Knock me off the lifts fence

kool55 · Feb 25, 2010

Can't decide on the Bendpak HD14 4 post lift or the Mohawk System 1 2 post. I have restored 2 cars on a 4 post so I am very familliar with them. They do take up a lot of room when not being used. As far as the 2 post, how much trouble is it to line up the arms before making a lift? I will only be working on a couple of vehicles so I could reference marks on the floor. I have searched just about all the posts here and still am having a hard time deciding.

nehog · Feb 25, 2010

Two post is not difficult, but reference marks on the floor won't work, each time you pull in the car will be is a slightly different place. Takes me about a minute to setup my lift (Rotary 2 post) for a lift on most cars.

Dragster Racer · Feb 25, 2010

I think it really depends on what you are working on. If you need the wheels off, then of course 2 post. There really aren't a lot of projects where a 4 post would be helpful to me. I have my heart set on a Greg Smith 2 post, when I get a couple more dollars saved up.

kool55 · Feb 25, 2010

I am ok with doing brake-suspension work on a 4 post. I have a sliding jack tray on my small 4 post now. I relocated rear springs and put in a 9'' axle on the 55 as well as full front end susp. I don't see me dropping a fwd out of a car. That is a 2 post must. I have the 2 ton jib crane in the next bay if I need to remove a cab. Just wondering how stable a vehicle is on a 2 post when you start yanking on something or even removing major components.

rwhite692 · Feb 25, 2010

There was a good exchange going on over at Lateral-G, regarding 2post vs. 4post:

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=24990

PurdueSD · Feb 25, 2010

I couldn't be happier with my recent 4 post decision over a 2 post. Even my relatively small fox body mustang fits on the wide setting of an HD9XW (barely). This gives me very little restriction under the car the runways are so far apart. Like you said, dropping and engine from the bottom is the one case that really would sell the 2 posts.

The best part for me was opening up another bay when the lift isnt in use by being able to stack cars/trucks.

kool55 · Feb 25, 2010

PurdueSD, I read yourHD9xw thread . Looks good. I won't be using this lift for storage or parking. [4 post]. My smaller one will. But maybe I would keep the lift in the up position so it won't take up so much space.

sixtnut · Feb 25, 2010

I had thought about a 2 post lift. Due to an auto accident, I have permanent neck damage. It is almost impossible to get off the floor and would be a real effort to set the arms. I bought a Direct Lift Pro Park Plus 8 and couldn't be happier. It comes with some accessories and I got it shipped for $155.00. I also gained another parking spot which I desparately needed.
I have seven 1960 Chevy's so it will get a work out. I was hesitant not getting one with 220v. But the 110v works just fine. Total was under $2,400.00.

( click on profile to see cars if interested...red one is for sale )

sberry · Feb 25, 2010

A Mohawk 10K lift is super stable even when horsing on it, cant tell. Its one of the reasons I went with it vs a Bendpak, has a foot print about 6 times as big, solid as rock.

IONH · Feb 25, 2010

No one likes a scissor lift? That's what I have (not enough ceiling height for anything else without reconstruction) and it lets you do suspension/brakes and body work without any issues. Plus I can easily roll it out of the way when not in use.

ket-tek · Feb 25, 2010

For whats it's worth, a dealership my friend has been at for a quite few years has a couple mohawk 2 posts (not sure what model), and from working on a few things with him on those they seemed super stable and well built if not overbuilt. I did not feel uncomfortable at all working around it.

mad57 · Feb 26, 2010

I like the 4 post, when not using it i just raise it all the way up, mine is the extended height and width and lenght so i have plenty of room open floor when its up. i mostly play with 55,56,57 chevys but has worked great for all my other cars as well. good luck.

kool55 · Feb 26, 2010

mad57 said:
I like the 4 post, when not using it i just raise it all the way up, mine is the extended height and width and lenght so i have plenty of room open floor when its up. i mostly play with 55,56,57 chevys but has worked great for all my other cars as well. good luck.

Thats what I am thinking. I am 55 and I wonder in 10 years if setting the 2 post arms will be a factor. I reread the Mohawk info[again] and they claim a 50 psi foot print load with their large base compared to a 100-150 psi foot print on other lifts. Makes me feel better about that aspect.

kool55 · Feb 27, 2010

Come on the rest of you Mohawk guys. I know there is 6 or so members out there with them. What do you think?

sberry · Feb 27, 2010

What more do you want to know? My master that worked with lots of hoists over last 40 yrs says its the best. The only benefit to something cheaper is its paid for sooner. I went to farm shop down the road who just got new bendpak, looks good but that foot sure looks small.

kool55 · Feb 27, 2010

I think SteveU had a picture of him standing next to his lift. It puts in perspective the size of the base at 30''. Just getting a feel for how much of a hassle it is to get the arms set up.

