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Car workshops and garages of car enthusiasts cannot function without a reliable car lift. At home garages, it is utilized to lift cars for inspections, repair, and even vertical parking while a workshop can simply not survive without a good car lift. Owing to its importance in the world of automobiles, it comes as no surprise that the market is filled with various brands selling different types of car lifts.
2 post car lifts are a popular choice for everyday use. It is because not only do they acquire lesser space, but they are also easier to handle. Below, we have reviewed some of the best available 2 post car lifts to give you an insight into the market and ease your purchase decision.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for 2 Post Car Lift
- OUR TOP PICK: APlusLift HW-10KOH
- RUNNER-UP: BendPak XPR-10AS
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Mayflower Blacksmith BP10000
Table of Contents
Comparison Chart of the Best 2 Post Car Lifts
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How to Choose a 2 Post Car Lift
A 2 post car lift, as the name suggests, will support the weight of your vehicle on 2 posts. Since it is an important piece of machinery required to do heavy-duty lifting for numerous tasks, it is important to know how to select an option best suited to your needs. The following are some of the features that go into consideration while making a decision.
Height and Width Range
Height and width ranges are important in determining what sorts and models of cars your post would be able to lift.
A car post lift able to levitate the vehicle 60-100” above the ground is sufficient for tasks like repair, replacement and oil change, etc. But where vertical parking is the need, a post that can lift high enough to accommodate other vehicles would be used.
The width range determines if the lift would be able to accommodate large or small vehicles. For SUVs and trucks, a broader width is required so that the car easily fits in the frame without brushing against the poles of the lift. A width of about 132” or more is considered optimal.
Weight
The weight of a 2 post lift signifies the weight of the car it would be able to hold. For home use, usually a weight capacity of 6000lbs. suffices but for more versatile settings like a workshop, a lift of at least 9000lbs. weight capacity is required to deal with heavier vehicles.
Material
Like all machinery involving weight lifting, for a car lift, the material of construction holds crucial importance. The material needs to be solid and durable enough to be able to withstand the weight of large vehicles for several hours. Moreover, it should also be resistant to corrosion from oil, water, coolant, and other spills. The most dependable material fulfilling these standards is steel used widely in car lift manufacturing.
Review of the Best 2 Post Car Lifts
Making sure you land on a deal that provides the best of the features for your circumstances and ensures safety is not an easy task, especially if the market is heavily saturated with options. To help you out in this situation, we provide a detailed review of some of the best 2 post car lifts for both home and workshop use.
Best Overall:
APlusLift HW-10KOH
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most recent buyers found the APLUS car lift to work flawlessly. They were especially impressed by the incredible build. Not only was it strong and durable, but it also aligned perfectly. The two lift posts matched exactly in height, eliminating the dangers of the vehicle tipping over. Moreover, the safety bars on the frame ensured user safety.
Why it Stands Out to Us
For us, there are quite a number of features which make this lift shine. Apart from its heavy-duty construction, it can lift up to 10,000lbs. of weight to a height of 81”. These measurements are suitable enough to serve small cars to large SUVs, Jeep Wranglers, and big trucks. The functioning is further supported by the Double S design, making it capable of lifting heavy weights with ease.
Who Will Use This Mos
The APLUS Car Lift is a suitable option for anyone wanting to invest in a quality gear that guarantees long-lasting performance. However, with functional versatility as vast as that provided by this lift, it would find optimal usage in a busy workshop. It has features that can cater to every car along with asymmetrical and symmetrical assemblies for easy door access.
Bottom Line
The extreme performance promised by the heavy-duty build of the APLUS car lift earns it the spot of one of the best car lift available. It is sturdy, well-performing, and compatible with the heaviest of automobiles. On top of that, it has features that enhance the dependability for safe and long-lasting use.
