Landjet

I am looking to buy a couple of 4 post lifts for the new house I am purchasing.
The lift I am looking at is a Panther brand. Does anyone have one or know anything about this brand as far as quality/customer service?
Thanks

944Fest (aka Dan P)

No experience with Panther, BUT I have inspected 4 different 4 post lifts from diff manufacture and I was very surprised to seem many, if not all, identical parts, welds and mechanics. It seems they are all selling the same package. I would not hesitate to price shop this item and ask for deals or work them against each other. Shipping costs and extras such as ramps, casters and drip trays should be the deal makers or breakers. Maybe find a distributor local and save on shipping? Mine shipped in from American Automotive Equip, FWIW, and no complaints at all.

Landjet

Thanks Dan, that was the sort of info I was looking for. Just wanted to make sure there was no lack of quality between them. I got a price of $1735.00 for a 4 post lift 7000lb capacity if I get 3. Seems to be a pretty good price.

phlip

If you're gonna buy three lifts I would make at least one a 2 post assymetrical frame contact lift. 4 posts are great for making extra parking room but not so great for working on the car if you gotta remove wheels or take suspension apart.
I have 5 lifts in my shop all frame contact, and you can park one car under another just as easy.

gt37vgt

Yeh +5 to what phlip said .. clear floor asymmetric is the ultimate.
when i got my hoist of a guy who'd had several he said he'd had incidents with molnars and simlar bending arms and dropping cars I had already bought this hoist from him ..Ravigoli
and how fast the lift moves is no big deal day to day but is a big deal when you set fire to a car and want to get it down and put the fire out ..

Landjet

Phil what brand of lift do you have? Is there a web site showing them? I just thought the 2 post might make it hard to open the doors when parking under them.

gt37vgt

yeh thats whats the assemetrical's all about the post is just behind your front wheel and both arms fold back the same way so you can still open the doors ..
they do require a little more anchoring and slab thickness clear floor option is nice to so you can roll drivlines and tran's jacks as well

gt37vgt

just been looking some are more assermetric than others .
so the good ones have both arms swing back the same way .. sory can't think of what brand

gt37vgt

ah there's one
http://www.tecalemit.com.au/document...post_hoist.pdf

phlip

2 of them are made by Forward, very big, 9k capacity, for working on large SUVs, one made by Nussbaum, german I think, its old but works fine. The other two are made by Rotary,
non assymetrical, floor cables, prolly 30 years old, actually I like working on these the best and they have the lowest lift pads so lifting low cars is easier.
When you order lifts ask about alternative arms and pads for lifting very low cars. Will cost more but make a big diff in ease of lifting racecars.
If you are gonna get three I'd get 1, 4 post, for doing and checking alignment and ride heigth, 1, 7k capacity, assymetrical, overhead cable, with arms/pads for lowered vehicles, 1 9k capacity assymetrical with normal lifting arms/pads for the tow vehicle.
But thats just me. Hope this helps.

Landjet

Hey thanks guys that does help give me ideas to setup the garage.

Slantnose!

I have four Eagle band four post lifts, mainly just for storage purposes...
...got a decent discount for buying them at once.
I do agree it would have been nice to have somekind of two-post lift, though.
Whatever brand you go with, just be careful of "import" models.

eniac

As some have already stated, if you going to be working on the cars at all then get a 2 post frame lift. Porsches are not too bad for opening doors on most of these lifts I have used, there's enough room just don't be widly swinging the doors open. 4 posts are good for storage, parking, and wheel alignments anything else and you'll regret buying a 4 post.

Landjet

I was going to go with 4 post lifts. Now you guys have me thinking again. Thanks for all the input. Thinking of getting a least 1- 2post lift now.

gt37vgt

I have this murphy law type idea saying the more time and money you invest in making a car easy to work on the less you will have to ..
and that yellow car lifted a few feet on a 2 poster with the front walked off would be a dream to work on ...