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Super Twin 4 post 2 car lift???

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lakeroadster

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Interesting.... I'd ask them if it is ALI certified.

If they say "no" ask for a video of a "failure" test.

IMO it' would be pretty haphazard to buy such an important piece of equipment from an unknown... without any certification.
 

isb cornbinder

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I would say this. No ALI walk away. Here in Canada we look for ULC and ALI. Check the Bendpac site for details on the inspection requirements as they apply to all lift manufacturers. Watch for bogus inspections that are meaningless. All of the information is on http://www.babco.ca/Service-Parts
I have researched this four post thing nearly to frustration. My best advice is Bendpac. After considering all of my options, I will be buying one of the Bendpac HD9 series, delivered and installed.
What is safety worth to you. If my 1940 Ford were to fall and sustain damage I would not be pleased.
They have the greatest amount of Made in USA while remaining very competitive. Bendpac is an American Company and owns the off-shore factory that builds their product. The hydraulic power units are made in USA.
Bendpac have a dealer network who offer delivery and installation. Bendpac dealers offer a lift inspection for a nominal fee on any lift from any manufacturer. The cost for an inspection here is $100 and is not charged on a new install.
Back Yard Buddy claims to be Made in USA. Check them out. BYB do not advertise pricing on the internet.
 

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jinman

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Whiteford, MI
If I was seriously considering a side by side lift, I would probably take the Advantage Lift's side by side first (rated at 10k pounds) and the BendPak's double lift second (rated at 9k pounds). I haven't seen any others in the side by side category that compare to those 2. This Gemini lift looks like a knock off of the Advantage Lift without having the additional safety features like slack cable locks that the Advantage lift has.
 
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isb cornbinder

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The ALI seal of approval:
The Automotive Lift Institute’s certification is the only internationally recognized standard for car lifts of all designs. They are a non-partial coalition of engineers, designers, industry experts and professionals who rely on third-party laboratory testing methods to recommend and test industry-class safety measures far above those set by any government or municipal agency. What happens when you purchase a non-approved car lift? We urge you to investigate thoroughly as many business owners quickly find themselves on the short end of a long battle once their local inspectors levy penalties for non-compliance or worse yet, shut down their business entirely. Yes, it can and does happen.
Nonetheless, ALI / ETL certification is a hot-button issue in the automotive lifting industry. It’s no easy feat to join the Automotive Lift Institute, let alone build a car lift that passes certification. Aside from the expenses involved, ALI sets extremely strict UL, ETL and ANSI manufacturing safety standards that must be met in order to qualify for certification. While you’re on the hunt for the perfect automotive lift, it’s very likely that you’ll find a plethora of non-certified lifts out on the market.
ALI standard exists for one reason: to make car lifts as safe as possible for people who aren’t able to eyeball good or bad mechanical workmanship from a mile away. If you happen to be an expert on engineering, tensile strengths and redundant safety systems under load, then you might feel comfortable purchasing an automotive lift that hasn’t been certified. But if you want a safe piece of garage equipment along with peace of mind, your best bet is to go with an ALI / ETL approved car lift. Remember, the largest and most respected auto lift brands in the world are members of the Automotive Lift Institute and submit to ALI testing and retesting for just about every product they develop, so clearly it’s a priority to them. It’s up to you to decide how big of a priority ALI / ETL certification is to you, personally. That’s what will help you ultimately make your decision while you’re trying to decide on which auto lift to purchase.
Naturally, we recommend that you give a strong preference to ALI / ETL certified car lifts, or at the very least, to a name you’ve got a good reason to trust.
http://www.babco.ca/Top-10-Guide-To-Car-Lifts
 

jinman

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Location
Whiteford, MI
The ALI seal of approval only takes you so far. Just because a lift company has some of their lifts ALI certified, doesn't mean they all are. Lots of companies claim ALI certified while only a couple of their lifts actually carry it. I'm not even sure if everyone of BendPaks lifts carry the ALI certification. It's a nice thing to have for extra peace of mind but it's not the end all be all of determining if the lift will be totally safe. Backyard Buddies aren't ALI certified and they're a "brick *********" when it comes to being well made and sturdy. I think many lift failures can be traced back to operator error and neglect of maintenance. Many more on pop up companies copying lift designs but cutting corners on quality to increase profits. Just do your due diligence when considering one and enjoy the fact that you can work on a car standing up after you get it.
 
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lakeroadster

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The ALI seal of approval only takes you so far. Just because a lift company has some of their lifts ALI certified, doesn't mean they all are. Lots of companies claim ALI certified while only a couple of their lifts actually carry it. I'm not even sure if everyone of BendPaks lifts carry the ALI certification......

Only way to know if a lift is ALI certified is to look each lift model up on ALI's website. Your are right, many BendPaks are not certified, just certain ones, which is true of many manufacturer's.

http://www.autolift.org/ali-directory-of-certified-lifts/
 
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jinman

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Whiteford, MI

Correct, and the the double wide Bendpak (HD-9SWX) is not listed as an ALI certified lift. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't a good or safe lift worthy of purchase though. My point is, don't let the ALI (if it has one or not) be the only determining factor in buying a lift. I don't know of any double wide lift (which is the style that the OP was asking about in the first post) that has the ALI. So, in the absence of having an ALI certification, do your homework and go with the one that appears to be the safest, beefiest lift you can find. As far as the double wides go, I gotta tip my hat to the Advantage. Especially when you watch the videos of it on their webpage. But, I'm definitely biased on the subject since I just ordered one of Advantage's single car 4 post lifts myself...
 

Ditch

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That's the first time I've seen one. :Homer:
I'd say it would be good for storage and good for fluid changes.
For doing any actual work though, I'd pass,
 

Bamafan

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Apr 23, 2017
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Greenville, SC
I started a thread about 2-car lifts a couple of months ago. Here is a link: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360188

I just submitted the plans for my garage, so I am likely a few months away from purchasing one. The key disadvantage to this type of lift is that you have to move two cars before lowering it. Not something you would want to do daily, but ok if you mostly use it to store "weekend" cars.
 
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68 sat

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Dec 18, 2011
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Thanks guys for taking the time to educate me. When I questioned the sales rep he stated his lifts were not ALI certified but they were tested to a tougher standard. I asked him to send me the documentation and am still waiting for it..FWIW....
 

jinman

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Location
Whiteford, MI
Like I said, I don't know of any double wide lift that has the ALI. But, if that's style of lift you have your heart set on, I'd say to check out the Advantage Lift website. They have pics and videos of their lifts online. You can see first hand some of the safety features, like slack cable locks, that the Radlift seems to be lacking from the pictures I seen. I'm pretty impressed with the stoutness of my single car Advantage Lift.
 
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