2 Post Lifts

A two-post lift is a versatile, space-saving vehicle lift with 2 columns or posts which act to support the vehicle on arms upon which it can be rested and raised off the ground for garage technicians to work on. It allows for all four-wheel to be off the ground so they can be removed with ease allowing them to carry out the work required and have access all around the vehicle.

The 2 Post vehicle lift is similar to a 4-post lift but has only two columns rather than four, with the added functionality of swivelling legs that can be adjusted to fit the chassis of any size of vehicle and allow for all four wheels of the vehicle to be lifted from the ground.

Learn more about 2 post lifts in our blog post
Read our Blog article about 2 Post Lifts for cars

This is another name for a 2 post car lift, and the names are used interchangeably.

The recommended minimum distance between two post car lifts is at least two feet or 600mm of space between the base of your car lift posts, as well as at least this between the vehicles that may be lifted on these vehicle lifts.

This is both for practical purposes, this ensures there is ample space to move around between any vehicles that are on the lifts at the same time for working on these, but more importantly for Health & Safety reasons, 600mm is the minimum clearance that the fire brigade would need to move between vehicles on a lift with full breathing apparatus.

Generally, to install a standard full-rise 2 post car lift you need a ceiling height of at least 11 feet (or 3400mm).

The symmetrical two post car lift has arms of equal length, and the vehicle sits at the centre equidistant between the 2 arms on each side, and the weight is distributed evenly across the 2 post lifting arms.

The asymmetric 2 post car lift has one arm on each side of the lift slightly longer than the other, and this allows you to position the vehicle slightly further back on the 2 post car lift, meaning that most of the vehicle weight is taken on the rear arm on each side of the car lift, the benefit being that it makes it easier to open the doors to access the interior, without impacting the column on that side of the car.

The minimal concrete depth that we recommend for a two-post car lift installation is between 150mm (6 inches) and 250mm (10 inches).

Lift manufacturers and several lift installation engineers use the absolute minimum recommended depth of 100mm or 4 inches of concrete, but due to the excessive weight and forces imparted by a 2-post lift at the floor bolts and base, we would always recommend deeper concrete than this.

All two post car lifts must be thoroughly examined by a competent person before they are first used (as per HSE803/69). This could be by the installing garage equipment company for example.

A thorough examination of the 2 post car lift is also required following ‘exceptional circumstances, for example, if a lift is damaged following improper use, failing parts that needed to be repaired or replaced, following a lift failure or fall, and following long periods of use.

The monthly inspection of your 2 post car lift should include the following checks

• Check that all moving parts are properly lubricated and are not seized including
  • Ropes, chains, rollers and carriage pins
• Check that all floor anchor bolts are correctly tightened
• Check that all hydraulic fluid levels are topped up with the correct specified lubricant
• Check that electrical connections are working with no exposed wires
• Check for obstacles, blockages or foreign material near or within any of the moving parts that hinder the correct operation of the 2 post lift

Whilst using a 2-post car lift in a home garage in the UK is possible, the viability of this depends on several factors. First, you will need to ensure that your garage is assessed for size and compatibility, that the floor is level and the concrete is deep enough and ensure that the lift is installed in compliance with relevant UK regulations and safety standards.

Additionally, you will need to consider whether your garage has adequate ceiling height to accommodate the lift and whether the floor is strong enough to support both the weight of the lift and the vehicle being lifted.

You will also need to assess whether the cost of purchasing and installing a 2-post car lift is worth the investment for your personal use in your home garage. Getting advice from a professional garage equipment supplier or installer and a building inspector can help you determine whether a 2 post car lift is a feasible, sensible and safe option for your home garage in the UK.

Another consideration is that there is no legislative requirement or recommendation on how long a car can stay on a 2 post lift, however, we would recommend that the car only remains on the lift for the duration any work needed to repair it, and then ideally the car should be removed from the lift to reduce or remove any strain on the lift components, especially the screws, lift nuts and safety nuts. Also, be sure that the lift is correctly maintained in accordance with the manufacturers instructions to ensure it keeps working correctly and safely for many years to come.

An additional word of warning. No vehicle should be parked under a 2 post car lift with either the arms or a vehicle raised above the height of the vehicle, this is preventative to ensure no accidental damage comes to the vehicle below.

Learn More About 2 Post Car Lifts