overcome (front to back). It also had the "how do I get in/out of it with the side posts in the way" issues.

Here's an old pic of that lift. The big dent in the overhead door cover was someone using the lift (un-supervised) with a long bed crew cab pick-up not paying attention when lifting, hitting the door, throwing the truck off-balance, and dropping it off the lift. He was known as 'Dump Truck Al' from that point on.

My biggest fear is dropping a car off a 2-post because of imbalance or missing the jacking points and something going wrong.

Drive-on 4-post lifts are WAY safer and easier to use, IMHO.

midlife · Oct 11, 2022

Most 2 post lifts require a minimum of 6" reinforced concrete pad, much thicker than standard garage floors. I'm not sure about 4 posts, as the weight is not as concentrated.
I prefer 2 post asymmetric lifts for the reasons cited above. If really necessary, a tranny jack can be used to reduce rocking motion fore/aft.

Aus73Mach1 · Oct 12, 2022

I installed a 2 post. Saved floor space and it was braced to the roof frame to reduce stress on the anchor bolts and stops nearly all rocking movement. After "balancing" each vehicle, a few rough marks on the concrete floor makes it easier to place the vehicle next time it's on the hoist. Definitely would not do a resto without one but maybe I'm getting too old to crawl around under cars. Try getting underneath an Alfa GTV6!!!.

mrgmhale · Oct 12, 2022

In our case, at our main residence, the main purpose of a lift was to be able to stack two cars in a single garage stall, hence a 4 post lift with drive-on ramps was what we needed. Also, with a 4 post lift we did not need a special thickness or strength of concrete where the posts are located. Further, in our design we have a set of wheeled caster devices we can use to easily move the 4 posts to a different location in case we want to relocate the posts. The Brand/Model we got is ProPark 8S (Marketing Document Attached). Also, we got the optional center mounted hydraulic lift, which can be moved along the length of the two ramps. Thus, it is practical to perform any number of repairs requiring the entire to be lifted, or one or more wheels to be lifted.

Although it is nice to be able to work our vintage Mustangs and Shelby on the lift, and stacking two cars being easy to accomplish, the 4 posts do present a bit of a nuisance when it comes to walking around the vehicle due to the limited space in the 2 1/2 car sized garage. The garage was not designed and built over 50 years ago with a 4 post lift in mind. It fits fairly well. our ceiling height is somewhat limited at 115 1/2" (9 feet and 7 1/2"), thus the need for a set of High-Lift door rails, and a side mounted door lift motor used with a torsion bar spring design.

I have attached a few photos for anyone interested in how our lift installation worked out. We are pleased we could get our lift installed, and that we can stack two cars, barely, which is especially appreciated because of the limited ceiling height we had. We got lucky. And despite the challenges in walking around the posts we are very pleased to have the 4 post lift in our garage. We can't recommend the center hydraulic lift options strongly enough. I made the lift become a very practical and useful lift for nearly all purposes and needs. Another auto enthusiast (and new car dealer) recommended the ProPark 8, and we took a chance on following his suggestion. We have absolutely no regrets. It was surprising how low the price was for the ramps, center hydraulic lift, and delivery/installation. We also recommend such a solution for anyone who is low on parking spots, and/or would like to have an excellent lift solution for repair and maintenance procedures.

Marks1 · Oct 12, 2022

Hi Guys, when I built my carriage shed, (that''s a fancy name for a place to go work on your cars) I made sure I had enough ceiling clearance to be able to put an overhead style two post lift in. That's a really important thing that a lot of guys do't ffactor in when they build there garage. Even my two bay that's attached to the house has 12 foot ceilings in it, because originally I thought that's where I was going to put the lift, but then I found out I could craoss the brook running through our property, and that opened up the spot you see in the pics below. That's not as much of a problem for a 4 post lift. I ended up with 2), two post lifts, One is a Bend Pak asymmetric, over the top cable design, and the other and older Rotary non asymmetrical drive over the cables style I found on Craig's List for about a grand as I recall. I was just looking for something cheap for my son to use because he was bitching that "my" lift was always being used. Kids !! LOL, The Rotary non asymmetrical lift is the one that is tough to open the doors of the car, because they are right where the door is. The great thing about the asymmetrical one is the posts are further forward near the door hinges. Now, if I were going to get another lift now, I would get a four post as well, as I can see the advantages of having one of each. I may still do that, since I still have one bay left without a lift in it.

