Buying professional automotive equipment is a serious investment, and we want you to feel confident before you click "Buy Now." Below are the most common questions we get from shop owners, mobile mechanics, and home garage enthusiasts. If you don't see your question answered here, reach out — we'd rather spend 10 minutes on the phone with you than have you order the wrong piece of equipment.
Equipment & Buying Questions
How do I know which car lift is right for my garage?
The three biggest factors are ceiling height, floor thickness, and vehicle weight. Most two-post and four-post lifts require a minimum 11-12 feet of ceiling clearance and a 4-inch concrete slab rated at 3,000 PSI. If you have a low ceiling (under 11 feet), look at low-rise or mid-rise lifts. If you're lifting heavy-duty trucks or SUVs, you'll want a 10,000 lb capacity or higher. We list the exact specs on every product page, but if you want a human to help you decide, just contact us with your ceiling height, garage dimensions, and what vehicles you plan to lift.
What's the difference between a two-post lift and a four-post lift?
Two-post lifts grab the vehicle by its frame or pinch-weld points and lift from below, leaving the wheels hanging free. They're ideal for full-service repair work — brakes, suspension, exhaust, transmission. Four-post lifts drive the vehicle onto runways and lift the entire vehicle (wheels and all). They're better for storage, alignments, and quick service work, and they're freestanding so they don't require anchoring into concrete. Most pro shops have both. Home garages with storage needs usually go four-post.
Do I need to anchor my lift into the concrete?
Two-post lifts must be anchored into a minimum 4-inch concrete slab — this is a safety requirement, not optional. Four-post lifts are typically freestanding and don't require anchoring (though some installers anchor them anyway for stability). All our lifts ship with the appropriate anchor bolts and installation hardware. If you're unsure whether your concrete meets the spec, have a contractor core a small sample to check thickness and PSI rating before you order.
What brands do you carry and how do they compare?
We carry Atlas, Katool, Tuxedo, AMGO, and iDEAL. Each brand sits at a slightly different price/feature point — Atlas is our most popular value brand with strong build quality and warranty, AMGO and iDEAL are well-respected mid-tier options, and Tuxedo is known for premium commercial-grade equipment. All of the brands we carry are ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certified or ETL-listed where applicable. If you want a direct comparison between specific models, contact us and we'll lay out the differences.
Is your equipment ALI certified?
Most of our car lifts are ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) Gold Label certified, which is the industry safety standard. ALI certification is required by OSHA for commercial shop use in many states. Each product page lists its certification status clearly. You can also browse our full ALI Certified Lifts collection to see every certified model we carry. If certification matters for your business (insurance, inspections, commercial shop requirements), filter for ALI-certified models or reach out and we'll point you to the right options.
Will a tire changer or wheel balancer work for the wheels I service?
Tire changers are rated by the maximum rim diameter they can clamp (most range from 10-26 inches) and whether they have features like assist arms, helper arms, or leverless mounting heads. If you regularly work on low-profile, run-flat, or large-diameter custom wheels (22"+), look for leverless or tilt-back models with assist arms. For wheel balancers, the key specs are max wheel diameter, max wheel weight, and whether you need a 2D or 3D laser-guided balancer. Standard passenger cars and light trucks are easy; heavy-duty and exotic wheels require more capable equipment.
Do I need three-phase power for this equipment?
It depends on the model. Most home-garage and light commercial lifts run on single-phase 220V, which is what most residential garages can accommodate. Larger commercial lifts, tire changers, and wheel balancers sometimes require three-phase 220V or 380V, which is typically only available in commercial buildings. The exact electrical requirement is listed on every product page under specs. If you're not sure what power you have, check your breaker panel or have an electrician confirm before ordering.
Do you offer installation?
We don't directly install equipment, but we can recommend installers in many regions and most of our brands have installer networks. Two-post lifts in particular benefit from professional installation due to the anchoring and electrical work involved. Four-post lifts and smaller equipment (tire changers, wheel balancers) can often be assembled by experienced DIYers using the included instructions. Reach out if you'd like installer recommendations for your area.
What kind of warranty comes with my equipment?
Warranties vary by brand and product, but most of our car lifts come with multi-year structural warranties (typically 2-5 years on structural components and 1 year on parts/cylinders). Tire changers, wheel balancers, and other shop equipment generally come with 1-year manufacturer warranties. The specific warranty terms are listed on each product page. All warranties are honored directly through the manufacturer, and we'll help facilitate any warranty claims if issues come up.
Can I see the equipment before I buy?
We're an online retailer and don't have a physical showroom, but the manufacturers we work with often have dealer locations or trade show appearances where you can see equipment in person. If you want photos or video of a specific model beyond what's on the product page, contact us — we can often get you additional media or even a video walkthrough from the manufacturer.