Runner-up:
BendPak XPR-10AS
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers who have purchased the BendPak lift recently found great value in their purchase. It was liked by both garage users and car shop workers. The lift stood against the regular vigor of lifting heavy cars. Additionally, the single point release vouched for safety against collapsing accidents as the car could only be lowered by pressing the side lever.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The machinery displays quality and efficient working. It reaches full height within 45 seconds, so you don’t have to wait for longer times to get to work. But the fast action does not mean it compromises on safety. The padded safety shutoff bar ensures the unit does not lift if the weight is more than its carrying capacity.
Who Will Use This Most
30o angle rotation allows for attaining asymmetrical and symmetrical positions for easy access to doors. The expandable upper beam could be set according to the width of the car. The full extended length, however, is limited to 69,” which might not be high enough for high cars. Hence, the lift is useful for many users, including owners of low clearance cars, workshop use, and for post-race service on a race track venue.
Bottom Line
Say goodbye to slow-moving car lifts. With this BendPak lift, you can reach the desired height within seconds. The expandable beam can cater to wide and narrow structured cars alike. The 10,000lbs. lifting capacity can endure heavyweight vehicles. All in all, this lift is amazing with its extended and versatile usability and intelligently designed frame.
Best for the Money:
Mayflower Blacksmith BP10000
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Two robust hydraulic cylinders give extreme power to the car lift. As a result, lifting up to 10,000lbs. of vehicle weight is not an issue. The surety of high performance and smoothness that comes with such a hydraulic system, active pulleys, and an efficient chain drive is what the recent buyers enjoyed the most.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The lift height of the car lift post is 75,” which could be further increased by truck adapters to 79”. This caters for most medium to high ground clearance cars. In addition, the safety mechanisms in this lift are quite dependable. It has a double two-point safety release present on the outer side of the frame. This reduces the chances of accidental lever pulling, which might result in the unexpected lowering of the vehicle and injuries.
Who Will Use This Most
Even though the width of the frame is not expandable, the height could be set at different levels. This is possible because of the 18 locking positions provided by its safety mechanism. This feature is very useful for busy workshops as well as personal garage users with different types of cars for different service purposes.
Bottom Line
With this Mayflower car lift, you are sure to get the best bang for your buck. Adjustable height and well-designed safety systems at such an incredible price are hard to find. Hence, anyone looking for an affordable yet efficient car lift would find great value in it.
Best 2 Post Car Lift for Low Ceiling:
APlusLift HW-10KBP
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were impressed with the quality of the lift. The lifting time was very fast and saved tons of time, especially for car shop workers. The safety mechanisms were also hailed widely. The relief valve prevented overloading, which might have resulted in serious injuries later.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The beams and construction columns of the whole assembly are what caught our eye. They are steel made and thick. The robot welding is flawless and binds the ends together very firmly. This strong construction also accounts for the safety of the lift. Additionally, the 100” drive through clearance is very useful for dealing with wide cars.
Who Will Use This Most
Since this unit has an extended length of 89” and a width of 100,” these are large and wide enough to hold bigger cars for servicing. This lift is useful for anyone who is looking for a durable and incredibly safe to operate the car lift and who do not need to move the lift around excessively.
Bottom Line
Yet another winner car lift from APLUS, this is also a smartly-designed car lift aimed at heavy-duty usage. It has a double point safety release with the same characteristic APLUS features of double symmetry, extendable length, and wide drive through clearance.
Best Portable 2 Post Car Lift:
BendPak QuickJack BL-5000SLX
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers that recently purchased this car lift find it to be sufficient for their needs. They report that it is more useful than ordinary jack lifts yet lesser complicated than most. This made it easy to use without having to exert much force in cranking it up as well as safe to operate.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This jack became popular because of its portability. It can be carried between destinations easily in the trunk. On the ground, it can be rolled from place to place. This not only saves time but also expands its usability. Additionally, unlike mechanical jacks, you don’t have to sweat to crank it up. It attains its raised position just with the click of a switch.
Who Will Use This Most
Luxury car owners have found this car lift to be very useful. This is because these cars are usually small in size, and this unit’s minimum lift point access, which is 2” lesser, can securely house their bodies. Moreover, the lift is very useful for personal garage use as well as on race tracks where fast action is required between laps.
