2 Post Lifts

For most cars and non-diesel half-ton pickups, a 9,000 lb two post lift covers you comfortably. Step up to 10,000 lb for full-size SUVs, half-ton trucks, and one-ton diesel duallies without a bed toolbox — 10,000 lb is the most popular choice for mixed-use shops. If you're regularly lifting heavy work trucks with toolboxes, fleet vehicles, or anything where the front axle alone could approach or exceed 5,000 lb, a 12,000 lb or larger lift is the right call, because each pair of arms carries half the rated capacity. One important note: a one-ton diesel pickup's front end often exceeds 4,500 lb on its own, which is why 9,000 lb lifts are the most sensitive to axle-weight overload — a 10,000 or 11,000 lb lift handles a one-ton diesel dually without concern. Use the Car Lift Weight Database to look up your specific vehicle's weight and axle distribution before you order.

A symmetric 2 post lift has equal-length front and rear arms, positioning the vehicle centered between the columns — ideal for long-wheelbase trucks and vans where the doors clear the posts naturally. An asymmetric 2 post lift positions the vehicle further back so the doors open freely without hitting the columns — the most popular setup for cars and shorter-wheelbase SUVs. It helps to know that “asymmetric” can describe two different things: an asymmetric column setup (the columns are rotated roughly 30 degrees toward the rear) and an asymmetric arm setup (short front arms and longer rear arms). Many lifts today use hybrid (bisymmetric) arms that can be set up either way, so a single lift can run symmetrically for a long-wheelbase truck or asymmetrically for a car. These hybrid arm designs are found on both floor-plate and overhead lifts. Above roughly 11,000 lb, most lifts are symmetric only. If you're unsure which arm style fits your mix of vehicles, the Which Lift Do I Need? tool covers this in detail.

Floor-plate (clearfloor) two post lifts stand roughly 9 to 9.5 feet tall and work well in garages with lower ceilings — nothing crosses overhead, so your only real limit is having enough clearance above the vehicle when it's raised. Overhead-bar lifts connect the two columns at the top and stand about 12 feet tall, requiring at least 12 feet of clear ceiling height. If your ceiling is around 11 feet 5 inches, options are very limited: the Atlas PVL10 can be configured to a low installation height of approximately 11 feet 11 inches at the columns, though the cylinders extend a few inches above that. Use the ceiling-height filter on this page to instantly narrow the list to lifts that fit your space, or try the 3D Garage Fitment tool to visualize the lift in your exact bay.

Most two post lifts require a minimum of 4 inches of reinforced concrete rated at 3,000 psi, fully cured before installation. Katool specifies a minimum of 6 inches at 3,000 psi with reinforcement. If you're doing a cut-and-pour rather than a full slab, some manufacturers — including Nationwide — specify 4-foot by 4-foot footings at least 12 inches deep, centered on each column. Always confirm the exact concrete specification on the individual product page before ordering, since requirements vary by brand and model. Cracked or weak concrete is a real concern: if the anchor bolts can't torque down solidly, the lift needs to be repositioned and the concrete repaired before use.

Some two post lifts ship free — look for the free-shipping badge on the product page. Many others ship at a flat rate that commonly falls between $350 and $650 depending on the brand and your location. A few models require a custom freight quote based on your delivery address; you can get an instant quote right on the product page and at checkout. Lifts can ship to residential or commercial addresses on a freight truck, but you must be able to unload the equipment on arrival — a forklift, skid steer with forks, tilt-bed trailer, or similar equipment is required, since freight carriers don't provide unloading. If you don't have a forklift on site, shipping directly to a licensed installer or to a nearby freight terminal (where the terminal's forklift can load onto your trailer) are both practical options. Pickup is also available at many BBAE or manufacturer locations, often with no shipping fee.

Best Buy Auto Equipment has a trusted network of installers across the U.S. Typical installation runs about $1,000 to $1,600 depending on your location and the specific lift — call for a quote for your exact situation. The physical install itself usually takes less than three hours of work time once the lift is on site. If your lift has a 220V power unit, a licensed electrician handles that hookup separately — the installer anchors the columns, fills the hydraulic system, and tests operation, but the final electrical connection is typically not part of the install scope. Many lifts are also offered with a 110V power unit as an option, which can often run on a standard dedicated circuit and avoid a 220V line; check the product page for the power options on your model. If you're near a manufacturer pickup location, an installer can often collect the equipment directly and include it in their installation price, saving you a separate freight charge.

