Guides / Car lifts · Updated November 2026

2 post and 4 post lift dimensions

Inches, off each maker's install manual, spec sheet or product page. Adjustable lifts show narrowest to widest.

Short answer

A 2 post lift is 10 ft 11 in to 12 ft 8 in wide outside the columns, with 91 to 112 in between them to drive through. A 4 post lift is 8 ft 4 in to 9 ft 4 in wide and 16 ft 4 in to 19 ft 6 in long.

2 post lift dimensions

Lift	Overall width	Drive-thru	Column height
Challenger CL10AV3 Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	138½ to 150½ in	100 to 112 in	140 in
Rotary SPOA10-AV Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	137¼ to 151⅞ in	94⅞ to 109½ in	143½ in
Rotary SPO10 Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	137½ in	102½ in	140½ in
Forward I10 Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	131 in	99 in	143 in
BendPak 10AP Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	135 to 145 in	92 to 102 in	145 in
BendPak 10APX Overhead or clearfloor, 10,000 lb	135 to 145 in	92 to 102 in	157 in
Challenger CLFP9 Floorplate, 9,000 lb	137½ in	98⅛ in	120⅞ in
Rotary BP9 Floorplate, 9,000 lb	138½ in	97¼ in	111¼ in
BendPak 9APF Floorplate, 9,000 lb	136 to 146 in	91 to 101 in	123 in

Overall width is outside edge to outside edge of the columns or base plates. Drive-thru is the clear space between them, the widest vehicle that rolls in. Column height decides the ceiling; see ceiling height for car lift.

2 post lift layout dimensions

Width is what decides a 2 post layout. Here's each lift at its narrowest setting in a 12 ft wide single bay (144 in) and a 20 ft two-car garage (240 in), with the room left beside the columns.

Lift	12 ft bay	20 ft garage, centered
Challenger CL10AV3	2 in each side	50 in each side
Rotary SPOA10-AV	3 in each side	51 in each side
Rotary SPO10	3 in each side	51 in each side
Forward I10	6 in each side	54 in each side
BendPak 10AP	4 in each side	52 in each side
BendPak 10APX	4 in each side	52 in each side
Challenger CLFP9	3 in each side	51 in each side
Rotary BP9	2 in each side	50 in each side
BendPak 9APF	4 in each side	52 in each side

36 in each side is comfortable walking room. Most installs center the lift on a door, so check where the door sits, not just the wall-to-wall width. Garage sizes are from 1 car and 2 car garage dimensions.

4 post lift dimensions

Lift	Overall width	Overall length	Drive-thru	Column height
Challenger CL4P7 7,000 lb	100½ in	195½ in (16 ft 4 in)	-	79½ in
Challenger CL4P9S 9,000 lb	112¼ in	209½ in (17 ft 6 in)	-	84½ in
Challenger CL4P9X 9,000 lb	112¼ in	233½ in (19 ft 6 in)	-	96½ in
BendPak HD-9 9,000 lb	110¼ in	200 in (16 ft 8 in)	86½ in	88 in
BendPak HD-9ST 9,000 lb	100¼ in	200 in (16 ft 8 in)	76½ in	88 in
BendPak HD-9SW 9,000 lb, double-wide (two cars)	202 in	218½ in (18 ft 3 in)	178 in	90 in
BendPak HD-7P 7,000 lb	100¼ in	200 in (16 ft 8 in)	76½ in	100 in

Overall length is the maker's overall figure. Challenger prints the width inside the columns rather than a drive-thru figure, so those rows show a dash. The HD-9SW parks two cars side by side, so it's left out of the short answer.

4 post lift layout: does it fit the depth?

A 4 post lift is about the length of a full-size pickup, so depth is the problem. Here's each one in a 20 ft and a 24 ft deep garage, with the room left to walk around the ends.

Lift	20 ft deep	24 ft deep
Challenger CL4P7	44 in to spare	92 in to spare
Challenger CL4P9S	30 in to spare, tight	78 in to spare
Challenger CL4P9X	6 in to spare, tight	54 in to spare
BendPak HD-9	40 in to spare	88 in to spare
BendPak HD-9ST	40 in to spare	88 in to spare
BendPak HD-7P	40 in to spare	88 in to spare

Which one suits you is in two-post or four-post. Before you order either, check the concrete requirements and the car lift calculator for your ceiling.