Finally got the Chargers double-stacked!! - pics

[OldGuy]

I've been looking for a 4-post lift for a while, so I can double stack the Chargers in the garage.  I had narrowed my choice down to three:  BackYard Buddy, Rotary or Double Park – all three made in America.  A few weeks back I was looking through the local news classified section and saw a Double Park for sale.   I called Double Park (Cytech) to verify that it was in fact their product.  The owner of Double Park said he was 10 weeks out on delivery and it would cost $4,000+ to get a new one out to Salt Lake City from Kansas.  He said if I could get it for the asking price (less than ½ price of a new one), I should write a check on the spot for it.  Well, I made contact with the seller and went up to Park City area of Utah and verified it was in fact a Double Park lift.  The seller is a real estate agent and got it from a client he was selling a house for.  The seller's garage ceiling is too low (8') so he couldn't use it and decided to sell.  I looked it over, verified that all of the parts were there and saw that it was in great condition – wrote a check to him right there and then. 

We took the trailer up and loaded it up and brought it home.  It sat on the trailer for a couple of weeks before we could get around to setting it up.  Last Saturday was the big day to set it up.  Got a neighbor and my son to help out.  Fortunately, when the guy took it apart, he broke it down just enough to move it, so most of the parts were still together.  The cables were still hooked to the hydraulic piston, so we just had to run them up the posts to the top caps.  The lock rods were still hooked up on the cross bars, so we only had to hook up the lock handle and main rod. 

The most time consuming part of setting it up was moving the ramps and getting it positioned properly in the garage.  We found the best way to move the ramps around was to use an engine hoist.  We measured from the center of the garage floor out equidistant to the outside edges of the ramps and also equidistant from both ends of the garage.  We then sat the ramps on 20 inch crates as close to the measurements as possible.  Next, we positioned the posts on each corner of the ramps and put the front and rear cross bars into the posts.  Using a hydraulic jack, we just lifted the crossbars up to where they aligned with the ends of the ramps and bolted them together.  We then ran the cables, hooked up the lock rods, hooked up the hydraulic pump and it was done.  We started around 7:30am and were done by 11:00am. 

After we got it set up, it had some wiggle in it.  It looked like either the floor wasn't exactly flat or the post footings were cupped a bit.  So, we decided to bolt it down.  Had to go to Home Depot and rent a cement drill.  Drilled holes for 5/8 inch bolts, hammered the anchors into the floor and bolted the puppy down.  It is solid as a rock now.  Moved the lift up and down a couple of times to make sure the hydraulic fluid was pumping and then loaded the 68 Charger on it.  We have an 11" ceiling, which worked out perfectly for clearance on both cars.  It is a little tight on the ends, but that is due to the length of the garage.  The important thing was to be able to get both doors up and down, which we can do with no sweat. 

Man it is great.  My son is 6'4" and can stand under the car without having to stoop down.  The 4-post is the only way to go for working under a car and storing them.

Pic #1 & #2:
Lift on trailer after moving it home
Pic #3:
Unloading the ramps from the trailer into the garage 

[OldGuy]

Pic #4:
Positioning the ramps on the crate
Pic #5:
Setting the cross bars on the posts
Pic #6:
Routing the cables around the pulleys

[OldGuy]

Pic #7:
Routing the cables towards the posts
Pic #8:
Hooking up the lock rods
Pic #9
Locking mechanism on lock block

[OldGuy]

Pic #10:
Post bolted to the floor
Pic #11:
Drive up ramp - perfectly placed!!
Pic #12:
68 Charger on top - 6'4" son standing underneath!

[Blown70]

   NICE one of these days I will need to get one of those ..... Thankfully I have a 35x40 shop for now, plus house gargage, but could use the extra room in the winter..

[OldGuy]

Pic #13:
69 Charger under the ramp
Pic #14
Both Chargers stacked
Pic #15
Another angle of the double stack

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Jealous man....very jealous! 

[Musicman]

Farg'n spoiled bastages  

Way to go brother    Outstanding purchase 

[41husk]

Sweet !! thats my dream.  What is the lowest seiling you can have and work?  I am only 5'5" bu would love to double stack them.  I am getting old and it sure is nice to lift em up for repairs and detailing rather than bending over

[WingCharger]

I wish I had one Charger that was in the way!

[Dans 68]

Very sweet     I would get one if I had a taller garage!     

Dan

[bull]

Excellent. And to have something like that to work beneath the top car would be twice as cool.

[XS29J8]

Hey Carl, is that you in the pics? Looks like you got the space saver system worked out! Looks GREAT!

Cheers,

Steve

[Finn]

Very nice. I like the 68 in the driveway, for some reason that "unfinished project" look appeals to me haha...seems like I set myself up for a long time of owning money pits .

