4 post lifts

[brownbagg]

Nobody here has never said a Rotary wasnt a good lift nor a mohawks, Everybody here will agree that they are the top of the line, the cadallic of the business. What we are claiming is there are some really good cheaper models out there for the diyer. I myself have a bend pak that been outside for four years, no problem. I have not really heard of any bad lifts, just a couple bad dealers. Some people save every penny they can and just cant afford a cadallic. But at least they have a lift.

I really dont think the dealers are bad because the same guy complains over and over again. with the internet being so big, one guy not happy is really good.

The people that are happy with their lift are not going to complain, moreless post that its good lift.

"Hi, I am a DIYer, I have a bendpak xl-9, and I am happy with it, totally 100%"

 

[mechamunch]

Didnt see anything that stated he was a distributor.

Sure he did. He says he's THE Greg Smith in all of two posts before this one.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=656862#post656862

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=530372#post530372

 

[gtoblade]

Atlasman is the Infamous Greg Smith of Greg Smith Equipment!!!!

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=657125&posted=1#post657125

 

[Matti]

If you paid for it with a credit card, take your problem to the credit card company. Then when they reverse the transaction, notify the company that they are free to come and pack up there defective lift and take it back. ...

Unfortunately you will find out who is the customer here and it is not the consumer. The credit company will not reverse the transaction without approval of the vendor (their customer). I've been through this before.

 

[jtillery]

A couple people have pointed at my posts as if Im just another "salesman"....not sure what about my posts would suggest that, as I have never said (nor will I ever) that Rotary is the only option. Depending on a persons needs, its not uncommon that the additional cost/quality of a Rotary is truely not needed. On many occasions, I have referred people to competative lifts after finding out their needs and/or budget.

Im more than willing to help out with any lift questions.....over 20 years in the business with multiple companies ( not all Rotary )

Ben,

Part of the problem is you are trying to work against a stereotype. It is hard for consumers to pick out the best lift for their needs since it is so common for salesman to push their brand of lifts without having any concrete evidence for their claims. From your response it sounds like it may have not been your intent to do that, but if you go back and read the original poster's question and your first response you should understand why you got that response. The OP poster was asking about a specfic Direct Lift and you chimed in and said "there is a reason all the shops use Rotary, and by the way I am a Rotary salesman". If you would have taken a different approach and mentioned that Direct Lift and Rotary are both owned by the same company and explained the subtle differences between the lifts (if there are some) you would have gotten a completely different response.

You do seem to have a good knowledge of the available lifts. I am in the market for one, so I will send you a PM and see what you can recommend for my needs and what type of pricing you can offer.

 

[jtillery]

Unfortunately you will find out who is the customer here and it is not the consumer. The credit company will not reverse the transaction without approval of the vendor (their customer). I've been through this before.

I noticed you are in Canada, I wonder if they handle charge backs differently there than in the US? I have been in disputes with 10+ business that I filed charge backs on. In every case, the money was put back into my account right away, then the credit card company did their investigation and I won every single one. Some were significant refunds ($1000+) when the companies wouldn't even offer any type of resolution so I know they didn't approve the refunds.

I also used to work for a business that had a few charge backs filed against it. The value of the chargebacks was less than 1% of the yearly charges, but once you get a certain number (was less than 5 in this case) the credit card processor starts holding your funds for 30-60 days prior to releasing them to you. It can really affect the cash flow of a business so it really can be an effective tool, if the company you are disputing with has any idea of what could happen if you filed a charge back.

 

[Matti]

I noticed you are in Canada, I wonder if they handle charge backs differently there than in the US? I have been in disputes with 10+ business that I filed charge backs on. In every case, the money was put back into my account right away, then the credit card company did their investigation and I won every single one. Some were significant refunds ($1000+) when the companies wouldn't even offer any type of resolution so I know they didn't approve the refunds.

I also used to work for a business that had a few charge backs filed against it. The value of the chargebacks was less than 1% of the yearly charges, but once you get a certain number (was less than 5 in this case) the credit card processor starts holding your funds for 30-60 days prior to releasing them to you. It can really affect the cash flow of a business so it really can be an effective tool, if the company you are disputing with has any idea of what could happen if you filed a charge back.

It was Amex that I had the problem with. They don't just give you your money back because you had a dispute with the vendor.

 

[gtoblade]

Hopefully, I wont have to go to that extreme yet, as Greg Smith Equipment has decided to work with me to resolve the issue now instead of prior response. Mostly I would assume is due to the support from you guys and this forum. Will see how it works out and let you guys know! Here is what transpired so far on the other thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10456

also have more pics there of the issues I hope they resolve for future owners.

 

[smooth72]

Heres the skinny on Rotary and Direct Lift:
The differences are subtle: A few minor things like higher quality power units, and cables. Also, the Direct line has only a 6-months Parts ONLY warranty vs. Rotarys 6 Months Parts/Labor/Travel, and 1 year parts. This is on the blanket warranty. The structural and power unit warrantys are the same....but Ive never seen a claim yet
Ben

Direct lift warranty is more than 6 mounths
http://www.directlift.com/Warranty.aspx
Warranty Summary
Two Post and Four Post Vehicle Lifts weight capacity models 7,000 lbs. through 14,000 lbs. are warranted for (5) years on structural components and (2) years on hydraulic power units and cylinders from invoice date.


