Pit or Scissor Lift?

[Steven Whitaker]

So I’m planning to extend my garage making another 12ft wide bay.  I have the option of a pit or a scissor lift.  What would you do?

I would love a ramp but don’t have the headroom.

[Motorsport Mickey]

Pros and cons on both sides.

Pits are great...at collecting petrol spilled fumes or other noxious gases you didn't know you spilled, casualties every year. And keeping water out of them demands proper preparation.

 But so do lifts whether scissor or 4 post, deaths and injuries almost always caused by the user carelessly loading them or not securing them safely to the floor, and the floor should be at least 6" deep with high quality 3000 lb tested concrete. My choice is a restricted (low roof) 1 metre lift scissor lift, check out the search box for options tried by members.

Mick Richards 

[Steven Whitaker]

11 minutes ago, Motorsport Mickey said:

Pros and cons on both sides.

Pits are great...at collecting petrol spilled fumes or other noxious gases you didn't know you spilled, casualties every year. And keeping water out of them demands proper preparation.

 But so do lifts whether scissor or 4 post, deaths and injuries almost always caused by the user carelessly loading them or not securing them safely to the floor, and the floor should be at least 6" deep with high quality 3000 lb tested concrete. My choice is a restricted (low roof) 1 metre lift scissor lift, check out the search box for options tried by members.

Mick Richards 

Thanks Mike.  The search function on here is poor.  But I’ll give it a go.  Cheers.

[james christie]

Mick has said most of it.

Last year, I bought a 1metre scissor lift and initially bolted it to the floor but then realised that if I sunk it level to the existing floor then I would regain the whole surface area of my garagewhen not in use.

This route requires preparation and, if necessary, professional advice. 
It's really an old man's jack and very useful as I can slide underneath it sitting on a wheeled stool.

 

 

james

[John Morrison]

As Mick says, 

pros and cons for both, but if it was me, I'd move away from a pit, and if you really can't fit a lift then

go for the scissor lift.

and as you say the garage extension is in the planning satge, then have the floor poured with the 

space for the recess for the lift included, and don't forget a trench for the supply.

John. 

[iain]

10 hours ago, Steven Whitaker said:

So I’m planning to extend my garage making another 12ft wide bay.  I have the option of a pit or a scissor lift.  What would you do?

I would love a ramp but don’t have the headroom.

I’m in the same quandary, really toying with this lift.

https://automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-230nsp-3-0t-capacity-short-narrow-2-post-lift/
 

Has short posts and is narrow, specifically for smaller garages.

Decisions decisions:-)

Iain

 

[john.r.davies]

The garage to my 100 year old house came with a pit built into the floor originally.  Must be - no one would use sandstone lintel blocks to edge it since then!   The only use I've found for it is oil changes, as spills don't matter.   But it's difficult to get in and out of it, so I built a ladder and bolted it to the pit wall:

Edited November 8 by john.r.davies

[Andy Moltu]

Just building my new house (or is it a garage with attached house). Dismissed the pit option and mulling over 2 post or 4 post lift as I have the height to enable one.

If you are contemplating a pit, it is worth knowing how far down the water table is. If it is far down you're fine, if not you have to consider how to keep the water out.

[Motorsport Mickey]

Just to mention, 2 post lifts are the most problematical. VERY high foot loading and demands professional mix concrete and MUST be bolted down… or they’ll try and kill you.

Mick Richards

[Chris Hubball]

Hi Steven

When I had my garage extension some years ago the builder installed a Mech-Mate pit , it consisted of a moulded liner with lighting power sockets steps seat and tray to hold tools. It is easy to clean and dry ,would fully recommend one. I think the company still exists so check their website.

Cheers Chris.

[PodOne]

Seen a couple of people over the years who suffered serious burns while trapped in pits while welding. The sparks ignited vapour leaking from petrol pipes/tanks. Personally I'm going to look for a scissor lift as my floor isn't suitable for a two post even though I have the height.

Rather be safe than dead!

Andy

[Pontious]

I have one of these EZ Lifts.  Very sTRaightforward and stable. Made in USA, quality looks v good.  Unfortunately the video is not a TR but you get the idea.  I use aDeWalt cordless drill on slow speed which is perfect. 
 

David

[trchris]

What’s wrong with a good trolley jack and 4 quality axle stands ? The scissor lifts I’ve seen don’t lift very high and you’re still needing to kneel to do most things

Chris

[harlequin]

I have a cj tilting auto lift which works great for doing jobs where the wheels have to be removed. For things like exhaust pipe jobs I raise the car on the lift and then lower it onto 4 ramps then slide the lift out to give access.

Plus points are its light enough for a 75 year old to move around the garage and it stores away standing against the wall.

