Four post hoist oil drippage

I installed a double four post hoist late last year.   Overall, I have been happy with the hoist.  It is a very tight fit in my space, but it is worth being able to store cars more effectively.  It also allows me to rent out a couple of spots to help cover my costs.

The major problem I have is oil drippage from the cars above.   Cars that are over 40 years old are going to have some level of oil leaks even when well maintained.   The hoist came with drip trays, but there are not enough to cover engine, transmission, diff etc.   I have also seen oil dripping between the two.   Belying the popular reputation, the 450SLC is far worse than the E-type jag when it comes to minor oil leaks.    I had been placing towels on the roofs of the lower cars, but this isn’t a great solution.

Hero Hoists do offer an add on package of metal pieces to fill the gaps in the hoists, as well as more drip trays.   I wasn’t as keen on more drip trays for the reason above, and the metal pieces are quite expensive.   They would also not work in my case as my ramps are not in the usual position.

My solution was to buy some plywood and cut it to size.  I could then place the drip trays above the plywood, and even put some cardboard down on it if necessary.   The plywood would not be thick enough to handle any real weight, but it would be sufficient to hold some drip trays.   To ensure it didn’t look really ugly, I painted it flat black.

I was able to get enough coverage with three large pieces of ply wood.   I probably should have cut it about 2mm smaller in the end.  It bends a little when installed.  I had cut it exactly to size as I wanted a tight fit.     It looks quite unobtrusive.   I already plan to add some LED strip lighting below the ramps, as these pieces will make it even darker under there.    The 450SLC is off having a new steering coupling installed, so when I pick it up later this week I will see how well this system solves my oil drippage problem.   I will also install the panels on the other side, once I have fitted a new battery to the Jag.