High-Lift Garage Door Conversion for a Car Lift: The Smart Way to Make Room for One More Car

Every car guy has had this conversation:

“I’d buy another one, but I don’t have anywhere to put it.”

Maybe it’s the hot rod you’ve wanted forever. Maybe it’s an old Porsche, Corvette, Mustang, Bronco, Camaro, or just some completely unnecessary project that makes perfect sense to you and absolutely no sense to anyone else.

You’ve finally reached the point where you could buy it.

The problem is the garage.

Or maybe it isn’t.

Look Up: Your Garage May Have More Space Than You Think

Most of us think about garage space in terms of floor space. Two bays means two cars.

But if you have enough ceiling height, a four-post car lift can change that math pretty quickly.

One car goes up. One stays underneath.

Suddenly the conversation goes from, “Where would I put it?” to, “So…what color should I get?”

That’s probably dangerous information, but here we are.

For homeowners considering a vehicle lift, the real question often isn’t how much floor space you have. It’s how much usable overhead space is available above the garage door.

A Car Lift Is Good for More Than Vehicle Storage

Even if another car isn’t in the immediate future, having a lift in your home garage is hard to beat if you like working on your own stuff.

Oil changes, exhaust work, cleaning the underside, inspecting leaks, suspension work and general maintenance are all easier when the vehicle is up where you can actually see what you’re doing.

And the older you get, the less exciting it becomes to spend Saturday afternoon sliding around on concrete under jack stands.

A vehicle lift can turn an ordinary residential garage into a much more useful workspace while also creating additional car storage.

Then You Notice the Garage Door Tracks

This is usually where the plan gets interesting.

You measure the ceiling and think you have plenty of room, but the garage door tracks are hanging several feet below it.

That space above the tracks is basically wasted.

A high-lift garage door conversion raises the garage door track so the door travels farther up the wall before turning toward the ceiling. This can create the additional overhead clearance needed for a car lift or vehicle storage lift.

Instead of the horizontal track running just above the garage door opening, a high-lift track system moves that transition point much closer to the ceiling.

For garages with tall ceilings, that extra clearance can make a huge difference.

A Wall-Mounted Garage Door Opener Can Free Up Even More Space

The garage door track isn’t always the only thing in the way.

A traditional garage door opener uses a motor and rail mounted in the center of the ceiling. That can interfere with the upper vehicle on a four-post lift.

Depending on the garage door and lift configuration, a wall-mounted garage door opener—sometimes called a jackshaft opener—can eliminate the center-mounted opener rail and free up additional ceiling space.

A high-lift conversion combined with a wall-mounted opener can create a much cleaner layout for a garage with a car lift.

Figure Out the Whole Setup Before Ordering the Lift

The important measurement isn’t just ceiling height.

You need enough room for the lower car, the lift structure and platform, the vehicle being stored above, the raised garage door, garage door tracks and hardware, plus lighting, ceiling fans or other overhead obstructions.

A Corvette under a Mustang is a different setup than a lifted truck under a Bronco.

This is definitely a measure-twice situation.

Before ordering a four-post lift, it makes sense to determine how much garage door high lift is possible and where the open garage door will sit once the conversion is complete.

High-Lift Garage Door Conversions for Car Lifts in Arizona

Arizona garages are especially well suited for vehicle lifts because many newer homes have taller garage ceilings than older homes.

That does not automatically mean a lift will fit, though.

The existing garage door track configuration may still use several feet of valuable overhead clearance.

Gecko Service Pros can evaluate the existing garage door and determine whether a high-lift garage door conversion for a car lift is practical for the space.

Depending on the existing setup, that may include raising the garage door tracks, modifying the counterbalance system and installing a compatible wall-mounted opener.

Choosing the Right Vehicle Lift

For the lift side of the project, LYM Lifts in Arizona is a good local resource.

They work with residential and commercial vehicle lifts and can help determine whether a four-post lift, two-post lift or another configuration makes the most sense for the garage and the vehicles being stored or serviced.

The best approach is to plan the vehicle lift and garage door together before purchasing equipment.

That way, you know exactly how much clearance you have before the lift shows up.

The Bigger Problem

Of course, once you install a lift and complete the high-lift garage door conversion, you’ve eliminated one of the strongest arguments against buying another car.

That can get expensive.

But you’ve wanted that car for years.

You’ve worked for it.

And it would look pretty good sitting above the daily driver.

Just saying.

Learn more about Gecko’s garage door repair, replacement and installation services.