4 Post Lift Shopping

[MMehler]

I am finally converting my single bay 8x9 garage door to high lift (should have done that when we built the house 5 years ago, oops!) so it’s time to pick out my 4 post lift I figured I would eventually get.

My question is: Is there any reason I shouldn’t buy pretty much the cheapest thing out there? This will be almost exclusively a storage lift. One that shouldn’t see a ton of use throughout the year even. My race car will likely sit on it much of the time and/or be replaced here and there for storage of a project car or a seldom used in winter car (though the race car never gets used between mid October and March at the least).

I’m looking most closely at the Triumph NSS-8 at the moment for $2400.

Thoughts?

 

[MMehler]

Oddly enough the Triumph was $100 less on Amazon three days ago and just changed. Booooo.

 

[59 wagon man]

i dont know what they go for now but my direct lift was less then that when i bought it 18 yrs ago

 

[brianh]

I have the triumph 8000 it works fine, the biggest adventure was getting it off the delivery truck I used an electric winch and my engine hoist.

The driver was great and helped.

Took me a day to set it up, no major flaws the cable pulley bushings had no lube. I love it no more jack stands and creeper.

 

[denis4x4]

Someone else posted a similar request for info and I was shocked at the current price of a Backyard Buddy! I paid less then $2000 for a BYB at a Goodguys show in Scottsdale almost twenty years ago. Now they're over $5000!

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466255

 

[jmiller_2308]

I always felt safer with the wrap around collar on the advantage lift and backyard buddy but they do cost more than $1000 more than the triumph.

I can't help but think of the Bell helmet advertisement where they suggest wearing a $10 helmet if you have a $10 head.

 

[MMehler]

Lifts are getting expensive. I have a feeling in another 10 years we will say remember when they could be had as cheap as $2400??

I’m not concerned with the safety for a couple reasons, a) they have sold plenty with similar/same design and they’ve been fine; and, b) my risk is primarily of it collapsing onto another car. I will rarely be underneath. This is strictly a storage lift, I won’t be banging and yanking on the car while on the lift, I already have a two post for that scary stuff.

Unless someone can point to a good reason not to buy el cheapo, I’m likely headed in that direction.

 

[Dewaynep]

I have the Triumph NSS8XL??? I think. It's the 8000 pound lift with wider drive-through width. I'd suggest getting the wider drive through width, but other than that its been a great lift. I have had exactly zero problems with it. Mine was around $2700 with a sliding jack. It was the cheapest 4 post I could find at the time. Like has been said, the same exact style of lift has been sold by many companies for several years, if they were a huge safety issue they would have changed them or recalled them.
I use mine almost exclusively for repairs, not storage and have had my son's F-350 super duty extended cab and my other son's GMC Duramax on it with no issues whatsoever. I use it for my wife's minivan, my Volt and my Studebaker. It fits them all. I even had my subcompact Massey Ferguson on it yesterday to help with the oil change and maintenance. I like it.

 

[MMehler]

Ha, yeah, sounds like you use the wide as intended. Mine will primarily hold the least wide cars I can find, Miata and Lotus.

Good to hear some feedback on that lift. Thank you.

 

[Dewaynep]

Buy it, you won't regret it. I have never thought: "I should have never bought this lift".

 

[MMehler]

I have always planned on a new, cheap lift since I merely need to park light cars on it and that is all. What’s the general consensus around used, tired looking, name brand lifts that were claimed to be working when dismantled? There's one local to me. I'm weary.


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2137825206361131/

 

[Glemon]

I am in the same boat, I want a lift for storage, no race cars, but light sports cars, well under 3000 pounds, so, same thought process, a cheap lift should be fine. I just ordered the short Triumph lift, and also noticed they just jacked the price by $100 on Amazon, but still the cheapest option I could find.

The higher quality lifts seem to start about $1000 more, and don't include any extras like casters or drip trays. I like old British cars, so I really need my drip tray.

I am sure I will report back either during or after install.

 

[MMehler]

Nice! Yeah, our needs sound similar. I like the idea of the short one simply taking up more space, but I have a feeling the standard one is a good idea since I may at times throw another car on, and I measured it out and my M3 would fit, but not by much. And my wife’s Volvo certainly wouldn’t (doubt it would ever be on).

What sort of old Brits? I expect to have my project ‘64 Lotus Elan on mine at some point!

