4 Post Lifts

How a 4 Post Lift Works

A 4 post lift supports a vehicle on two parallel runways instead of raising it from frame contact points, so you drive the vehicle on rather than positioning arms underneath it. That makes it the fastest lift type to load and the most forgiving for less experienced users, since there's no risk of missing a lift point. The trade-off is that the underside stays largely inaccessible once raised, which is why most 4 post lifts are built primarily for storage, parking, and light service rather than heavy undercarriage repair.

Getting Undercarriage Access on a Four Post Lift

If you need to work underneath a vehicle parked on a four post car lift, a rolling jack solves that. These accessories slide along the runways and raise a section of the vehicle independently, letting you perform brake service, tire changes, or light suspension work without a separate lift. Some four post models also come in an alignment-deck configuration with turnplates and slip plates built into the runways, which is worth choosing specifically if alignment work is part of your regular service mix rather than an occasional job.

Open Front vs. Closed Front Designs

Front-runway design affects how easily technicians move around a raised vehicle. Closed front models have a continuous runway across the front, which is the standard configuration for most storage and general service use. Open front designs remove that connecting piece, giving technicians a clear walkway to step through rather than around the vehicle, a detail that matters more in busy shops with frequent foot traffic between bays than it does in a single-car home garage.

Storage-Focused vs. Service-Focused Models

Not every 4-post lift is built for the same purpose. Compact hobbyist models are designed primarily to stack a second vehicle in unused overhead space and prioritize a lower price point over service features. Commercial-grade models add wider runways, higher rise heights, and heavier-duty cable or chain drive systems built for shops cycling the lift multiple times a day. Matching the model to how often you'll actually use it, rather than just its weight rating, avoids paying for commercial durability you don't need or under-buying for daily shop use.

Free-Standing vs. Bolted to the Floor

Whether a 4 post lift needs to be anchored depends largely on its class. Commercial-grade four post lifts must be bolted to a concrete floor of specified thickness and hardness, since the weight and frequency of use demand that level of stability. Home and hobby models, generally defined as any lift at 9,000 lbs. capacity or less, are built to be free-standing instead and don't require bolting down at all. Many of these hobbyist models also offer a wheel kit that makes the lift fully portable, sometimes as an optional accessory and sometimes bundled into a package deal with other accessories, giving you the flexibility to reposition or move the lift as your garage needs change.

Backed by ASE Deals Since 1996

Every four post car lift we sell carries a lowest price guarantee and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and if a warranty issue comes up, we act as your advocate with the manufacturer rather than pointing you elsewhere. With installers and service centers available nationwide, we can arrange professional installation whether you're setting up a single home garage lift or outfitting a commercial fleet bay.