Which Hoist Should I Buy: 2-Post or 4-Post?

Hero Hoists hears this question a lot. There’s no correct answer to this question! However, by comparing advantages and disadvantages of both styles of hoists, we can make your choice a little easier.

Most professional workshops know what type of hoist will work best for their business. They have both 2-post and 4-post above ground hoists in their service bays. Unlike these workshops many people will only buy one hoist for their home garage. 

Hero Hoists Australia wants you to make the best choice…

Why are you buying a hoist?

”I just want to store my car and do a little cleaning and polishing once in a while. I am not a "big car guy", and really only want a lift to store a car that I will not be driving much."

If this sounds like you, and if "storing a car" is the primary reason for owning a hoist, we would recommend a 4-post hoist. That’s definitely not to say a 4-poster isn’t good for all kinds of servicing (especially true when you option it with a Jacking Beam or 2) and we know many mechanics who swear by their 4-posters for ANY kind of servicing… as they’re much quicker to position the car - and in a home situation (where other people may have access to the garage) are considered a much safer proposition.

The 4-post hoist supports your vehicle’s entire ‘wheels’ much better than a 2-post hoist. Imagine yourself suspended 1.80m in the air. Would you rather have your entire body supported (as if lying in a bed) or would you rather have just your torso supported (lying in a string hammock) with your arms and legs dangling?

A 4-post hoist acts much like the bed, supporting the entire vehicle. The 2-post lift acts like the hammock, supporting only the torso, and allowing the four wheel assemblies to "dangle". That may end up putting too much strain on the suspension, and on some vehicles the chassis / bodywork will suffer as a consequence too…

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"I want to do all types of repairs to my vehicles, and I’m on a limited budget."

Then - depending on width & height constraints - you’ll probably prefer a 2-poster. The 2-post lift is the most inexpensive way to raise the most amount of weight. The 2-post hoist allows the operator to easily access all parts of the vehicle, including the wheel assemblies, whereas the 4-post hoist requires an auxiliary scissor lift (usually at extra cost) that will raise the car off the runways (to allow wheels-free service).

Keep in mind however that while the overall footprint is less than a 4-poster, you’ll need a wider and higher space to install a 2-poster. The minimum height requirement is about 2.85m, and the minimum installed width is generally 3.45m to 3.55m.

Or, you might choose a storable 2-poster instead. They generally don’t allow full working height - but our 3.20T model gets close to it, and installs into just 2.014m height - a nice space-saver choice…

A typical standard-sized 4-poster will install into less than 3.0m width and under 2.30m height. Individual models vary and high-lift models need more space.

Other Factors

A 4-post hoist can be portable (most come with a free castor kit). That means if you decide to reposition it, or transport it to another location, it’s easy. Standard-sized 4-posters can be transported on the back of a tilt-tray truck with a ‘wide-load’ permit. We do that when we go to car shows…

The 4-post hoist may also be permanently anchored. A 2-post hoist MUST be anchored to the ground.

A 2-post hoist will raise a car "higher" in a low ceiling garage. This is because the four wheel assemblies hang below the four lifting arms (the vehicle is lifted by the frame). 

For instance, a vehicle that is 155cm tall (from the bottom of the tyres to the luggage rack) will remain 155cm tall when lifted on a 4-post hoist. However, this same vehicle may only be 115cm tall when lifted on a 2-post hoist, because 40cm may be "hanging" below the arms. If you have a 3.0m ceiling, the 2-post hoist will raise most vehicles to about 1.80m off the ground.

* We do stock ‘low’ clearfloor models - which can sometimes fit a lower ceiling garage… they install into less than 3.50m ceiling height. Or, our 1-Post Portable Service Hoist might also be an option for you…  

Bottom-line is that a 4-post hoist makes it much quicker & easier to load and position the vehicle. The runways of the 4-post hoist make it easy for the operator to just drive onto the hoist. There is no need (as on a 2-post hoist) to get out of the car, kneel down, and correctly position the arms to ensure that the vehicle will be lifted safely and evenly.

Extremely low ground clearance vehicles are much easier to load on a 4-post hoist. Some owners self install their 4-posters - as it’s definitely easier to do (as they don’t need to be bolted down). On the 2-posters we highly recommend professional installation. 

The consequences of a faulty installation on a 2-post hoist can be dire…

So which hoist is right for you? Only you can make that decision. We just hope that your new hoist will come from us…

:)