4 Post Lift Size Decision

[britcar]

Thanks HIRISC.

Sounds like no downside to 110 VAC, so that’s what it will be.

Per several posters, to save the mirrors (and outside tire sidewalls) it will be the wider version.

Now I just need to nail down the length for the F150 (162” ramps or 186”ramps).

 

[what2do]

Thanks all for the great info in this thread. I am also ready to buy a lift and recently looked at the Direct Lift. The one thing I don't like is the manual jack setup. If your car sits low, it seems like it would be a PITA to jack it up?

I am waiting for a brochure to arrive from BendPak and like what I'm hearing here about the HD9.

 

[HIRISC]

Thanks HIRISC.

Sounds like no downside to 110 VAC, so that’s what it will be.

Per several posters, to save the mirrors (and outside tire sidewalls) it will be the wider version.

Now I just need to nail down the length for the F150 (162” ramps or 186”ramps).

My shop HD-9 will be the XW version with the 186" ramp length. I want the extended under-car open area in the shop.

One thing to know when deciding what length ramps is the capacity rating at a given wheelbase of your (most common) vehicles.

HD-9
# Length of runways: 164" / 4,166 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ rated capacity: 115" / 2,921 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 75% capacity: 100" / 2,540 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 50% capacity: 85" / 2,159 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 25% capacity: 70" / 1,778 mm

HD-9XW
# Length of runways: 188" / 4,775 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ rated capacity: 135" / 3,429 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 75% capacity: 115" / 2,921 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 50% capacity: 95" / 2,413 mm
# Min. wheelbase @ 25% capacity: 80" / 2,032 mm

To get maximum capacity, one has to be nearer to the columns. If you had a short, very heavy vehicle, this could be important. Luckily, most 'heavy' cars are also long/er & the HD-9 series rating of 9,000 is substantial.

I have an SUV that weighs 5400lbs and has a 115" wheelbase. HD-9XW is rated at 6,000 lbs at 75% / 115".

Close, but all is good (given BPaks under-rating)

 

[69CHARGERMD]

Curious if anyone has had their lift "installed" by a company,,,Bendpak,,etc. ?

How did the process go ?

How was the cost ?

I read on the Bendpak site,,,that the average "price" to install eg a HD9 was $300-550 ,,,they also mention they can help facilitate the process.

I do most of my "stuff" ,,, but some medical issues might be an issue this year....and might have to go this route.

Any comments on having it shipped and installed by someone else....

Doug

 

[HIRISC]

Curious if anyone has had their lift "installed" by a company,,,Bendpak,,etc. ?

How did the process go ?
How was the cost ?

I read on the Bendpak site,,,that the average "price" to install eg a HD9 was $300-550 ,,,they also mention they can help facilitate the process.

I do most of my "stuff" ,,, but some medical issues might be an issue this year....and might have to go this route.

Any comments on having it shipped and installed by someone else....

Doug

I had mine installed by a local company to me named Benco (www.bencostuff.com). They also delivered and setup my scissor lift.

The most difficult part of the four post installation process is probably the delivery. If you have it delivered, you will need an engine hoist with a high lift (to get it off the back of the delivery truck). You might be able to find a delivery service to pick it up from the freight company who have a lift gate, but given the length of the components, that's going to be a PIA too.

If you have the lift delivered to a freight company & have a trailer & have an engine hoist (or three very strong friends to lift the ramp with the hydraulic cylinder under it), the mechanics of assembling it are pretty straightforward.

I didn't have a trailer to pick it up or a hoist at home so I opted to pay for the install. It was $450 - including delivery. The two guys took 3.5 hours to put mine up and they've done dozens of them. Their delivery truck had a hydraulic boom that made easy work of unloading the lift packaged up as well as the individual ramps.

@ home with delivery truck

 

[n1gzd]

Mine was installed by Garage Equipment Corporation in Wilmington, MA. (I live in MA). I think that they charged about $550. I think that I recall that it took them 3-4 hours.
Rebecca

 

[RoarkIndustrialSolutions]

Assuming per your screen name, you are in Hagerstown, MD; I can help. Have an installer whose putting in a Bendpak this weekend in central VA. I am able to source Bendpak lifts, arrange freight considerations, and have the install completed by my installer. Let me know if interested.

