[RBK-68elky]

Seems like forever since I've been here...

I've been in the process of purchasing a new (to us) home, moving, unpacking, sorting old treasures, etc.

One of the prime reasons that we settled onto this house was that it had the largest lot in the subdivision. It only has a 1 car garage (go figure). So I'm going to build a new garage.

I've got the plans done, approved by the city, and have a contractor. I'm building a separate 3 car garage. Due to the ground level on the lot, the 1 car bay will have a 14 foot ceiling (the 2 car bay only has a 10 foot ceiling.

I'm thinking REAL seriously about putting in a hoist. Since I have a 12' - 13.5 ' wide bay, what is the most economical or best type of hoist to put in.

I'm putting in radiant heat (tubing in the floor), so it's imperative that I figure this out real soon. I'm planning on pulling the permit, and start foundation in the next 2-3 weeks.

I'm thinking a 2 pole lift - that picks up the car by the frame, vs a 4 pole where you drive up on it. It just seems to me that when you drive on it that you lose the ability to work in the wheel area?? Hard to get to a lot of spots. Am I wrong?

Any ideas on brands? models? costs?

What do I need to do to the floor? Just stick 4 bolts in the wet concrete? Foundation for lift? I don't want to drill through the radiant heat water lines, etc.

TIA,



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>>>Rod<<<
A.C.E.S. # 2894
Team Chevelle #115

 

[66 bowtie]

wow, sounds like it will be nice. The 2 post lifs are good, at school we have a 4 post, drive on deal and it is always hard to try and get all 4s off the ground, need to lift it then put big jack stands under it let it down. The 2 post is easy to use, less money!! One suggestion is get one with the offset posts, that way u can drive the car to it with out having to go a little far ahead and get out then push it back. my 2 cents, not too sure on a company tho. GOOD LUCK, show some pics when it is all set up. l8r

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OWNER OF 66 CHEVELLE MALIBU
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[ken2]

I would try to get exact measurements for the lift before the garage floor is poured. That way you can dig a little deeper under where the stands will be bolted down and have a better footing to support the extra weight. Keep your re-bar about 4 inches down in the footing area. I've found it is easier to drill the concrete to place bolts later than to try and set studs in wet concrete. Good luck probably would be a good idea to find out what the lift manufacturer recommends to use to bolt the lift down, that way you can be sure to have thick enough concrete

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[This message has been edited by ken2 (edited 12-28-1999).]

[This message has been edited by ken2 (edited 12-28-1999).]

 

[Tom Kordick]

I have been thinking about buying one also. There are several in the back of HOT ROD for a couple thousand. My problem is I already have a slab poured and a shop built. If you find out any info, keep us informed.

Tom

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[Narti]

Hey RBK,
I just installed a lift in my new garage.
It's a Rotary, model A7000, twin post,asymetrical. Go to www.rotary.com/home/light.htm to check out what they have.
If you ask around you'll find that Rotary is the best in the business.
I did a lot of research and found that you should stay away from any of the so-called "hobby lift's" that you see advertised in car magazine's. Most people say they just won't hold up to lot's of use.
I'd also get it professionaly installed or at least get someone who's done it before to help. The lift has to be correctly positioned and leveled, plus they weigh a ton! Don't worry about preinstalling bolt's in the floor, they have drill's which bore into the concrete and special bolt's that expand when tightened for securing the lift.
You'll need at least 4" of "high pressure" concrete which will have to cure 30 day's minimum before installation.
That heating system sound's cool, I was going to do it, but $$$ started getting tight.
Let me know if you have any other question's about lift's, good luck! Nick P.

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Nick P.
Team Chevelle Gold #36
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[BILL TIRELLI]

HI, Last year I bought a 4 post lift from a company called perfect park lift for $2800 dilivered to my door. I love it, makes working on you car a pleasure. it is free standing and they sell wheels as an option if you want to move it around. When you want to work on your brakes or wheels the have a jack tray thet slides from front to back, just use a little jack in the tray and you are set to do any front or rearend work.If you want their phone number email me.

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BILL TIRELLI TEAM CHEVELLE MEMBER#280 1969 BLK CHEVELLE SS396 375HP 4SP 410 POSI
STATEN ISLAND NY

 

[SSteve L]

I helped a friend of mine plan his new house complete with 6 car garage (3 wide X 2 deep). He wanted to plan ahead for a hoist. After doing a little math, we came to the conclussion that the floor really doesn't need to be beefed up that much (Think of how little total contact area the four tires on your car or truck have to spread the entire weight of your car over). If you were to pour the slab 6" thick in the area where the hoist will be and use 6 - 6.5 bag concrete, and re-bar or mesh, you should be good to go, based on the hoists my friend was looking at. I would get information on several hoists, and get a rough idea of where they rest on the slab (they should all take up roughly the same area). If you can generalize the area that gets bolted to the floor, just keep the tubes for your in-floor heat away so you can drill anchors into the concrete later (much neater and easier than trying to properly locate them in wet concrete). Obviously this works best in you know exactly which hoist you want. My friend didn't decide on one but he wasn't doing the heat tubes in the concrete either.

Good choice on the radiant heat, I know several guys who have it in their garages, and if you came afford it and justify it, it is the ONLY way to go! If you weren't already thinking about it, you should look at putting extruded styrofoam insulation under the slab. I didn't check to see where you live, but I assume it gets cold there if you are using in-floor heat. The foam, even only 1", provides a thermal break between the slab and the ground, and allows the slab to heat up much quicker. I live in Wisconsin, and guys I know that heat with "conventional means" really benefit from this insulation also. Even though the ground below isn't as cold as the outdoors, it's still an uncomfortable temperature. Keep us posted on the progress of your "every man's fantasy" garage.

Another thing to check into if you are interested, is to have the roof truss supplier design the trusses with an extra load at some point convenient to you, so you can put a beam in the attic accross some of the trusses to SAFELY hoist engines, car bodies, whatever you want. We do stuff like that all the time for customers where I work. Feel free air any other ideas you might have, I'm quite sure I've seen things crazier than most of us can dream up being incorporated into new garages.



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Steve

72 Chevelle SS402/4sp