Lost my father & have a few Garage Lift questions.

[floatn turd]

Sadly, my father unexpectedly passed away on Feb 3rd.



He was the best man I have ever known and my best friend.
I am devastated and have a hole in my heart.
He will be missed every single day!
But
I do have questions that maybe some of the "Ballers" here on RDP can help with.

My dad bought this 55 Chevy when he was 16 years old.

He loved that car and never missed a Car Show.
(The Corn Feed Run in Chino was his favorite)
That car will always be part of our family.

The 55 is mine now and I will need to eventually bring it home from Utah.
The problem is, that i'm just about "tapped-out" for garage space.
I do have an RV tall garage and thought maybe a 4-Post Lift might be the answer.

Here are a couple pics of the area that I would like to maybe install the Lift.

My questions are:
A) Can I put a boat trailer on top of the Lift and the Chevy on the bottom?
B) Do you think I have the Width to install a lift and still keep the bikes along that wall?
C) Is there any specific Manufacturer that I should look at, OR "stay away" from?
D) Any specific "Specs" the Lift would need have for my plan to work?

(I know zero about Lifts)
Any advice will be helpful at this point.

Thank you
FT

 

[Socalx09]

I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. He looks mighty proud next to his car.

Congratulations on a beautiful car and all the memories it holds for you. It is something special…

I know nothing about car lifts.

 

[hallett21]

Sadly, my father unexpectedly passed away on Feb 3rd.

View attachment 1340639

He was the best man I have ever known and my best friend.
I am devastated and have a hole in my heart.
He will be missed every single day!
But
I do have questions that maybe some of the "Ballers" here on RDP can help with.

My dad bought this 55 Chevy when he was 16 years old.

View attachment 1340634

He loved that car and never missed a Car Show.
(The Corn Feed Run in Chino was his favorite)
That car will always be part of our family.

The 55 is mine now and I will need to eventually bring it home from Utah.
The problem is, that i'm just about "tapped-out" for garage space.
I do have an RV tall garage and thought maybe a 4-Post Lift might be the answer.

Here are a couple pics of the area that I would like to maybe install the Lift.

View attachment 1340635
View attachment 1340636

My questions are:
A) Can I put a boat trailer on top of the Lift and the Chevy on the bottom?
B) Do you think I have the Width to install a lift and still keep the bikes along that wall?
C) Is there any specific Manufacturer that I should look at, OR "stay away" from?
D) Any specific "Specs" the Lift would need have for my plan to work?

(I know zero about Lifts)
Any advice will be helpful at this point.

Thank you
FT

Sorry to hear about your dad. Hope he’s resting easy.

Bendpak makes lifts that will lift the boat up high and give you enough room to park a pickup truck underneath if you wanted. It’s a 4 post lift and requires either 120 or 240 15 amp circuits.

Edit. You can get them in single or double width. You could even lift the bikes and boats. Not sure what vehicles you’d want in the air vs on the ground.

 

[Ducksquasher]

God Bless you and your family...

 

[HNL2LHC]

So sorry to hear of your loss. Best to you and your family at this difficult time.

 

[rickym20]

Can’t help on the lift but wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. Hopefully you can find some time to take it to a show once in awhile. Maybe will get some of the regular guys to stop and share a story or two.

 

[HBCraig]

RIP to your dad. Godspeed
Sorry for your lost.

 

[Orange Juice]

I’m not sure how wide they come, or if you could customize the width, but if you could get all 4 lift post against the walls, you’ll have all the space you want under it.
I don’t like spending too much time under heavy objects, and never seen one after a big earthquake.

 

[rrrr]

I'm sorry you lost your dad. I hope the grief gets easier to bear as time passes and the lifetime of memories sustains you during the tough times.

 

[attitude]

Very sorry about your dad, my he Rest In Peace.

Beautiful car, I’m sure your Dad knows it’s in the right hands now.

 

[poncho]

Damn sorry about your Father, it's not just a car it's so much more.

 

[Backlash]

Sorry about the loss of your Pops, that's never easy. Thoughts go out to you and your family. Hallett21 nailed it. Check with Bendpak. I think another thread was started last year about this same topic.

