Why a Two Post Lift Could Be the Best Fit for Your Workshop

If you’re in the market for a new lift for your workshop, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the options.

Between the heavy-duty Y-MECH and the Four-Post Lifts, you might think bigger is always better.

But when it comes to flexibility and ease of use, sometimes the more compact option makes the most sense.

Here’s what every workshop needs to know about two post lifts:

You’ll get full underside access

Other types of lift usually raise from the wheels. You’re either driving up a ramp to put your wheels on platforms, or you’re attaching the lift directly to the wheels themselves.

That’s one way of doing it – and it works perfectly well for those lifts.

But if you’re raising up a vehicle and you need to change a tyre, you’ll need a lift that doesn’t make contact with the wheels themselves.

And that’s where a two post lift starts to shine.

Our own Totalkare Two-Post Lift, for example, attaches to the underside of the vehicle body itself. By lifting from the chassis with the designated manufacturer’s lifting points, you can get the same stability and safe positioning – without any obstruction to the wheels and the parts around them.

But that’s not the only benefit of a wheel-free lift. It also opens up a wider range of vehicles that you can use:

It’s perfect for longer vans

With a four-post lift, you’re driving onto a platform that gets raised up with the vehicle. And that means you need to be sure you’ve got a platform that’s long enough for the vehicle you’re lifting.

In most cases, it’s not really a problem. Our Totalkare Four-Post Lifts can handle vehicles up to 6 metres or 18 metres, depending on the lift you choose – and we can safely say that’s more than enough for most situations!

But with a two post lift that attaches to the undercarriage, you don’t need to worry about the length of any platforms.

In fact, our Two-Post Lifts are designed especially for long-wheelbase vans, like the popular Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter.

So if you’re running a workshop with a lot of long vehicles – but you don’t need to invest in the full 18 metres – a Two Post Lift can give you the same flexibility when it comes to long-wheelbase vans (without the higher cost).

It’s fast and simple

With a two post vehicle, there’s no ramp to aim for, and no wheel platforms to line up. You can just drive into position, attach the four lifting arms to the right places on the chassis, and you’re ready to go.

And once you’ve raised the vehicle, things are just as simple. With lift controls on each of the two posts (one for each side of the vehicle), you won’t have to waste time walking back and forth. So wherever you are on the vehicle, you’ve got lift controls within easy reach.

It takes up less space

If you’re looking at a lift that’s a fixed installation, the space it uses is a huge consideration.

And while a four-post lift is usually the same size as the vehicle you’re lifting, a two post lift has a massive advantage when it comes to floorspace:

Because it supports the vehicle near its centre of mass (compared to supporting it at the wheels), you’re gaining a huge amount of space when the lift is empty.

Instead of taking up the space of a small room, a two post lift is about the size of a large door.

So when the lift is empty, and you haven’t booked any vehicles in for lifting that day?

You can roll out some other mobile workshop equipment, and set up a new workspace near the frame of the lift to get other jobs done faster – making your workshop more productive, and your time more efficient.

Looking for an upgrade to your workshop lift?

There’s a whole lot of choice when it comes to vehicle lifts – from Mobile Column Lifts and In-Ground Lifts to Four-Post Lifts and Y-MECHs.

But if you’re running a workshop that services longer vehicles – and especially if you’re working on wheels or you’re short on space – the Totalkare Two-Post Lift could be the best choice for your business.

You’ll find our full range of Light Commercial Vehicle Lifts in our online store. And if you’re still not sure, talk to one of our workshop experts to help you find exactly what you need.