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    car ramps, whats your thoughts

    Hi,

    what are peoples thoughts on a 2 post versus 4 post ramp for a home garage? Mainly just for general maintenance and undersealing. Its to work on a LWB and SWB transit and a SWB Trooper (v6 beastie).

    cheers

    Luke.

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    Get the 2 post.

    Ive worked on both, as well as scissor lifts, mobile lifts, and those in-ground single post pneumatic lifts (which are terrible), and the 4 poster is at the bottom of my list. The only advantage i can see that a 4 post has over a 2 post is how quickly you get a car on and off in a busy professional garage, i.e. there is no time wasted lining up the lifting arms, or placing spacers for vans 4x4 etc. Even with that advantage its only good for oil changes. Brake work, suspension work, exhaust work, FWD engine/clutch/gearbox work, painting, cleaning, the lift is nearly always in the way with a 4 poster.

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    thanks muckerbarry, is there anything I should look for in a lift or be careful about? Are the lifts at 1200 on ebay any good do you think? and how often do they need servicing or does that just mean greasing the chains or wires and checking them over?

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    £1200 lifts are cheap for a reason, decent quality will cost way more, but if you dont use it much.......

    one thing you may need to consider is your lwb transit, most 2 post lifts wont have lifting arms long enough to accommodate it, or tall enough lifting pads either, if you try lifting a transit on the sills you will probably crush them, so you need lifting pads tall enough to lift under the front subframe/rear spring mounts/chassis without the lifting arms contacting the sills, i have 4 two post lifts only my 4 tonne lift i realistically any good for a lwd transit, even then its tricky

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    I did wonder about the LWB and the lift would probably be used only once a month and more when something breaks! I would like it to last a long time though, what do you think of something like these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263808580888
    rated 4 ton, in practice they would never have to lift more than 2.5 ton

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    I would be inclined to stay away from the very cheapest lifts, im sure they will be "OK" but for a little bit extra you'll get a branded lift (probably still made in china) from a reputable company, i don't know of any companies in england but in ireland my friends have gotten lifts from the link below, (no affiliation!) delivered, installed, no messing, and there is a man on the end of the phone if you have a problem with it, thats worth a few extra hundred pound in my book.

    https://www.pjfallon.ie/Phoenix-lift...rage-equipment

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    Re: car ramps, whats your thoughts

    We got a 2 post Bradley from eBay, it was removed from a local ford dealers when they moved, £580 delivered, serviced every year and had the load nuts changed aswell, I’d be spending the money you have on a good second hand one rather than a cheep new one.

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