 

[69CHARGERMD]

HIRISC,,,,
yup,,,that is the ticket,,,nice pic's,,,,i would normally attmept it myself,,,,but will try and have it installed,,,especially if that is delivery and installation,,,sounds like money well spent. I assume you ran the electical and air lines,,etc,,,,
I have a fuse panel IN my garage,,,110 for the lights,,etc,,,and a 220 source for my generator/compressor,,,,i think i am good to go for that.....

I assume the installers made sure it was all adjusted correctly,,and fully functional before they left ?,,,,my hope would be to do the same,,and be able to use it as soon as they pull away....

Rebecca,,thanks for the post,,,,i saw a few different price ranges,,,going to check around.

Roark,,,,I am actually in Louisville, Kentucky,, ,thanks for the offer though.......

this site is great,,,very helpful posts,,,and super nice people.....

thanks,
Doug

 

[HIRISC]

HIRISC,,,,
yup,,,that is the ticket,,,nice pic's,,,,i would normally attmept it myself,,,,but will try and have it installed,,,especially if that is delivery and installation,,,sounds like money well spent. I assume you ran the electical and air lines,,etc,,,,
I have a fuse panel IN my garage,,,110 for the lights,,etc,,,and a 220 source for my generator/compressor,,,,i think i am good to go for that.....

I assume the installers made sure it was all adjusted correctly,,and fully functional before they left ?,,,,my hope would be to do the same,,and be able to use it as soon as they pull away....

this site is great,,,very helpful posts,,,and super nice people.....

thanks,
Doug

Hi Doug,

Happy to help.

The 110v comes with a standard plug, so all I had to do what plug it into the wall. Likewise, the installers run the on-lift airlines that go to each locking mechanism. I simply had to connect my air compressor line to the lift via quick disconnect. They did (and your guys) should do everything - including fluids, leveling, testing so that when they leave, you can (and know how to) operate your lift immediately.



You can see my compressor airline - yellow - attached to the connection for the airline in this picture. Easy as pie.

 

[RoarkIndustrialSolutions]

Got it. If interested, I can check with my installer about Louisville. I might have someone closer.

HIRISC,,,,
yup,,,that is the ticket,,,nice pic's,,,,i would normally attmept it myself,,,,but will try and have it installed,,,especially if that is delivery and installation,,,sounds like money well spent. I assume you ran the electical and air lines,,etc,,,,
I have a fuse panel IN my garage,,,110 for the lights,,etc,,,and a 220 source for my generator/compressor,,,,i think i am good to go for that.....

I assume the installers made sure it was all adjusted correctly,,and fully functional before they left ?,,,,my hope would be to do the same,,and be able to use it as soon as they pull away....

Rebecca,,thanks for the post,,,,i saw a few different price ranges,,,going to check around.

Roark,,,,I am actually in Louisville, Kentucky,, ,thanks for the offer though.......

this site is great,,,very helpful posts,,,and super nice people.....

thanks,
Doug

 

[Matt M PA]

When i got my HD9, I was fortunate to have friends with a rollback and a forklift. They had it delivered to their shop...made the transfer to the rollback...then we put it on car dollies and rolled it into the garage.

I had a few friends come over and we used a borrowed engine hoist to put the ramps in place. I spent a couple days putting the rest together. I took my time and now I know how it works, can make adjustments...and I'm not at someone else's mercy should something need an adjustment, etc. I am proud to raise the lift and hear all the locks at the same time.

I got a recommendation of a local installer from the company I bought the list from, and I also called a few recommended local installers. The lowest price for installation was $1300. I simply could not swing that...and I am very proud of how it all came together.

 

[HIRISC]

$1300 is crazy for the install.

I watched the guys put mine together - hence the pics - and would recommend the same to anyone having it installed. It is important to know how to adjust the lift.

 

[ovilla]

The HD-9's are quite easy to put together. I rented an engine hoist ($40) for the day along with a double axle trailer from U-Haul ($29) and then I and four buddies put it together on a Sunday afternoon. The hardest part really is unpacking the whole thing as the ramps and everything are all bolted together. After that, it's not really that bad. Either way, you'll love having a lift and will wonder how you ever managed without one.

 

[ixlr8]

I wouldn't get 2 rolling jacks. Each one sticks up above the runways by 4"+ so keeping one at the front would limit the cars you can drive on.