OldCarGuy · Feb 27, 2010

kool55 said:
Come on the rest of you Mohawk guys. I know there is 6 or so members out there with them. What do you think?

I own a 10,000 pound capacity Mohawk System 1, a 10,000 pound capacity BendPack XPR-10ACX and four Stinger 7,000 pound capacity four-post lifts. If you are not using a lift for storage. I definitely recommend that you go with a two post lift. They are far better for working on cars and trucks.

Here's a thread I started comparing my two-post lifts along with a Bend Pearson. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19456
If money wasn't a factor, I would say purchase a Mohawk. It is in a class of its' own. However for the home mechanic, on a limited budget., an ALI certified BendPack will safely lift and hold a vehicle over your head.

smooth72 · Feb 27, 2010

I like my 4 post wile using this jack. http://www.directlift.com/Pro-Jack-3500-P45C18.aspx . When I can afford it I want to buy another one. You will love having a lift I use mine for detailing as much as working on it. I find all kind of ways to use and plan using it to drop the body on to the frame.

kool55 · Feb 27, 2010

When I restored my 72 vette I pulled the body off the frame with my small 4 post Perfect Park. Like what you are showing with the chassis. I am using it now in the other garage for the 72 and 55.
I measured the shop today and with the HD14 at 235'', if I put it 4ft. from the back wall I will have 17 ft at the other end of the lift to the o/h door.

smooth72 · Feb 27, 2010

That what mine is a 72 vette, but nothing stock.

kool55 · Feb 27, 2010

OldCarGuy, how long does it take you to set the arms. You have 2 and 4 post lifts. Is it a hassle?

OldCarGuy · Feb 27, 2010

kool55 said:
OldCarGuy, how long does it take you to set the arms. You have 2 and 4 post lifts. Is it a hassle?

Setting the arms can be a pain and is the biggest disadvantage of a two-post lift over a four-post. Particularly for old folks like me!

On a four post lift, you just drive her up and you’re good to go. But you need to get down on all four’s and crawl under to set the arms and add or remove risers.. And can take a lot of time on some cars. I’ve spent half and hour on some antique cars. And more than one time I decided to use my Mohawk rather than my BendPack because I couldn’t get the right combination to lift the car to my satisfaction... I sure don’t want to take a chance lifting a car worth into the six figures... You have to remember that these old cards were not built to be lifted by a two post lift... But most the time it only takes a few minutes.

SteveU · Feb 27, 2010

I have my wife's car on mine right now, doing a timing belt/water pump & all the other belts as it's been 100K miles since the last time. Setting all 4 arms is right around 1 min give or take & as long as I have the car positioned correctly isn't a problem. Mohawk does have wheel engaging adapters and another type adapter called a speedlane which you just drive over if doing the arms is a problem. The base on a System 1 is very large compared to other lifts I have seen & it just looks like (and is) a lot heavier duty than most others.

http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/speedlane.php

http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/tire.php

SteveU · Feb 27, 2010

kool55 said:
I am ok with doing brake-suspension work on a 4 post. I have a sliding jack tray on my small 4 post now. I relocated rear springs and put in a 9'' axle on the 55 as well as full front end susp. I don't see me dropping a fwd out of a car. That is a 2 post must. I have the 2 ton jib crane in the next bay if I need to remove a cab. Just wondering how stable a vehicle is on a 2 post when you start yanking on something or even removing major components.

The Mohawk is really stable even doing suspension work. I use an impact for what I can but there are still things you have to do by hand & have never had it wobble. I have 2 of the high lift jack stands which I will place at the opposite end if I am going to take something heavy out to further stabilize things. These also come in handy if you are replacing an exhaust by yourself to hold up the other end of a long pipe. These are what I have

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-4203-otc-2018a.aspx

swharris · Feb 27, 2010

Wow, I really like all the features on this Challanger lift. Check out the video. I'm sure it's out of my league price wise, but a lift is nothing to cheap out on. Many unique features like the Sym/Asym. configuration, 3 step extentions, threaded pads with drop in height extenders, remote controls for use while down near the floor, large footprint with gusseted bases(beefy).