Bottom Line
Among the hefty and huge car lifts, this model provides a simpler solution. It can hoist up the car 24” above ground for a quick tire change, chassis tuning, or suspension adjustments. Most importantly, it is portable, which is useful for homes as well as workshops.
Best 2 Post Car Lift for Home Garage:
TRIUMPH NTO-9A
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
The lift has a well-reputed consumer history. It functions like any heavy-duty car lift and seldom poses any problems. Buyers especially enjoyed the vast difference in minimum and maximum heights as it eliminated the need for any other jack or lift. Overall, it gave enough height to suit all sorts of service work.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Where most 2 post car lifts might get too big for a home garage, this TRIUMPH car lift appears to be a perfect size. Not only that, but it has a minimum extended length of only 4.5,” which allows users to carry out small tasks like tire and rim change as well. Even though it too has an all-steel construction, it is still not as bulky as the other 2 post car lifts.
Who Will Use This Most
This lift is a brilliant choice of machinery for use in a home garage. It can carry up to 9000lbs. of weight, which makes it suitable for use for your day-to-day car or a heavy lifting truck. Moreover, it has 3 stage front arms for extended reach for every vehicle. While the 4.5” lift is useful for smaller tasks, the 72” is high enough for underbody inspection by tall people as well.
Bottom Line
The TRIUMPH NTO-9A is easier to manage a car lift. But that does not make any compromise on its versatility and usability. It is still strong enough to withstand 9000 lbs. of weight and supports robust machinery secured with good safety measures.
Pros and Cons of 2 Post Car Lifts
2 post car lifts are widely used around the globe, both commercially and domestically. They serve a variety of purposes and are suitable for a wide range of vehicles. This popular machinery, along with their many pros, also come with a few cons. Both the pros and cons are discussed as follow:
Pros
The benefits you can get by investing in such a unit is:
Extended Usability
2 post car lifts are versatile in their use. Not only are they suitable for lifting a variety of cars from small to large, but they can also support heavyweights, as seen above. Moreover, they provide an all-in-one functionality. From something as trivial as a suspension adjustment or tire change to something as major as involving full access to the underbody, they can do all.
Extreme Reliability
These car lifts are used many times in a workshop per day. But no amount of weight lifting or length extending or retrieving would neither make the machinery lose nor unsafe to use. With each job done and with regular oiling, they maintain the same level of functionality as their first day of use.
Uncompromised Safety
Often with vehicles, one needs to inspect and repair the parts present on the underside of the car. As 2 post car lifts raise the vehicle to a height high enough for a person to stand under it, it is crucial that the machinery does not collapse.
Collapsing would result in serious injuries. For this, extensive and efficient safety mechanisms and locks are introduced in every model.
APlusLift HW-10KOH
Cons
Some limitations, however, include:
Heavy Frame
To support the heavy weights of the car, these car lifts are usually constructed with all steel. While steel is very durable, it also makes for a very heavy frame. These frames are not at all portable and need to be placed at a designated space without much movement.
Maintenance
With such heavy-duty tasks at hand, the car lifts are subject to occasional wear and tear. While wear and tear can become very expensive to repair or might even render the lift useless, they are easily avoidable. For avoiding such damages and for keeping the machinery performing at its best, regular maintenance, including thorough spill cleaning and lubrication, is required.
How to Install a 2 Post Car Lift
Installing a 2-post car lift isn’t something very tricky. It just involves a few simple steps, including:
- First, make sure that the area you are going to install and place your lift in is at least 6” thick with a 3000psi tensile strength.
- To determine that, take a drilling machine and drill to 6” in the ground. If only concrete dust flies out, it is safe to install the lift here.
- Now unpack your car lift.
- Next, take the extension and install it on the top of the pole. This would be done by screwing it tight with bolts.
- Do this to both the poles.
- Now lift the poles and stand them upright where you want to install it. This part would require some help.
