Taking down a rotary 2 post for a different rotary 2 post, am I insane!?

zkdiesel · Oct 15, 2014

2 years ago I bought two rotary spoa 10ra with ta adaptors also used for 4k disassbled out of a BMW dealer that bought them for temp lifts while there new building was being built
They were both 12', and used for one year under dealership daily use
Sold one same day to a friend for minor $$ gain as I had to take both and new I only wanted one.
Slightly later than that I bought my spo12ta brand new
These lifts are side by side in line in my shop. Both have deep bays, but finding myself always using the spo12 as my go to daily lift, and shuffling things based on that lifts availability
Work on a lot of cab off diesel work, crew cab long bed trucks(spoa10 can't lift a crew cab long bed ford( 1 out of every 3 trucks through me is this of course)
Work on alot of wrecker style f550's and 1 ton box trucks

Is it worth removing my spoa and selling it for 2k to install a 5,800 spo12 in it's place. A while ago I would say never, but now think of it daily
My spo12 can lift anything the spoa can(and more)
The arms on the spo have a 3/4 height difference at fully lowered, but have to use 2x12 with lowered sports cars regardless of which lift
The spo 12 with the crazy 3 stage arms front and rear can pick cars up in the asymmetrical spoa style and hang them off the back even though it's a symmetrical like
Spo drive through clearance is better and I can back duallys or a trailer into it....
I could gain 2' of clearEnce by gettig a 14' model to match my other one

Just thinking to myself in insane for wanting to drop 3k to upgrade a lift that's already one of the most badass two post lifts out there

My main concern is the arm configuration on the asymmetrical limits me. The 10k weight limit I'm ok with
Can I convert the spoa to a spo by turning the collums and ordering 3 stage spo10ta arms for it? The carriages are the same....

rsanter · Oct 15, 2014

Sounds like a good idea based on the traffic through the shop that you say you have.
If you can afford it can justify it and it will be used and make your work life easier then you should do it.
Another option is to go for another step up and perhaps go to a little bigger one than that still in case you get a really heavy or loaded truck in there.
Say a 16k pound lift.....just thinking out loud

Bob

zkdiesel · Oct 15, 2014

rsanter said:
Sounds like a good idea based on the traffic through the shop that you say you have.
If you can afford it can justify it and it will be used and make your work life easier then you should do it.
Another option is to go for another step up and perhaps go to a little bigger one than that still in case you get a really heavy or loaded truck in there.
Say a 16k pound lift.....just thinking out loud

Bob

I have a pair of 18k I live off of at work. At small bussiness hobby shop I work on nothing above 19.5 tires. Last two years my 12k has done all I have ever wanted

The problem with stepping up to the 15 and larger two posts the versatility goes way down.... Swb cars and SUVs you have to rock back and forth to swing Arms past the tires and your pickup points are not all reachable because arms are to long....
Higher lowered arm height
And for cab removal on regular cab/some ex cab trucks at work I remove the rear arms and install a set of custom short ones.... Which is a pita and two people required.....

APEowner · Oct 15, 2014

If a tool isn't getting used and it's just in the way then it makes sense to replace it. You might want to think about a drive lift for the second one. I had a twin post and a drive on in two bays when I was working at a dealership for a while and it was pretty close to the ultimate setup. I could slam a lot of different jobs through with that setup.

zkdiesel · Oct 15, 2014

Not getting a 4 post, they serve no use to me at all. This is not a storage lift.

APEowner · Oct 17, 2014

Not getting a 4 post, they serve no use to me at all. This is not a storage lift.

No need to be snarky.

Have you worked off a good four post with trolley jacks? I personally prefer one for a lot of stuff. Obviously you can't lift a cab with one and pulling engines and FWD transmissions is a pain but for a lot of other stuff the ease (or even lack) of setup and the fact that there are no posts blocking the doors make them hard to beat. At least that's been my experience.

zkdiesel · Oct 17, 2014

APEowner said:
No need to be snarky.

Have you worked off a good four post with trolley jacks? I personally prefer one for a lot of stuff. Obviously you can't lift a cab with one and pulling engines and FWD transmissions is a pain but for a lot of other stuff the ease (or even lack) of setup and the fact that there are no posts blocking the doors make them hard to beat. At least that's been my experience.

Yes I have worked off a 14k rotary alignment special with dual trolley jacks. You won't ever find me on that rack unless I'm looking for a suspension noise
The added height and working around the runways *****. At my day job we have 12 racks, one is the alignment, only work any tech willingly does there is alignment, suspension noise, and a quick lube bay for the oil changer

coljar · Oct 17, 2014

There's nothing more frustrating, then having the wrong tool for the job, and it's even worse if it's in your way. Even though I've been out of that business for a long time, when my techs. and I needed a tool that would make my shop more money and/or make work easier, I bought it.

zkdiesel · Oct 17, 2014

when my place constantly looks like this for major engine work(with downtime usually)
I cannot have a drive on hurting me.

the far lift is one id like to replace, and probably move it back 1' towards door
that lift still picked up that service body truck fine for cab removal prep

APEowner · Oct 17, 2014

when my place constantly looks like this for major engine work(with downtime usually)
I cannot have a drive on hurting me.

If you're doing that kind of work all the time then a 4 post definitely would be a liability for you. I only brought it up because I was surprised how much I liked it when I had one of each. This was quite a few years ago before cab removal was part of an engine repair so my work flow was different than yours.

motofool33 · Oct 17, 2014

if 3k is no sweat to ya, do it.

if you have better plans for 3k dont simple.

zkdiesel · Oct 18, 2014

It would be a 4k leap by the time I get taxed
Most people here wouldn't even spend 4k on a lift vs upgrading a lift

I spend money on things to make shop life easier, but 4k is quite a bit for more
Versatility. Having a hard time justifying it

zkdiesel · Dec 10, 2014

Well ordered one yesterday for the tune of $5600. Should arrive around Xmas time and miss the first of the year price increase

j p smith · Dec 10, 2014

zkdiesel said:
Well ordered one yesterday for the tune of $5600. Should arrive around Xmas time and miss the first of the year price increase

I know you agonized over spending the extra money, but in the long run it sounds like for what you are doing it will work out the best for you. It won't be very long and you will be thinking, why did I wait so long to pull the trigger.

zkdiesel · Dec 10, 2014

j p smith said:
I know you agonized over spending the extra money, but in the long run it sounds like for what you are doing it will work out the best for you. It won't be very long and you will be thinking, why did I wait so long to pull the trigger.

Need it so badly this week that it prompted me to just "do it" so the future is better.

c39er · Dec 10, 2014

You are in business. Spend the money if it works for you.
It's good business sense.

zkdiesel · Dec 17, 2014

showed up at work shop today in a van trailer, so winched it onto rollback to take it home right away Christmas came early!

zkdiesel · Dec 15, 2015

1 year later. Best decision I have made!
No regrets on the $3,300 upgrade after selling the 10 for $2500

Iroc-Z · Dec 19, 2015

What were you doing on the dmax that you pulled the cab?

zkdiesel · Dec 20, 2015

Iroc-Z said:
What were you doing on the dmax that you pulled the cab?

Head gaskets and turbo clean
Fire ring got pushed into piston slightly and hurt the top of last piston

Taking down a rotary 2 post for a different rotary 2 post, am I insane!?

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