mick the builder
Well-Known Member
Looking at a Dunlop two post 4ton lift for the 110. One going second hand for 1350 yo yo,s What are your thoughts before I try and work on the missus. It's either this or a pit.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
4 post are supposed to be much more stable for Landrovers.
Pits are good, but try and have someone to pass you stuff, unless you are looking to do a lot of climbing in and out.
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
,i have a 2 poster and you want some c shaped brackets or similar for chassis to sit into with a 2 post so arms cant slip from under, and accounting for radius and trailing arms that drop once wheels are off the floor
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
That's what I wanted views on, stability. I don't mind climbing in and out of a pit. I'm struggling to get on and off my crawler.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
If James says it works well with C brackets, I am sure it does.
Most people I know that mainly work on landrovers have 4 post. Of course, access can be more limited with those.
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
for a lot of jobs id prefer 4 poster for the ease of getting vehicle on and the fact vehicle cant slip off an arm ,access is restricted unless you have a wheel free
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
I don't have the room or cash for a 4post. also I would have to get a jack to lift axles up with a 4post. It was just an idea.
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
like i say 2 post has its merits ,but you do need to get made some special brackets /sockets for chassis to sit into the pad under the chassis works but has a high risk of slipping off
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
That's the other thing I was wondering, where would you sit the pads?. Looks like I'll be getting the shovel out.!
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
on a decent concrete slab,or do you mean on the chassis if so near radius and trailing arm mounts
Turboman
Mab An Gov
The better 4 post ramps include axle lifts to get the wheels in the air. Problem is, they are seriously expensive.
http://www.2postramp.co.uk/en/5500kg-4-post-wheel-alignment-lift
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
I did mean on the chassis
eightinavee
Well-Known Member
A decent 4 post ramp with a jacking beam is the best bet for a Defender. I spent ages looking at and using all types of ramps before I made the decision.Part of my decision was to go for a 4 poster so I wouldn't be tempted to be doing body off jobs on ****ty D3's/4's/RRS's etc.
One of the major plus points of servicing or repairing Defenders on a 4 poster is that with a jacking beam is that you can jack the wheels just clear of the ramp and roll the wheel away from the axle without any heavy lifting.You can also use the ramp as a bench to lay out components or tools in order and make it easy to reassemble things. Wheels free on a 4 post are a bloody nuisance and can be dangerous.They get in the way,I never got on with them.
A 2 poster is great for service work or clutches etc on a front drive car,but there is little on a proper 4 wheel drive that is an advantage,esp if you have a 53 year old bad back and find lifting wheels a problem in cold/damp weather.
Just my thoughts...
One of the major plus points of servicing or repairing Defenders on a 4 poster is that with a jacking beam is that you can jack the wheels just clear of the ramp and roll the wheel away from the axle without any heavy lifting.You can also use the ramp as a bench to lay out components or tools in order and make it easy to reassemble things. Wheels free on a 4 post are a bloody nuisance and can be dangerous.They get in the way,I never got on with them.
A 2 poster is great for service work or clutches etc on a front drive car,but there is little on a proper 4 wheel drive that is an advantage,esp if you have a 53 year old bad back and find lifting wheels a problem in cold/damp weather.
Just my thoughts...
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
My 57 year old back couldn't agree with you more.
mick the builder
Well-Known Member
ive got one of those, not the digger.
discomania
Well-Known Member
This is just my experience from having used 4 posters and owning a 2 post...
I put my 90 up on my 4 ton 2 post all the time. As long as you use sensible points to lift from then I find it is solid. My chassis is good so I can catch it on the flat at the back just before the chassis curves up and at the front I catch it as far towards the front on the flat I can. I also set the arms carefully to balance the weight which helps. I have round rubber pads which I sit centrally on the chassis and I use extension tubes to get them in close and wind them up level so the whole thing goes up nice and level.
4 posts are more stable for ANY car but access is reduced which irritates me and then you need to have the sliding jack to lift it to take wheels off and they get in the way and you end up smacking your head on it and the ramps get in the way when your trying to swing on pry-bars and breakers near the wheel hubs etc. The only time I would take a 4 post over a 2 post is if I was doing a gearbox on a Defender because with all the pushing and pulling that goes on I think the stability of the 4 post is better and as a gearbox job only really required central access the ramps would not get in the way too much. Having said that. I would probably still do my gearbox on the floor with an engine crane through the seat box or - remove the seat box for the sake of another 14 or so bolts.
4 posts also take up more space, all the time and the space is then only really good for vehicle work, so think about that - if you have the space then who cares.
A 2 post when not in use only occupies a footprint of about 3.2m x 0.75m with the arms folded in.
If I had to buy one again I would go for a 2 post again - I am only using it for working on my own vehicles for maintenance so it is not in daily or even weekly use. If I had a LR garage, I would probably have both so I could use the right tool for the job so to speak.
Other benefits of a lift are even things like cleaning and painting. I did a SMART repair on a door scratch on Sunday and having the car about 1m off the ground made it so much easier.
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mick the builder
Well-Known Member
I agree totally . My mate has a tyre shop and has a 4 post he uses for re alignment and work under cars and trucks, a 2 post which doesn't get used much and an air scissor lift which he uses all the time. This just lifts enough for tyre work . He said his 2 post is very stable, he also has a lr110. Basically, a 240v 2post was advertised locally for reasonable money. Although I have a large shed, it has trusses which would get in the way of a 4 post. I also use the shed as a workshop so it would get in the way of benches and worktops. The 2post would just lift a vehicle between the gable and first truss with the bonnet up under the truss. It would still be in the way somewhat but acceptable. A pit on the other hand wouldn't get in the way of anything . I could still lift all 4 wheels on axle stands. The only downside is working on the sides, wheels would be just of the ground as usual. Digging the pit, blockwork ,lighting and timber wouldn't be much difference in price to buying and fitting a 2 post . I suppose as usual it's a trade off and of course the final desicion will be up to the guvnor .
