Found a 4 post lift. Should I buy it, and how do I move it?

[Jazzman]

I found a gentleman that needs to sell his Atlas Garage Pro 8000 lift. He is moving and needs to get it out of the house by June 10th. He is asking $1800. $2400 new. Sounds a bit high,but what do you think? I have already checked, and it will fit into my garage. (Barely!!) I would have to move it. I've got the trailer to handle it, but not the lifting gear. I built a car, so I hope I can figure out how to tear it apart. The entire unit is 1800 lbs, so each of the six major pieces has got to be about 300lbs on average. Certainly more than I can lift. Suggestions on how I get it torn apart, loaded, and rebuilt at home? Is it worth buying? Thanks for your input.

[JimLev]

Don't know, price seems too close to new. If you bought a new one would the company ship it to your house and unload it for free? Might be able to use that as a bargaining point to get a slightly better price.

[NAZ]

Not familiar with that model but can make a good guess that the ramps are going to exceed your 300 lb estimate. If you don't have lifting gear and a fork lift you are in for a difficult time. I have many years of rigging experience and I wouldn't attempt to disassemble, move, and reassemble one of these without the proper equipment -- it's just too difficult. And by the time you rent the fork lift and rigging equipment at both ends you may find this is not such a bargain. It may be a better deal to purchase a new one and hire installers to set it up for you.

I've owned and set up a couple of four-post lifts, one 9,000lb and one 14,000 lb and the larger lift I disassembled, moved to my new shop and reassembled it with my 71-year old wife helping. If I didn't own a fork lift and lifting gear I'd have hired this job done.

[Clover]

Seems like the price is too high for me. Plus, like others have said, that is going to be a bear to move. Those post are not thin flimsy metal you know. There are some new options that you could get shipped for right around the same ballpark. There are also professional lift installers. You may want to look into finding an installer that can move the lift if you do decide to buy it. If you want it, I would try to get him down to $1,000 - $1,200. That seems more reasonable for a piece of used equipment that needs to be moved in the next couple weeks.

[cv2065]

Just watched a guy online unload and assemble one by himself. He had an engine hoist (which you have) and a tractor to help move a couple of things around. Definitely doable with a friend or two, and maybe some help moving the ramps around, as they look to be the heaviest pieces. The 4 posts look fairly light. And that's $2400 shipped when new. I'd offer him $1400 if fairly new and call it a day. Saving a $1K would be worth the hassle of moving it. If you don't have a truck, rent yourself a Home Depot load and go for $18 an hour and done.

[Mark Eaton]

Kevin, I have an Atlas 9KOH Overhead 9000lb two post lift and I love it. I got it from Greg Smith equipment and they have great customer service. I had it professionally installed and highly recommend that. Moving an 1800lb machine with a rented forklift in unskilled hands is a bad idea. I think $1800 for what you are looking at sounds high unless he is willing to move and install it for you.

Mark

[Just puttering]

If you decide i want it but how to move and set it up, check into renting a mini excavator ! With a trailer for it, you could load the lift then when you get home you can unload and set the lift up with it, and move the lift around when assembled??? Then let the rental place come pick it up? Easy as pie! As they say.

[wareaglescott]

IF you can build a car you can assemble the lift. Mine was a piece of cake to put together. My vote is not to pay someone else a grand to install it for you. The ramps are the heaviest pieces but easily movable using the engine hoist. I like that I built mine because like the car I know how every part functions and how to properly maintain and troubleshoot if any issues arrive.

[davekp]

I'm in the same boat- looking at buying one used that I'll have to move. Moving it assembled can't be done by anyone I've talked to locally, so disassembly and reassembly will be needed. Starting to think that a new purchase with dealer install is the smartest option. I don't have any equipment heaver than a mini-van and engine hoist.

[rich grsc]

OMG, really. You guys think 300# is too much to move? Ever hear fo a come along, or block and tackle? Put a 2x8 on the end of trailer and the ground, pull the ramps on. This should be no big deal for two guys, with a little planing. Even if you needed to make more than one trip.
As for the price, I agree it's too high maybe another $500 off.

[miller7448]

Unloaded and installed a bendpac two post extended height with just an engine lift. The two post columns are much heavier than the 4 post. Rigging is everything. Shipper put the 1800lb package on car hauler but from there it was just uncrate and lift one column at a time.

[DadofThree]

I found a gentleman that needs to sell his Atlas Garage Pro 8000 lift. He is moving and needs to get it out of the house by June 10th.

Ask him again June 5th. He'll practically give it to you! :)

*Note: This advice is from someone that has never had a lift
While your waiting, call the company and have them recommend an installer. There's a guy in the office that had the installer (recommended by the brand) pick the unit up a the dock and install for $600. It took 2 guys 5 or 6 hours, and they knew what they were doing. Maybe you can find someone to disassemble and reassemble it for a reasonable amount.

[Jazzman]

Ask him again June 5th. He'll practically give it to you! :)

*Note: This advice is from someone that has never had a lift
While your waiting, call the company and have them recommend an installer. There's a guy in the office that had the installer (recommended by the brand) pick the unit up a the dock and install for $600. It took 2 guys 5 or 6 hours, and they knew what they were doing. Maybe you can find someone to disassemble and reassemble it for a reasonable amount.

Just did exactly that. Cost would be $850 for them to disassemble, move, reassemble here, set up and adjust, and put all new oil in. Not cheap, but certainly not too bad.

Yes, I thought about waiting a bit to see how desperate he is!!

[Jazzman]

OMG, really. You guys think 300# is too much to move? Ever hear fo a come along, or block and tackle? Put a 2x8 on the end of trailer and the ground, pull the ramps on. This should be no big deal for two guys, with a little planing. Even if you needed to make more than one trip.
As for the price, I agree it's too high maybe another $500 off.

