A friend of mine who is a remodeling contractor, gave me an underground single post hydraulic lift he took out of a gas station when he converted it to a restaurant.

Seems like someone [might have been the Mac tool rep] told me something about lining the cylinder with something to prevent [Could have been electrolysis] from making the thing rust underground. It may just be an issue with Georgia red clay soils, I dunno

Anyone have any experience with these archaic beasts? I thinking about building yet another garage and don’t want to have to dig the thing up once it is installed.

 

You lucky devil...

You will need to protect the cylinder, but I am not sure with what...

Corrosion can be a problem in any soil or concrete mix.
Here the alkaline black Texas clay will eat up aluminum in no time.
I had two kinds of staked garden lights in the yard - the cheapo plastic ones and the top grade cast aluminum ones. After 14 years the plastic ones are still there (for the most part...)
The metal ones fell over after only 2 years, the length of their warranty. Their stakes were completely gone.

 

Corrosion is a problem. There is a tape wrap for pipes and metal electrical conduit that is designed to protect against this. I'm sure there is a similar product for lift cylinders.

 

A lift is the greatest thing. Since I got mine it has more than paid for itself. My thought is you have to dig a pit and line it with concrete and provide access to the cyl. in case there is a problem. For if it leaks you have to have a way to pump it out for repairs. I like the above ground two post lift. You can fix them easly and the open space in the middle is the best. You can find them on craigslist and a reasonable price. Mine is 9000 lbs and less than a $1000 and only 5 years old. Easy to install, five anchors per post in the concrete and some wireing. Just some of my thoughts.

Gene

 

I put an inground single post in my shop 10 years ago out of a gas station that was being torn down.The hoist (rotary hoist) was wrapped in fiberglass and I put it in the ground 3 years before I built my shop(buried it in the ground and parked a car on top to hide it from the building inspector signed off on the project).I can pick up my suburban or my 63 olds 98 custom sport coupe and not have to hurt my back.The only setback is when you are working on the drive train the post is in the way, good thing about it is when you don't need it it's hidden in the ground and you can't hit it with your door like you can with a two post.
Steve

 

Roll bar padding or pipe insulation along the edge does wonders to address this problem.