4 post hoist

[rfurzer]

I'm getting too old for scrabbling about on my garage floor and I seem to have an in-principle approval from my wife to buy a hoist.

I've been looking at the cheaper end ($3000 or so) 4 post hoists.

Any advice?

[sheerluck]

Best advice I can give, is keep that wife of yours! :D

[Warb]

I have a Radum "Parking Hoist", which I bought cheaply because the previous owner had finished his restoration and was moving house. It works very well, but because it was designed to be movable (with a vehicle on it) it tends to rock a bit. That would be fixed if I dynabolted it to the floor, but then it wouldn't be movable.... So, because it is perfectly safe I just got used to the rocking (as, apparently, did the previous owner).

They cost just over $3K+GST, lift 3.7tonne and allow a vehicle to be lifted up and another parked underneath it. Or you can lift the vehicle, then fit caster wheels to the hoist and lower it on to those wheels which cantilevers the hoist off the ground allowing you to push the entire thing (car and hoist) around the room - meaning you can end up with the car sideways against the back wall, then hoist it up out of the way. Mine came with drip trays to protect anything underneath from oil leaks, and also jacking trays that allow the lifted vehicle to be jacked up off its wheels.

It's a very simple design with one hydraulic ram and four cables, with a ratchet system on the posts so the weight is not supported by the hydraulics (other than when lifting/lowering).

My only complaint is that it is not quite high enough to walk underneath the sides (ramps?) without ducking slightly. But on the plus side it was very cheap (second hand, urgent sale/removal!), works well, and with old sheets hung around the sides it means I can lift one vehicle up out of the way and use the space underneath as a spray booth........

I'd buy it again, in fact I'd buy a second one if I could get it for the same price!

(I have no connection with the suppliers/manufacturers of this product)

[123rover50]

I bought a" Hero" hoist from Brisbane last year. Best thing I have done for a long time. In my 70,s and find it hard to scrabble around under my cars.
My shed is not high enough to take advantage of going high enough to park another under it though, but sure makes sevicing easier. Its 9000 kg so enough for any of them except the 6x6 camper.
Keith