Start with the heaviest vehicle, not the average one
Most two-post lifts are specified on the weight of a typical car, then overloaded the first time a loaded van comes in.
Work out the heaviest vehicle you are realistically willing to accept, add a margin, and specify from that number. A 3.2 t
lift comfortably covers passenger cars, SUVs and MPVs; once vans and light commercials enter the mix, a 4.0 t machine is the
more sensible starting point.
The margin is not just about safety. A machine running near its limit every day wears faster, and you will find yourself
turning work away at exactly the moment the bay is busiest.
Ceiling height decides clear-floor or base-plate
Two-post lifts come in two fundamental layouts:
- Clear-floor — no base frame across the floor, so the bay is completely open. Needs more headroom
because of the overhead beam. - Base-plate — a low frame connects the columns at floor level. Works under lower ceilings, but the
plate gets in the way of tool trolleys and can be a trip hazard.
Measure your actual ceiling with the door open, then subtract the height of the tallest vehicle you will lift plus the
working clearance you want underneath. That figure, not the marketing sheet, is what limits your choice.
Arm geometry: symmetric or asymmetric
Symmetric arms place the vehicle centrally between the columns, which gives an even drive-through and works well for cars
and SUVs. Asymmetric arms offset the vehicle rearwards, which suits vans and pickups whose centre of gravity sits further
back, and makes it easier to open long doors in a tight bay.
If your traffic is mixed, choose asymmetric. If you are almost entirely on passenger cars and want the widest possible
drive-through, symmetric is simpler.
Check the floor before you check the machine
A two-post lift concentrates the entire load on two small base plates. The anchor points need a concrete slab of adequate
thickness and strength — if your floor is thin, cracked or has a suspended section, that has to be solved before the
lift is installed. This is the single most common reason an installation is delayed.
Locks, releases and the small details that matter daily
Mechanical safety locks are standard, but the release mechanism is what your technicians touch every single cycle.
Single-point release from one side saves a walk around the vehicle. Look also at the lifting pad material and whether the
extension adaptors reach the chassis points of the vehicles you actually service.
height, minimum pad height, width between columns, overall width, lifting time, motor rating and available voltages, and
the number of crates the machine ships in.
Send us your vehicle mix and bay dimensions
We will come back with the model that fits and a quotation including freight to your port.