Which Vehicle Hoist is Best for Your Home Garage Workshop? 

There are so many different vehicle hoists on the market! From 2-post and 4-post car hoists through to smaller structures like scissor and portable lifts, there is a fit for every home garage workshop. And choosing the right one for your setup is essential! 

At Joel’s Garage Gear, we have a wide range of high-quality car hoists that are guaranteed to last and get the job done right. No matter what kind of garage workshop you have, we have a product to suit everyone. Just take it from one of our satisfied customers, Belakor, who said: “I bought a 4.5T hoist from these guys. They were responsive to my questions about the product and Lev was great to deal with. The shipping was fast, I think it was just under a week. The product looks and works great and the assembly instructions were easy to understand. I am really happy with it…”

So, if you need help getting started and choosing the right vehicle hoist for your garage workspace, this guide will recommend and inform you on everything you need to know. 

Understanding the Basics of Vehicle Hoist Installations

Before choosing your car hoist, it is important to be aware of the different requirements for installation. Knowing these will help you install your hoist safely and make sure that your brand-new product performs for the long-term. 

Concrete Thickness and Prep

A vehicle hoist needs a surface to securely bolt into so that when it lifts a car, all of that weight and torque transfers into those anchor points. And for this, you need a concrete floor that is strong enough not to crack or let those anchors pull out. 

The recommended thickness and strength is 125 mm at 32 MPa. This means that the concrete slab should be 125 mm thick and made from concrete that is rated to 32 megapascals. You must also make sure that the concrete slab has cured for a minimum of 28 days as this is the industry standard and will guarantee that the material is strong enough to handle all of the exerted force from the hoist. 

Unfortunately, most home garage slabs are a lot thinner than this, which means that your average floor isn’t rated for this kind of installation. You will have to adjust your existing slab to make it more suitable for a vehicle hoist (that is anchored in), because having an unsecured vehicle hoist can make work incredibly dangerous and unsustainable for the long run. 

Workshop Height 

Another important factor to consider is the ceiling height of your workshop. The first thing you need to do is measure the lowest-hanging obstruction of your garage – this could be door tracks, roller door motor, lights, or rafters. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the highest point of the ceiling. Then, you’ll need to stack up the tallest vehicle height, how far the lift travels upward, and the clearance for the person standing underneath or around it. 

Vehicle hoists are tall structures and need a lot of clearance to function properly. Before you choose the type of hoist, measuring the height of your workshop needs to be one of your first priorities. 

Power Access 

Without power, your vehicle hoist cannot function – it’s as simple as that. Most homes run on a standard single-phase 240V/15A power. This is the normal household circuit in Australia. However, some vehicle hoists need more power to operate! Some products need three-phase power or industrial-grade wiring to run, and these can be quite costly to install if you don’t have it. 

Compliance with Safety Standards 

One of the most important things to consider is compliance – is your hoist compliant with AS/NZS 1418.9? AS/NZS 1418.9 is the Aus/NZ safety standard for lifting equipment. By choosing to buy from our extensive range here at Joel’s Garage Gear, you are choosing a product that is already compliant and ready to go with all legalities in check! 

Along with this, AS 2550.15 is the standard requiring annual inspections once the structure is installed. And be aware that insurers are really strict with regular inspections! If a hoist is uninspected or non-compliant, your insurer may void a claim and prevent you from using it further. 

Knowing these will guarantee that you won’t get tangled up in the legalities and that all of your hoists are compliant and safety certified. 

What Are the Different Types of Car Hoists?

Home workshops never follow a cookie-cutter approach! There are so many different types of workshops suitable for different jobs. From small, single-car workshops through to multi-car hobby workshops, every space is unique. And this is why you need a vehicle hoist that works best for your venture! At Joel’s Garage Gear, we have products to suit both the beginner and the enthusiast!

4-Post Vehicle Hoist

The classic 4-post vehicle hoist is a staple of Australian home workshops. Enthusiasts and beginners alike love the 4-post hoist because it is easy to use and space-efficient. These structures also don’t need to be anchored into the floor, meaning that you can move them around depending on what works best for your workshop. 4-post vehicle hoists work best for general vehicle maintenance like oil changes and detailing, and they allow for long-term storage. 

2-Post Vehicle Hoist

The next type of hoist on the market is a 2-post vehicle hoist. Made for more professional workshops, 2-post hoists give unlimited access to the entire undercarriage of a car. This makes them great for brakes and suspension checks as well as transmission work and wheel servicing. 

Unlike their 4-post counterparts, a 2-post hoist needs to be anchored into the ground. This is where the depth of your concrete really comes into the picture. Because they rely on 2 posts to carry the heavy load, balance and stability are essential to handle the intense leverage. Without it, the structure can become dangerously unstable and risk the safety of everyone standing around it.

Scissor Hoist

And finally, the trusted scissor hoist. Scissor hoists are great for low-clearance garages and offer an alternative for where your traditional post hoists may not fit. They offer the perfect solution for regular maintenance such as wheel, tyre, and brake servicing; however, they have restricted undercarriage access. 

If you are looking for a small, compact hoist that does minor servicing and DIY works, the scissor hoist is your best choice. 

Look No Further Than Joel’s Garage Gear for Your Next Hoist!

Choosing the right hoist can be tricky. With so many options out there and so many different requirements you have to be aware of, it can often be quite an overwhelming decision. And that is why our team at Joel’s Garage Gear is here to help! 

With over 10 years of industry experience, our team knows the ins-and-outs of vehicle hoists. We will be able to help guide you in making the right decision and choosing a hoist that works for you. We have an extensive range of different vehicle hoists that are tailored to suit both the beginner and the enthusiast! 

So, if you are ready to transform your home garage with a vehicle hoist that works for you, browse through our product catalogue on our website, or get in touch with us today! We make buying car hoists easy, because every home workshop deserves the best of the best when it comes to their setup.