Rotary spoa9- will I be happy wth it?

sco44 · Feb 28, 2016

I have a line on a used rotary spoa9-200 for 1300$.

Will I be happy with this lift for 3/4-1ton dodge diesels cc/lb. I know it will be fine for the cars I want to lift.

I'm sure I will be pulling trannys/cases and doing suspension work on these trucks. I don't want it to be sketchy or a pain in the ***. Yes I plan to have stands for extra support (for whatever lift I get).

I'm fine with being concious of extra weight in/on these trucks. This is a personal shop.

Scott

lakeroadster · Feb 28, 2016

I have a SPOA-10, best tool I ever bought.

The SPOA-9 is a 9,000 lb capacity. As long as the truck you are lifting is less than 9,000 lbs, yes you will be happy with it.

sco44 · Feb 28, 2016

Good to know. More concerned about the asymmetrical lifting aspect of it. I know symmetrical lifts are recommended for lwb vehicles.

Weight will range from 7-8.5k. Weight on the front arms might be over the 2250 arm capacity, in some cases I would assume.

Im assuming you've had lwb crew cabs on your spoa10?

75toolman · Feb 28, 2016

sco44 said:
I have a line on a used rotary spoa9-200 for 1300$.

Will I be happy with this lift for 3/4-1ton dodge diesels cc/lb. I know it will be fine for the cars I want to lift.

I'm sure I will be pulling trannys/cases and doing suspension work on these trucks. I don't want it to be sketchy or a pain in the ***. Yes I plan to have stands for extra support (for whatever lift I get).

I'm fine with being concious of extra weight in/on these trucks. This is a personal shop.

Scott

I have a 10,12 and 15 000lb rotary. The 10 is assymetrical. I assure you if diesel trucks are a regular thing for you,you will not be happy. I absolutely despise assymetricals for lifting bigger vehicles.

lakeroadster · Feb 28, 2016

sco44 said:
Im assuming you've had lwb crew cabs on your spoa10?

I have not Scott. Nothing bigger than a '65 C10.

sco44 · Feb 28, 2016

I know of at least 4 crewcab long bed cummins trucks that will go up and down my lift. One of my future projects is a 1966 sweptline crewcab on 2nd gen dodge/cummins chassis.

Also plan to lift small cars and jeeps.

Any other first hand experience?

should I hold out for a challenger/ammco versymetrical 10k?

75toolman · Feb 28, 2016

sco44 said:
I know of at least 4 crewcab long bed cummins trucks that will go up and down my lift. One of my future projects is a 1966 sweptline crewcab on 2nd gen dodge/cummins chassis.

Also plan to lift small cars and jeeps.

Any other first hand experience?

should I hold out for a challenger/ammco versymetrical 10k?

Get a symmetrical. Period. And I would look for at least a 10. Assymetrical is great with cars and suv's . Scary with long heavy trucks. You will probably be over weight on 1 or more of the arms.

zkdiesel · Feb 28, 2016

You won't be happy. A 10k spo much better
I took down. Spoa10ra for a brand new spo12.
All I work on is diesel trucks
A 10 is fine, I have two 12's cause I work on a lot of
Service/dump/tow trucks that weigh more than average truck

thecj3man · Feb 28, 2016

sco44 said:
should I hold out for a challenger/ammco versymetrical 10k?

I have had my Challenger CL10 for a few weeks now and I like it a whole lot. The first vehicle I picked up was a 2006 Dodge 2500 long bed quad cab with the 5.9 Cummins.

pattenp · Feb 28, 2016

I'm jumping in with the don't get an asymmetrical lift group.

Diesel Dan · Feb 28, 2016

X4 on the symmetrical lift.

Ed ke6bnl · Feb 29, 2016

I have the A symmetrical 9k Rotary and have used it on my dodge ram diesel and my old 80 dually big block, works good. I have not had the symmetrical so can not say it does the job. but the others seem to know more. Will due if you can get it for $1000

sco44 · Feb 29, 2016

Some good input. I think I might hold out for a ammco/challenger cl10. It seems much more versatile. If anybody in the pnw needs a used rotary I know where there is two of them.

Scott

zkdiesel · Feb 29, 2016

sco44 said:
Some good input. I think I might hold out for a ammco/challenger cl10. It seems much more versatile. If anybody in the pnw needs a used rotary I know where there is two of them.

Scott

A three stage arm rotary sym is the most versatile but also costs the most. Rather have them than a cl10...

My own thread on taking down a like new rotary asy for a new sym. Big money swing involved in what I already had in place to what I upgraded to but glad I did
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265430

JSTAN · Feb 29, 2016

I recently installed a SPOA-10, best investment I have ever made, should have done this years ago.

