DIfferent Types of Car Lifts and Their Pros and Cons
There are a number a different car lifts available to the amateur car mechanic. As you talk to tool distributors, it can be hard to decide the best lift for your needs. Do you want a Quickjack BL 5000 or a QuickJack BL 5000slx? What about the Quickjack 7000? Do you have a use for the Ranger motorcycle lift? What about the standard two-post workhorse? Here’s a quick rundown of some car lifts and the pros and cons of each.
Two-Post Lift
What Is It?
The two-post lifts are still the staple in the commercial automobile industry. They offer excellent access to the undercarriage and are able to go up enough that the mechanic can sit or stand. The typical two-post lift can handle quite a lot of weight; between 9,000 and 18,000 pounds. Two-post lift are intended to be a permanent fixture, though, and usually must remain bolted to the ground. It’s very important when using the two-post lift that you know exactly where the lifting points are located on any vehicle. Although this lift is most commonly used in the professional garage, it is possible to fit in a large home garage.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
The two-post lift offers excellent access to the undercarriage, and more rise then portable car list such as the Quickjack BL 5000. It also has greater lift capacity than any portable car lift you could buy. However, it’s very bulky and cannot be stowed away. This means it needs plenty of space to install and operate. It’s also more expensive than something like the Quickjack BL 5000.
Four-Post Lift
What Is It?
This type of lift also give complete access to the undercarriage. Unlike see two-post lift or any sort of portable lift, all the vehicle’s wheels rest on the lift platform. Four-post lifts can also be used as parking lifts. They do have to be bolted into the ground, but once they are, they’re capable of lifting up to 40,000 pounds. This is the list used for really heavy-duty vehicles. Again, it is most often used by commercial garages, but a spacious home garage can accommodate it, and it might be a good fit for those who want to store a car on their lift, or who have very large vehicles or simply want to eliminate any risk of frame damage.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
The Four-post lift can handle incredible amounts of weight and gives complete access to the undercarriage. It’s easy to drive a vehicle on and off the platform, and you never risk damaging a vehicle’s frame. It can also double as parking. However, it is very large and heavy, the most expensive option, and requires a separate bridge jack for servicing wheels.
QuickJack Portable Lift
What Is It?
The QuickJack portable car lift comes in several different sizes, from the Quickjack BL 5000 to the QuickJack 3500. The QuickJack was designed with the small garage in mind. It engages the frame of the vehicle at the designated lift points and can raise cars to a maximum height of about 21 inches. It takes about 30 seconds to rise, and when collapsed sits three inches above the ground and is easy to store away. It does not need to be bolted into the floor, and it comes with safety locks that engage automatically.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
The Quickjack BL 5000 and other models are portable, simple to use, and far safer and more stable then any jack stands. It’s great for washing and detailing as well. However, it does give less rise than other types of lift, though the lift height does give a lot more room to work than a jack. It also can’t carry the same amount of weight as permanent lifts. For the home garage, it can be a great choice.
These are just some of the options, and getting in to look at them yourself is always the best idea.