Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I would like to purchase a home garage lift. A two post with 4 "arms" would allow the wheels be removed for suspension and brake work.

A compromise would be a stoage lift. That would not allow wheel / suspension removal but add room for another car in my garage.

Is there a lift for storage and repair lift?

I doubt it but would appreciate any ideas?

Bob

I've had a Dannmar MaxJax for the last several years. Very versatile, fits within an 8' ceiling, and designed to be portable, though I leave mine in place. And relatively inexpensive (I was part of a group buy at the time).

Hi Bob,

I?m going through the same process as you are. I?m looking at an SJR four post lift. I noticed someone else here had one and they looked quite good value for money. I contacted SJR and they were very helpful. They do a jacking beam option for the four post lift which will allow you to work on the suspension. Here?s a link: http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/

Regards,

Bombay Racing Green wrote:Hi Bob,

I?m going through the same process as you are. I?m looking at an SJR four post lift. I noticed someone else here had one and they looked quite good value for money. I contacted SJR and they were very helpful. They do a jacking beam option for the four post lift which will allow you to work on the suspension. Here?s a link: http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/

Regards,

Yeah, I have one. I seem to recall its the smallest one, but is fine for the length of an Elan.
I can get 2 Elans in a garage height of 2590mm
I've had it perhaps 3 years and no glitches, in fact it seems pretty good.
It is supplied with a metal tool tray which goes between the ramps and a simple bottle jack in that tray can lift the cars for wheel removal. I can get a trolley jack in for the front lift but that wont work at the back.
You could of course get a small scissor jack for the tray or a pit beam.
The only issue was he claims it came with 'oil drip trays'. Well, it did, but they didn't fit, they were for the bigger lifts which have a wider gap. They didn't make a smaller tray and weren't intending to do so. You should ask about this. I cut 2 trays and glued them together to make one fitting tray.

Bob

If you do a search you should find that this has been discussed several times before. There are pros and cons for 2 post and 4 post lifts. There are lots of choices.
I have a 4 post storage lift to allow me to have 3 cars in a double garage. It is possible to work on the car on the lift but obviously the one underneath has to go outside temporarily. The other disadvantage of a storage lift in a small garage is that you can only really work on one side of a car at a time.

I've looked into two post lifts at various times and run up against the stumbling block, on reading the manufacturer data requirements, of the garage floor concrete needing to be 6+inches thick to give sufficient safety support for the posts of the lift. Unfortunately I have no way of knowing, short of digging it up, the depth of the concrete of my garage floor.

Hi Alan,
I do not wish to be picky, but it seems to me that if you drilled an exploratory hole in the floor in the area where the lift would go, you would soon know the thickness. It will be obvious when the drill breaks through.
A small amount of sand and cement would repair it easily.
I think I am being picky, sorry.
Eric in Burnley
S3SE DHC

Hi Eric,
Thanks for the input. It is certainly an idea to consider!

Alan.

Thanks Graham. That?s the one I saw! I?m glad you are still happy with it. I think I?ve made my mind up now. Thanks.

Food for thought, and worth reading:-
http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fallofflifts.htm

Alan.

You should be able to to get a car under a two post lift.
More than likely you will have to put on foundations. But that's not a big job - a couple of decent sized holes 600 sq and 400 deep with a 300 wide trench between.
Put a few lengths a 15mm rebar in the bottom and you're done.
A duct for cables would be a finishing touch.
Go for it!
I'd have one if my garage didn't have trussed roof - I'm making do with a small pot which is nowhere near them same.

Bob

I bought a Max Jax 5 years ago - it works a dream. I am 80 years old now and it has allowed me to carry on my now 56 year affair with 26/0538 in comfort.

If your concrete slab is less than 4 inches thick break out the slab at the post locations, dig it out deeper and pour in concrete to get the depth - MAKE SURE that both finished foundations are at the same level.

Cheers

A friend of mine eventually got one in his mid 70s and wishes he'd done it 30 years ago!

Max Jax in situ. (With a Car Capsule for longer term storage).

Bit of a job drilling the concrete but worth it. Makes all the difference in working on the car. In theory removable/portable but I just keep it up.

Like Bill, I have passed the passed the big 80 mark and also bought my Max Jax about 5 years ago. Costco was offering the lift at a discount price along with free shipping, which made for a good deal. It is also permanently fastened to the floor. There are a couple of things that I have done to enhance its use, along with one more that I want to accomplish. The pins that lock the lifting arms in location are just a bit on the short side, meaning they do not release the arms when they are completely lowered. A bit of weld on the end of the pin solved that problem. I also made some tubular metal stands 12" high to put under the tires so I can raise the car and then set it on the stands when working in the engine compartment. Saves my aged back. This way, I can raise the car, lower it onto the stands, taking the strain off the cars body. Also made some new extensions for the lifting pads that now raise the car high enough to use one of Harbor Freights hight adjustable roll around stools that allows me to roll around underneath the car without having to tilt my head. Another age related comfort solution. What's left is to have some longer hydraulic hoses made that I can run up to the ceiling and over the pump, getting them off the floor and out of the way.