Chinese Auto Lifts

[Brentocool]

Looking to put a new lift in my garage. If you own one (Chinese) can you tell me about your lift good or bad and brand?

 

[Fastback]

I bought a 4 post unit from Direct lift/Gregg Smith Equipment since he is local, nice enough for a car hobbyist. Some retailers make up stories of having a lift made in Korea or Taiwan, but many of the black lifts are just knock offs of each other.

 

[Brentocool]

Cool. I'm looking at a 2 post by the way.

 

[SRray]

Hi,Im not sure if they are available in the US but Phoenix Automotive are popular auto lifts in Ireland and made in China.

Iv got the 4tonne 2post single phase(220v) model and I find it good value for money

Heres a link to an Irish supplier www.red.ie

 

[Brentocool]

I will check it out thanks!!

 

[SuperSocket]

... why would you want a lift made in china?

 

[Brentocool]

There cheaper

 

[Shadowdog500]

There cheaper

Your right!
They are cheaper!

If you are going to buy a Chinese Lift, at least spend enough to get a Bentpack Chinese lift. I believe they are ALI certified.


Actually, With the current economy, you can probably get a Name Brand American made lift at auction from an out of business car dealership. Rotaries tend to go for around a grand at auctions the last time I checked, and they are plentiful. My used Mohawk came out of a Saturn Dealership.

Chris

 

[Brentocool]

Thats the wayI'm steering

 

[SuperSocket]

There cheaper

So is their baby formula.


You can look at SuperLifts, their SR-7H for example is 100% US... and the prices aren't bad at all. Lifetime warranty too.

 

[Brentocool]

$2700.00 plus shipping

 

[Goobzilla]

I have a 2 post direct lift. I've had it for a couple years now and have had no issues with it. It's the OH8000 and I've had my Excursion up on it several times as well as numerous other vehicles.

 

[MartyO]

\Actually, With the current economy, you can probably get a Name Brand American made lift at auction from an out of business car dealership. Rotaries tend to go for around a grand at auctions the last time I checked, and they are plentiful. My used Mohawk came out of a Saturn Dealership.

Chris

Exactly my thoughts.

At home I have a 10K Rotary unit from a KIA dealership that is brand new and three 9K Rotary units, all of which were bought used at HUGE discounts.

Keep in mind lifts need to be serviced which can be tricky if parts are not available.

 

[brownbagg]

if people would sit down and try to understand the design of lifts, they could see that china made are not that bad. Because of the strength of steel a 10,000 pound car is not that much weight to begin with. Being the biggest and heavies is not always the way to go. Most lifts are design for what the job requires so size of material not an issue. Some lifts are way overkill but that doesnt make other lifts bad, you pay for the overkill.

i would say the most critical ares would be foot prints and locks. it seems like the hydraulices are all made by the same company no matter who names on the brand. Stone mfg makes a lot of pumps.

THEN YOU HAVE REPUTATION. if a lift company been in business over ten years you know its a good lift.

 

[NitroPress]

All "Buy US" issues aside, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with Chinese-made equipment; like the US, Chinese firms make some of the best AND worst stuff on the planet. It all depends on how many corners the re/seller wants to cut. The Chinese manufacturers will build to spec - meticulous, first-rate materials, full weld inspections, etc., or whatever **** they can get cheap and slap together because the reseller said, "Put them on our dock for $800 each." Just like US manufacturers, a number of whom have come along and then gone because of shoddy work, cut corners and lousy support.

Buy based on quality and the support you'll need for the life of the item. Other issues should be secondary.

 

[Brentocool]

I have a 2 post direct lift. I've had it for a couple years now and have had no issues with it. It's the OH8000 and I've had my Excursion up on it several times as well as numerous other vehicles.

I looked it up!! Its made by Rotory or for rotory!

 

[Brentocool]

I like this one read the ad on it.
http://www.derekweaver.com/update/H...ct.aspx?id=5&gclid=COyDyNizyqsCFQ0CQAod5C9N3Q

 

[c39er]

I looked it up!! Its made by Rotory or for rotory!

Who is Rotory?

 

[Brentocool]

Who is Rotory?

Dealers use Rotary.

 

[ket-tek]

Dealers use Rotary.

^^ c39er knows that, he meant who is rotOry, he was being sarcastic...

 

[NitroPress]

Rotory sounds Japanese.

 

[zmotorsports]

I would recommend one that is ALI (American Lift Institute) certified. In order to be ALI certified one of the requirements is that the lift must be able to lift 150% of its rated capacity as well as several other ANSI specifications. Some Chinese lifts do carry the ALI listing but many do not.

Mike.

 

[chadman]

You can find good used name brand lifts on Craigslist all of the time. I got my two post Rotary for $900. It came out of a small brake/tire shop that went out of business.

 

[pauls340]

There's a company in Pontiac, Mi named Aressco (?), I was in there and they have the Chinese and USA lifts stacked side by side. You can actually see the gauge difference and fewer welded gussets for support. There was something like $700 difference.

 

[SuperSocket]

There's a company in Pontiac, Mi named Aressco (?), I was in there and they have the Chinese and USA lifts stacked side by side. You can actually see the gauge difference and fewer welded gussets for support. There was something like $700 difference.

http://aresco.org


I have never heard of this company and I must have driven past there several times. Are they open to the public and do they have various lifts on display? What was the prices you were given?

 

[Greatbear]

Rotory sounds Japanese.

