A few considerations for purchasing a portable low-rise or mid-rise lift for your garage
- Thread starter bjburnout
- Start date
Junky
Well Known Member
I have owned a MaxJax for over 10 years, and have yet to find the room in the garage for it. It doesn't matter what you buy, you still have to have the room for it. I would post a picture of my garage, but I am too ashamed to do that. Here is a picture of my MaxJax... I keep feeding the meter just so it doesn't get towed away. Good thing that we don't have alternate side of the driveway rules in town! 
I've got a MaxJax due to only a ten foot ceiling and a garage door opener. Works well. I now have to drill and set another set of anchors in the next bay over so I can lift the 62 off of the junk frame and set it on the good frame. I need to do this so I can replace the quarters.
If I'm going to spend the money I'm going to be standing up when I work under the car
Junky
Well Known Member
I probably should explain why it hasn't been set up. I also have a BendPak HD-9 four post lift, that is a lot easier for me. My ceiling is 11' high, and I have to crouch under the car, but it is still better than having only 4' under the car. At some point, when the garage is cleaned of all clutter, I will install it in front of the 4 post lift, and use it when the lift is occupied by another car, and I need it.
I have an older 7000 lb. 2 post asymetrical rotary at my house. I recently bought a modular home in a retirement community about 11 miles away. My daughter and her family were slated to buy my house and move up from Delaware, so I was still going to have access to my garage and lift and storage for 1 of the two classics. The bottom fell out of that plan when my POS son-in-law decided, at the 11th hour, that he wasn't going to move up and wanted a divorce. The new to me home has only a 2 car garage and my 91 year old mother who lives with us occupies one bay. So, my daughter and grandson are coming up but a court will decide whether that can be permanent. Worst case scenario, I'll have to sell it to a non family member, thereby losing access to my shop and lift. So... in anticipation of that possibility, I purchased a 7000 lb. quickjack. Only going to allow me to slide under the cars, but I guess it will be better that nothing, and it doesn't take up much space when stored. Put it together today and it was missing two schrader valves. Hope that isn't indicative of total quality of the unit. Lots of rules at the retirement community, but I believe I can add onto the width of the 20 X 20 existing garage (but not the depth). The Impala is a long car. We will see where we are at by spring.
We only had 1 downstairs bedroom with the other 3 being upstairs rooms. wife has MS and Mom is 91 so both really need the ranch type set up in the retirement community. Maybe things will work out. I wanted to get away from mowing an acre and a half and snow blowing a big and long driveway. Sometimes it's "be careful what you wish for". Thanks for the good wishes Phil.