How Much Space Do I Need for a Two-Post Lift?

One of the first questions we hear from customers considering a two-post lift is:

How much room do I actually need?

It sounds simple, but there is more to it than checking the overall width and height of the lift.

You need enough room for the lift itself, the vehicle being serviced, open vehicle doors, technicians working around it, garage doors, lights, heaters, walls, toolboxes and other equipment. The vehicles you intend to lift matter just as much as the dimensions of the lift.

For most two-post lift installations, we look at four things:

• Available bay width
• Available bay depth
• Ceiling height
• Obstructions around and above the lift

For this guide, we'll use Challenger's adjustable CL Series as examples, ranging from the 10,000 lb. CL10AV3 through the 20,000 lb. CL20.

Don't Confuse Lift Dimensions With Bay Dimensions

This is probably the most important point.

If a lift is 12 feet wide, that does not mean a 12-foot-wide room is a suitable lift bay.

Manufacturers provide service-bay layouts showing the clearance that should be maintained between the lift and the nearest obstruction. Those clearances provide room for the lift, vehicle and technician to operate properly.

We use those service-bay layouts when planning an installation, not simply the outside dimensions of the columns.

Challenger CL10AV3: 10,000 lb. Capacity

The CL10AV3 is one of the most common two-post lifts we install for general automotive service and residential garages.

It has adjustable width and height configurations, which gives us some flexibility when laying out a bay.

Bay Depth

The Challenger service-bay layout calls for:

12 feet from the columns to the nearest obstruction in front

12 feet from the columns to the nearest obstruction behind

That means you should plan on approximately:

24 feet of clear bay depth

This provides room for normal passenger vehicles, SUVs and light trucks while maintaining working space at both ends of the vehicle.

Bay Width

The CL10AV3 can be installed at three overall widths:

• 11' 6½"
• 12' ½"
• 12' 6½"

The required clearance to the nearest side obstruction changes with the selected width configuration.

Depending on the installation width, the service-bay layout calls for approximately:

• 13' 6" total clear width at the narrow setting
• 14' total clear width at the middle setting
• 14' 6" total clear width at the widest setting

In most shops, about a 14-foot-wide bay is a good planning number for a CL10AV3, but the exact width should be determined before the lift is installed.

If space permits, we generally prefer giving the lift more width rather than squeezing it into the narrowest configuration.

Ceiling Height

The standard CL10AV3 is designed to work with a 12-foot ceiling.

The standard columns can be installed at approximately 11' 2" or 11' 8". Challenger also offers 2-foot and 3-foot height extensions for taller shops.

That gives the CL10AV3 quite a bit of flexibility for everything from residential garages to commercial service bays.

What About the CL10A-XP9?

The CL10A-XP9 uses the same general CL10 platform but replaces conventional lift arms with drive-on pads for quick-service applications.

Its footprint is similar, so it generally follows the same basic bay-planning considerations.

Challenger CL12A and CL12A-LC: 12,000 lb. Capacity

Moving up to the CL12A gives you more capacity for heavier pickups, vans, SUVs and EVs.

The vehicles typically being serviced on a 12,000 lb. lift also tend to be longer and larger, which is why the bay requirement increases.

Bay Depth

The CL12A service-bay layout calls for:

14 feet from the columns to the nearest obstruction in front

14 feet from the columns to the nearest obstruction behind

That means the CL12A should be planned around a:

28-foot clear bay depth

This is an important difference between the CL10 and CL12.

A CL12 may physically fit into a shorter room, but the manufacturer's service-bay layout allows substantially more room for the larger vehicles the lift is designed to service.

Bay Width

The CL12A has three overall width settings:

• 11' 10"
• 12' 4"
• 12' 10"

Depending on the selected configuration, the required clearance to the nearest side obstruction results in approximately:

• 14' total clear width at the narrow setting
• 14' 6" total clear width at the middle setting
• 15' total clear width at the widest setting

For planning purposes, we would generally look for at least a 14-foot-wide bay, with additional width preferred when the lift will regularly service pickups, vans and wider vehicles.

CL12A-LC for a 12-Foot Ceiling

One of the most useful options in the CL12 family is the CL12A-LC low-ceiling model.

It has an overall column height of approximately 11' 11" and can be installed with a 12-foot ceiling.

That allows a shop or garage with limited ceiling height to have 12,000 lb. capacity without stepping down to a smaller lift.

Standard and Extended CL12 Heights

The standard CL12A offers multiple height configurations.

Depending on the version and installation setting, available column heights range from approximately:

• 13' 2" to 13' 8" on the standard CL12A
• 14' 2" to 14' 8" with the 1-foot extension
• 15' 2" to 15' 8" with the 2-foot extension

The required ceiling height increases accordingly.

This is useful in taller shops because additional overhead height gives you more room to raise taller vehicles.

Challenger CL16: 16,000 lb. Capacity

Once you move into a 16,000 lb. CL16, you're generally planning a bay around commercial trucks, larger pickups, vans, fleet vehicles and heavier EVs.

The space around the lift becomes just as important as the capacity.

Bay Depth

The CL16 service-bay layout calls for:

14 feet in front of the columns

14 feet behind the columns

That gives us a:

28-foot clear bay depth

Bay Width

Challenger recommends approximately a:

16-foot-wide service bay

The CL16 itself can be installed at three overall widths:

• 12' 10¾"
• 13' 4¾"
• 13' 10¾"

That provides approximately 10', 10' 6" or 11' between the columns.

