CALL US TOLL FREE | 9am-6pm EST | M-F
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Leading Automotive Equipment Dealer Since 1987
CALL US TOLL FREE | 9am-6pm EST | M-F
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NATION | TO SERVE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY
Leading Automotive Equipment Dealer Since 1987
One of the chief concerns for people running a garage or auto repair shop is floor space. Having enough room to work is important, and it can be difficult to fit all of your machinery and equipment in your shop while also leaving yourself enough room to move about and store vehicles. This is where having storage lifts can make a huge difference. Get two parking spaces in one spot with these useful pieces of hardware. If you need help making the right choice for your garage, read on and let our car storage lifts buying guide help you get the information you want.
The first step in looking for a great piece of equipment is to consider the weight of the vehicles you wish to store. There are hundreds of lifts on the market, and each of them has different maximum capacities. If you want to store large trucks and commercial vehicles, you will need a heavy duty lift, but you can get away with a much smaller model if you simply want to store sports cars. Smaller machines start as little as 6,000 pounds, providing plenty of support for consumer vehicles, but heavy duty lifts can support up to 12,000 pounds and more. For even more space, multi-level stackers will allow you to support several cars, with weight capacities up to 18,000 pounds and more.
Another important feature you will want to consider is the amount of floor space you have for the lift. There are various types of platforms that will fit into your garage in different ways. The most common lift you will see is the traditional four post. This uses four different columns to provide a lot of support and security for a vehicle. They also require the most floor space, coming in at 200x100 inches and larger. Smaller options include one and two post lifts that raise a vehicle up from the middle. Two post lifts are similar in operation to four posts, but can save a reasonable amount of floor space, and there are models at 172x98 inches, 153x98 inches, and smaller. Single column lifts can be tucked into the side of a room, and can come in at 188x112 inches.
Along with the floor dimensions that your lift takes up, there is an impressive range of lifting heights as well. Keep track of how much height you have to work with so you can fit your lift and vehicle easily. There are lifts that raise vehicles as little as 68 inches, providing space for regular consumer cars while being able to fit in shops with lower ceilings. If you work with larger trucks, SUVs, and other tall vehicles, look for lifts that can raise vehicles up to 145 inches and more. These super tall machines are perfect for storing RVs and other large vehicles, but will require large 20 foot or more ceilings to fit comfortably.
