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Like everyone I don't particularly enjoy climbing under a car on jack stands. Shuffling in and out on your back isn't the most fun you can have but the mucking around lifting the car up with floor jacks is just as time consuming and annoying. I am considering getting a scissor style car lift when I hopefully move house in the next few months. Unfortunately most garages here have a 2.4m (approx 7ft 9in) ceiling and a 2 poster will not fit and if it did you wouldn't have clearance to lift the car to above head height anyway, you will be crouching no matter what. Also the concrete would likely not be up to scratch even on a new house and the installation costs are not insignificant. Anyway a scissor lift will make most routine things a lot quicker and easier- suspension, brakes, wheels, fluids. The floor clearance won't be huge but still approximately 3-4ft off the ground. I noticed that a lot of the lifts completely block access to the middle of the car like the pic below making transmission removal impossible.
This one below has great height and is clear down the middle for transmission work, driveshafts etc but wow they are 2-3x the price. I don't know how I feel about having a 2 tonne car resting on one 6ft in the air.
I think the following one is the best compromise. They lift to about 1m which is a lot nicer than the clearance you get with floor jacks. The centre is clear for transmission removal. Transmission jack placement will always be tricky with any of them but it isn't something I plan on doing except in the unlikely situation of transmission failure. What do you guys think?
OP make the garage space grow... Replace the concrete as needed and do a two post above ground hoist.
Do it right once and don't look back. Thank me for the rest of your life as you do any and all easily without the aggravation of dealing with a half-baked solution. Get an asymmetric hoist so front doors can be opened while the car is parked or on the hoist. A hoist is cheap. Losing six months work for an oopsie on jack stands or a cheesy hoist is not.
How are you going to service the transmission with those scissor hoists? Guarantee you that installing a hoist that does not allow easy access to all that runs down the middle of the car will ensure fun times like rear main seal leaks, guibo joint failures, transmission issues + exhaust issues! Ponder that.
Pour a concrete pad outside if needed. Cover the pump for weather.... The rest of it can be outside. They are heavy enough that the cretins won't make off with it in the night.
Last edited by JohnLane; Jun 22, 2019 at 01:39 AM.
Try this thread about a Quickjack. Be sure to get the extended version for your W211. When lowered, they push together and I just park my car over them. Be sure you have the rubber lift block on your jack points and not the body trim! (Don't ask me how I learned this but I'm going to looking for a replacement trim piece soon.)
OP make the garage space grow... Replace the concrete as needed and do a two post above ground hoist.
Do it right once and don't look back. Thank me for the rest of your life as you do any and all easily without the aggravation of dealing with a half-baked solution. Get an asymmetric hoist so front doors can be opened while the car is parked or on the hoist. A hoist is cheap. Losing six months work for an oopsie on jack stands or a cheesy hoist is not.
How are you going to service the transmission with those scissor hoists? Guarantee you that installing a hoist that does not allow easy access to all that runs down the middle of the car will ensure fun times like rear main seal leaks, guibo joint failures, transmission issues + exhaust issues! Ponder that.
Pour a concrete pad outside if needed. Cover the pump for weather.... The rest of it can be outside. They are heavy enough that the cretins won't make off with it in the night.
I definitely get where you are coming from. I would love a 2 post lift. Unfortunately reality is that I don't think it will ever happen. I currently live in a conjoined townhouse, a nice one, but still there is a 2 car garage with the house over the top and units on each side. There is 0 room for expansion. If I move house, almost all of the newer houses have built in garages with internal access which would mean $20,000-$100,000 in plans, council consents and builders (who are in very short supply in this country). If we can find a place with enough land to build a second garage then that would be different but won't be easy to find in the middle of the city.
The lift in the bottom (3rd) picture has 86cm (34") wide clearance down the middle which should hopefully be plenty to get a transmission through.
Originally Posted by bbirdwell
Try this thread about a Quickjack. Be sure to get the extended version for your W211. When lowered, they push together and I just park my car over them. Be sure you have the rubber lift block on your jack points and not the body trim! (Don't ask me how I learned this but I'm going to looking for a replacement trim piece soon.)
Wish I had a 12 foot ceiling in my garage and a real lift but too late for that. The Quickjack lift suffices for the work I need to perform.
We have limited models available here but the quickjack is for sale. The price isn't very good though, it is about the same as the last lift I posted which has a bit over double the lift height.
Originally Posted by Renhoek007
Try a HAPP half post hoist. Good for low ceiling clearance and has great undercar access..
I will keep a look out for systems like this, I haven't seen any here yet but it looks like a great compromise for a home garage, this might be the answer.
Originally Posted by 55AMG.
i have been looking into the same thing I came across this on trademe ?
I saw those but I am not sure I would want to be under an E-class on one. Also means you can't remove the transmission with the way the lift points work. I would be very concerned about it falling over, it doesn't appear to bolt in, looks like it is designed to be mobile. Also more expensive than the ones above and even a 2 poster.
I have a had this hoist now for 6 years works like a charm except for the too high pads when my Mercs have suspension issues. I would ensure any hoist you buy has long and low ends to the arms.
Also went with a 2 post lift for my home workshop... i absolutely love it, no more back and spine on the cold floor!! but as mentioned above, make sure the lift you get has arms that go low enough to get under high performance cars or lowered cars.
Those X brace lifts scare me. While they are probably safe, they look life a death trap lol
I understand ceiling height is an issue, but I would try to get a short version of a two post.
Possible look into an architect reworking the ceiling joist, Or build a cheap shop.
I can honestly say I use my shop every day, and my bendpak low profile two post almost every day. Infact the E55 on the lift right now waiting for me to replace the front control arm bushings
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