[OldGuy]

Hey Carl, is that you in the pics? Looks like you got the space saver system worked out! Looks GREAT!

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,
How are you doing?  Long time - no hear!!  The short guy with the beard is my neighbor - I was taking the pictures.  Yeah, I've got too many cars and not enough space.  So, the double stack.  How's the Hemi running?
Carl

[OldGuy]

Sweet !! thats my dream.  What is the lowest seiling you can have and work?  I am only 5'5" bu would love to double stack them.  I am getting old and it sure is nice to lift em up for repairs and detailing rather than bending over

The ceiling height dictates the height you can raise the car.  You have to allow for the height of the car (Charger is about 53"), plus the ramp height - most are around 4 1/2", plus about 6" clearance from the ceiling to the top of the car.  The lock blocks come in about 6" increments.  So, for a rough guess - my son is 6'4" and had more than an inch clearance when he stood under the car.  Our ceiling is 11'4".  So, your ceiling could drop down to 10'4" to start.  Plus, there is at least 12" clearance between the top Charger and the ceiling as it sits - so take maybe another 6"-8" inches off.  It would be tight if you had a ceiling under 9'6" and still wanted to stand straight up.

[69bronzeT5]

I wish I had one of those..but my garage isn't tall enough.

[Dodge Don]

I have a 4 post lift as well. They really aren't that expensive. My garage ceiling is 9' high. With my Charger on it raised that leaves me about 3" shy of being able to fit another one underneath. However for me it was more about the ability to work on the car with ease and storing the car out of harms way from the kids. I love that lift. 

I opted for the aluminum entry ramps as the steel ones are heavy to put on/off. I did the same as you...each post is bolted into the floor with 2 studs. I stored the casters since I have no plans to roll the whole thing around.

[41husk]

We are looking for houses now, I go to the garage first with my tape measure.  Mine would be more for maintenance and detailing, but if you got it you might as well be able to put em 2 high So, 9' 4" would do it, 10' would be ideal   Thanks

[OldGuy]

We are looking for houses now, I go to the garage first with my tape measure.  Mine would be more for maintenance and detailing, but if you got it you might as well be able to put em 2 high So, 9' 4" would do it, 10' would be ideal   Thanks

41husk -
You sound like my son - he is looking for a garage with a house attached!!

[PocketThunder]

We are looking for houses now, I go to the garage first with my tape measure.  Mine would be more for maintenance and detailing, but if you got it you might as well be able to put em 2 high So, 9' 4" would do it, 10' would be ideal   Thanks

41husk -
You sound like my son - he is looking for a garage with a house attached!!

Doesnt everybody!   

Nice set up Old Guy.   

[69*F5*SE]

Very nice setup you got yourself there, not to mention the Chargers 

[41husk]

No my wife is looking for a house, I could live in the garage if it's nice enough   My wife often gets mad when we go to look at a house and I go straight to the garage

[billssuperbird]

 

[tan top]

nice set up , made more space , both cars out the way   

[BMOTOXSTAR]

That is one great set up. Are you sure that the top lift will hold up the other Charger?
Man, it is cool but kinda' scarry.

[OldGuy]

That is one great set up. Are you sure that the top lift will hold up the other Charger?
Man, it is cool but kinda' scarry.

It went up and down pretty easily.  The lift is rated for 7,000lbs.  They test it with 21,000lbs - three times the rated limited.  The only concern I have is if we have an earthquake and the top Charger starts to hop and slides off.  It won't come all the way down because of the corner posts, but if the tires come off the ramp - it could be a problem.

[41husk]

I think if you get enough movement to bounce the top cars wheels off the ramp, your gonna have alot more to worry about than the lift

[Old Moparz]

Very nice!   

I've had mine up for several years now, & don't think I'd be able to live without them if I ever had to move.

[mopar0166]

whats the height of your ceiling?

[bakerhillpins]

Several responded with 10' as a good height. Here are the OPs comments.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,48623.msg530935.html#msg530935

[jhoop]

What type do garage door openers do you have?  Obviously not the ones with the beam in the center about 8 ft. high.  I really like how your garage doors go clear up to the ceiling hight.

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

For clearance, you need a Jack Shaft opener and high lift track conversion:

http://www.amazon.com/LiftMaster-3800-Residential-Jackshaft-Garage/dp/B000MT7WV4

[Highbanked Hauler]

No my wife is looking for a house, I could live in the garage if it's nice enough   My wife often gets mad when we go to look at a house and I go straight to the garage
[/quote

     Been there done that and been yelled at too.

[triple_green]

This is very cool! Congrats Carl!

The Seattle Charger scene misses you!

[remta1]

Awesome

[mightywing7]

  Great install!  Thanks for sharing (and making us all jealous too!).