 

[infinkc]

Yeah lifts are getting expensive now, glad i bought mine a few years ago. You may want to search for used lifts in your area also, I see them popup all the time in mine.

 

[MMehler]

See my comment 3 posts back. Decent used ones are far and few between. I’ve kept an eye out for about a year. Sketchy ones for a good chunk of change come up regularly.

 

[riverbud]

It's all in the timing for a good used one. My neighborhood has it's own system where we buy/sell things via email. Woke up one morning and checked email and saw a 4 post Advantage for sale. Didn't even check the time (it was 0730), just grabbed the phone and called. Later found out there was three people behind me who had called within half an hour of it being posted. Since it was within the neighborhood it was also a little less stressful getting it over to my garage in one piece.
I thought I'd never find a used one. One of my other neighbors had a lift he used to store his two Corvettes. When he built a garage extension I asked him if he'd sell me the lift cause he had so much extra space now and he just laughed at me.

 

[fluid power]

I have the Atlas 8000 from Greg Smith, got it with the jack and the accessories listed on the site. It's listed for $2595 with free freight (you will have to add the jack in if you want it) It stores cars most of the time and goes up and down maybe 2 times a month.

 

[Glemon]

MMehler, I have had lots of Triumphs, Healey's and MGs, currently a TR250, looking for a project, likely not British, still love them, but life is short, looking for new adventures. I also don't see any used lifts coming up for sale around my small midwestern town.

 

[MMehler]

Nice.

Nobody has any thoughts on the lift I posted? Like I said, I’m skeptical, but looking for opinions.

 

[rsanter]

Nice.

Nobody has any thoughts on the lift I posted? Like I said, I’m skeptical, but looking for opinions.

Positive side, it’s a bend pac.

Negative.
You can’t see it work
It’s rusty and looks old and abuse
You don’t know if it’s complete

 

[ezzzzzzz]

I had a bendpak HD-9STX for years. It was too narrow but fit my old garage well. The bi issue was the height. I wanted to use casters to move it in and out on rare occasions. My opening was about 100.5" tall. Bendpak stated the lift was 100" BUT that didn't include the cable ends protruding. Once it was assembled in the garage it lived until I moved.

 

[Oilguy]

I have had the 8000 Atlas for maybe 10 years and love it. I do not have a commercial business so it isn't up and down every day. One thing I would recommend for any 4 post is to install an inline swivel on the hose end where it connects to the ramp. If you look closely at the hose at rest then again at working height you will see that it has twisted slightly where it connects to the ramp. The swivel is a live swivel which will turn slightly when needed and it will remove the stress from the hose. The hoses are made to bend but not twist.
I installed a 5000 PSI unit built by Super Swivel, #6 male to female JIC. No more hose twist.

 

[ckessel]

I have a Bendpak HD9XL since one of the occupants is my 04 Dodge Dually. Great unit but the dollies they are supplied with ****. Unlike the Backyard Buddy which showed a Camaro on it being spun around on the floor, the BP units rolled over when my Coronet was on the lift. I ended up making new dollie frames out of 1x2x.120 wall rectangle tube with 3/4"x8" solid in the hinge end to increase its beef. I only re-used the casters from BP as they are hard units and roll well over the floor as opposed to urethane which flattens out when loaded. I didn't have a picture of the unit by itself but you can see it just to the left of the engine, hanging from the post.

 

[edboyles]

Do you have al ink as to which Super Swivel that you ordered?

 

[Mthomas1686]

I have a Bendpak HD9XL since one of the occupants is my 04 Dodge Dually. Great unit but the dollies they are supplied with ****. Unlike the Backyard Buddy which showed a Camaro on it being spun around on the floor, the BP units rolled over when my Coronet was on the lift. I ended up making new dollie frames out of 1x2x.120 wall rectangle tube with 3/4"x8" solid in the hinge end to increase its beef. I only re-used the casters from BP as they are hard units and roll well over the floor as opposed to urethane which flattens out when loaded. I didn't have a picture of the unit by itself but you can see it just to the left of the engine, hanging from the post.

That's a bad *** engine stand! As well as the engine on it. You do some nice fabricating.

 

[MMehler]

If anyone in eastern Maryland needs one, this looks to be in decent shape. Too far for me.


