Reading through "What did you do to your mini today" prompted me to think about getting a hoist, you know that stab of envy when you see someone else's mini sitting in their shed up in the air. But when I launch into some Google foo there is an endless array of options out there.

For those that have a hoist what did you choose and what do you like about it or more to the point would you do something different if you were to do it again? If you don't have a hoist I am interested in hearing what you would get if you were going to buy one?

2 post or 4?

CJ

I don't know... but I feel your pain... very much

Silas

I got a 4.5t 2 post clean floor (makes it easy to drive/roll a mini into position as there are no humps to get it over) and it's been the best thing I ever did. Cost about $2,500 delivered but I installed it. Need a very good slab to secured it to.
2 post has the advantage you can remove wheels/suspension etc to work on it and you only have to navigate around 2 posts. If you go 4 post you can still do it but you pay extra for the seperate jacks to get wheels off but it takes up a bit more room. I've seen some 4 posters on rollers that mean you can move it around you shed/garage and that's kind of neat.
Really comes down to what you need.
Cheers
Rod

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1967 New British Racing Green Mk1 Cooper S, 1967 Lake Green 1275 MG Midget, 1969 Jet Red / Crystal White Mk2 Cooper S, 1972 Gambier Turquoise Clubman GT (ex police), 1972 Camino Gold Clubman GT, 2009 JCW Challenge Edition, Megane RS265, Clio RS220.

I got this off ebay cheap. It needed some repairs and did the job.
Great for removing the engine as you can get to all the underneath stuff

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1970 MK2 Cooper S

This lot is popular with racers where cars are generally lower than road cars...

http://www.auscompanies.com/en/66169351 ... TS-PTY-LTD

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"Show me the Mini!"

100%

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Dalmeny

I like the ease of getting around a 2 post lift but also the idea of using a 4 post as secondary storage/parking is attractive too. I have just put in an order for a 21 x 8 shed with a 6 x 8 carport (I only get half as a workshop according to swmbo) so a hoist is pretty high on the list of things I want to add. Since you really only get to put it in once I figure I better pick right first time.

Two post or four post can provide for parking underneath? I'd go with a good two post. Type would depend on what headroom you have.

I know you can park under either type, just not too sure if i would want to leave a car up on a 2 post for an extended period of time. Probably just me but it just doesn't seem like the safest thing to do.

As for headroom the shed has 3.6m walls so I will have a min 3.6m headroom above where the hoist would be located.

I have three 2 posts in my shop and they all get used for under parking at night. here in California they have been through a few good earthquakes over the years and I haven't had any cars fall off yet!! They will all have mechanical locks so that they won't come down in the event of an hydraulic failure.

So would you feel comfortable leaving one up there for a few months? The option of extra long term parking is one thing I am considering which is where the 4 post was something I was looking at. Guess we aren't talking a lot of weight with a mini on it though are we?

Correct on the weight front! But at the moment I have a Rolls-Royce silver shadow on a two post with an MGA underneath and I have no worries about it. As for length of time, it makes no difference as I said the rack will have mechanical stops to stop it dropping down on the lower vehicle so no worries there either. The only thing you need worry about is fluids dripping on to the lower vehicle (not unknown with a mini) in my case I have a drop cloth and plastic sheet I put over the car's top surface to prevent premature paint removal (Rolls-Royce's love to drip highly corrosive RR363 brake fluid) With a four poster they actually make drip trays that fit between the runways to prevent that but for me the greater access to the vehicle overall makes the two poster much better. when I started 45 odd years ago the only racks were the big solid centre ram type with an X on top Followed by the four poster's then along came the two posters and it took me a long while before trusting it with a three ton RR balancing over my head!!

What is your ceiling height here?

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

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Tim

My Grandad's shed is awesome and is where we do all our servicing and mechanical work, he's got a Molnar 2 post hoist and it does everything we ask of it, has my Defender on it regularly plus his Jag collection. Ease of access is great for all jobs.

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1972 Mk3 Mini 1000, 1150cc supercharged.
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95872

I bought a Tufflift 2 poster a few years ago. I built my shed with it in mind as you need 3.8m clearance and a thicker slab. I got their installer to put it up, for safety reasons.

Probably one of the best things I've ever bought.

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1970 Mk2 Cooper S