Are they only for lifting Mazdas?

 

[Shadowdog500]

Are they only for lifting Mazdas?

I dont think so!

Peter Lunati, a technician looking for a better way to repair a car, was inspired by the sight of a barber chair rising in the air. If you can lift a chair, why not an automobile?
Not even a year later, in 1925, Lunati built the world's first automotive hydraulic lift. And Rotary Lift, the Company, was born.

 

[dankicksass]

Why anyone would ever get a lift that isn't from Rotary, I'll never know. If you go Rotary, it will be serviceable forever. There's a thread on here about a 1930s in-ground Rotary that got a factory rebuild no problems a few years ago.

 

[NitroPress]

Why anyone would ever get a lift that isn't from Rotary, I'll never know.

The same reason everyone doesn't drive a BMW, even though they may be the most perfect execution of "car" on the planet.

Rotary and Mohawk are great, and if I had a commercial shop I wouldn't look at anything else. But they don't do "small" and some of us have to fit more in our garages than a limo-sized lift.

 

[juiced10]

Why anyone would ever live in New Jersey, I'll never know. If you go Rotary, it will be serviceable forever. There's a thread on here about a 1930s in-ground Rotary that got a factory rebuild no problems a few years ago.

Fixed it for you.

I have one from http://www.americanautomotiveequipment.com/ and have not had a single problem in 3 years. The problem I have with being certified is that you have to wonder how much money they paid to get the certification. Also if I had a million dollars......but until then this lift suits me just fine.

 

[overdriv]

I looked at the Rotary 10000# lifts in a dealership that also has 10000# Bendpaks. You need to compare with your own eyes before you buy. Both are good lifts. I bought the Bendpak and saved $1200. I like to buy american whenever I can, but I asked the Rotary distributor where Rotary buys there steel, he couldn't or wouldn't tell me. He even admitted that some parts and some whole Rotary lifts are from China. The same company that makes American made Rotary lifts sells several other brands of lifts which are made in part or wholely in China. During my research, Mohawk and a German brand that i can't remember the name of were by far the best made lifts In my opinion, of course the most expensive. But if you want the best and money is no object, Rotary is not it.

Do your own research, make informed decisions. This is a very good place to start.

Good Luck!

 

[KermitFrog]

We have a Forward CR14(14k) Upfront on saying it was made in China. Looked at a lot of others out there, no regrets.

 

[racerboy]

So is their baby formula.


You can look at SuperLifts, their SR-7H for example is 100% US... and the prices aren't bad at all. Lifetime warranty too.

Yeah, right. That's why me, and two dozen other enthusiasts are working with the MO Attorney General to sue Superlifts for taking our money and never delivering a lift. They used the "Buy American" slogan to **** us in and then cheat us.

I'm going out to Hershey tomorrow to see if I can find a deal with one of the other manufacturers for a 4-post lift.

If I do find one, do you think it will fit in the back of an F250 pick-up with an 8-foot bed or will I have to have it shipped?

 

[NitroPress]

Maybe we need to maintain a wiki-style thread of lift manufacturers and their current status... an awful lot of makers (and fakers, and let's not forget takers) have come and gone in the last 10 years or so, and the collective memory seems to be short.

 

[ptschram]

I have a Direct-Lift four post. I love it, use it every day.

I would never spend another single penny with Greg (The customer is not always right) Smith.

 

[mikeceli]

Yeah, right. That's why me, and two dozen other enthusiasts are working with the MO Attorney General to sue Superlifts for taking our money and never delivering a lift. They used the "Buy American" slogan to **** us in and then cheat us.

I'm going out to Hershey tomorrow to see if I can find a deal with one of the other manufacturers for a 4-post lift.

If I do find one, do you think it will fit in the back of an F250 pick-up with an 8-foot bed or will I have to have it shipped?

I transported my 2 post lift in my Uncles F150 SHORT BED, with out a problem. Not the best , but had no problems.

Since then, I bought a 1986 F250 4x4 diesel 8' bed PU. You'l have no problem .

 

[UPSHIFT]

So is their baby formula.


You can look at SuperLifts, their SR-7H for example is 100% US... and the prices aren't bad at all. Lifetime warranty too.

LOL @ the Baby Formula.. LMAO @ Superlifts Lifetime Warranty..

 

[Fastback]

Very few lifts in these price ranges are American made. Sure, when you get into the higher end stuff you get options, but not much for under $4k. Besides, I think Rotary makes some of the Direct lifts.

 

[Rothaus]

$2700.00 plus shipping

This is what I'm looking at. Total height 113" will fit in my garage.

Actually, if you can have it shipped to a business address, they ship it free. They told me that a new model is coming and these are available as long they last. I think I put my order in next week.

Cheers

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm going out to Hershey tomorrow to see if I can find a deal with one of the other manufacturers for a 4-post lift.

If I do find one, do you think it will fit in the back of an F250 pick-up with an 8-foot bed or will I have to have it shipped?

I transported my 2 post lift in my Uncles F150 SHORT BED, with out a problem. Not the best , but had no problems.

Since then, I bought a 1986 F250 4x4 diesel 8' bed PU. You'l have no problem .

Wrong! racerboy is planning on purchasing a FOUR post lift. They have ramps that are upwards of 15 to 17 ft long depending on the lift. Don't think you want that hanging out of an 8ft bed. Besides, they are quite heavy in comparison to a two post.

Charles