Any reason not to store a trailer on a 2-post lift?

I'm looking at a house with a 3-car garage that's built extra deep (~30').

In the long run, I'd like to put a 2-post lift in the 3rd stall...

Now, this house is in a neighborhood so I have some restrictions about not having trailers in the yard or long term in the driveway, and monthly storage lot rentals add up quick. So, it got me thinking... is there any reason not to store an open car trailer on a 2-post lift up in the air?

I figure that way I can park the race car underneath it for day to day storage, and obviously still have a hoist in my garage whenever I want to use it (at which point I could put the trailer in the driveway, or shove it in the 2nd bay and park the DD outside if it's a long term project on the hoist.

Thoughts?

As long as you have a permemant place to store your trailer outside on your property, no reason for it to be inside on the lift. The rule is just there to avoid parking the trailer in the middle of the front yard and leaving it there on the grass.

I'd only be afraid of the balance of the trailer on the lift within the given space.

Sure, why not.

No different from storing a car I guess...you just have to be mindful of any structural issues with the trailer and make sure the weight is on a mechanical lock on the lift and not the hydraulic system so it won't fall.

Maybe I'm just being a cheap ass, or maybe I'm just trying to justify the cost of a lift.

I figure a storage spot at $50/mo. for a trailer is $600/year. 2 years of that will pay for a good used lift (or a new cheap one). Anything beyond that is like profit (okay not really...), and a trailer is flat so could be raised all the way up and out of the way.

Plus I'd use it for car stuff. Just daydreaming at work...

Absolutely buy the lift.

why not store the race car on the trailer in the 3rd bay when its not being worked on? then its always ready to go. If youre working on it park dd in the driveway and put trailer in another bay.

Store the race car on the trailer on the lift! Tons of space. Just a heads up, the arms on my lift (rotary) only go up about 6'2". I.can walk under, but it's not the same as having have open space.

xflowgolf wrote: Thoughts?

2-post lifts tend to be wider than a typical residential garage bay and you need to be able to walk around the posts so you don't want them against a wall. With that in mind and not knowing the exact dimensions of the garage other than the 30' depth mentioned, I'd put the lift in the back of the center bay, store the car on the trailer in the back of another bay.

andrave wrote: why not store the race car on the trailer in the 3rd bay when its not being worked on? then its always ready to go. If youre working on it park dd in the driveway and put trailer in another bay.

Actually I had thought of doing this and putting the lift in the middle bay, just deeper into the garage, so that I wouldn't have to pull all the way into the lift unless I was actually using it, so ingress/egress would be easier for the DD.

Two post lifts take up a fair amount of space on either side, so take that into account when looking at how wide the garage is. A four post lift may be worth considering as well.

If you do put it on a lift for long term storage, it may be wise to run a few cables from the joists with carabiners that clip onto the trailer frame. The longer the trailer, the less force it takes on the end to tip it. If you're working underneath it, it would be worth the peace of mind. Be sure to spread the cable load on the joist with some sheet metal.

Personally, I wouldn't store anything on a 2-post lift long-term, but then I live in earthquake country... :) The cables that Warren mentions are probably a good idea.

I think you might have trouble getting it onto the lift, though. Your typical 2-axle, open car trailer is A) wider than most cars and B) has a pair of wheels that are pretty close to the center of gravity. I suspect that even if you can fit it between the posts, the wheels are going to be occupying the space that the arms want to go through to get to the frame.

Can you fit it in the side/back yard if you put a gate in the fence?

codrus wrote: Can you fit it in the side/back yard if you put a gate in the fence?

Not sure if that's allowed yet. This is strictly theoretical as it's a home we are considering buying, not one we already own.

Can you create a tipping device to tip the trailer on its side against the wall?

I couldn't imagine living where I had to pay to put a trailer indoors. That said I don't live in an area that HOA neighborhoods are required to not live in questionable areas to raise kids etc.

xflowgolf wrote:

codrus wrote: Can you fit it in the side/back yard if you put a gate in the fence?

Not sure if that's allowed yet. This is strictly theoretical as it's a home we are considering buying, not one we already own.

Call the HOA and call the village/town/county that has zoning control and ask questions. I always ask about homeowner renovation laws (electrical/plumbing, what requires a permit, inspection requirements for typical remodel activities) as well as clarify what vehicle storage laws are for homes I'm interested in. They will answer or supply you the ordinances. You may just have to make an apointment and drop by.

I drew up garage layouts for 4 houses and had them reviewed before I bought ours. One of the houses I even found out how to get it rezoned allowing building in the half lot that came with it.

As i was getting towards the end of the thread i was about to start laughing that noone had noticed... but Codrus did.

Good look putting a tandem axle on a 2-post lift without some extra rigging or trickery. If it has rails on the side you may be able to lift the arms, swing them under the rails, and pick the trailer up from there, but there is little chance that you will get the arms on a 2-post to pick up a tandem axle (anything that can carry a car) in a place that will let the trailer balance on the lift. The other solution that comes to mind is to leave the arms facing straight fore and aft and put beams across underneath the trailer to sit on top of the lift arms and catch the trailer on the frame.

Or, the baller solution which i personally like when ive had the opportunity to use them... Drive-on (4-post) lifts with trolley jacks.

A much cheaper alternative... Go to the closest army surplus store, buy some Camouflage netting. Preferably some that blends in with local foliage. Park your trailer in the driveway/backyard and cover it with the Camouflage netting Might have to layer it. It has worked for my parents for a 5 years in their backyard. Also, just in case, don't piss off the neighbors.. Even if you do piss them off, most people don't have a problem looking at what appears to be greenery.

Seriously though, unless you know what is under it at my parents place you would never know what is there.

Also Shop around.. A lot!!! I did a quick search and found prices all over the map for the same product. From way too expensive.. To how the hell do you stay in business...

Width won't fit.

I've got a 2 post lift and a car trailer. I've tried it.

I would imagine that depends on the lift. Ive driven dually pickups straight through a 2 post lift before. But i imagine the home user is probably not going to end up with the biggest/nicest/safest 2 post...

Otherwise they'd just buy a 4 post with trolley jacks.