- Once lifted, chalk out a line after making measurements to place the poles at the right intervals.
- Now measure the width from the outside of one pole to the outside of the other. It should match the total width, as indicated in the instruction manual.
- If not, make adjustments to match the width to the one indicated.
- Make sure the concrete is level, and the poles are not leaning in or out.
- If so, adjust them by putting something like a small piece of wood securely under it to make the two poles stand upright.
- Now, carefully lift the overhead beam with the help of two people and secure it on top of the poles with bolts. Be careful with maintaining balance on the ladder here.
- Now to secure the lift into the ground, drill a deep hole into the ground through the hole present at the foot of the pole. The hole should go deeper than 6” if possible.
- Next, remove dust from the drilled hole.
- Put a heavy-duty epoxy on your anchor and hammer it down into the drilled hole.
- Now, tighten the nut before the epoxy dries to securely hold the anchor in place.
- Similarly, anchor the rest of the holes.
- Remove the support from the bottom of the foot of the poles that you placed to make it stand upright as the pole is not going to shift its position now.
- For routing the cables, first, make sure the cable goes over the pulley.
- Now take it and route it all through the machinery through the two poles to the upper beam.
- Next, grease the holes of the arms.
- While one person holds an arm, the other secures it in place with the help of nuts.
- Now, to install the power unit, take help from someone. While one person holds it in place on the side of one of the poles, the other screws it in.
- Now put the safety arm in place and screw it in with the help of a pin.
- Tighten the spring and washer in place by tightening the bolts.
- Connect the hydraulic hose to the bottom of the pole and screw the other end into the power unit.
- Now add the clamps on the side of the pole to keep the hydraulic lines in place and out of the way.
- Next, fix the overhead safety cutoff in place.
- Fill the containers with transmission fluid.
- Run the cable through the loop of safety cutoff present on the power unit. Secure it in place.
- Grease the insides of the poles throughout.
- Your car lift is set up and ready to use.
With so many steps, you are bound to find yourself confused. Here is a visual guide to help you out.
Conclusion
Car lifts are an essential gear without which no workshop or house garage is complete. 2 post car lifts enable carrying out service and maintenance very easily. They are sturdy and can lift heavier vehicles as well. The safety aspect is given complete consideration. Overall, they are a good choice of car lift for home and workshop use.
People Also Ask
Investing in a 2 post car lift is a serious business. It is a big investment that affects the working of your vehicle. Hence, deep understanding needs to be gained of the whole process and parts to make a well-informed decision. In this section, we answer some of the sought-after questions to better explain 2 post car lifts and things related to them.
How to Position a Car on a 2 Post Lift?
Positing a car on such a life requires the following steps:
- First, put the lift arms under the vehicle.
- Locate the lift points under the car.
- Lift the car a few inches above the ground and give it a shake from the rear end to make sure it is securely positioned on the arms.
- If no repositioning is required, hit the button and raise the vehicle to the desired height.
Are 2 Post Lifts Safe?
2 post car lifts are safe to use. They have safety locks that slide in place once the car is lifted. After that, the car could only be lowered via point safety release present on the outer face of the poles. Moreover, they have a shutoff safety bar that ensures the lift is not overloaded beyond the limit.
How Does a Two Post Lift Work?
These car lifts work on the principles of hydraulics. It employs wires and pulleys in two poles to work with hydraulics. The lifting arms are connected to the power unit. Once the button to raise the car is hit, the power runs through the system lifting the car up.
How Tall is a 2 Post Car Lift?
The height of the two post car lift depends on the model. The lifts used to raise cars with more ground clearance may be higher than the others. However, most lifts are around 12 feet long and require a ceiling at least 13 feet high to be installed properly.
What Type of Oil Should I Use in a 2 Post Car Lift?
Only certified hydraulic fluids should be used in your lift to give optimal performance. Usually, AW 32 and AW 46 are considered the standard choice of oil/fluid to be used in a 2 post car lift. Alternatives like synthetic oils, although, might get the job done in the short term, are not advised for long-term use.
