A professional car lift can dramatically impact the workspace in your auto repair shop. It’s a balance to install the right car lift and ensure you still have enough room to complete daily maintenance and repairs.
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But how do you know if your shop can accommodate the car lift you’re interested in? And how tall should your shop’s ceiling be for a car lift? If you’re asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place for answers!
But first: consider your shop space
While the first thing you may think about when considering a car lift for your auto repair shop is the ceiling height, that’s not the only thing to keep in mind. It’s important to think long and hard about the space considerations you need to make. A car lift that should never get in the way of your technicians around the shop.
Before jumping into choosing the right car lift to fit your auto repair shop, let’s first familiarize ourselves with the types of available car lifts in the market.
Types of car lifts
When it comes to auto repair shops, here are the most commonly used car lifts:
1. Four-post lifts
Lifts with four posts are fixed to your floor and don’t move. Most of the time, you can drive your customer’s vehicle onto these. This lift type raises a car from all four corners and is widely regarded as one of the safest options.
2. Two-post lifts
Two-post lifts are stationary and fasten to your floor. This lift type raises your car from the vehicle’s center. Many auto repair shops use this form of lift.
3. Parking lifts
These lifts allow you to park another car under it, saving parking space by parking vertically. They are typically huge and expensive.
4. Scissor lifts
Scissor car lifts save a ton of space in the shop, as they lie flat when you aren’t using them. Auto repair pros appreciate the lightweight design and usability for quick fixes.
5. Parallelogram lifts
As the name suggests, the floor rises in a parallelogram, identical to a scissor lift, but elevates a car using parallel hydraulic legs instead of crossing legs.
6. In-ground lifts
These lifts are built into the garage floor, giving you extra space to work with.
Capabilities vary in terms of the vehicle weight capacity that lifts support. An 8,000-pound long car lift can accommodate mid-size SUVs and pickup trucks, while the 8,000-pound regular car lift can handle sedans, compact cars and sports cars. Large SUVs and pickup vehicles fit perfectly on a 9,000-pound standard car lift.
Factors to consider before installing a car lift
Now that you know the options you have available, what other factors do you need to consider before installing your car-lift? When it comes down to it, there are two crucial things to keep in mind:
1. Ceiling height
The suggested garage height for a car lift is one of the most crucial aspects to take into account when considering your purchase. Make sure your garage is tall enough to use the lift securely and efficiently. To answer your question of how high of a ceiling is necessary for a car lift, most car lift manufacturers provide this information. Confirm these details before you place a formal order.
Landmark Tools recommends “30-40 inches from the garage floor to the lift base.” These suggestions will vary widely depending on your shop’s layout and the types of vehicles you work on. But remember the importance of efficient movement for your techs. Extra seconds can turn into extra minutes, and you want to maintain a comfortable shop layout that enhances productivity.
Mechanic Vault recommends 12 to 14 feet of ceiling height for four-post lifts, while two-post lifts only require 11-12 feet. You need to examine the exact specifications of your chosen lift, because there are many different options that could be constructed to fit a lower or higher than usual ceiling requirement.
A low-rise car lift is ideal for auto repair shops with limited vertical space. These compact lifts require only around 10 feet overhead, making them a practical solution for garages with ceiling limitations.
2. Space and width
While ceiling height is by far the most important thing to keep in mind, you can’t forget to take into account the amount of space you have in your auto repair shop. Make sure you have enough width and room to fit the car lift without having to compromise on your repair shop’s floor accessibility. This is particularly true if you intend to install a four-post lift or a larger two-post lift that can handle heavier trucks.
Here are some additional tips to maximize your shop layout.
Closing thoughts
Failing to account for the necessary ceiling height and garage space could result in damage to vehicles and create safety concerns when installing a car lift. We hope our advice on how high your shop’s ceiling should be for a car lift helps you find the perfect fit.