 

[4Waters]

Sorry for your loss

 

[DILLIGAF]

Condolences to you and your family. Losing a parent is tough for sure.

RIP to your father

 

[dirtslinger2]

Sorry to hear about your dad.

What is the width of that garage? I've been shopping for lifts, as I need a couple. Bendpak seems to be the go to brand, and they really aren't that expensive.
Also, yes, you can put the boat on the lift or the car.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Sorry for you loss. RIP to pop's.

 

[FreeBird236]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[SJP]

Sorry for your loss. I have a Bendpak lift and they are awesome. I would see about going wide as bay like others have said. 220 power. You do not have to bolt to floor if you do not want. They make drip trays for them and all kinds of cool attachments for Jacks etc in order to work on vehicles. I installed mine myself but I had a forklift to assist.

 

[RitcheyRch]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Jay Dub]

Im very sorry about your pops. He looks really proud with that car! yes you can lift the boat, they make cross-members/etc for the middle section.

 

[Joe mama]

Sorry for your loss! Your pops looks like he’s in his happy place with his car.

Your chick looks hot !!!!

 

[J&k beer can]

Sorry to hear about your father's passing..

Cool u are next care taker of that 55..
Looks like you got plenty of room for a 4 post lift..
I did one in havasu..

 

[CLdrinker]

Owning a car that your dad had since he was 16 is truly awesome and a great way to keep his memory alive.

 

[Baja 252]

Sorry for your loss.
I love the idea of a custom size lift that is as wide as the space, the 3' around the outside of my lift is wasted space. The key to this IMO if you also have the height for a lift to walk under it comfortably without stooping over. I don't have enough height in my garage, so I can only get the corvette on top and boat underneath, not the other way around.

 

[PaPaG]

SO sorry for your loss, one of the hardest things to go through. Time is the only thing that will slowly ease the shock and pain is time, but the great memories will always be there.

 

[mash on it]

Sorry for your loss.

Keep the memories going.

Dan'l

 

[propcheck]

My choice is bend pak solid product and plenty of options I am sorry for the loss of your Dad

 

[Dan Lorenze]

I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad...

 

[RiverDave]

I know there is at least two members here that sell lifts.. I can’t remember who they are now.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Sorry to hear about your father.

There was a vendor at the boat show last year that had boats on their lifts etc. Some were bolt down, some floating. They were nice looking and fair priced, but for the life of me I can't remember the company name. @RiverDave or someone may have had access to a vendor list? They also make lifts with the posts on one side...for lifting a boat only that may give you more floor space but probably a more invasive install.

 

[Havasu blue label]

Rip

 

[hallett21]

Not sure of your garage width. If you have 17ft you could squeeze in the double

BendPak HD-9SWX Dual Platform Four-Post Lift - 5175024

HD-9SWX is ideal for anyone who wants a little extra standing room under their lift. Plus, the runways are 24" longer than our standard-length HD-SW.

www.bendpak.com

 

[hallett21]

The boat lift is 11ft wide

BendPak HD-7500BLX Vehicle and Boat Storage Lift - 82" Rise

Avoid rust, blemishes, rot, weather damage and more with BendPak's longer, extended-height HD-7500BLX vehicle and boat storage lift.

www.bendpak.com

 

[DLC]

Sorry for your loss!
Thats going to hurt for a long time . At least you have a Very happy reminder of your dad and something he loved !

Beautiful 55 !

I would measure your garage width and height and surf the net for lifts, Just make sure it raises tall enough to walk under comfortably

My Havasu neighbor has his dads corvette up on a 4 post, it’s a knock off and works great.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Hey Brother so sorry to hear about your Dad, I am 13 moths past loosing my Pop and I still think about calling him daily to talk about an idea or something cool I just saw. I am in the same spot as you for space and I just bought a bend pack 4 post off Facebook Market place on Sunday. I have two lifts now and you don't need to be a baller to grab these things just make sure to research the brand that you buy. Both of mine run off 220 and the one I have had for 15 years or so has never had an issue, no idea what brand other than its heavy duty, i scored it from a shop that was expanding and this was in their way. I was looking for a bend pack recently because they have several models that the ramps adjust wide enough to put a boat trailer on and that is where my Dads wood decker will live so its up and out of the way. The guy I bought from was shutting a shop down and i was able to see it assembled and run it up and down a few times. I have seen many of these with the legs not secured to the floor and like you I was thinking about earth quake, I ran bolts into the concrete on mine to secure it and once they are locked its dam solid. They don't take up a huge amount of space, I moved one out of my garage and onto a pad next to the garage to make room for the wider lift and the boat. Good luck with your search and again so sorry for your loss, keep talking to him!