Orders, Shipping & Returns
How long will it take to ship my equipment and what does it cost?
Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on your location, the equipment's weight, and the delivery service required (curbside, liftgate, etc.). Smaller items ship via UPS or FedEx in 3-7 business days. Large equipment (car lifts, tire changers, wheel balancers) ships via LTL freight and typically takes 5-14 business days to deliver, depending on your location and the carrier's terminal network. Once your order ships, we'll email you tracking info and the freight carrier will call you 24-48 hours before delivery to schedule a delivery appointment.
Will I receive an order confirmation?
Yes — as soon as you place your order, you'll get an order confirmation email. This means we've received your order and pre-authorized your card. We then immediately contact the manufacturer to confirm stock and lead time. If your item is on backorder, we'll email you within 1-2 business days with the expected ship date and you can choose to wait or cancel for a full refund. If it's in stock, we process the charge and submit the order for shipment.
Will I receive tracking information?
Yes. Once your order leaves the manufacturer's warehouse, you'll receive tracking info by email — typically within 24-48 hours of shipment. For LTL freight shipments, you'll also get the carrier's name and PRO number so you can track directly with the freight carrier. If you haven't received tracking within 7 business days of your order, email us at support@elitegaragetools.com and we'll chase it down.
What is LTL freight and what should I expect?
LTL stands for "Less Than Truckload" — it's how large/heavy equipment ships when it doesn't fill an entire truck. A few things to know: (1) The freight carrier will call you to schedule delivery, usually within a 4-hour window. (2) Standard freight delivery is curbside only — the driver isn't responsible for moving the equipment into your garage. (3) Most freight trucks are 53 feet long, so if your driveway or street can't accommodate a large truck, let us know at checkout and we can arrange terminal pickup or a smaller delivery vehicle for an additional fee.
Do I need a liftgate or forklift for delivery?
Car lifts and large equipment crates typically weigh 1,500-3,500 lbs and cannot be unloaded by hand. What you'll need depends on what you're ordering:
• Car lifts (and other heavy/oversized equipment) require a forklift on-site to unload. A liftgate is not sufficient for these because of the size and weight of the crates. Most commercial shops already have a forklift; if you don't, you'll need to arrange one or pick up at the carrier's local terminal.
• Tire changers, wheel balancers, and smaller equipment can typically be delivered with liftgate service — the truck has a hydraulic platform that lowers the equipment to the ground.
• Terminal pickup is always an option — you pick up the equipment at the freight carrier's local terminal using your own trailer.
If you're not sure what you need, ask us before ordering and we'll help you figure it out.
What if my equipment shows up damaged?
This is critical: inspect the crate carefully before signing the delivery receipt. Walk around the entire crate, check for crushed corners, holes, water damage, or visibly broken straps. Take photos before, during, and after unpacking. Then email photos and your order number to support@elitegaragetools.com and we'll file a freight claim and arrange replacement parts or a full replacement at no cost to you. If you sign without noting damage, the freight carrier can deny the claim.
Can I cancel or change my order?
Yes, but timing matters. Orders canceled within 24 hours of placement can be canceled for a full refund as long as the item hasn't shipped. After 24 hours or once the order has been processed by the manufacturer, cancellations may be subject to a restocking fee (typically 15-25%) plus any return freight costs if the equipment has already shipped. Email support@elitegaragetools.com as soon as possible if you need to cancel or change something.
What is your return policy?
You can return new, unused, uninstalled equipment in its original packaging within 30 days of delivery. Because of the size and weight of our products, returns work differently than typical online orders:
• Returns must be in original, undamaged crating. Equipment that has been installed, used, or removed from its packaging is generally not returnable.
• The buyer is responsible for return freight shipping costs unless the return is due to our error or a defective product.
• A restocking fee of 15-25% applies to most returns (varies by manufacturer).
• Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 14 business days of the manufacturer receiving and inspecting the returned equipment.
If you received the wrong item or your equipment is defective, contact us right away and we'll work with you and the manufacturer to make it right.
Do you ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally?
Please call us for a quote and information on what we can do for you!
Do you offer financing?
Yes — we offer financing through Shop Pay Installments for smaller purchases, and we partner with Approve for equipment loans on larger purchases. Approve specializes in equipment financing for shops and businesses, with flexible terms designed around commercial automotive equipment. Financing options appear at checkout, or contact us if you'd like help getting pre-qualified through Approve before placing your order.
How can I contact you?
The fastest way to reach us is by email at support@elitegaragetools.com. You can also reach out through our contact page. We respond to all inquiries within one business day, and usually much faster.