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Lift recommendations?

racer-x

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Location
Cascade, MD
Just bought a new house, has a 26x27' work bay, 9'9" ceiling (low...but I've found lots of lifts that will work even if I can't pick 'em up too high yet). Heaviest I'll be picking up is my '01 Ram 2500 diesel QCLB. Also have a '72 B body wagon and some 80s turbocars, but they'll be easy.

Originally I was looking at 2 posts. But then I found some 4 posts that are PORTABLE?? Looks like they have casters that attach to the bottom of the lift troughs, and when you lower the lift you can roll it into a corner? Hmm...cool.

I'm looking at least 9k rating (because of the diesel).

Any thoughts on symmetric 2 post / asymmetric 2 post / 4 post, for a home hobbyist garage? The building has a 100A 3-phase panel, so power won't be an issue. And I'm really digging the idea of rolling it out of the way when I'm not using it...just curious about logistics of things like engine/trans drop/swap jobs between the rails...
 
are you sure its 3pH's.elc. you must be in ft.Richy.and welcome to this good site nabor..........Artie
 
If you want to role it around,then a four post is a must.Be very careful what you purchase.Don't skimp with lift equipment,you get what you pay for!!!!!

If you decide to go with a two post,A symmetrical is a must.Much easier to open doors on large vehicles.They will also allow you to push the hoist closer to the wall by a few feet to help open a little more floor space.
 
If you want to role it around,then a four post is a must.Be very careful what you purchase.Don't skimp with lift equipment,you get what you pay for!!!!

Agree 100%, do not skimp out on quality. There are a ton of lifts on the market today, and to say that some have poor workmanship and materials (not to mention they are over-rated for lifting capacity) is an understatement. Whatever you choose to buy, make sure that it is "gold label ceritified". This means the unit has been certified by ANSI (American National Standards Institute), ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) and the tests have been performed by Intertek Testing services. When I bought mine, it was usually around $800-$1000 more for the certified lifts, but the others shouldn't even be on the market, IMO.

Some of the best are Bendpak, Rotary and Mohawk when I was doing my research. Again, a little more than brand X, but worth it.

Another consideration if you are thinking of a two post is floor thickness, most require 4-6" of concrete as you are going to permanently anchor the lift to the floor with cement anchors. Also be sure to check this for 4 post lifts as well, just to be sure.

I put a Rotary lift(9000 lb) in last fall and so far I am very pleased with it.

Good luck to you, either way...you'll wonder why you didn't do it a long time ago.

:thumbsup:
 
Thats a good point about floor thickness.Most two post 9000# hoist require a minimum of 6" concrete.They would like to see a footing under them especially the larger truck hoist.
 
I have a Bendpak 2 post lift. I did a lot of research before buying mine and for the money, which wasn't the cheapest by any means, it was the best. I love mine and it lifts my F250 extended cab diesel without any problem. Watch the width so you have enough room to work around it. Most lifts only require a 4" thick slab, but thicker in my mind is better. I am on another forum that has a member that sells Bendpak, if you want me to I can get his info. for you, just PM me and I will send it to you. He has helped others many times with their purchase and service questions. Good luck in your decision. By the way, I don't live far from you and would be happy to show you my lift.
 
It's the accessories that start adding to the cost.
I got the BendPak 4-post HD-9XW 9,000 pound, extra wide, extra long, extra high lift.
I have had mine for about two years, and no problems. With a big truck you need the extra width and length. I got my lift from ASE Deals (asedeals.com), but shop around, some places throw in some of the extras with the cost, but watch for shipping as they are big and heavy.
Mine has the 110 volt option pump, and it works fine just off an extension cord.
You need a compressed air source for the locks on the bendpak.
Here is my 2005 ram 3500 on the lift.
 

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Good points for the heavier trucks 451...as you say the options are what add up, depending on your needs...for example, when I bought mine they included the truck adapters, to allow for higher frame heights (2 post lift).

That's a great lookin' shop you have there!!

Racer X, be sure to make a list of things that you require..you may be able to strike a better deal if you have a wish list made up...for example, most companies that are selling four post lifts, offer a rolling oil change tray that rolls from front to back along the lift rails so you can service all components of the drive train...you may be able to get that thrown in on the deal...
 
Personally I like 2 post lifts. I'd go for something American made like Mohawk. Rotary and Bendpak are good names, but I'm pretty sure they are all Chinese with a higher price tag than a Champion or Challenger. I have a ALM which is rated at 7K, but is beefier than the 10K units from other sources.
 
Good points for the heavier trucks 451...as you say the options are what add up, depending on your needs...for example, when I bought mine they included the truck adapters, to allow for higher frame heights (2 post lift).

That's a great lookin' shop you have there!!

Racer X, be sure to make a list of things that you require..you may be able to strike a better deal if you have a wish list made up...for example, most companies that are selling four post lifts, offer a rolling oil change tray that rolls from front to back along the lift rails so you can service all components of the drive train...you may be able to get that thrown in on the deal...

