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Scissor lift in a single stall garage

a5t1

Active member
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
30
I know this has been covered before, but I wanted to provide my own viewpoint. We have a single car garage, attached and I've been looking for a lift for a while. As I saw it:

Option 1: was spend around $15k and build another stall next to the existing garage and then have a dedicated two post lift.

Option 2: Get a maxjax (smaller) two post lift

Option 3: Scissor lift
________________________________________________________________
Option 1: The issue with option 1 is money. 'nuff said.

Option 2: I think the maxjax is a good product but just not what I needed for my application. I don't have the room in the garage for the posts. I know they are movable but the width issue in the single stall ruled out the maxjax.

Option 3: I picked up a used bendpak for $1300 delivered to the house. The mfg date on the unit is 6/11 and it had all the adapters. Not a steal but cheaper than brand new.


Lessons learned / viewpoint:

I've just had the lift for the weekend and I'm already confident in my decision. It's a squeeze when the car is on the lift and in the garage, the two post would not have worked. My main concern with the scissor lift was stability. I haven't seen anyone comment on how stable the car is, if they tried to bounce the car on the lift, etc. I lifted my car about 1.5 feet and then started pushing / rocking the car. There was a little movement but nothing more than other full size two post lifts I've used before. I then moved to the front of the car and pushed up and pulled down. Again, a little movement but nothing more than what I've seen before. I felt confident to raise the car to full height and try again. Same results, the lift was very stable. Anytime arms are used to lift a any vehicle placement is key. Here are a few pictures of the 740il (4500 lbs. sedan) on the lift.

I can't say enough good things about it. Make sure you have a 20amp circuit (I also have 220 in the garage but using the lift on 110) and you're good to go.

Hope this helps someone with their decision.


20120226153808302.png
 
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Jack Olsen

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,678
Location
Los Angeles
Looks great. A lift is one of those tools that -- once you have it -- you can't figure out how you ever got by without it.
 

johnny-5

Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
24
I know this has been covered before, but I wanted to provide my own viewpoint. We have a single car garage, attached and I've been looking for a lift for a while. As I saw it:

Option 1: was spend around $15k and build another stall next to the existing garage and then have a dedicated two post lift.

Option 2: Get a maxjax (smaller) two post lift

Option 3: Scissor lift
________________________________________________________________
Option 1: The issue with option 1 is money. 'nuff said.

Option 2: I think the maxjax is a good product but just not what I needed for my application. I don't have the room in the garage for the posts. I know they are movable but the width issue in the single stall ruled out the maxjax.

Option 3: I picked up a used bendpak for $1300 delivered to the house. The mfg date on the unit is 6/11 and it had all the adapters. Not a steal but cheaper than brand new.


Lessons learned / viewpoint:

I've just had the lift for the weekend and I'm already confident in my decision. It's a squeeze when the car is on the lift and in the garage, the two post would not have worked. My main concern with the scissor lift was stability. I haven't seen anyone comment on how stable the car is, if they tried to bounce the car on the lift, etc. I lifted my car about 1.5 feet and then started pushing / rocking the car. There was a little movement but nothing more than other full size two post lifts I've used before. I then moved to the front of the car and pushed up and pulled down. Again, a little movement but nothing more than what I've seen before. I felt confident to raise the car to full height and try again. Same results, the lift was very stable. Anytime arms are used to lift a any vehicle placement is key. Here are a few pictures of the 740il (4500 lbs. sedan) on the lift.

I can't say enough good things about it. Make sure you have a 20amp circuit (I also have 220 in the garage but using the lift on 110) and you're good to go.

Hope this helps someone with their decision.


20120226153808302.png

I think you did a good choice with the scissor lift. Those come very handy and Bendpak is a very good name. Congrats on it!
 

Thruxton

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
767
Location
Virginia
This is exactly the same thought process I have gone through with my 19 X 19 one-stall, and I should have that same model of Bendpak in place next month. I appreciate your review of it!

I do have one question which Bendpak tech service couldn't answer: as you raise the car, how much fore/aft movement is there at full height? My space is really tight, and if there is much it will affect how I use the thing. TIA!
 
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A

a5t1

Active member
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
30
That 740il is about 4500lbs and it didn't move at all when the lift was raising. I was trying to move the car off the lift and couldn't. I feel stable under it.
 

Thruxton

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
767
Location
Virginia
That's 1000# heavier than my 928, and I have heard others report their scissor lifts to be very stable, so I'm not worried about that. I may be misunderstanding something about how the lift operates. I have assumed that one "leg" is fixed, and the other moves as the lift is raised and lowered. If that is the case, then the pivot point of the two legs, where they cross, has to move towards the fixed leg, and I am concerned about how much. If both legs move somehow, then no problem. Can you tell me which is the case? Again, TIA, this has kept me awake at night a little.
 

mikeyr

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
Messages
1,971
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
neither leg is technically fixed, but only one end has casters. In the pic above you can see the casters and that is the moving leg, the other leg is just a bar the width of the lift. That bar on the other end is pretty stationary, it sometimes moves a little if something prevents the casters from rolling but I doubt mine has ever moved more than a inch or so while lifting/dropping.

You can see that other end in this pic.

DSC03254.JPG
 
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Thruxton

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
767
Location
Virginia
AH-HA! Thanks for that, now I know how to ask the question: when you raise your car, how far do the casters (on the end with them) move? And BTW some interesting machinery in that shop- lots of wire!
 

JMcFly

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
1,642
Location
Winter Garden,FL
I like the idea of a scissor lift. It gets the job done very well. If I had money for a lift I'd probably get a scissor lift since I mainly work on suspension and brakes when I'd like a car in the air. Only time I could see it being an issue is if I needed to remove an exhaust or deal with fuel lines.
 

digdug18

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 14, 2010
Messages
311
Location
Danville, PA
Looks alot easier if you do need to work on exhaust also, just lift it up, put 4 jack stands under it. Seems like the days of just lifting one corner are gone, lol. I'm master debating between this and a 4 post lift.
 
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