Age old debate - 2 vs 4 post hoist

Jack91 · 20-05-2018, 01:39 PM

Hi all,
Has anyone bought a 4 poster and regretted it? The budget 2 posters look so flimsey and poorly made, with a 4 poster theres a lot less load on all components and they can be on wheels which could be handy. Footings arent a problem. Theres around a $1500 price increase for a 4 poster with the belly lifter. Thoughts and experience?

Tassie f100 · 20-05-2018, 01:56 PM

I have used both quite a bit and prefer 2 poster over 4.if price is a problem,then maybe consider a used unit. Tecalmit screw type are good hoists ,but do need the lift nuts replaced after a fair bit of work.If you fitted new nuts you would never wear them out in home use.Molnar make a good hoist too,which at most might need a new lift cable or ram seals

EGOG6ET · 20-05-2018, 05:48 PM

I have one of these in my shed https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F132617039490

I am more than happy with it. Put it up with th help of a few mates only took a couple of hours. Gets used quite a bit. Just check the depth of your slab. Needs to be 6 inches for a clear floor type hoist.

dowdsy · 20-05-2018, 07:58 PM

I have a 4 post the one that comes with castors, it seemed a little unstable so I bolted it the floor and have been happy for 3 years done heaps of just home stuff on it best thing I bought for my shed.

OzJavelin · 21-05-2018, 07:26 AM

If you're using it only for work, I'd go a 2-poster .. any time you have a vehicle up in the air you likely need the wheels off it.

Personally I bought a TuffLift 4-poster as I primarily wanted it for storage; my '70 Fury 'vert lives on it (wouldn't like to leave a convertible held up by a 2-poster for long periods).

All the cheaper ones look like they are made in the same Chinese factory, regardless of brand (I'm including TuffLift in that)

Rob 351 · 21-05-2018, 07:46 AM

Yeah I agree with most on here. We have a 4 post but is mainly used for storage and services etc. If I was doing suspension work etc. I'd have a 2 post for sure.

Trevor 57 · 21-05-2018, 04:27 PM

Been using a Radam 2 poster 4.2t for years, never had an issue. I put substantial footings underneath it

Tassie f100 · 21-05-2018, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGOG6ET

I have one of these in my shed https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F132617039490

I am more than happy with it. Put it up with th help of a few mates only took a couple of hours. Gets used quite a bit. Just check the depth of your slab. Needs to be 6 inches for a clear floor type hoist.

Might be good as far as a hoist goes,but I,m not very impressed with its very small base. Even with a thick floor I would be worried about it tearing out of the floor if it got a bit of a rock up. Sometimes if you are heaving on a tight suspension bolt or exhaust joint,the hoist moves a bit.

Crazy Dazz · 21-05-2018, 06:16 PM

In the end my garage ceiling just wasn't high enough, so despite a lot of time looking, I didn't get either.

It's horses for courses, pros and cons on both sides.
If you want it for storage and the occasional oil-change, 4-post is great. You can slide in some plywood to cover the gap and protect the car underneath. But they give a lot less access underneath.
If you want to do brakes, etc, then you need the extra rolling hacks, and it gets pricey.

If you're looking at the el-cheapo versions, 4-post probably gives a bit more piece of mind, but most professionals will use 2-post. Cheaper, more versatile, and take up less space on their own. I've seen small workshops with 3 2-post hoists crammned in, where you might only get 1 or 2 4-posters.
Yes, you need good footings, your average garage floor wouldn't be enough. And yes, a bit more care in balancing.

ParisManfred · 21-05-2018, 09:46 PM

I brought a 4 post which has a rolling jack between the runways and no regrets here.

EGOG6ET · 21-05-2018, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Might be good as far as a hoist goes,but I,m not very impressed with its very small base. Even with a thick floor I would be worried about it tearing out of the floor if it got a bit of a rock up. Sometimes if you are heaving on a tight suspension bolt or exhaust joint,the hoist moves a bit.

I have 2 hoists. One is the clear floor one I posted above and the other a a non clear floor type. The clear floor one is more stable and rated at a higher weight limit than the floor base one. I have had my F100 on it and rocked it quite hard and the uprights don’t move. If your worried about the base size you can get larger bases to suit them for shallow slabs.

Nosmo · 23-05-2018, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGOG6ET

~ If your worried about the base size you can get larger bases to suit them for shallow slabs.

This is what I did. I installed a 2 post hoist into my shed. My two issues were ceiling height & slab thickness.

I went with a hoist which is designed for height restrictions and then added extra large base plates to take into account my reinforced slab thickness of around 120mm.

This is the hoist, it's designed to be moveable/relocatable however I fixed it in place and had new hydraulic lines made up to run across the roof truss to the motor located on a side wall rather than the trolley.

http://happ.com.au/hoist_and_lift/ha...ly-adjustable/

I used these base plates in combination with the hoist and dyna-bolted to slab.

http://happ.com.au/miscellaneous/large-baseplates/

Solid as a rock.

Hood Auto Performance were pretty good to deal with. I had a couple of issues, but they resolved them to my satisfaction.

Although it hasn't quite paid for itself yet, the hoist has been a fantastic addition and despite only giving a max of 1500mm clearance under the vehicle it hasn't mattered as I just scoot around underneath on a roller seat.

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Pro...ustable/298189

66FAIRLANE · 23-05-2018, 05:51 PM

2 poster here. If I had the room it would have been a 4 with sliding jacks. Easier to open doors, more stable, wheel alignments, exhaust work etc. Only down side is space really.