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/129566515452543/

 

[S7INGR4Y]

I bought the Triumph NSS-8SQ (the shorter version), due to it being one of the few options to clear my garage door. I can't give you much of a review because I don't have a car on it yet. But I paid for install and he said it was the same as any of the other similarly priced lifts. The lift does go up surprisingly quick, caster setup works well for rolling it out of the way, and finish/appearance is alright with a few sloppy but functional welds and an ok looking coating that will get scraped in a few places during shipping.

Also, try ordering from NAT directly. I was able to get a better deal with them directly, the buying process was a little unorganized but I got the correct product with fast shipping a few days later.

 

[MMehler]

I bought the Triumph NSS-8SQ (the shorter version), due to it being one of the few options to clear my garage door. I can't give you much of a review because I don't have a car on it yet. But I paid for install and he said it was the same as any of the other similarly priced lifts. The lift does go up surprisingly quick, caster setup works well for rolling it out of the way, and finish/appearance is alright with a few sloppy but functional welds and an ok looking coating that will get scraped in a few places during shipping.

Also, try ordering from NAT directly. I was able to get a better deal with them directly, the buying process was a little unorganized but I got the correct product with fast shipping a few days later.

Can you define getting better deal with them directly? Looks good!

I’m trying to find out if anyone locally installs so I can decide if it’s worth paying for.

 

[Glemon]

Yes I am curious about getting a better deal directly, the price listen on Amazon is slightly cheaper, did they offer something better?

 

[MMehler]

What did install cost? Just heard from a guy at $750.

 

[Oilguy]

I got the number off of the Super Swivel website and located some inventory at Clearwater Hydraulics in Idaho. There are other distributors but I tried two others in the NW and they were the only ones who had stock available. I don't remember the part number. It is a direct "bolt in" between the hose end and the bulkhead fitting on the ramp. The length is probably around 2 1/2 inches. I can't figure out how to post photos on this site otherwise I would be able to show how it fits. I will check the website again and post a part number. Again, the size for my lift was #6 JIC. The male end attaches to the hose and the female to the fitting on the ramp.

 

[ckessel]

That's a bad *** engine stand! As well as the engine on it. You do some nice fabricating.

Thank you. I made that so I could test fit the unit. I slip it in from the bottom of the car like they did at the factory. Thats one of the benefits of a lift.

 

[edboyles]

I got the number off of the Super Swivel website and located some inventory at Clearwater Hydraulics in Idaho. There are other distributors but I tried two others in the NW and they were the only ones who had stock available. I don't remember the part number. It is a direct "bolt in" between the hose end and the bulkhead fitting on the ramp. The length is probably around 2 1/2 inches. I can't figure out how to post photos on this site otherwise I would be able to show how it fits. I will check the website again and post a part number. Again, the size for my lift was #6 JIC. The male end attaches to the hose and the female to the fitting on the ramp.

OK, the #6 JIC helps on the male end....I can try again now.......

Thanks!

 

[Oilguy]

The part number is SS4-MJ6-FJ6. Rated for 5000 PSI continuous working pressure. Length is 2.77". The thread size on the #6 JIC fittings is 9/16". See Super Swivel.com for a list of distributors. It may even show up on Amazon.

 

[S7INGR4Y]

Can you define getting better deal with them directly? Looks good!

I’m trying to find out if anyone locally installs so I can decide if it’s worth paying for.

They pretty much matched amazon pricing, and shipped it to my installer for that price. I paid $800 for the installer to receive, deliver on my schedule, and assemble the lift. It seemed a little high, but was totally worth it not to have to coordinate with driver/freight, rent a trailer, load/unload, and assemble myself.

 

[MMehler]

Amazon is only $25 cheaper at the moment.

 

[edboyles]

Thanks you Oilguy!

 

[Oilguy]

Motion Industries in DFW is a distributor for the swivels.

 

[edboyles]

The part number is SS4-MJ6-FJ6. Rated for 5000 PSI continuous working pressure. Length is 2.77". The thread size on the #6 JIC fittings is 9/16". See Super Swivel.com for a list of distributors. It may even show up on Amazon.

I beleive it is SS4MJ6XFJ6

Thanks again!

 

[1984shovelhead]

Bendpak customer service is the worst dealing with a chrome plated ******* named Julio there and some other dumb **** I could show you s string of e mails that border on comedy but I’m not laughing they ****