I have had great luck with my Direct lift pro 8 +. Just a little scratch due to shipping. I have put allot more on it since then. I have the hydraulic jack and it works great, I hope to buy another. I got mine out of Texas. I use mine for everything from my vette to my Suburban. I know that bad things happen in shipping and you can get Lemons on any thing, but I would recomend Direct Lift to everyone. I plan on getting another pro 8+ and since using mine my dad is going to get the pro 9.

 

[Junkman]

Unfortunately you will find out who is the customer here and it is not the consumer. The credit company will not reverse the transaction without approval of the vendor (their customer). I've been through this before.

In my business, I take Amex, MC, Visa, & Discover. With every one of these credit card issuers, I have to make a reasonable attempt to resolve a problem, or they will take the money right out of our account. This is why it is so important to always work with the customer. If the customer goes to the card issuing bank and makes a complaint, they will impound the money until it is resolved, and they can very well find for the customer, and return the money. While the charge is in the dispute stage, the customer isn't required to pay for it, nor can they charge interest. Usually the customer has more clout with the bank than I do as a merchant. If it was purchased on a Debit card, then there are a whole different set of rules that apply. Read your credit card agreement. This is a generalization, and different circumstances apply in different states. They even vary from issuing bank to bank.

It was Amex that I had the problem with. They don't just give you your money back because you had a dispute with the vendor.

I have the most problem with American Express when it comes to customer complaints, and never once did they ever side with my business. I had one customer make a claim when his dog didn't like the dog food. He never returned the bag, nor did he ever call the store. He went directly to Amex, and they gave him a complete refund. They always back up the customer. This is why we no longer have an Amex sticker anywhere in the stores.

 

[cautiouslyoptimisticone]

Amex always does back the customer from my retailing experience also. As far as the lift I took delivery from Greg Smith of a direct lift 8 plus about a month ago and used his recommended installer. I expected some scratches and marks, but it came perfect. The installer said he uses a nylon sling and scrap wood when he gets it from the freight carrier. He installed it and we were in a bit of a hurry. The only issue was that i had to tighten the right front cable a few turns because that lock wouldn't catch. My fault i should have run a car up on it before he left. The install was pricey but if it saved me some possible damage and definetely time I think now it confirms my decision.

 

[WILDSTEVE]

ok all so I have read on here that the direct lift is CERTIFIED in the united states. please show me where there is a sticker that is a gold ALI sticker the governing body of lifts in the united states. Although rotary lift./revolution lifts are higher in price they have been certified by the ALI (AUTOMOTIVE LIFT INSTITUTE) which in turn means that if you bought say a rotary, challenger or any lift for that matter that has the gold ALI sticker say a 10,000lb lift to recieve that sticker they load it with 15,000lbs and run it thru 5,000 cycles where as a non ali lift can fail at 1lb over the rated load capacity. If you have anything to add please do.

 

[mikeyr]

Lets not restart this certification ripoff thing again, certification is a ripoff and only done to get ALI more money from the manufacturer, there have been thousands of posts here about it. Why restart a dead thread with your first post with this garbage.

Oh wait, I know why, you are a spammer that sells certified lifts and hate that other companies are not giving the money to ALI, nice first post there.

 

[WILDSTEVE]

I have to retract my thread due to the fact I researched more into this. the direct lift is ALI APPROVED and is a product of rotary lift

 

[WILDSTEVE]

and why so people understand what they are buying thats why.

 

[mechamunch]

Hopefully, I wont have to go to that extreme yet, as Greg Smith Equipment has decided to work with me to resolve the issue now instead of prior response. Mostly I would assume is due to the support from you guys and this forum. Will see how it works out and let you guys know! Here is what transpired so far on the other thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10456

also have more pics there of the issues I hope they resolve for future owners.

Doesn't the internet kick a$$? Look at all that leverage you got just because you're on a popular garage forum and you spread the word about your terrible Greg Smith experience. Power to the consumer. I hope everyone else here learns from your experience--you DON'T have to put up with their ****.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I had an outstanding Greg Smith experience when I bought my Direct Lift Pro Cycle XLT DT. Fair price, quick shipment, zero problems with the lift and we've had it about three years or so now. I would recommend GS to anyone (in spite of that retarded video)...

 

[TheShrine]

I had an outstanding Greg Smith experience when I bought my Direct Lift Pro Cycle XLT DT. Fair price, quick shipment, zero problems with the lift and we've had it about three years or so now. I would recommend GS to anyone (in spite of that retarded video)...

Ditto! I did have a hydraulic cylinder leak and they overnighted one to me. I complained about shipping scratches and they overnighted another one.

No complaints, I'd do it again!