My biggest vehicle is a 2010 Ram 2500 CC/LB gasser. The lift has no problems raising the vehicle, I use underhoist stands under both axles for "peace of mind".

IMO, I would think a 10k (minimum) lift would be your best choice per the line of vehicles you are working on. Can't comment on which is better symmetric vs asymmetric.

Good luck with your search.

sco44 · Feb 29, 2016

Zkdiesel- I read through your thread. Did u ever find out about mounting the asymmetrical columns symmetrically and adding the 3 stage arms?

I also have access to a spo9-200 now. It's around the same price. Shops have told me a 9k will do it, but they don't recommend it commercially. on paper it looks over the per arm weight rating for the front arms

Thanks

zkdiesel · Feb 29, 2016

sco44 said:
Zkdiesel- I read through your thread. Did u ever find out about mounting the asymmetrical columns symmetrically and adding the 3 stage arms?

I also have access to a spo9-200 now. It's around the same price. Shops have told me a 9k will do it, but they don't recommend it commercially. on paper it looks over the per arm weight rating for the front arms

Thanks

A rotary rep said it would work, but installing 3 stage arms would break the bank just buying them from what I found. For me to go to a 12k was an upgrade va spending money on my 10

The 3 stage arm is what makes the lifts nice. The two stage with flip pads I don't like near as much. Hard to find a 3 stage arm ten or 12 used hence I bought two new. Don't even think now about the $$ I spent to upgrade

WhiffySpark · Feb 29, 2016

I used to pick up cclb diesels on a asymmetrical 9k lift everyday.

thecj3man · Feb 29, 2016

zkdiesel said:
The 3 stage arm is what makes the lifts nice.

The three stage arms were the main thing that I wanted that helped me decide on the Challenger lift. If I could have looked at a Rotary I would have considered it as well.

sco44 · Feb 29, 2016

Gotcha. The upgrade arms looks like it's around 1k for front and rear 3 stage arms.

So what gives? Some people say no problem with the lb diesels on asymmetrical, and others say it's terrible and don't recommend it?

That's why I asked here. On other forums i read conflicting opinion also.
Just don't want to buy one, hate it and be changing it a year later lol

zkdiesel · Feb 29, 2016

sco44 said:
Gotcha. The upgrade arms looks like it's around 1k for front and rear 3 stage arms.

So what gives? Some people say no problem with the lb diesels on asymmetrical, and others say it's terrible and don't recommend it?

That's why I asked here. On other forums i read conflicting opinion also.
Just don't want to buy one, hate it and be changing it a year later lol[/
They will lift, you can't pick them up where you want to though, and they are not at all stable when beating on them
These people are also prob referring to empty trucks. Loaded trucks(aux fuel tanks, welders, real truck bodies) def won't work

Take my example, I spent $3300 to upgrade because it wouldn't work for me and I had top of line spoa, and spo side by side. Used both and changed my mind..... Probably not many others have done that..... They have a spoa so they make it work and don't know what a spo is like

sco44 · Feb 29, 2016

So how about an spo9? I won't be lifting service body trucks. From the specs they seem a lot narrower than the newer rotarys, unfortunately.

I wonder if there is that big of a difference in the posts/carriage assembly's between the 9k and 10k rotary? Or are they just rerated?

ltusler · Feb 29, 2016

The front arms on a asymmetric will also point forward so you can drive long vehicles through and get the right balance. i have a SPO10 and it works fine for anything I've tried.

zkdiesel · Mar 1, 2016

sco44 said:
So how about an spo9? I won't be lifting service body trucks. From the specs they seem a lot narrower than the newer rotarys, unfortunately.

I wonder if there is that big of a difference in the posts/carriage assembly's between the 9k and 10k rotary? Or are they just rerated?

Yes it will work for most trucks well as long as they aren't work trucks weighing extra
Crew cab ford long beds will still be a challenge to lift but it will do it. It's arm placement that hurts you, not weight capacity because they don't extend far enough

WhiffySpark · Mar 1, 2016

Ford crew cabs are easy. Ford reg cabs ****

sco44 · Mar 4, 2016

Thanks for all the input.. I picked up a rotary spo10-700 yesterday. All new hydraulic lines, equalizer cables, and some other wear items replaced.

The shop told me if I want the 3 stage front arms I can upgrade down the road for around 600-800$.

Glad I asked on here. I think I ended up with a better lift.

zkdiesel · Mar 4, 2016

sco44 said:
Thanks for all the input.. I picked up a rotary spo10-700 yesterday. All new hydraulic lines, equalizer cables, and some other wear items replaced.

The shop told me if I want the 3 stage front arms I can upgrade down the road for around 600-800$.

Glad I asked on here. I think I ended up with a better lift.

You defiantly did!!

Rotary spoa9- will I be happy wth it?

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