Teardrop Storage/Garage Lift

We have a 3 car garage (11.75 foot ceiling) and we have a three cars. A 2005 GMC Envoy, a 2013 Outback and a 1975 Triumph TR6. All three comfortable fit in our garage. With a 560 due in April have been looking at storage options. A 3000lb 4 post lift is an option I am looking at. Cost would be about $2K (Installed). Figure it would pay for itself in 2 years. I have the height if I store the TR6 or Outback beneath the trailer or TR6 above the trailer. Anyone had any experience with it? Thanks R

 

Can you put your Triumph on car dolly's and re-arrange to create more floor space?

 

No have tried that it would be just too tight....

 

Ron,

Jeremy and Shannon from IL (#700) do this. Their garage came with a lift already installed because the previous owner had a sports car he kept up on the lift. If I recall their ceiling height was a tad less than yours. They had to call the lift company to come out and modify the ramps slightly to be flatter and take less space. Worked out perfect.

Depending on the lift it might make sense to put the TR6 on the lift instead of the trailer. Remember, the trailer is three point contact to the ground. Many of the lifts are going to have two channels for the car's tires. Where do you set the jack wheel then? I believe Jeremy and Shannon's lift is a flat deck.

Besides it is likely you will use the 560 more often.

Pretty cool how affordable these lifts are. My dad has a heavy duty two post in his shop, can't live without that thing.

Cary

 

Cary you know the trailers top to bottom. Do you think a two post lift would work with the CI 560? If I am correct they lift car/trailer via the frame...

 

Ron,

I probably would not try to use a two post to lift the teardrop. Just no good lifting points underneath, frame is tucked in too well. Plus, the weight bias is so far back.

Cary

 

Ron & Missy - We are just seeing this post or we would have chimed in earlier. We are the owners that Cary referenced above who are storing #700 on a lift. It's working great for us. The previous owners of our home had a summer/winter car and used the lift to store 3 cars in a two car garage. We found we needed to have the lift company move the rails out a bit to work with the 560. My husband built a wood floor between the rails for the front of the trailer to rest and we store items around the camper. The only "issue" we have is that while the 560 is easy for one person to push around it's not as easy to push it up the small ramp onto the lift (2 of us pushing can not get it up the ramp). We have found that if we push it into perfect alignment and then hook it back up to the tow vehicle and give it a little push up the ramp then unhook it and push it into the correct placement, it works fine.

If I can figure out how to post photos to this thread I will include a couple photos so you can see our arrangement and hopefully it will help you, or anyone else who might be considering a lift for storage.

 

Thanks! Very cool. When we got home Missy had to park GMC outside which lasted about a week. We have a three car garage, a two car and a single car beside. We did some rearranging and actually got the 560 and TR-6 to sit side by side on tbe single side and the GMC and Outback on the double side. Things are a bit tight on the single side but works for now. We have a 11.5 feet ceilings in garage so think a lift will be in our future so much wasted space above. Its like I tell her never enough space for my toys...we are going try to make it to Tears on the River so maybe see you there...R