Thats actually my friends shop. Right now I don't have a place with the celing height for the lift.
I have the wheel kit for the lift so we can move it around the shop if we need to, but really we only have moved it once so far. I have the steel bridge that you can put a bottle jack on to lift the car. The air over hydraulic lift would be nice, but they are expensive. I also have two of the 18-gallon rolling oil drains, one for oils, and one for antifreeze/water. I think these are the same harbor Freight sells? I also have the two stage transmission jack. That was alot heavier than I thought and cost about $600.
With the 4-post lift you have to watch your head/duck under the ramps and crossbar compared to a 2-post lift. With a 4-post lift you can tighten all the suspension components with the weight of the car on its wheels, and also good for welding in subframe connectors, not to mention storing the car, and not needing special footers. The 2-posts are nice for most general work, but they need to be bolted down to extra thick concrete footers, you can't pre-load the suspension, and you need to be careful of the vehicle ballance, and/or add some pole supports when removing heavy assemblies like the rear axle (although this would be easier with a 2-post than a 4-post.)
 
Personally I like 2 post lifts. I'd go for something American made like Mohawk. Rotary and Bendpak are good names, but I'm pretty sure they are all Chinese with a higher price tag than a Champion or Challenger. I have a ALM which is rated at 7K, but is beefier than the 10K units from other sources.


It's certainly nice to have something that's 100% Amercian made, if possible, but that's where the certification comes in...they are tested to 1.5 times their advertised lifting capacity, they hold or fail, period. What looks "beefier" to the eye means nothing...thicker steel for the same rating acutally implies that the steel is of lower grade, it takes more of it to have the same structural itegrity.

I've worked in the oilfields all my life, and all you have to do is see some Russian piping or pressure vessels to see what I am talking about. Our vessels from Canada and the USA would have less than half of the wall thickness for the same rating. By the way that is ANSI rated we are talking about...same as the lifts. So if your 7K lift looks stronger than a 10 K and they are both rated, it's only your eyes telling you that.
 
I think BenPak was originally American made, but went to offshore manufacturing like just about everyone else. I could get into the politics of the US having the highest taxes on business, and that those taxes are passed on in increased price of American products making them less competitive with products from other countries.
 
I bought a portable lift that is like a pallet set of forks. Not as stable as a 2 post stationary, but is mobile so I can store it out of my way. Also I can move it around anywhere on the concrete and lift a vehicle without having to shuffle. No drilling into the floor either.

I bought a set of tall jack stands (called transmission jacks) which I put under each corner as safety measures when I have a car or truck up for extended time frame. It cost about $3000 and was made in China. It went together easy and has worked well. There was a US MFG that made a similar unit, but they discontinued it.

Here are the specs:

MSC-6K Lift
Mobile lift uses "pallet jack" style hydraulics to raise lift onto wheels
Rolls right under vehicle or use the unique drive over design to easily position lifting points.
Thick 13" x 10" column
Chain over design uses a 3"x36" cylinder and 846 leaf chain.
Single point lock release.
Powder coat paint finish.
Specifications:
Model Number MSC-6K
Capacity 6,000 lbs
Power Pack 110vac
Lifting height 72"
Low height 5"
Pad height 5"- 9.5" (spin-up style)
Height overall 102"
Width overall 59"
Distance between lifting pads,column side to offside
60" max 54" min.
Distance between lifting pads,offside
81" max 54" min.


Brian Lockhart
Automotive Service Equipment -
America's discount shop equipment supplier
www.asedeals.com
Phone - 860-626-9633
Fax - 419-831-0245

Ma Snart
 

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When I was planning my new shop building , I realized that I could have one bay 15ft wide with a 14ft ceiling. I knew then that I wanted to utilize all of the height that I could. I installed a Challenger 9000lb asymmetric two post lift with a two foot extension. Also, quality lifts are only rated at a percentage of what they can actually lift. I have had 10,500 lb vehicles on mine with no problems. I can lift a conversion van or even an ambulance and still walk under the lift arms, and I,m 6'1. I use mine quite a bit , and its been in service now for over 10yrs. Wouldn't turn a wrench without it. I'm too old to lay around on the ground any more. LOL
 

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When I was planning my new shop building , I realized that I could have one bay 15ft wide with a 14ft ceiling. I knew then that I wanted to utilize all of the height that I could. I installed a Challenger 9000lb asymmetric two post lift with a two foot extension. Also, quality lifts are only rated at a percentage of what they can actually lift. I have had 10,500 lb vehicles on mine with no problems. I can lift a conversion van or even an ambulance and still walk under the lift arms, and I,m 6'1. I use mine quite a bit , and its been in service now for over 10yrs. Wouldn't turn a wrench without it. I'm too old to lay around on the ground any more. LOL

Those particular wheels on your Charger look outstanding. Maybe the color but look like they were made for it!
 
Ron, I'm sure you would recognize those as the old Keystone Classics , old school wheels. Car belongs to a friend of mine. I rebuilt the drivetrain for him a few years ago.
 
"Ron, I'm sure you would recognize those as the old Keystone Classics , old school wheels. Car belongs to a friend of mine. I rebuilt the drivetrain for him a few years ago."

Yes sir, I knew what they are, and they do look good.. My apology to racer-x, couldn't help but mentioning how well they looked on it. Good luck with your lift, they are handy to have.. My brother in law put one in his shop, doesn't seem to be as high as compared to some, i imagine the higher the better, if it can be.. Being able to roll it out of your way sounds good, He, ( brother in law) keeps a car on his and another under it unless he needs it.. which frees up space elsewhere...
 
I have a superior lift, 4 post. Have owned it for about 8 years now. Very well made,powder coated, which is a big plus. No problems to date, have stored a car on it for that many years.
 
if i can add some input, backyard buddy has my vote when it comes to reliability and assured safety. can't go wrong with the locking dogs as well as the collar style post and rider design.
 
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