Hi,
I have been debating the Direct Lift PP8+ and the Bendpak HD-9. My car has just over 3" ground clearance. The specs for the BP Rolling Jack say it lowers to about 4", so I was about to eliminate the BP lift. But Jeff at Bendpak told me that the jack fully lowered is 4" high total. With the rolling jack sitting in its track, without the height extension pins, it ends up being only 2" above the runway deck. If it does end up a min of 4+" above the deck... it is not going to work for me. The Direct Lift PP8+ sliding jack is suppose to lower to 2" above the deck. This might be the deal breaker for me on the BP HD-9. I have not been able to find a BP HD-9 lift in my area that also has the rolling jack so I can see for myself.
Can anybody confirm the BP rolling jack ends up 2" or 4" above the runway deck??

 

[slowTA]

It is definitely close to 4". I haven't measured mine but it rubs the bottom of my car pretty well. I can get it under either end of the car, but the middle is where it rubs on the exhaust. I have also dragged the exhaust while putting the car on the lift, you may want to get the longer ramps if you only have 3" ground clearance. But if you have a really short wheelbase then you might be OK.

 

[gandyj]

I'd been thinking pretty hard about replacing my www.kwiklift.com and began looking for every forum I could find to get ideas and opinions about what lift I should get. I've followed this thread and others as well as contacted different companies for information. I'd decided that I was going to attend a big car show/swap meet that's coming up in two weeks in my area to see some lifts first hand. Then two days ago I was on one of the forums and found a small automotive shop that bought two www.pantherlifts.com "Super 9000" 4 post lifts a year ago. The owner of the shop anticipated taking over some additional space next to his shop. He installed one lift but when the extra space didn't come through he had an extra lift laying on the shop floor taking up space. He's offered it to me at what I think mght be a fair price and if all goes well I'll have it in a few days.

 

[ovilla]

Hi,
I have been debating the Direct Lift PP8+ and the Bendpak HD-9. My car has just over 3" ground clearance. The specs for the BP Rolling Jack say it lowers to about 4", so I was about to eliminate the BP lift. But Jeff at Bendpak told me that the jack fully lowered is 4" high total. With the rolling jack sitting in its track, without the height extension pins, it ends up being only 2" above the runway deck. If it does end up a min of 4+" above the deck... it is not going to work for me. The Direct Lift PP8+ sliding jack is suppose to lower to 2" above the deck. This might be the deal breaker for me on the BP HD-9. I have not been able to find a BP HD-9 lift in my area that also has the rolling jack so I can see for myself.
Can anybody confirm the BP rolling jack ends up 2" or 4" above the runway deck??

My RJ45 ends up almost 3" above the ramps. Having said that, keep in mind that to lift your car(s), you're going to need to pull the slide out ramps (from the sides of the RJ45) and then put attachments through the supplied holes. Hence, you're going to need additional clearance to accommodate this. In your case, I would recommend leaving the RJ-45 at the very front of the HD-9 ramps since the front of your car is most likely not going to hit it. Then, to make sure you have enough room to use your RJ-45 with the supplied attachments, place some 2X12 decking in 1-2' lengths on the front portion of the ramps so that your car will easily clear the RJ-45 and give you some additional room.

Is the PP8 sliding jack manual or electric? If manual, and the hand pump lever goes up/down, then that might not work for you either. I'd check to see how much room is needed in the up position. Plus, I'm sure the supplied attachments for it will also give you clearance issues.

Finally, if neither air/manual jack works for you, then I'd just buy the HD-9 and order a jack tray with it and use bottle jacks. Just something else to consider.

 

[ixlr8]

My RJ45 ends up almost 3" above the ramps. Having said that, keep in mind that to lift your car(s), you're going to need to pull the slide out ramps (from the sides of the RJ45) and then put attachments through the supplied holes. Hence, you're going to need additional clearance to accommodate this.

Thanks for the info, sounds like the RJ45 is not going to work for me... which means that the HD-9 may be off my list.

In your case, I would recommend leaving the RJ-45 at the very front of the HD-9 ramps since the front of your car is most likely not going to hit it. Then, to make sure you have enough room to use your RJ-45 with the supplied attachments, place some 2X12 decking in 1-2' lengths on the front portion of the ramps so that your car will easily clear the RJ-45 and give you some additional room.

I really didn't want to have to do this sort of makeshift methods to get the car on a lift.

Is the PP8 sliding jack manual or electric? If manual, and the hand pump lever goes up/down, then that might not work for you either. I'd check to see how much room is needed in the up position. Plus, I'm sure the supplied attachments for it will also give you clearance issues.