Dave1966 · 24-05-2018, 08:07 PM

2 poster for working for me. Less obstruction and more floorspace. Less for me to bump into

EGOG6ET · 25-05-2018, 06:45 AM

[QUOTE=Nosmo;6137139]This is what I did. I installed a 2 post hoist into my shed. My two issues were ceiling height & slab thickness.

I went with a hoist which is designed for height restrictions and then added extra large base plates to take into account my reinforced slab thickness of around 120mm.

This is the hoist, it's designed to be moveable/relocatable however I fixed it in place and had new hydraulic lines made up to run across the roof truss to the motor located on a side wall rather than the trolley.

http://happ.com.au/hoist_and_lift/ha...ly-adjustable/

I used these base plates in combination with the hoist and dyna-bolted to slab.

http://happ.com.au/miscellaneous/large-baseplates/

I used chemset and 20mm threaded rod so not to put and extra pressure on the slab.

66FAIRLANE · 25-05-2018, 12:01 PM

My slab is 32Mpa but after drilling the mounting holes I was concerned about the thickness. It didn't look like I got all that I paid for! So before I even put a vehicle on it I made the brace you see in the pic below. It is heavy wall RHS & tucks up against the roof of the shed so soes not restrict height. It at least ensures the load on the posts is mostly verticle & stops any chance of them tipping inward.

snowcone · 25-05-2018, 12:52 PM

I have a 4 poster.
Some of the points in favour of a 2 poster are the fact that you can do wheels, brakes a suspension etc so much easier and I agree with these points.
The advantages of a 4 poster are that it can be used to stack cars for additional parking, it doesn't require a thicker slab or even bolting down, but the main point I went with a 4 poster is space.
Unlike the image above which is a very wide garage, I have a standard size double garage but if I had used a 2 poster then the upright would have been in the way of the second car's doors making it impossible to safely park next to it.
A 4 poster doesn't take up any more space in the middle of the garage.

jmack · 25-05-2018, 04:47 PM

this is my 2 poster,that base is solid 50mm sq steel.iv got a set of full length ramps which the arms swing level across the top of it so i can get my lower cars on it

FERG_51 · 25-05-2018, 11:44 PM

I have a two poster installed in January, was talked out of three phase power due to cost but have had issues with single phase power not being good enough to lift any thing heavier than a Falcon, looking like the wire from power pole to house is not heavy enough. I'm up for big dollars for a fix but committed now so will keep perservering I guess. What power are you guys using and are there any issues out there or am I just the unlucky one?

arronm · 26-05-2018, 12:22 AM

Look where you can install a 4 post. No more laying on my back. I sit on a roller stool.

jmack · 26-05-2018, 05:43 AM

Gee how do you work in a shed that small .ive just set mine up 15m*25m and starting to think should have gone bigger

arronm · 26-05-2018, 07:35 AM

That's just my garage . Have 9m x 6m workshop as well.

Jack91 · 26-05-2018, 07:54 AM

Thanks for the input everyone. Im going to go with a 2 post.

sly_ba · 26-05-2018, 08:39 AM

[QUOTE=EGOG6ET;6138112]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosmo

This is what I did. I installed a 2 post hoist into my shed. My two issues were ceiling height & slab thickness.

I went with a hoist which is designed for height restrictions and then added extra large base plates to take into account my reinforced slab thickness of around 120mm.

This is the hoist, it's designed to be moveable/relocatable however I fixed it in place and had new hydraulic lines made up to run across the roof truss to the motor located on a side wall rather than the trolley.

http://happ.com.au/hoist_and_lift/ha...ly-adjustable/

I used these base plates in combination with the hoist and dyna-bolted to slab.

http://happ.com.au/miscellaneous/large-baseplates/

I used chemset and 20mm threaded rod so not to put and extra pressure on the slab.

I have EXACTLY the same set up...

wodahs · 26-05-2018, 10:47 AM

anyone ever looked in to scissor lift car hoists ?
don't they go flat on the ground and you can do all a 2 poster can do , the only down side I saw was you cant double stack like a 4 poster
some thing like this

so arnt they worth it or is there things I haven't seen bout them as this was they ways I was thinking bout going with my car hoist situation

Tassie f100 · 26-05-2018, 01:35 PM

I think the problem with those scissor type hoists is,they are restrictive in what you can do with them.Probably alright for brake and suspension jobs,but I think they don,t lift very high and make working under the car a bit hard because the hoist would get in the way too much

wodahs · 26-05-2018, 01:44 PM

the ones ive looked at lift 1.9 to 2.1 mtr high
and I would assume the lifters would be placed wide enough apart to walk between or else what would the need to lift so high ?

I was thinking if I ended up with one id partially sink it in to the concrete to hide the plumbing gear

Tassie f100 · 26-05-2018, 03:28 PM

I didn,t realise they lifted that high!Problem if you make pits in the floor to set the hoist base in,you lose the ability to move them around wherever you want them.Tha advantage with the movable scissor lifts is that you can take them to the car,whether it be in the shed or out on the driveway.

arronm · 26-05-2018, 03:34 PM

The issue with 2 posts, is you must have nice thick reinforced concrete.

Blue Roo · 26-05-2018, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arronm

The issue with 2 posts, is you must have nice thick reinforced concrete.

True.
A lot of the 2 Post Hoists do need a thick concrete base. However if you do your research and ask some questions to the manufacturer. I'm sure you will be able to find a hoist at a reasonable price. That's practical for your use.

My first Hoist I bought was a 2 Post (2.8 metres tall, Lift 4.5 Tons, Hydraulics and cables on the bottom) from Radum. The concrete slab had to be 150 millimetres thick.

The Second Hoist I bought is a Tuff Lift. And the thickness of the concrete slab is a lot less.