2 post lift

In the past few years I have bought and sold a few lifts. First suggestion I have is to beat the bushes locally for a used one. They drop 50% in price, even if they are like new. A good source is commercial real estate brokers, who frequently know about warehouse properties for sale whose owners want them removed. Where I live, you can find one for about $1,000.00 to $1500.00 on Craigslist. New equipment vendors frequently have older take-outs for sale that they get on trade that you can buy cheap. Once they are broken down, you can tilt, move and load the towers on a trailer with a common two ton portable engine hoist.

Secondly, buy at least a 9,000 lbs. lift if you think you will do trucks, they don't take up any more space. If you don't have quite enough ceiling height, you can put put the towers through the sheetrock, and run the wires and hoses across the top through the crawl space. Asymmetrical (one long arm, one short arm) are better than Symmetrical because you can open the car doors more easily when on the lift. Run a separate "home run" circuit directly to the breaker box. They draw amps like you can't believe and blow breakers if on shared circuits.

Installation is easy. Instructions can be found on-line. If you can build a car, you can install a lift. Just use the biggest "Red Head" anchors you can in the concrete. Drill all the way through, measure the depth, and get anchors long enough to have an inch or two above the nut when tight. If you are worried about the strength of your concrete, you can cut a 1/2 steel plate pad, say 24" x 24" to go under the tower and spread the load, but I doubt you will need to.

I learned a few years ago, from a guy in the business that even American manufacturers are using Chinese parts like pumps and cylinders on their units. His Australian company manufactured lifts, jacks and parts in China, and he told me they made the hydraulic cylinders for Harbor Freight, and Snap-on in his factory! Just because it is assembled in America doesn't mean it is made here. I have a Chinese made 6,000 lbs. scissor lift in my home garage, and use it every day. No problems at all.

Once you get one, you will wonder how you ever survived without it, feel ten years younger at the end of the work day, and kick yourself for waiting so long. Good luck in your search.

Definitely check local auction houses and want ads as suggested. I’m always amazed at home many lifts get sold that way. I purchased one for the shop I worked at from the government sales, they were taken in a drug bust and were nearly new and I picked it up for $1000.

Thanks for the input. I went with a Dannmar 10ACX.