George 

Edited November 8 by harlequin

[Dave McDonald]

I went through the same conundrum several years ago and eventually plumped for a German Twin Busch 2 post lift, taking advantage of a Show Offer at that years’ NEC Classic Car Show. They have UK premises in Kettering area and various models including some for domestic premises with restricted headroom and/or width and a variety of arm lengths to take account of old cars to lift on the chasdis under the car or modern cars on the cill jacking points. 
My floor was very thin so I cut a 1.0m square out at both leg positions. I dug down to 225 or 250mm deep (can’t remember which), also dug 75 to 100 mm under the old slab all the way round the perimeter, drilled dowel bars into the old slab perimeter and cast fresh concrete with A393 or A252 steel reinforcement, with the concrete vibrated to achieve maximum density, so the 2 new footings were composite with the old thin slab surrounding them.  
The lift came with long bolts to the manufacturers requirements to drill into the concrete for fixing it down. 
After the installation and a suitable concrete curing time I tested it by lifting my TR6. Having taken baseline readings at the top of both posts by measuring to the walls I checked deflection from the same walls at the post tops. With no obvious disturbance of the bolts or cracking of the concrete, deflection at post tops was in the order of 3mm at each side. I put this down to bending in the legs rather than any failings in my self constructed foundations. 
The lift has been a godsend and after approx 5 years of regular use shows no sign of deterioration in the footings. 
I wish I’d done it years ago. 
Dave McD

[Steven Whitaker]

Thanks everyone.  Some great advice from you all, which is appreciated.  I think I’m sold on the scissor lift concept cast into the slab.  I think this will be the best idea.  All scissor lifts seem to support the car on the sills, so if I ever need to weld a sill up that isn’t ideal.  Is there a scissor lift that gives the option to lift the car by its wheels?  Maybe not.  I guess I could lift the car and put 4 stands under the wheels then lower the ramp.  Would that be possible?

Thanks all.

[james christie]

Even if these scissor ramps are designed for tyre fitting on modern vehicles, on  a TR the sills are not designed to take the weight of the car!!

However we are blessed with a chassis. When using a scissor ramp two cross beams are required, on which are placed judiciously the rubber pads usually supplied with the ramp.

james

[Motorsport Mickey]

Steven,

As said above, the TRs sit on a couple of crossmember beams I position across the 2 ramps. The scissor ramps have a 820mm gap between which is great for access down the centre of the car, but the TR is relatively narrow and the cars exterior width still allows about 300mm of ramp to stick out either side of the cars width.

My Stag could just be positioned so the cars rear car crossmember bolt point, could be used on the ramp with a rubber block underneath, and a further crossmember laid across the 2 ramps to have rubber blocks positioned as you please to allow for the car being lifted.  On a TR using 2 crossmembers for carrying the rubber lift blocks is useful allowing the positioning of them to be placed to avoid any work area you want to access. No more trolley jacks and jack stands for me.

I had an on site working builder to stihl saw and jack hammer a box shape in the floor, big enough to take the lift 100mm deep into the floor and then dig out a further 200 mm of hardcore before packing it down and refilling with hardcore compacted 100mm deep and then another 100mm of concrete vibrated in to leave the lift floor 100mm below the garage floor. The scissor lift fits within it's 2 "cassette" feet folding down into it with a couple of 90mm ( I think) large dia crosspipes connecting the ramps together and carrying hydraulic and electrical connections. I used some home handyman skills to fabricate a frame with 18mm board covering it between the ramps allowing good footing for walking on between but of course not suitable to use a trolley jack on, works a treat and allows a 1 metre lift which just keeps the cars roof below the garage roof timbers above.

 

Mick Richards

 

Edited November 9 by Motorsport Mickey

[Trumpy]

Another idea ! 
I installed a scissor lift , (not enough room for a 4 post lift ) but it constantly annoyed me having to fit cross beams and blocks under the car so I added extended trays along each side which allows the car to live on the ramp and it can be lifted on its wheels like a 4 poster. All I have to do is push the up button! 

[james christie]

I'm inclined to sympathise with your remark about cross-beams - they are a pain to put in place but for the moment I have left things as they are. À decision has to be made about about what you're going to use the lift for - and how often.

james

[trchris]

Personally,and no offence intended to anyone,l can’t see the benefit of these lifts, theres hardly any access to carry out any work other than lubrication services. Now if the car can be left lifted and the ramp lowered then that’s different maybe worth it just my opinion so please don’t shoot 

Chris

[james christie]

Ha! Evidently Monsieur has never used one!!

james

[trchris]

Ahh l see they lift the middle leaving the wheels free…. sorry was having one of those brain moments 

Chris

[Z320]

Hi,

I own a pit, I'm mostly pleased.

It is made from concrete, 4.00 m long x 0.90 m wide x 1.60 m deep (I'm 1.92 m tall).

Closed it I have all space for me and 2 or 3 cars side by side, no 2 columns lift is in the room like an elephant.

A pit is very safe for every car, because some you better not lift - or be surpriced

Sadly it has always the wrong depth and sometimes I'm annoyed from going up and down.

I also worked on a 1 and 2 columns lift, that is VERY comfortabel and adjustable, but annoying in the garage when you don't need it.

And it can fail electric or / and hydraulik producing costs.

Ciao, Marco

[jimt]

I had a mech mate pit installed many years ago when I had my garage extended - whilst it’s been very useful you still have to be seated in it to work underneath and as older age approaches getting in/out/under can be tiresome. Friends of mine have 4 post full ramp lifts which were very reasonably priced & do not have to be fixed to the floor and can also be moved around on its wheels when fully down. Providing you’ve the headroom -The advantage  with these is that you can store a car on it as well as one underneath.