http://www.challengerlifts.com/versymmetrictech.shtml

From their site:

"The Versymmetric® Advantage:
•Versymmetric® auto lifts safely and properly accommodate cars, trucks, crossovers, SUV’s and vans all within the same service bay. Their 2 Lifts in One™ lift design is perfect for lifting just about any vehicle within lift capacity.
•The Challenger Versymmetric Plus CL10V3 automotive lift provides open door clearance to driver controls for both asymmetric lifting applications and symmetric auto lift applications.
•The offset 3-stage front arms of the CL10V3 auto lift allows them to be stowed in an asymmetric lifting position, rear of the front tires. When the vehicle is driven through, the front arms make one sweep to the vehicle’s lifting point without having to reposition or shuffle the vehicle back and forth to reach its recommended lift points.
•All Challenger Versymmetric two post automotive lifts feature double telescoping screw pads that adjust to multiple heights to accommodate most lifting points without extra height adapters.
•Challenger designed the first and only two post auto lift on the market with BOTH 3-stage front and 3-stage rear arms. It offers the maximum arm reach and retraction to meet the recommended lifting points of the widest range of vehicles. 3-stage front arms provide maximum retraction for lifting wide body imports with designated outside lift points. 3-stage rear arms provide maximum reach for hitting the lift points of long wheelbase vehicles."

I also like the inground two post lifts...again spendy but nice. I like the fact that there are no posts mucking up the shop when not in use. The down side is that you can not park another car under the lift. My construction will be brand new, so I can consider planning an in ground unit. I also like the two inground Chinese sissor lifts somone here built...really cool and 0 intrusion when not in use...I really like that! Can you tell I STILL am on the fence...sigh.

http://www.challengerlifts.com/CS1020WV.shtml

kaffine · Feb 27, 2010

I'm getting ready to order a Mohawk System 1 lift. I used to be a mechanic and mostly used 2 post Bendpaks. I was set on getting a Bendpak but decided I'm only going to buy 1 lift might as well go all out and get the Mohawk. I never liked using 4 posts lifts as a mechanic. I was always worried I was going to drive off the lift pulling a car on it.

The only time I had issues setting the arms on a 2 post were some really short wheel base cars like Geo Metros and Jeeps. If I didn't have the car positioned right I couldn't get the arms in the correct position. Longer cars were more forgiving of that.

kool55 · Feb 28, 2010

I appriciate all the input on this subject. I hope that it helps others as well as all the previous threads. OldCarGuy, I can relate to your comments on arm placement as you have a couple of years on me that the younger guys may not be concerned with.
SteveU, I was thinking of the 2 ton stands too. I am surprised that the OTC stands were that inexpensive. OTC is normally high dollar. I know about Mohawks options but I don't think I woud go that route other than the weight gage.

SteveU · Feb 28, 2010

kool55 said:
I appriciate all the input on this subject. I hope that it helps others as well as all the previous threads. OldCarGuy, I can relate to your comments on arm placement as you have a couple of years on me that the younger guys may not be concerned with.
SteveU, I was thinking of the 2 ton stands too. I am surprised that the OTC stands were that inexpensive. OTC is normally high dollar. I know about Mohawks options but I don't think I woud go that route other than the weight gage.

I bought the weight gauge at the same time i got the lift, think it was like 70 or 75 dollars at the time. I think it was a good investment, comes in handy to get an idea of what different vehicles weigh even though I will never have to worry about overloading it was more of a curiosity thing. If you are doing work for other people & working on vehicles for plumbers or other tradesmen you might get close to capacity & it would be a good idea to have for that reason but I just work on mine & friends vehicles so no worry there. If you are going to get the stands I would recommend the OTC, they are smooth operating and are very stable. They come in handy to load a suspension for checking ball joints while up on the lift. One thing I am thinking of doing is to get some cheap rubber floor mats & placing them around the posts so that when I kneel down to place the arms I'm not kneeling on concrete.

SteveU · Feb 28, 2010

kaffine said:
I'm getting ready to order a Mohawk System 1 lift. I used to be a mechanic and mostly used 2 post Bendpaks. I was set on getting a Bendpak but decided I'm only going to buy 1 lift might as well go all out and get the Mohawk. I never liked using 4 posts lifts as a mechanic. I was always worried I was going to drive off the lift pulling a car on it.

The only time I had issues setting the arms on a 2 post were some really short wheel base cars like Geo Metros and Jeeps. If I didn't have the car positioned right I couldn't get the arms in the correct position. Longer cars were more forgiving of that.

