Portable Lift for Garage

[gonehunting]

Over the past couple years there has been a post on Fishing Minnesota regarding a lift that stores your portable by lifting it to the ceiling of the garage. I believe they were sold at Menards and Target. Does anyone remember the name of the lift or the post that talked about it? Your help is appreciated.

[goose89]

Racor PHL-1R Pro HeavyLift 4-by-4-Foot Cable-Lifted Storage Rack

My father's got two of them and my brother's got one. Both love them. I'd love one too, but I've got a short / tuckunder garage. $ 160 -Free shipping on Amazon. Not sure if the store have them or not. May have seen them at Sam's, but not sure. Good luck.

[jwhjr]

What goose89 said. I have one and it works great. Shop around and you can get one for a decent price, there are a few online sites with free shipping etc. that have them discounted from time to time.

[gonehunting]

Thanks,

Exactly what I was looking for.

[PerchJerker]

Has anyone with garage ceilings taller than 8 feet used one of these for a portable fish house?

I keep thinking about getting one for my otter lodge. But the Racor lift won't reach all the way to the garage floor, and the lodge is big and heavy enough that I'd have to lift 1 end and then drag it onto the suspended platform. I just don't know how well that would work??

[jwhjr]

Mine does not drop all the way to the ground, I have about a foot and a half to go. I also have an Otter Lodge and if I have help I put it on from the floor, but if I'm on my own I put it on/off from my truck. I just leave the lift at the level the tailgate is at and slide it on/off that way. Either way it is not bad.

[PerchJerker]

Good info, thanks.

P.S. With the setup in my garage I don't think I'll be able to get the truck and the lift to line up, but you never know ......

[BartmanMN]

I have been watching for these lifts as well. Shipping is the killer since they are so heavy, so if you ever find free shipping, that would be a good deal.

[jwhjr]

I have been watching for these lifts as well. Shipping is the killer since they are so heavy, so if you ever find free shipping, that would be a good deal.

One of the most popular online shopping sites has it for $160/free shipping/no tax right now. A couple of years back I got it for $120 plus a coupon code for 10% off, so it was delivered to my house for $108.

[boec0020]

I've got a 12' ceiling but it works great because I just pull up next to it and slide it right into bed of my pickup (mine is right above the garage door).

The best $125 I have spent.

[Mr. Wizard]

Do you just attach them to the bottom cord of a two different rafters, one on eacj end? Is that much extra weight on a rafter OK?

[gonehunting]

I'd have to look closer but a person could probably ad a 2 foot piece of small chain or cable between the cable ends and the lift plate to make it reach the garage floor since those 2 feet will not be wound on the spool. I would think that would be an easy way to get it to the floor.

[DanH]

A few years ago I built something similar to stow my fish trap pro. I had 2 big bungy cords to hold the trap on the deck via 4 U bolt hangers (at the end of the 2x4's in the pic), and just winched it up. Have since sold my fish trap. Total cost was < $75.

[redtrucks]

I have a 10' ceiling in my garage and use the Racor lift for my Otter.I believe the original cable is 17' and I replaced them with uncoated 21' cables so that it went all of the way to the floor. Sounds a little rougher with the uncoated cable but it seems to work fine.

[Eric_Kruger]

holy Pulleys batman! i use the rocar bike lift for my pro and it works great!

EK

[bobbymalone]

Well since you sold the fish trap you can still use it should midevil torture ever come back into fashion

[tisosy11]

I have my portable and ice fishing gear up in the summer and bikes in the winter. When putting up the bikes last fall my racor lift didn't go up all the way anymore. It still went up but stopped short about 2-3 feet lower than when my fish house was up...

Has anyone had this happen to them? Thoughts on fixing? Will I need a new lift mechanism?

[ski_otter]

I use a hoist made for lifting deer up. Cost me $20 at FF and has a 600lb capacity. I had to make a yolk to clip to the spreader, but it lifts easily. I only use this for off season storage. I have floor space to keep it out during the winter

[CaptainMusky]

I have my portable and ice fishing gear up in the summer and bikes in the winter. When putting up the bikes last fall my racor lift didn't go up all the way anymore. It still went up but stopped short about 2-3 feet lower than when my fish house was up...

Has anyone had this happen to them? Thoughts on fixing? Will I need a new lift mechanism?

My guess is your cable is binding up somewhere. I would look to make sure the cable is wrapping tightly and there isnt any big gaps or overlaps in the wraps.