Garage Car Lifts

[Conn47D24]

Hello all.

 

Does anyone have a " Mid height "  2-3 foot high, lift in your home garage ?

 

I've been looking, and lots out there, but many look like China crap, seem unsteady in some cases.

 

Any experience and recomendations for or against?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Clay

[QEC]

I have seen some of the scissor type mid lifts. Great for tire and brake work but not much else.

From what I have seen they cost more than a typical 2-post unit.

[Plymouthy Adams]

there are a number of these on the market...some in low cost to high cost and some are just dangerous to look at.    I notice Walmart has a these lifts and they look better made but I did not check out the company name.  These are their go to tire changing racks... 

[Los_Control]

I have never owned a lift before .... so just opinions and not facts.

 

I think the scissor type lift is also known as a body shop lift .... It has a lot of limitations, also has a lot of plusses in getting a vehicle off the ground and easier to work on ... well worth their $$

Same time this is a lift for those that do not have the ceiling height for a regular lift.

 

There will be many opinions an what is best if you have the ceiling height .... many use a 2 post .... the 4 post with all the accessories looks pretty sweet .... you can do everything today with a 4 post and safer then a 2 post.

 

Their is nothing wrong with the scissor lift ... is better then nothing if that is all the room you have.

 

I'm to cheap and prefer to flop around on the ground using jack stands .... keeps us young.

 

[Mark D]

Yeah I have a set of quick jacks, the 5000 model. Handy as heck for working on brakes, wheels swaps, tire rotations, etc. I try not to go under the car despite the quick jacks having a mechanical fail safe. I have however done oil changes but only when I get my jack stands under it as well. This past winter I pulled the OD trans out via the floor and I’ll tell you having the car up 24” in the air was great for a guy that doesn’t like crawling on his knees anymore.

[cef2lion]

I got lucky and a friend was moving and I bought his Bendpak 4 post lift with extras. He sold it to me at a very nice price. 
 

it came with cross plates so I can jack the car up front rear to get the tires off. Friend of mine has a 2 post which I have access to but I have not used it since I got the 4 post. I feel much safer using a 4 post.

 

i have the ceiling height so in winter I store a car up and able to park another under. I have a drip pan between the rails just in case of leaks.

 

i put a new clutch in my 69 Camaro last fall. I picked up an almost new transmission jack and the lift and jack made the job so easy.  

 

Only wish I had the lift years ago. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

the bendpak I have is the elite of the three lifts I own.  IT is an older model I purchased and rebuilt.  It is an open ended alignment lift and at 12K rated it has the two 6K rolling jacks.  My other lifts have the sliding jack tray and happy to have them...but the air over hydraulic jacks are the cats meow....if you get a lift, certainly entertain rolling racks.   

[Sniper]

I don't have the vertical height for a full lift.  My SIL does, so I think someone is getting a lift for Christmas.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have 13 feet ceiling in the high bay....when I moved the Direct Lift out and substituted the Bendpak...I lost approx 5 inches of lift due to the very thick runways that are the feature of the alignment lift....But still, no issues with my full size B250 vans or my Dodge truck.  I have more room in the barn high bay in terms of ceiling height but fewer amenities.   I then added a Triumph 8K XLS lift alongside the 7K direct lift in the barn high bay.  My 7K lift has been around for 20+ years.  I wish everyone had a space for a good 4 poster....they are a work saver and friendly on the body.  

[vintage6t]

I only have about 8' of headroom so I cant use a full lift. Instead I use a kwik-lift. It's basically two long ramps that you drive or winch up.

 

The rear of the two ramps can then be then be simultaneously jacked up with a trolley jack and built in feet lowered. That creates a raised platform that will get the bottom of the tires 20" off the ground. The car can be further jacked from the platform or sliding bridges that span the ramps.

 

They don't make them anymore but they do pop up used once in a while.

[Conn47D24]

Thanks all for the insight I have just a regular garage height therefore the interest in the mid-range lift.

 

I agree some look very shaky, but certainly workable especially for Tires and Brakes.

 

Still researching thank you all

[Bob Riding]

On 5/9/2025 at 7:18 PM, Mark D said:

Yeah I have a set of quick jacks, the 5000 model. Handy as heck for working on brakes, wheels swaps, tire rotations, etc. I try not to go under the car despite the quick jacks having a mechanical fail safe. I have however done oil changes but only when I get my jack stands under it as well. This past winter I pulled the OD trans out via the floor and I’ll tell you having the car up 24” in the air was great for a guy that doesn’t like crawling on his knees anymore.

I have the same setup and it works great for all the reasons Mark D said.