The service-bay drawing provides approximately 7' 8" from the lift centerline to the nearest wall or obstruction, which is why a 16-foot-wide bay is a good planning target.

The additional width is valuable when you're working around wide trucks and commercial vehicles.

Ceiling Height

The standard CL16 can be configured at overall heights of approximately:

• 13' 6"
• 14'
• 14' 6"

With the extended-height version:

• 15' 6"
• 16'
• 16' 6"

Required ceiling height ranges from approximately 13' 8" to 16' 8", depending on the selected configuration.

The right height depends heavily on the vehicles you intend to service.

Challenger CL20: 20,000 lb. Capacity

The CL20 is the largest lift in this Challenger two-post family, with a 20,000 lb. lifting capacity.

At this point, we're typically talking about heavy pickups, service trucks, utility-body trucks and other commercial fleet vehicles.

Bay Depth

Like the CL12 and CL16, the CL20 service-bay drawing calls for:

14 feet of clearance in front of the columns

14 feet of clearance behind the columns

For a total clear bay depth of:

28 feet

Bay Width

Challenger recommends approximately a:

16-foot-wide service bay

The CL20 has the same adjustable overall-width options as the CL16:

• 12' 10¾"
• 13' 4¾"
• 13' 10¾"

Depending on the width setting, there is approximately 10', 10' 6" or 11' between the columns.

For the size of vehicles typically serviced on a 20,000 lb. lift, we would not recommend trying to squeeze the lift into the smallest possible space simply because the columns physically fit.

Working room matters.

Ceiling Height

The CL20 offers standard height configurations of approximately:

• 13' 6"
• 14'
• 14' 6"

The extended-height model can be configured at:

• 15' 6"
• 16'
• 16' 6"

Minimum required ceiling height ranges from approximately 13' 8" to 16' 8", depending on configuration.

Quick Reference

Lift	Capacity	Approx. Clear Bay Width	Clear Bay Depth	Minimum Ceiling
CL10AV3	10,000 lb.	13' 6"–14' 6"	24'	12'
CL10A-XP9	9,000 lb.	Similar to CL10AV3	24'	12'
CL12A-LC	12,000 lb.	14'–15'	28'	12'
CL12A	12,000 lb.	14'–15'	28'	Approx. 13' 3"+
CL16	16,000 lb.	Approx. 16'	28'	Approx. 13' 8"+
CL20	20,000 lb.	Approx. 16'	28'	Approx. 13' 8"+

These are planning dimensions based on the manufacturer's service-bay layouts. The exact requirement depends on the width and height configuration selected for the lift.

Ceiling Height Isn't the Same as Usable Overhead Clearance

A garage can have a 14-foot ceiling and still only have 10 feet of usable lifting height.

We regularly have to account for things such as:

• Garage door tracks
• Open garage doors
• Garage door openers
• Lighting
• Radiant heaters
• Ceiling fans
• Structural beams
• HVAC ductwork
• Electrical conduit
• Air piping
• Sprinkler piping

The lowest obstruction above the vehicle is what ultimately determines how high you can raise it.

Garage Doors Can Be the Limiting Factor

This is particularly common in residential garages.

A garage may have a tall ceiling, but a conventional overhead door and opener may occupy much of that space when the door is open.

In some situations, converting the door to a high-lift track arrangement and using a wall-mounted opener can dramatically increase usable lift height.

That's why we want to look at the garage door both open and closed when planning a residential lift.

Don't Forget the Height of the Vehicle

The lift fitting inside the building does not automatically mean every vehicle can be raised to full working height.

A sports car and a high-roof commercial van can be placed on the same lift and have completely different overhead-clearance requirements.

If you want to comfortably stand under pickups and vans, the height of the vehicle needs to be considered along with the lift.

This becomes increasingly important with CL12, CL16 and CL20 applications.

More Space Is Usually Better

Adjustable-width lifts exist so they can accommodate different buildings and applications.

That doesn't mean the narrowest setting is always the best setting.

When space allows, additional width provides:

• More room to open vehicle doors
• Easier vehicle positioning
• Better access around pickups and SUVs
• More comfortable technician working space
• Greater flexibility for future vehicles

If we're laying out a new shop where space isn't already dictated by existing walls, we generally prefer designing a comfortable working bay rather than building to the absolute minimum.

The Concrete Still Has to Work

Even if the room is large enough, the lift still has to be located where it can safely be anchored.

The Challenger lifts discussed here generally require a minimum of:

• 4 inches of reinforced concrete
• 3,500 PSI concrete
• At least 28 days of curing

The current installation manuals also require anchors to remain clear of cracks, slab edges and expansion joints.

That means a control joint, crack, drain or slab edge can sometimes determine where the lift sits just as much as the walls of the building.

We've covered this subject in more detail in our article on why automotive lifts can't be installed too close to cracks, seams and saw cuts.

So, How Much Space Do You Need?

As a simple starting point:

CL10AV3:

Plan on approximately a 14' × 24' bay with a 12-foot ceiling.

CL12A / CL12A-LC:

Plan on approximately a 14'–15' × 28' bay, depending on lift width.

CL16 / CL20:

Plan on approximately a 16' × 28' bay.

Those dimensions are a starting point, not a substitute for laying out the actual lift.

Before ordering a two-post lift, we recommend looking at the complete space, including the concrete, ceiling, garage doors, vehicle sizes and surrounding equipment.

Northcoast Equipment Specialists provides automotive lift sales, installation, and service throughout Northeast Ohio. If you're planning a lift and aren't sure whether it will work in your available space, we can help determine the proper lift and layout before installation.