 

[GETBOATS]

Tough to loose them, so sorry

ALI certified lifts. When I bought mine, I had no idea there was no process to insure safety. Not all lifts are certified, ALI has a list of certified lifts.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Sorry for your loss. May your DAD R.I.P.

 

[X Hoser]

Sorry for your loss. Lost my dad a few years back, think of him every day!

 

[rivermobster]

Oh man Josh, so sorry to read this. That's a tough one for sure.

As far as your questions go...

My questions are:
A) Can I put a boat trailer on top of the Lift and the Chevy on the bottom?
B) Do you think I have the Width to install a lift and still keep the bikes along that wall?
C) Is there any specific Manufacturer that I should look at, OR "stay away" from?
D) Any specific "Specs" the Lift would need have for my plan to work?

A. You could, but I'm not sure how you would secure the tonge to keep the trailer from moving around? Some fab work would be in order.

B. 4 posts come in various widths. You may want to consider a twin post if you want the trailer up in the air? The widths are adjustable on these as well.

C. BendPak is probably the best bang for the buck. Rotary is probably the best, but pricey.

D. They come rated for "weight". Be sure you check that spec and get what will apply to you.

Sorry again to hear about your pops.

 

[SBMech]

So sorry for your loss FT, I am sure your Pop's will be proud of you keeping his 55 alive and driving!

Bendpak makes all sorts of lifts and custom dimensions as well, but it looks to have plenty of room for a standard with wide tray options and keep the extra 4 feet on the side.

Here's a link to a HD extra tall one, with all the options on the same page to compare.

BendPak HD-9XW Extra Tall Four Post Car Storage Parking Lift 9,000 lb.

Order online and get the best buy on the BendPak HD-9XW 9000 lb capacity extra tall lift. The HD-9XW is your 9,000-lb. rugged lifting solution if you need get something heavy up high, but you don't have an entire garage to dedicate to the lift.

www.bestbuyautoequipment.com

Once again, sorry about your Dad, may he RIP.

 

[STV_Keith]

Sorry for your loss.

I have this lift in my shop: https://www.forwardlift.com/product/efp9/

I picked it because it was long enough for a long bed 4-door truck, and had the most width between the posts, and it does not have to be bolted down. It actually comes with a caster kit that makes it moveable when no vehicle is on the lift. I'm sure they have gone up. I paid $4400 for mine back in 2020.

 

[hav19]

Sorry For Your Loss!!

Not sure about a 55 Chevy, but they do work well for Thanksgiving Dinner when the wind comes up!!

 

[Instigator]

Sorry for your loss.
As far as the lift goes don't be cheap now and regret it later.
Buy one for a Dually and buy the extra tall one. I have had a 28 Daytona on mine as well as my dually.
Advantage is the one I bought and I think it is one of the best made, Costs a little bit more but worth it.

Advantage SS-11000-WD | 11,000 LBS. 4-Post Lift

The Advantage 11,000 lb. Heavy Duty 4-Post Truck Lift is perfect for those who love to work on their lifted diesel trucks. Not many 4-post truck lifts can accommodate heavier four-door, long bed, dually diesel trucks. This lift designed for guys like you.

www.advantagelifts.com

 

[braindead]

Sorry about your pops, may he RIP.

As far as lifts, we have 2 of the bend pak lifts for boats and I'd look at other brands if I was to do it all over again. The instructions were for the previous model, lots of missing or incorrect parts and the worst part is the bottom of the lift at full height is only 5'10" so make sure you duck! We have the 220 versions and just fabbed up an extension cord to run them off an existing plug.

