4-Post Lifts

How to choose a 4-post car lift

A 4-post lift raises the vehicle on its own tires using two drive-on runways, so it's stable, easy to load, and — in most cases — free-standing, meaning no anchoring into the slab. That makes it the top choice for car storage, long-term service, and alignment work. The decision comes down to purpose, capacity, and footprint.

Storage vs. service vs. alignment

Storage lifts like the BendPak HD-9, Challenger CL4P9, and Forward EFP9 are built to park a second car in the same garage bay — narrow runways, casters, and 7K–9K capacity. Service lifts add open-front runways and rolling jacks for wheels-free work. Alignment lifts such as the Rotary ARO16 include slip plates and turn-plate pockets for precision wheel alignment.

Capacity & size

For cars and light trucks, 7,000–9,000 lb covers storage and 12,000–14,000 lb covers most service work. Fleets, duallies, and shuttle buses step up to 18,000–30,000 lb (Challenger 18K, 30K), and the heaviest commercial platforms reach 40,000–60,000 lb. Check runway length against your wheelbase and overall width against your bay.

Ceiling & clearance

Most home-storage 4-posts need about 11–12 ft of ceiling to stack two vehicles; low-profile garages should confirm rise plus stacked vehicle height. Service and alignment lifts vary by model.

Brands we carry

We stock BendPak, Rotary, Challenger, and Forward 4-post lifts. Compare with our 2-post lifts or browse all car lifts, and talk to our installers if you want help matching a lift to your garage.