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What is a Portable Alternative 2-Post Lift?

There seems to be be a lot of questions about the new type of car lift being introduced to the market. Like with anything new, exciting and different, there are some concerned opinions flying around regarding the safety & functionality of this portable two-post garage lift. The following provides valuable information relating to the MaxJax and will hopefully dispel some of the hearsay.

Is the MaxJax really safe?

Absolutely. If you compare the number of people killed or injured annually using floor jacks or jack stands to other car lifting solutions, it's evident that the MaxJax provides increased safety when installed and operated properly.

If you've ever visited a service garage, dealership or fleet repair business, it's easy to see that two-post lifts are the lifts of choice among professionals. In fact, the Automotive Lift Institute reports that out of the thousands of car lifts sold monthly, and among the many lift configurations available, two-post style lifts represent well over 63% of the market.

Lets be clear—the MaxJax is not just a hobby lift. It too is a "real" lift. It's built by our team of qualified engineers that not only designed the MaxJax, but also our family of full-sized lifts. We've got years of experience and we've done our math. While most car enthusiasts are talking about 4-bolt mains, our engineers are studying applied force, axial force, bending moment, center of gravity, concentrated load, deflection, deformation, distributed load, ductility, elastic limit, moment, normal strain & stress, potential energy, sheer strain, strength, yield stress, yield strain and so on.

It looks like a pain to setup. Is it?

Nope. We've made it as easy as possible. The motor cart is easier to roll around than a heavy suitcase; carting a roll-around patio heater around would be more difficult than moving a MaxJax column; and cleaning a windshield would take longer than connecting the MaxJax hoses. So in reality, you could have the MaxJax set-up faster than you could throw two wheels on your mother-in-law's F150, drag her suitcase from the driveway to the truck, wipe the bugs off her windshield and toss the borrowed propane heater on the truck bed. And don't forget that her truck wheels would have six lug bolts whereas the MaxJax only has five for each column.

We say it sets up in about 15 minutes just to make sure there's no chance of being wrong in our advertising. The truth is, if you're dedicated, you can probably do it in about nine. Consider that most DIY'ers spend way more time trying to get vehicles positioned on ramps or floor jacks. And then when you tack on all the non-productive time you waste slithering around with your back on the in the cramped confines beneath your car while it's on jack stands, you start to see where the MaxJax is a real time saver.

If you have to go through all the trouble to set up, why is it marketed as portable unit?

Because the MaxJax is both portable and storable. It's a great alternative for those who live in urban places and have smaller garages (or no garage at all), those with low ceilings and who can't leave it permanently installed due to space constraints.

What keeps it from tipping over – there's no top crossbar?

The concrete anchors actually secure the lift to the floor and keep it from tipping over. And, believe it or not, this is the way that most two-post lifts do it. The top crossbar found on most commercial two-post lifts is not intended to be load bearing. It's just a simple, elegant way to route the equalizing cables and hydraulic hoses. Although clear-floor style two-post lifts do have a crossbar, many popular floor-plate or base-plate styles are void of one.

Are the concrete anchors really safe?

Yes, your safety is number one on our list of priorities! We've done the long math and tested the design and application very thoroughly.

For a little more money, why not get a real lift?

Out of all the questions we get, this one is the most befuddling to us. It's not like MaxJax is a bicycle and we're trying to call it a car. The MaxJax is a true lift, capable of safely lifting most consumer vehicles to a comfortable lifting height for service and maintenance. If you've got the room and you've got the cash, there is no reason to not get a huge two-post lift and have it installed in your garage. But don't forget, not everyone has a pole barn, four-car garage, or room to install a full-rise lift or space-demanding four-post. Many automotive enthusiasts live in the city or the suburbs and don't have ceilings higher than 8-feet. Others simply don't want or need a lift for vehicle storage and would rather keep the floor clear. We created the MaxJax to be a product for those DIY'ers whose love for cars is bigger than their workspace. Many car enthusiasts appreciate the unique benefits that only a MaxJax can deliver. It's a one-of-a-kind lift that replaces their floor jacks, stands and ramps, and allows them to safely perform general undercar work.

It only has a 48" lifting height.

As many of our customers happily attest, the 48" lifting height is very adequate for most every imaginable vehicle service. In fact, the majority of our customer's mention that the most of their time is spent on wheel service anyway, and that doesn't require higher lifting. Although optional 3" adapters are available to give the MaxJax a 51" lifting height, we discovered in testing that most customers could not lift much higher due to ceiling-height limitations. 3" adapters come standard and give the MaxJax an additional 3" of lifting height – optional 6" adapters are also available. However, we discovered in testing that most customers could not lift much higher due to ceiling-height limitations.

Wouldn't your neck get sore working crouched down like that?

We really don't understand why someone's back would experience any more discomfort working with the MaxJax on a rolling seat than standing erect on hard concrete. What's the difference? Working with the MaxJax does not contort your neck, but working on cars that are elevated above you sure does. Think about how nice it would be to sit down on a padded seat for some of those tedious under-car jobs. Our customers swear they prefer working with the MaxJax over standing all day on a hard concrete floor. Try it out, you probably will too.

About the Author

Brian Davis is an expert on Auto Repair Equipment and has written numerous articles on the Auto Repair Equipment industry. See the newest auto equipment for your garage HERE!