The PP8 is a manual jack with a up/down pump handle.
Looks like I am going to have to actually locate and measure the different lift setups to verify what will work for me. I would really rather not spend this kind of money to find it won't work the way I want it to.

Finally, if neither air/manual jack works for you, then I'd just buy the HD-9 and order a jack tray with it and use bottle jacks. Just something else to consider.

I was hoping to avoid this... but it sounds like it is the way I am going to end up going. Without the sliding/rolling jacks, there is not that much of a price difference between the PP8 and the HD-9 and I think the HD-9 is a better built lift.

Thank you again for your feedback/info.

 

[competition]

I am making the same decision right now. What leads u to believe the hd9 is a better unit?

 

[ixlr8]

I am making the same decision right now. What leads u to believe the hd9 is a better unit?

I believe both units are well built, both are ALI certified. The HD9 unit as subtle differences that the engineer in me appreciates. Like the lift cables on the HD9 mount in the center of the column, but on the PP8+ they are off center. Does this matter?? Not really as long as the cable mounts to the ramp mounts in exactly the same relative position as they mount on the column, which they do. The air operated safety locks on the HD9 are easier, more convenient to use.. once you go through the hassle/expense of hooking air up to the lift. I am not sure I want to fire up my compressor whenever I want to use the lift. Yes there is a bottle backup so you don't need to.. but that is another added expense. I still may end up with the PP8+, as it is a little shorter and will fit my wide car better without going to the HD9 Wide unit. I am space limited and want to minimize the foot print, so for me, that is also a consideration. Final measurements and planning will happen with snow clears and I can get to my shop, still need to finish the roof to keep the weather out. I have also had very good response from BendPak on questions I needed answered. They have made some errors in their assembly instructions, which when pointed out... they have corrected and updated their on line manuals. I think the PP8+ is a better value, but the HD9 is slightly better made. Be careful, if I remember correctly, the PP8 is not the same unit as the PP8+, does not have the same safety features and because of that, the PP8 is not ALI certified. Nothing is a simple decision where one wins over another and for me this is a large chunk of change and I need to get it right the first time. I think I could be happy with either one, especially if I can't use the sliding/rolling jack on either one due to my low car. Adding to my decision dilemma, SWMBO is threatening to pay the difference between the HD9 and the PP8+... so that may be the deciding factor. I need to see how serious she really is.
Decisions decisions decisions!!!

HTH

 

[britcar]

Once again, lots of great information in this thread. I for one appreciate the efforts everyone has gone to in sharing their experiences and photos. They're great.

And now back to one of the topic opening questions . . .

Will a 2002 Ford F150 pickup with standard cab, 8 foot bed (wheelbase is 138” with 16" tires) fit on the 162" ramp? Does anyone have wheelbase/tire size numbers on their vehicle and the ramp length for their lift to suport a decision on 162" or 186" ramps (the HD9 series has 2 ramp choices, 162” or 186”).

Thanks!

 

[rburke65]

Have you called Mr. Bend Pac and asked them or Googled their site to look at a spec. drawing?

 

[competition]

Jim
Thank you for the response. It seems that we are going though the same decision making process. I agree that the bendpak does appear to be a little better built but I have seen folks use the sliding jacks for prep on low race cars and therefore I am leaning slightly in that direction. Keep the info coming as it is very helpful and much appreciated.

 

[69CHARGERMD]

Assuming per your screen name, you are in Hagerstown, MD; I can help. Have an installer whose putting in a Bendpak this weekend in central VA. I am able to source Bendpak lifts, arrange freight considerations, and have the install completed by my installer. Let me know if interested

Thanks for the info.
I am in Louisville, Kentucky.
The things i would need to know is

-price of lift HD-9

-delivered and installed price.

-any "other" unanticipated fee's,,,etc. (ie surprises),,,,

zip code is 40014

thanks

Doug

 

[Junkman]

Buying a 4 post lift is like building a garage. You never have enough space in the garage, and you never know what car/truck you will be using it for in a few years. For this reason, I would buy the longest and widest lift that you can physically get into the garage comfortably. 15 years ago, I had a collection of Corvair's, and my garage was sized properly for them. Now, I have added a few ambulances to the collection, and they are a lot longer, and a lot higher. My original lift wouldn't accommodate the length of the ambulances, so I had to buy a longer lift. You never know what the future will bring, so always go as large as the available space will allow withing the economic constraints of your finances. Bigger is always better!!!