Big Red Mach 1 · Oct 13, 2022

I've always felt safer working under a 4 post. I also didn't want to drill into my garage floor as it's Post Tension Slab and you don't want to risk hitting a cable. I like being able to move the 4 post also, although I've only had to once.

71coop · Oct 13, 2022

I've always used a 4-post for the reasons Mister 4X4 and GMHale outlined. As for cost, they are really not expensize if you want to do a little research. I've been using Titan 7000-Lb lifts for my cars.

When I moved 5 years ago, I knew I would be putting a new one in the new house's garage, and did not hesitate to go with Titan again (no I do not have any affiliation). I got the 4-post delivered with a sliding dolly/jack for about $2800. It's a budget lift, but it's solid and reliable.

Marks1 · Oct 13, 2022

mrgmhale said:
In our case, at our main residence, the main purpose of a lift was to be able to stack two cars in a single garage stall, hence a 4 post lift with drive-on ramps was what we needed. Also, with a 4 post lift we did not need a special thickness or strength of concrete where the posts are located. Further, in our design we have a set of wheeled caster devices we can use to easily move the 4 posts to a different location in case we want to relocate the posts. The Brand/Model we got is ProPark 8S (Marketing Document Attached). Also, we got the optional center mounted hydraulic lift, which can be moved along the length of the two ramps. Thus, it is practical to perform any number of repairs requiring the entire to be lifted, or one or more wheels to be lifted.

Although it is nice to be able to work our vintage Mustangs and Shelby on the lift, and stacking two cars being easy to accomplish, the 4 posts do present a bit of a nuisance when it comes to walking around the vehicle due to the limited space in the 2 1/2 car sized garage. The garage was not designed and built over 50 years ago with a 4 post lift in mind. It fits fairly well. our ceiling height is somewhat limited at 115 1/2" (9 feet and 7 1/2"), thus the need for a set of High-Lift door rails, and a side mounted door lift motor used with a torsion bar spring design.

I have attached a few photos for anyone interested in how our lift installation worked out. We are pleased we could get our lift installed, and that we can stack two cars, barely, which is especially appreciated because of the limited ceiling height we had. We got lucky. And despite the challenges in walking around the posts we are very pleased to have the 4 post lift in our garage. We can't recommend the center hydraulic lift options strongly enough. I made the lift become a very practical and useful lift for nearly all purposes and needs. Another auto enthusiast (and new car dealer) recommended the ProPark 8, and we took a chance on following his suggestion. We have absolutely no regrets. It was surprising how low the price was for the ramps, center hydraulic lift, and delivery/installation. We also recommend such a solution for anyone who is low on parking spots, and/or would like to have an excellent lift solution for repair and maintenance procedures.

That’s an awesome setup you have Gilbert , and it really works well for your situation. I was lucky enough to build my house from scratch back in 96, and already had regretted not having put a lift in the last garage I had built. Since I was my own GC and designed the house myself on graph paper, (you should’ve seen the look on the town building department people when I showed up with my drawings LOL) I was able to design it into the house to look aesthetically pleasing. Ironically, I never ended up putting a lift in the attached garage because I realized a two car garage just wasn’t going to work for me, my projects take me too long and are apart too long, due to me being self employed, and generally working 6 days a week. So having a pretty good size lot, I found a way to build another garage on it that would allow me to leave stuff apart for a long time. Most of us don’t have that luxury and have to work with what they have and you’ve come up with an excellent work around.

Ron Tanzi · Oct 13, 2022

I have gotten accustomed to a 2-post since that is what we had at the shops I worked at. I have a Bend pack asymmetrical 10K capacity lift I bought new in 2015 for $2800.00. That was a good thing considering the same unit now cost almost $5K.

Marks1 · Oct 13, 2022

Ron Tanzi said:
I have gotten accustomed to a 2-post since that is what we had at the shops I worked at. I have a Bend pack asymmetrical 10K capacity lift I bought new in 2015 for $2800.00. That was a good thing considering the same unit now cost almost $5K. View attachment 68447

Love your set up man, That toolbox is awesome!!
That’s almost exactly the one I have 10 K so it can lift my truck too. I think the only difference is mine has the cable to go over the top.I can’t tell for sure but I think he was just like the other one we have that you drive over the cables that are under a protective ramp.
edit, I went back and looked at the picture and I see now where your cables go over the top as well. That is the same unit

Which lift is preferred (2 post or 4 post)?

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