2 Post Lift Positioning, Just bought one and need some advice Options

[dcheek]

I just purchase and picked up a 2 post lift. It's an Atlas BP 8000 symmetrical lift. I have 27" on either side of the posts. I want to position as close to the front wall as possible, but still leave enough room to walk around the front of my 914. Any suggestions as to the distance from the post to the front wall ? My initial guestimate is 10 feet???

Dave

[MMW]

Below copied/pasted from Greg Smith website --(I'm sure other manufacturers have similar)
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The Most Frequently Asked Question: How Far Should The Columns Be Set From The Front Wall?

If your lift has asymmetric arms, then we recommend the center of the columns should be set about 9-10 feet off the front wall. If your lift has symmetric arms, then we recommend that the center of your columns should be about 12 feet off the front wall.

If your lift has either the Atlas exclusive super symmetric arms or the versa-metric arms (found on the Atlas PV-10P), then we recommend to install the center of the lift columns about 10 feet off the front wall. The versatility of the above arms will allow the customer to "fudge" the position of the vehicle to allow the owner to walk around the front or back of the vehicle.

If a vehicle is to be asymmetrically positioned on the lift, then 30% of the vehicle will be in front of the columns and 70% of the vehicle will be positioned to the rear of the columns.

If your work bay is only 25 feet long, and the vehicle is 18 feet long, the front part of the vehicle will be about 4-5 feet in front of the columns. If your columns are about 9 feet from the front wall, you will have about 4 feet of space between the hood of the car and the front wall.

If the vehicle is to be symmetrically positioned on the lift, then 50% of the vehicle will be in front of the lift and 50% behind the column. If the vehicle is 18 feet long, then there will be about 3 feet between the front of the vehicle and the front wall.

Important Things To Consider:
•If you have a service bay that is 25 feet long and you are lifting a dually crew cab with an eight foot bed (total length of 23 feet)...you will have only one foot to spare from each end of the truck.

•If you weigh over 500 lbs., and your pant waist size is 67, then the three feet that you have allowed in front of the columns may not be adequate.

•If you have a $20,000.00 Snap-On ® tool box that is the size of a small home, you may need additional space between the front of the vehicle and the front wall.

•We would strongly recommend standing the columns up in your bay and then driving the longest vehicle that you think you would lift between the columns into a position that would allow the lift arms to reach the correct lifting points.

•If you can position this largest vehicle in a "safe" lifting position (and still have enough room to maneuver), then all smaller vehicles should be a piece of cake.

•When in doubt; let common sense prevail.