You'll really like the Mohawk, I've had mine almost 2 yrs & it's about paid for itself just in repairs to my vehicles not counting whats been done to friends vehicles on it. The ONLY regret I have had about buying the Mohawk is not buying one sooner. Having worked with other lifts you will really notice how big this really is compared to the others. :beer:

Nutty 5.0 · Feb 28, 2010

I have both and was using 2 post lifts for years before having my own. I still prefer the 2 post lift over the 4 post.

kvom · Mar 1, 2010

I have the 7K Mohawk 2 post and would not have a 4-post. Other than lifting vehicles, I have used the arms to lift machinery for painting or moving from shipping pallets to pallet jack. I also use one arm to lift the 120-lb spare tire/wheel for my Jeep onto the bed of my pickup.

kool55 · Mar 1, 2010

Thanks kvom, I just got off the phone with the Mohawk rep again. He says I can raise my F350 up and go shake the bumper and it will be solid as a rock. True with yours?

kool55 · Mar 1, 2010

Here is a question for anyone with a 2 post. Where would you lift this.06 F350 Crew Cab diesel driver side? Picture shows from the left to right- axle support beam...crossmember... transfer skid plate. The axle support beam stops about halfway down the drivers door.So the only place left is about 4'' of frame between the crossmember and skid plate. Too far back for the front lifting pad. Further back the fuel tank is right up along the frame. The rear lifting pad can only touch the bottom 2'' of the frame channel because the tank hangs below the frame

Nutty 5.0 · Mar 1, 2010

Good question. I'm thinking I would try where the arm meets the frame, but may do the crossmember if its too wobbly/unstable at the point where the front arm meets the frame.

Aberdale · Mar 1, 2010

I looked at the Mohawks as well as half a dozen lesser brands when I was looking for a 2 post lift. IMO, the Mohawk is the best 2 post out there, as it should be for the price. (I believe they were around $6000 for a 10,000 lb. 2 post about 2 years ago.) I ended up buying a used 9,000 lb. asymmetric Rotary from a Dodge Dealership that closed, otherwise, I might have saved for the Mohawk. One of the nice features of the Rotary is that the lift pads have 3 positions, they are attached to the arms and "flip up" instead of stacking loose pieces. It makes it quicker to adjust for vehicles with stepped frames, and pickups.

Dale

IONH · Mar 1, 2010

kool55 said:
Here is a question for anyone with a 2 post. Where would you lift this.06 F350 Crew Cab diesel driver side? Picture shows from the left to right- axle support beam...crossmember... transfer skid plate. The axle support beam stops about halfway down the drivers door.So the only place left is about 4'' of frame between the crossmember and skid plate. Too far back for the front lifting pad. Further back the fuel tank is right up along the frame. The rear lifting pad can only touch the bottom 2'' of the frame channel because the tank hangs below the frame

Same issue with my dad's 96 F-250 work truck. The frame member goes up behind the center so you cannot lift it up (I have a scissor lift). I believe there are "truck adaptors" which you can use which I would imagine just act as blocks between the lift and frame.

sberry · Mar 1, 2010

The Mohawk comes with adapters, 4 of each, both 3 inch and 6 inch. They are very solid. I have lifted a lot of odd stuff, looks like you could go right at the radius arm? I made some special ones for my lawn mower and the std ones work for golf carts. I did buy the gage, I forget to look at it most of the time though. I have a ****** jack I use for ball joint and control arm stuff, made adapter so it fit porto power extensions for weird rig ups. I modify the ****** jack plate for each new use.

sberry · Mar 1, 2010

The options are very pricey and not needed most of the time anyway (not talking about 5 figure cars though). I do the same, a cardboard or mat handy to kneel on, not a big deal once you have figured out for the same cars. Some guys have mirror on a stick and handle to swing arms but not that much of a problem.

sberry · Mar 1, 2010

I agree with the guy that says biggest mistake was not buying one a long time sooner. I was always waiting around for a deal while it would have paid for itself many times over.

kool55 · Mar 2, 2010

I don't see pushing up on the crossmember. Looks like it would fold up like a cheap suit.Ithink the front axle radius [support] arms would bend too. Not to mention if you wanted to work on them The only part of the frame that is accessable is so far back. I guess the lift people don't supply lift points on the more popular vehicles?
My 04 Explorer on the other hand, has an unobstuctive frame.

Knock me off the lifts fence

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