Hoist placement

syco26 · 02-05-2022, 09:49 PM

Need some advise from those that have hoists in their sheds.

I have just grabbed a 4.5t 2 post and looking at where to put it. Between two minds at the moment with the location to install it so need some advice.

My shed is 9m x 12m x 3.6 at the eaves. Car entry is via two roller doors on the 9m side with one PA door on the right hand side of the shed.

I plan to get a 4 post at some stage as well to give me extra storage space.

So dilemma one, do I put the 2 post in the bay I currently use the most to access the shed with the car (the left bay) or the other side? This bay currently has two cars in there. The other bay (right bay and closets to the PA door) currently has a car in the middle of a rebuild and a “gym” set up.

Dilemma number two. The instructions have a heap of room at the rear and front of the hoist. Says it needs 3.6m from the middle to the nearest obstacle behind and 4m from the middle to the nearest obstacle to the front. I think this is far too much. If I install it as recommended I will always have to clear cars out to get one up in the air. I was thinking of parking our longest car in the bay, give a little extra room then mark just in front of middle and install the hoist there. That way I can still leave a car parked in front while using the hoist.

What are your thoughts. Am I looking at this the wrong way? Any insight would be greatly appreciated as I have never had a hoist in my shed.

Thanks in advance.

XC_Lizzard · 02-05-2022, 10:32 PM

I assume the gable ridge (highest point of the roof) runs the length of the shed between what you are calling the 'bays', and not across the 'bays'

Based on that, both bays will have a roof sloping up from 3.6m, however, you may want to check the actual clearance between the floor and the lowest points of the roof structure above potential lift positions, as structural elements may reduce the available lift height.

In my 12 metre shed, I have C channel beams (or whatever their proper name is) across the shed at 4m and 8m from the front, so for sedans I position the hoist in the middle of the bay so that the passenger compartment lifts into the area between the beams.

FERG_51 · 02-05-2022, 10:55 PM

Can you put a pic up syco?

prktkljokr · 02-05-2022, 11:04 PM

I have a similar sized shed (8x12 with 3.6 to eves and 4.2 at the peak), depending on what your hoist is will determine where you can put it, I have a clear floor hoist and I had to put it 2mtrs from the side wall as the height will not allow it to go any closer (bloody council restrictions), as above, if you have a standard hoist with the hump you may be able to go closer to the wall but it may restrict the height on some vehicles.

My hoist is just over centre, but I can still park a car beside it with my set up, I could not see a spot where a 4 poster would fit and get clearance when a car was on it and up.

syco26 · 03-05-2022, 01:13 AM

Thanks for the replies

Ferg here are a couple pics. The weights on the ground behind the ZD are roughly where the two posts will go as per the instructions however the instructions put the front clearance to roughly mid point of the ZD. Where she is parked in that pic I can my FG behind her and walk around it.

XC Lizard you are correct with the way my gable runs. My rafters are 3m apart. With that I mind I think I may need to bring it another half meter off the wall. The hoist is 3594 at its highest point and should clear the rafter and light of I move it in a bit.

Prktkljokr not sure my cars will squeeze beside I’d I go to far into the middle, slightly wider models than what you have there. Maybe if I change the layout of my cupboard space I could do that. Think you are right about the 4 poster though. Going to struggle to find a place for it.

malbaby · 03-05-2022, 06:09 AM

Space around the sides of the hoist are not critical. Front and rear clearance require the most consideration.
Assuming your hoist has a cross bar across the top, the most important thing is to be able to stand and work under the car when on the hoist...That may determine how far off the side wall you need to go.
As a bonus bolt an "I Beam" across the top of the posts for a chain block and tackle...Great for lifting engines etc.
Looks like your only source of natural light is from the front doors, so I would place the hoist close to the doors.

**PG2** · 03-05-2022, 10:41 AM

This may be a stupid idea (I'm sure that someone will let me know if it is

).

If offsetting it will not allow another car to be parked beside it, have you thought about just biting the bullet and putting it in the centre of the shed?

That way, it is situated at the highest point in the shed. You could put the gym on one side and tools/storage on the other?

If you did centre it would you have to pull both cars out of the front bay to access it?

pcman · 03-05-2022, 11:32 AM

imo get the uprights standing, that will give you a much better idea of the amount of space you need, the space front and rear depends on the type of hoist, asymmetrical or symmetrical will depend where the car will sit on the hoist

tho my first suggestion is another bigger shed ....

FERG_51 · 03-05-2022, 02:30 PM

pratkljokr's pic tells the story, but will bugger up your plans, you may have to put it down the back end of LH bay and change things around a bit to suit.

prktkljokr · 03-05-2022, 07:11 PM

When I fitted my hoist and found out it had to be spaced from the side wall due to the height of the hoist, I just used that space for my racking so most of my stuff is on that side of the shed, I can still get the fork lift in and pick pallets off the racking, and I can fit my Mitsi Canter past the hoist on the rh side so there is still room.

I can generally fit a full size car on the hoist and fit 2 cars under it and 2 beside it, Or I can get 3 smart cars under it and 3 beside it

.

syco26 · 04-05-2022, 10:32 PM

Malbaby yeah the doors are the only source of natural light and I won’t be adding any sky lights at all. Am planning some extra LED lights down the track as the current lights are just not enough, especially when working on cars and detailing etc.

PG2 I had thought about putting it in the centre but as I have two roller doors I would have to swing a car in and make a couple adjustments to get a car on it. Would also have to clear both bays to get a car on the hoist which I don’t really want to have to do.

Pcman it is an asymmetrical hoist. Was thinking of standing them and getting the ZD positioned in there. If I have clearance with that I think most other cars will fit. I would love a bigger shed or another shed but unfortunately that won’t be happening any time soon.

Ferg_51 I think that may actually be the way to go and change my plans on the mezzanine floor. I had planned to run the mez the full width of the shed in the last 3m, hence the reason I haven’t started lining that part yet. But that would reduce my 27m2 of storage space on the mez down to around 13. But beggars can’t be choosers.

Prktkljokr I think I will only have to space it around a metre or less off the wall to give the height needed, hopefully. Should still give me enough space for the cars as they sit. Going to get rid of the gym so I have more space, who needs fitness stuff anyway. Far too many fit people dropping lately.

Think I shave to forget about the plans for a 4 post if I go a head with the mez as intended or place it in the bottom left then put a 4 post behind that at a later date.

FERG_51 · 05-05-2022, 02:33 PM

Maybe put the mezzanine in the RH corner.

syco26 · 18-08-2022, 08:21 PM

For anyone interested I end up putting the hoist in the middle at the back.

After standing the hoist I realised that the hoist may have been too tall for either side of the shed and I wouldn’t have been able to put the car at full height.

Still have enough room on either side to get a car besides it however currently due to the cupboard on the right hand side I can only get a car down the left side.

I can also leave a car on the hoist while still being able to utilise the rest of the garage.

I’ll just change the design of the mezzanine floor now to accommodate a car in the air.

Thanks for the feedback I got from the members above.

FERG_51 · 18-08-2022, 11:19 PM

That looks alright, bit of a squeeze but you got the ZD in.

syco26 · 19-08-2022, 08:25 AM

Yeah it is a bit of a squeeze FERG but once I finally get the mezzanine floor done all the stuff on the left and front of the ZD will be off the ground so will have a bit more space. Currently got the ZD and XB on some cheap wheel dollies so can push them around “easily” to where I want them. Need to look at some better casters to actually make it easy to push them around.