Best Buy Auto Equipment maintains close relationships with every vendor and can generally get stock and ship as fast as — or faster than — anyone else carrying those brands. When you place an order, your stock is reserved at the warehouse immediately, which matters because inventory on popular models moves quickly. Lead times are typically less than two to three weeks from order to delivery, and in many cases considerably faster depending on the model and your location. Stock levels change daily, so call for the latest availability on a specific model before you order. Our 95+ warehouse network means your lift ships from a facility near you, not from across the country.

You can apply for financing directly on the website. Personal options include Synchrony at 0% for 6 months and PayPal at 0% for 6 months — both are solid choices if you can pay the balance within the promotional window. Affirm offers fixed monthly payments for up to 36 months if you need a longer term. For business purchases, Vista Capital provides financing from $1,000 to $5,000,000 with 24- to 60-month terms. For payment at checkout, Best Buy Auto Equipment accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal, and wire transfer — and if you pay by wire transfer, you receive a 2% discount with no card processing fees on any method.

Warranty coverage varies by brand, so always check the "Warranty Information" tab on each product page for the exact terms. As real-world examples: AMGO covers 5 years on structural steel, 3 years on hydraulics, and 2 years on electrical — one of the strongest warranties in this category. Atlas carries a 2-year limited warranty. Tuxedo offers 5 years structural and 1 year limited. Katool provides 1 year on parts with an optional 2-year extended plan. Nationwide covers 1 year. BendPak's warranty is limited to published specifications. Challenger is American-made and ALI-certified, with its own warranty terms on the product page. The bottom line: warranty length and scope differ meaningfully between brands, and it's worth comparing them alongside price when you're deciding.

ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certification means an identical production unit was independently tested and verified to meet rated capacity — it's the only third-party safety rating in the industry for lifts. Challenger lifts are American-made and ALI-certified. Among the Atlas line, the Atlas Platinum PVL series (such as the PVL9BP) is ALI/ETL certified and is the only ALI-certified floor-plate two post lift we carry. BendPak's 10AP and 10APX are ALI/ETL certified; the Grand Prix GP10C and Apex AL9LC are not. Certification matters if your municipality, insurer, or shop policy requires it; if not, non-certified lifts from reputable brands are tested to strict standards by the manufacturer — typically to at least 150% of rated load — and are engineered with a structural safety factor of roughly three times the rated capacity. Certification status varies by model, so check the product page for the specific lift you're considering.

A floor-plate (clearfloor) lift has no bar connecting the columns at the top — the hydraulic and cable system runs through a plate at floor level between the posts. This keeps the columns shorter (roughly 9 to 9.5 feet), making it the right choice for lower ceilings and for tall vehicles like Sprinter vans where an overhead bar would limit how high you can raise the vehicle. The tradeoff is that the floor plate sits between the columns, which can be a minor obstacle underfoot. An overhead-bar lift connects the columns at the top, leaving the floor completely clear — nothing to step over — but the columns stand about 12 feet tall and require at least 12 feet of ceiling clearance. One note on configuration: asymmetry can come from the columns (rotated toward the rear) or from the arms (short front, long rear), and the two are independent. A floor-plate lift can still be set up asymmetrically through its arm geometry, and many floor-plate and overhead models offer hybrid arms that let you run the lift either symmetric or asymmetric — so a clearfloor design doesn't lock you into one configuration. Confirm the arm style on the product page for the model you're considering.

Bouncing on a two post lift as it rises is almost always caused by one of two things: air in the hydraulic system, or dry carriage slide blocks creating friction as the carriage travels up the column. Dry slide blocks are the more common culprit — air in the system typically causes a problem every single cycle, while friction tends to be intermittent. Start by greasing both the rear and front slide-block surfaces on each column; as a quick test, spray a lubricant like WD-40 on the carriage corners and run the lift — if the bouncing stops, lubrication was the issue. If you suspect air in the system, raise the lift to the first locking height, release the locks, lower it just below that point, then carefully crack open the cylinder valves so the weight of the lift pushes the air out. Always re-check the fluid level after bleeding.