I'd take a look at wildfire lifts, I know they clear over 6'4" on the underside and it should be wide enough to get the trailer on, the problem might be the width of the platform that the wheels roll on might be too narrow.

As far as supporting the tongue, our buddy built a stand to support the frame of his boat. Since we switch boats on the other lift, we picked up a 4x12 to sit on the ramps and just rest the trailer frame on it, chock the wheels and throw a couple HD straps to secure it.

And most lifts come prefab to a specific width so trying to get something custom is not going to happen.

I'll try and get you some pictures of our setup later

 

[Badold65]

Very sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. I personally have a Wildfire 4-post lift and love it. It is one of the most well built, and safest 4-post lifts on the market. It can be bolted down or you can have it on casters to make it mobile. I also think that BendPak makes a great lift. They also make a very safe 4-post but it is an upgrade from their standard line. I'm in Havasu, and you are welcome to come by to check it out if you're interested.

 

[Mikes56]

Sorry about your Dad.

I bought a 4 post lift from an EBay supplier. It was shipped to a nearby trucking company who loaded it on my flatbed trailer with their forklift. A buddy and I put it together and installed it in 5 hours. I would totally recommend getting one, for what you are trying to accomplish. Mine is 110 volt and does fine with that. I did have to buy 3-4 gallons of transmission/hydralic fluid to get the lift working.

All the lift suppliers websites have the measurements of their lifts.

 

[Mandelon]

Car Storage Lifts | Best Buy Auto

Maximize storage space with strong and durable care storage lifts from the industry

www.bestbuyautoequipment.com

 

[floatn turd]

Thank you all for the kind words and Lift info.

To answer some of the questions:
• My garage is a little over 14ft Wide.
• Length is 48ft.
• Height will not be an issue.

I will look into all the manufacturers that you guys have suggested.

Again; Thank you so very much for the condolences and I will take a few pics when it's all said & done.

FT

 

[floatn turd]

Hey Brother so sorry to hear about your Dad, I am 13 moths past loosing my Pop and I still think about calling him daily to talk about an idea or something cool I just saw. I am in the same spot as you for space and I just bought a bend pack 4 post off Facebook Market place on Sunday. I have two lifts now and you don't need to be a baller to grab these things just make sure to research the brand that you buy. Both of mine run off 220 and the one I have had for 15 years or so has never had an issue, no idea what brand other than its heavy duty, i scored it from a shop that was expanding and this was in their way. I was looking for a bend pack recently because they have several models that the ramps adjust wide enough to put a boat trailer on and that is where my Dads wood decker will live so its up and out of the way. The guy I bought from was shutting a shop down and i was able to see it assembled and run it up and down a few times. I have seen many of these with the legs not secured to the floor and like you I was thinking about earth quake, I ran bolts into the concrete on mine to secure it and once they are locked its dam solid. They don't take up a huge amount of space, I moved one out of my garage and onto a pad next to the garage to make room for the wider lift and the boat. Good luck with your search and again so sorry for your loss, keep talking to him!

Hi,
Sorry for your loss as well Sir.
And
You are right, it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that I can't just call him up.
It's a surreal feeling when I forget that he's gone and think, "I'll just ask my pop, real quick", when I have a question.
But
Thank you for your words.
Take care.

 

[floatn turd]

Oh man Josh, so sorry to read this. That's a tough one for sure.

As far as your questions go...

My questions are:
A) Can I put a boat trailer on top of the Lift and the Chevy on the bottom?
B) Do you think I have the Width to install a lift and still keep the bikes along that wall?
C) Is there any specific Manufacturer that I should look at, OR "stay away" from?
D) Any specific "Specs" the Lift would need have for my plan to work?

A. You could, but I'm not sure how you would secure the tonge to keep the trailer from moving around? Some fab work would be in order.

B. 4 posts come in various widths. You may want to consider a twin post if you want the trailer up in the air? The widths are adjustable on these as well.

C. BendPak is probably the best bang for the buck. Rotary is probably the best, but pricey.

D. They come rated for "weight". Be sure you check that spec and get what will apply to you.

Sorry again to hear about your pops.

Thank you buddy.
I appreciate you and the help/info you always give me.
I will look into BenPak Lifts.

Thank you again.