New Garage - Need Help Sizing Bendpak Lift

[tuffcalc]

Hi all,

I'm building a new home. Due to space constraints, I'm being forced into a single car garage.

The two vehicles I am trying to fit are:

1 - E350 (Length - 193in. / Width - 81.5in / Height - 57.1in)
2 - ML350 (Length - 190in. / Width - 84.3 / Height - 71in.)

The garage is currently designed as 9'3" wide, 18'8" long and 10'2" high. It's small, I know, but I'm under some serious design constraints.

I'm looking at the Bendpak HD-7W (I think the HD-7P will be too narrow between the posts for both vehicles). I did look at the Pro Park 9 as well, but the dimensions (overall length and width) would exceed my size constraints.

I realize I may have to raise the ceiling to approximately 12'. I could possibly widen the garage no more than a foot. Length will be difficult to play with.

Any advice? I'm not sure my calculations are correct. If I could fit the HD-7P that would be ideal, but with a drive-thru-clearance of 76.5", it is already no wide enough for both my vehicles (81.5 and 84.3)?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Gerald O]

Sounds like you want this primarily for vehicle storage. Go as wide as you can to make room for the lift posts. You must calculate all dimensions carefully because it's going to be very tight. Download the installation manual for the lift and study the dimensional requirements. You may not have enough length for the ramps and would have to remove them before raising. If you don't need to stack cars then a flush installed scissors type lift would better suit a garage that small.

 

[High5]

Hi all,

I realize I may have to raise the ceiling to approximately 12'. I could possibly widen the garage no more than a foot. Length will be difficult to play with.

Any advice? I'm not sure my calculations are correct. If I could fit the HD-7P that would be ideal, but with a drive-thru-clearance of 76.5", it is already no wide enough for both my vehicles (81.5 and 84.3)?

Any help is appreciated!

Where Bendpak recommends a 12' ceiling height, you can sometimes get away with less. There is a YouTube video of a Bendpak with two Corvette's being stored and the owner was able to squeak by with a 10' ceiling.

As another member suggested, download the manual and double check your dimensions against your working area. You may need to contact Bendpak on some of the technical data.

Good Luck.

 

[Ray916MN]

I vaguely remember the BendPak, and most other lifts require a side clearance of something like 3' to be assembled. Something about a long rod which must be inserted in from the side. If this is the case, your lift will have to be assembled outside of the garage, and you're going to have to get casters for whatever you get and you're going to have to make sure it will fit through the garage door opening while assembled.

Did I remember correctly?

 

[thickhead]

Will you need to exit both sides of the vehicles once in the garage or just one?

 

[tuffcalc]

I vaguely remember the BendPak, and most other lifts require a side clearance of something like 3' to be assembled. Something about a long rod which must be inserted in from the side. If this is the case, your lift will have to be assembled outside of the garage, and you're going to have to get casters for whatever you get and you're going to have to make sure it will fit through the garage door opening while assembled.

Did I remember correctly?

I hope you're wrong - otherwise this project will be very close to impossible!

 

[tuffcalc]

Will you need to exit both sides of the vehicles once in the garage or just one?

Just one is fine. We can unload before everyone before parking in the garage.

 

[tuffcalc]

Just noticed the PL-7000XR. Looks like a very small footprint that may actually fit in my small garage as is!

 

[Ray916MN]

I hope you're wrong - otherwise this project will be very close to impossible!

A strategically located door or window would be one potential solution.

 

[typerr]

I hope you're wrong - otherwise this project will be very close to impossible!

I just had my Bendpak HD9ST installed last weekend and there was no requirement for 3' of clearance on the sides. I think you could install three out of four base plates within inches of walls if you needed to. Only the post where the motor/pump mounts needs more clearance.

 

[thickhead]

Just noticed the PL-7000XR. Looks like a very small footprint that may actually fit in my small garage as is!

The PLT6S may suit you as well.

 

[tuffcalc]

The PLT6S may suit you as well.

Checked it out - that lift is going to be a bit tight but thanks for the suggestion, didn't see the PLT6S previously. Looks like the PL7000 is my only option at this point.

 

[tuffcalc]

Follow-up question for you guys...

My garage is currently designed at 18'8" long and 9'3" wide. With a lift inside, how much space is reasonable to have on each side to make it comfortable exiting the vehicle? I've told my architect to widen the garage from 9'3" to 12', but I'm not sure that will even be possible. Wondering what you guys think minimum should be.

 

[thickhead]

I can't imagine you wanting it any less than 12' wide and 12' high.
You said your Mercs are 7' wide +, that would leave a 30" path on either side of the car.

 

[LS1hawk]

I vaguely remember the BendPak, and most other lifts require a side clearance of something like 3' to be assembled. Something about a long rod which must be inserted in from the side. If this is the case, your lift will have to be assembled outside of the garage, and you're going to have to get casters for whatever you get and you're going to have to make sure it will fit through the garage door opening while assembled.

Did I remember correctly?

No side clearance needed. Best advice I can give is to download the bendpak manual. Print out the dimension pages and take it to your garage with a tape measure. That's what I recently did before purchasing my HD-9.

 

[LandR]

Also double check your widths. Drive through clearance is for the top vehicle on the lift to fit within the runways that raise.

The width measurement should not include length with mirrors. Only track width.

 

[Old Moparz]

This link is to the page with dimensions of the HD-9ST, from the Bend Pak dealer that I bought both of my lifts from..... http://www.e-autolifts.com/pf/Floorplan_HD_9ST_B.pdf

Looks to me that the dimensions of the HD-9ST are all within your garage interior size. The height will all depend on overhead door tracks, opener housing, lighting & anything else near the ceiling.

Website: http://www.e-autolifts.com/
(The 2 I have are both HD-9)

 

[tuffcalc]

Also double check your widths. Drive through clearance is for the top vehicle on the lift to fit within the runways that raise.

The width measurement should not include length with mirrors. Only track width.

Yup - I included the mirrors for the width. Thanks for the heads up, will recalculate.

 

[tuffcalc]

No side clearance needed. Best advice I can give is to download the bendpak manual. Print out the dimension pages and take it to your garage with a tape measure. That's what I recently did before purchasing my HD-9.

I don't understand this part. If no side clearance is needed and I am parked under the lift, how would I get out and of the car and to the home entrance (at the front of the garage) if there is zero clearance on both sides? Wouldn't I have to exit through the garage door in this case - as I wouldn't be able to get between the vehicle and the Bendpak front post (on the drivers or passenger side)?

Is there something I'm missing here?