Yes, I have a block and tackle, and the trailer, and no ramps would be needed. I even have a winch. If it were just working in my place I would definitely do it. However, this is someone else's home, a home they are selling, and I don't want to take the chance of damaging the floor or the walls or something. I can tell by the photos and the location that this is not a cheap home. FWIW, I now know the the Runways are 600 lbs each. I can certainly haul it on my trailer in one load.

[videodude]

Kevin,

It's a used lift, even if he only used it once. Offer him 50% of new cost. Otherwise, you might as well just pony up the difference and get a new one. Seriously, how many people are beating down his door for this thing? And getting the company to move and install it is a stroke of brilliance.

Video

[frankeeski]

There are better deals out there for used shop equipment. I got my Directlift 8000 for $900. It was and still is like brand new. We disassembled the runways and moved the end post and cross supports as units. Loaded on my flatbed trailer and transported it 35 miles home. Re-assembled it the same way. I'd wait for a better deal to come along or buy brand new.

[wallace18]

I have both a 4-post and a 2-post lift. I use the 2-post 20X more than the 4-post. Also I bought new for less than your deal. I would shop around. I installed both lifts by myself with just a engine crane and come-along. Both went on my flat bed trailer no problem. JM2CW.

[Jazzman]

A buddy of mine came up with a really creative idea. The lift has a complete set of caster that can be attached to roll it around. He suggested to put it on its casters, roll it out into the driveway, then have a flat bed tow truck simply winch it up onto the bed as a single unit. I suspect that the width of the lift will just make it by 2" or just miss by 2". The posts are 6'11" tall, and the tow truck bed is probably 4' off the ground so a total of 11" high. Overpasses here are generally 13' plus, so height shouldn't be an issue. It is an interesting idea. I don't know if it would work.

Yes, I agree the max I would pay for it would be about $1200 (1/2 of retail). I just talked to him. Appearantly he had someone else from 3 hours away who wanted to buy it, but he could not figure out how to load it as a unit and gave up. He claims it will have to be taken apart. I may or may not get this one. It's Ok either way.

[Ray]

These guys are just west of Phoenix: http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/

Look like pretty good prices. I've been looking at one of their motorcycle lift tables.

Ray

[Jazzman]

These guys are just west of Phoenix: http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/

Look like pretty good prices. I've been looking at one of their motorcycle lift tables.

Ray

Yep, talked to them today. Extremely helpful and knowledgeable. If I decide upon a new one, this is where I would get it.

[wareaglescott]

I have both a 4-post and a 2-post lift. I use the 2-post 20X more than the 4-post. Also I bought new for less than your deal. I would shop around. I installed both lifts by myself with just a engine crane and come-along. Both went on my flat bed trailer no problem. JM2CW.

This is a good point. Don't think we have talked much about the intended use of your lift.
If I am remembering correctly your garage ceiling is not particularly high. Are you planning to use this for stacking two cars in your garage or more for maintenance purposes. I prefer the 4 post because for me 95% of my use is just stacking cars. If It was primarily going to be used for working on cars I would go with a 2 post. In fact I am considering a 2 post for my second garage now for that very reason.

I texted you last night but on the castors and rolling idea....my corner posts are only about a 1/2" off the ground when the castors lift it up. The ramps push down on the castor mechanism and basically leverage the corner posts in the air. It moves around fine but I cant see it making it up an inclined ramp on a flatbed intact. AS soon as the front wheels started going up it seems the back post would angle right into the ground.

[boBQuincy]

I recently moved two 4 post lifts from NC to FL. The posts are about 100 lb each, it is the ramp with the hydraulic cylinder that is the heavy part, maybe 400 lb. I moved the two ramps by jacking them up on successive stacked pieces of 2x4 then lowering them onto furniture dollies. Don't forget some 37 degree fittings to cap the hose from the pump to the cylinder and o-ring fitting to cap the pump outlet.

Then there is the high-lift garage door conversion... ;)

[AZREALTOR]

I was in the excavating business for most of my life. When I bought my first four post lift I assembled it by myself in about 6 hours using a mini excavator as was mentioned. When I sold it 3 guys came and disassembled it and hauled it away without any kind of lifting equipment. I also recently helped my brother assemble his new one. Four of us with a cherry picker assembled it in about 4 hours. Seems there are multiple means of doing any project, it just depends on what you have access to. Jazzman, I am in Gilbert and my brother is in Chandler. If you make a deal and we can be of any help send me a PM. I'm not on here on a daily basis but will keep my eye out.

[JoeT]

A buddy of mine came up with a really creative idea. The lift has a complete set of caster that can be attached to roll it around. He suggested to put it on its casters, roll it out into the driveway, then have a flat bed tow truck simply winch it up onto the bed as a single unit. I suspect that the width of the lift will just make it by 2" or just miss by 2".

I've bought and sold 4 - 4 post lifts used (cheaper to sell mine and buy a used one when we moved than to bring it with us) The last 2 time I've done exactly the above.

Flatbed towtruck strapped down and dropped off in my driveway, and we'd push it into the garage. Our current home we had to disconnect the cables to get it to fit through the garage... it was about 1" to tall to get through the door opening fully assembled

it cost me bout $150 for the truck

oh, and I'm in the camp that $1800 is too much for a used 8000# lift. I have found them from $900-1200

[turbomacncheese]

Jazzman, I am in Gilbert and my brother is in Chandler. If you make a deal and we can be of any help send me a PM.


I'm in Maricopa and I work in Phoenix. I'd help out just to see the car you built ;)