Lift recommendations for my buddy!

My bud wants to get a lift & I wonder what you guys recommend! His garage/shop has really high ceilings so that's not an issue. He wants to stack a couple of his cars to free up space!

BoB

It really depends on his budget and how much he plans to use it.

If he plans to have cars on and off of it all the time, it's better to get something that's intended for that. If it's just storage, you can go for a little less robust model.

There are a lot of budget-minded ones, and some of them are so flimsy I wouldn't put a golf kart on. We've probably all seen the photos of a failed storage lift.

BendPak has some great lifts, from storage to daily-work grade. If he can afford it, I'd point him in that direction.

The other thing to consider is how thick his floor is and if is reinforced. if he doesn't know he can drill a couple of small holes to find out. If it's not adequate he may be in the market for a 4 post drive on.

I have one of these...

http://www.directlift.com/Four-Post-Lift-Pro-Park-8S-Standard-P44C9.aspx

It's what I'd describe as an entry level "hobby lift". I chose this piece because it doesn't need to be anchored. (I have radiant heat tubing embedded in my floor, negating any exploratory holes. )

I did considerable research before I pulled the trigger, but the "internal lock ladders" sold me. Similar "cheap" lifts have external locks, which are prone to slip and FAIL if the posts deflect enough.

I'm deathly afraid of lightning, high winds and cars falling on my head. My lift (as delivered) was a little cheesy in the hardware department, but the lift as a whole is bulletproof. I've had it 13 years, worked it like a mule and suffered no failures or near death experiences....

In my mind, the locks are the key to survival. I won't work under any lift unless the locks are fully engaged. A cable could break, or a hydraulic line could burst... a catastrophic failure is catastrophic, no matter how much money you spend...

Anyhow, I'm pleased with mine and I'd recommend it to anybody. It'll serve your friend well... above and beyond his needs for a storage lift.

.

Good point on radiant heat in the floor and exploratory holes. Doc good thing to remember.

I to just added a lift to my shop. There is a lot to consider, I did a ton of research before I bought mine as well. I think for building cars a four post is best, for service work a two post is better. All of the parking lifts a made off shore probably just painted different colors depending on the brand. Some brands use the Chinese made frame and add American made hydraulics. I was really concerned about the locks as mentioned by Doc, the Peak 409P I purchased has the same adjustable lock bars as the direct lift as well as secondary cables break lock in the event a cable broke. I'm pretty happy with mine now I got the bugs worked out.

I've got a 9,000 lb. and a 10,000 lb two post lift.
The 9k came from Direct Lifts (pretty sure they're in Texas)
No complaints from me on either one.