Car Lifts

We bet we’ve got a ton of DIY (Do It Yourself) readers with us. If you’re into reading about things that are of practical use like a car lift, odds are you like to tinker, pull out the wrench every now and again, get a bit filthy, but in a good way. A car lift does exactly how it sounds – it lifts your car. Why would you need to get that big hunk of metal off the ground? Well, likely because you want to tinker with it underneath, and the best way to tinker is getting into the guts of your ride. And that comes from the bottom.

Car lifts were originally only used by mechanics. We can trace the whole segment back to Blaise Pascal. Blaise Pascal you exclaim? Yep, that same Blaise Pascal, the infamous 17th century mathematician who introduced the idea of how a hydraulic jack functions. A handful of years later Pascal’s Principle came into play, a theory that communicates that in a closed system, pressure of an equal manner in every direction is created when pressure is placed on fluids that cannot (due to their natural make-up) be compressed. In 1795 the first hydraulic press was patented, and this was big. For the first time in the history of humankind, giant, previously unmovable things like cars could be lifted using hydraulic pressure. This is the same pressure we use today!

Although the technology existed, mechanics in the early 20th century would still dig holes beneath where the car would be parked in order to work on it. In fact, you’ll still see this today in some auto shops, but it is becoming less and less common. And at an individual, household level, a good car lift is all you need. The TRIUMPH NT-9 Two Post Floor Plate Lift is a real beauty. This is as the title suggests, a two-post car lift, which means there are two posts set next to each other with an eight-foot gap in between. This is where the car is positioned and jacked up with two industrial jacks that are inserted into each post and move vertically in unison. The NT-9 can lift 9,000 pounds and be had for less than $2,000. A lot of money, but this is “a lot” of machine.

If you want something a bit more toned down, the QuickJack Car Lift might be more your speed. You won’t get the lifting capacity of the TRIUMPH, but if you don’t need to lift 9,000 pounds then what’s the big deal. A powerful 110V AC motor powers this bad boy and you simply lay the cantilevered lifting platforms on your garage or driveway floor and then drive your car over the top. Flip on the motor and watch your ride get hoisted in the air.

Finally, like the TRIUMPH but made for professional garages, the BendPak Asymmetric Lift operates in a 10,000 pound lift capacity so if you have heavy cars or would like to delve into the repair game, the BendPak gets rave reviews and is an exceptional piece of machinery, through and through.

A great sub-culture for all those that love to tinker. Your car is your baby, so treat her as she deserves to be treated.