[Gus_Mahn]

Hello folks, I'm looking for some advice. I have a 3 1/2 car garage and I'm out of room. I'm getting ready to buy 1 maybe two lifts for my garage to increase storeage. Here's my current set up: 24' deep x 36' wide. 7/12 gable end roof, 10' walls, 7' garage doors one 16' the other 9'. I plan on moving the rafters up to collar ties at 14'. I'll do this on the side of the garage with the 16' door about 20' wide with a high ceiling. I'm putting 2x12 over the other half for storage. I'll also get the garage door tracks moved to the ceiling and get a jackshaft drive garage door opener.

I plan on buying a 4 post 7000 or 8000 lb lift from Gerg Smith equipment in Indy. And later buying a 2 post to go next to it.

Does anyone have any experience, advice, pictures that would be useful. There are three or four distributers of lifts arond here. GSE seems to be the biggest, so that's who I plan on buying from. All lifts in my price range seem to be imported with American hydrolics

[r00a005]

Gus,

I went with a Superlift Lift (extra height model , 7K weight) . Since I live near the Carlilse PA area, they delivered it from there where they were exhibiting at a car show, which saved me the shipping cost and hassle of truck delivery. I assembled it myself, no issue. It works good, but you have to watch carefully when lowring the car that all of the safety catches are back so the car goes done evenly.

Bruce

[ponjohn]

Bendpak gets my vote, I know several people who own one and they have had zero trouble.

If money were no object then hands down it would be a Mohawk.

John

[Gus_Mahn]

After looking around PY, I found an awsome garage site http://www.garagejournal.com It's the best garage site I've found. Some guys there make a strong case for the lifts from Complete Hydraulics in the budget line of lifts. Lots of guys also like the Backyard Buddy. I'll get some prices Monday, but I'm sure it's significantly more than the imported ones.

[george kujanski]

Bend-Pak. made very well in the USA. I have the HD-9 9000 lb. 4 post.

George

[PonchoV8]

Can any of you guys share some pics of how you dealt with your garage door and clearance issues?
Thanks,

[carsmymistress]

I also installed 2 superlifts in my new garage. The quality is very good, but like Bruce stated, you need to watch the locks. I had an American Lift at my last house which is exactly like Backyard Buddy. The collars that slide over the posts instead of inside like the Superlift were superior in my experience to a safe and worry free design. I would have bought them again however the company is oob.
I'll take a photo later tonight and post for viewing. Having to do it over again, I would likely order backyard buddy. The cost is higher, but considering the value of it's cargo, an extra few $ are worth it.

[tom s]

might also do a search as this has been covered in depth in at least two other posts.Tom

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by PonchoV8

Can any of you guys share some pics of how you dealt with your garage door and clearance issues?
Thanks,

You can get a high garage door track that hugs the ceiling, or you can do it the quick and dirty way like me...I just clamp a vise-grip to the track in the appropriate spot to act as a stop for the door, so it won't run into the car when it's up on the lift.

[carsmymistress]

Here are the photos of my tracks. I picked up a set of 36" radius tracks from Wayne Dalton and installed a jack shaft opener from Liftmaster. This kept the center of the bay open. I do not have to worry about hitting the car while up on the lift with this setup. You can see in the image the difference in track height for each door.

Good luck. The lift is a great addition to any garage.

[PonchoV8]

Here's what I'm working with. My garage is like my house inside--it has a vaulted ceiling. The opening is a standard type double door.
Just looking for suggestions on how you guys would alter this garage tracking to accommodate.

I probably have one of the only houses with a Redwood exposed beam in my garage.

[carsmymistress]

Originally Posted by PonchoV8

Here's what I'm working with. My garage is like my house inside--it has a vaulted ceiling. The opening is a standard type double door.
Just looking for suggestions on how you guys would alter this garage tracking to accommodate.

I probably have one of the only houses with a Redwood exposed beam in my garage.

Doug,

Cool Beam! Add's a nice bit of color to the garage. In looking at the photos, it appears the Wayne Dalton tracks would work in your case as well. If you look at my photo of the track, you will see that I have a similary angle from above the door, but flattens out across the top. The spring will have to be raised as well. My spring is 18" above the top of the door and the top of the radius track is 36" above the top of the track mounted up and down on the door. I chose the jackshaft operated opener specifically due to clearance issue with the angled ceiling.

btw. The earlier post regarding Greg Smith Equipment. Good distributor and has been in business for years.

Good luck!

Kerry

[tom s]

here is how we did mine.Tom

[PonchoV8]

Thanks guys. I'll start collecting parts for the door tracking right away. I'm going to change the door opener to something a little more suitable for this duty. I've got to add at least one lift soon. I'm sufficating in this two car garage--ten gallons of stuff in a 5 gallon bucket.

I'll have questions in the coming weeks.

[tom s]

I think my system is called a torsion bar,much like a convent. rollup uses.Works great,have it in both of my garages.Tom

[PonchoV8]

I called a garage door place where I got my last doors. They said with my vaulted ceiling I should consider changing the door tracks to follow the roof pitch (FRP) and then change the door opener to a side opener unit.
They said if I change the opening operation any more than 1 foot higher than it is in the standard rise, the cable will be too short and the torsion bar will not operate properly (which would require new cables and torsion bar).

So instead of using the long sweep tracks, I'm thinking I can do better by using a more standard track that follows the roof line. I'm hoping that I wouldn't have to change the torsioning and cable systems that way.
Anybody addressed that in their own setup?

[YVEYANT]

Try Eagle Lifts, pro mechanic shops use them all day long. The prices are great too.
http://www.eagleequip.com/