 

[gtoblade]

All I can say is that while I had obviously a bad experience, I did eventually manage to get the issue resolved. Didnt think I needed to go thru all of that, and many thanks to those on this board who voiced and helped out! But it is repaired, and altho I still say you should anchor the four post, versus free standing........ Once bolted down, it is sturdy as a rock and works very well! Several people see mine all the time and I have no problem with recommending the direct lift.

 

[gtoblade]

Well I have to say that altho I did have some problems at first, it was eventually taken care of. While I didnt think I should have to go thru all of that, the lift was repaired! I do think its much more stable and feels safer anchored! But so far it has worked very well. I have no problem recommending "Direct lift" to others. It has been well worth the money!!!
I do wonder if they ever fixed the ramp and wheel issue tho!?

 

[6806goats]

Gonna bump this 2 month dead thread.

Seems like Direct Lift is the way to go but I am considering Atlas. With wanting 4 lifts I need to figure all options. All will be mainly for storage options while I'm working in Iraq but once I finish then projects will begin. Shop size is 32X48 and then a two car garage attached to the house. One lift is for cabinet making tools on top (center deck section used) and smaller tractors/mowers and rollaway below. Another might be installed in the garage with my motorcycles and atv on top, car below so I'll want to use the center deck options on that one as well. I am a bit concerned about earthquakes knocking the bikes around so I'll strap them to the lift. Not sure if it would be better just to put a 3800lb car above them and call it good.

The other two would be used for car storage but I'm concerned about what rating to us on one of them. Three of the four will probably be the Direct 8 plus but I do want one rated heavy enough to hold my 2005 Chev Duramax dually when I do maintenance on it in the future. A 8k lift just doesn't give me enough safety factor in my mind so thinking of the Atlas 512 rated at 12k or maybe a Direct 14k. Revolution or BendPack for that one lift might be a good option as well. While I haven't decided if I want to park my truck under another vehicle, I need to spec out a lift that is tall enough to allow it. If I were home I could measure the height of everything but I pretty much have to make a plan and get things ready to roll while I'm enroute. With shipping costs for that many lifts I might rent a flatbed gooseneck and head to the closest Direct dealer. So far that's in ND since my home is in SE Idaho. When I get everything home then I'll rent a forklift for a couple of days and start having fun.

I'm pretty new to the area where my home is and haven't made any friends but I might be able to scrounge up some neighbors who have stopped by last year to welcome me to the area. Hey with a forklift all we'd have to do is bolt things together. I'll continue to look on other threads but if anyone has ideas I'd appreciate it. Thought about just building on to my shop but with limited time stacking it sems to be my best option. Renting another storage unit at $100-150 a month would pay for another lift in close to a year so I just as well buy a lift.

Ok off to look for more "which lift is better" threads and there seems to be a few mentioned in this one. Thanks for your input and PM me for specifics if needed.

 

[gtoblade]

Guess it depends on heavy your dually is!? Mine is the pro pack 9 plus so its a little longer, taller and is good for 9000 lbs. That lets me put my 58 Caddy Hearse up on it and the family Tahoe. The Hearse is about 7000 lbs and 21 feet long. But I would anchor the lift tho!!!!!
You might want to check with a distributer about a discount if you going to buy several lifts! If you go thru Greg Smith and you read the previous posts then you know what to watch out for, and I wouldnt ship by ESTES trucking either (thats who Greg Smith was using) they forged my name on the delivery slip that it wasnt damaged and refused to consider any responsibilty for damaging it.
But the lift is still working well, i leave my 65 GTO on top all the time and the extra heighth with the 9 plus lets me walk under it easily ( I am 6 foot 3 inches tall) and drive the Tahoe or Dodge Ram Sport 4x4 under it. You just have to remove the ramps tho, they hang down and can cause a problem.

 

[6806goats]

Thanks for the quick reply GTO. I am also considering the Pro Park 9+. I'm note exactly sure what the truck weighs but guessing at close to 8k. With the diesel engine I'm not sure what front end weight would be and how it's biased out from front to rear. I probably won't bolt it down just yet if I have a lighter car on top but once I am certain where I want to put it then will bolt it down. Hate to swiss cheese the concrete but I won't put the truck in the air until I do. I'll need to change one the side car door from a rail type unit to a rollup before I can put it in place across the back. Time is the issue. Now that I think about it, these lifts could be loaded for years to come, bolting them all down might be a better safety measure. Still have a bit of thinking to do on this idea. With a 48 ft long shop and 2 lifts in a row, it's going to be fun trying to move the bottom vehicles. I have car dollies so that might be the only way to make it work out. Two lifts on one wall, one across the back and one on the other side. Hope the concrete can handle the load. Supposedly the front half is 6" and the back half is 4" rated at 3000. Wouldn't be much fun to break the deck apart from perimeter loading. Oh hey that's 4 lifts in the shop alone. ****. And I could fill everyone of em. Better look at getting 5 lifts....or selling a lot of my junk. Bingo!!! Thinking about going with Greg Smith but we can get Direct Lifts lifts from other sources, not sure about Atlas. Thanks.

 

[gtoblade]

If you go to the direct lift site they show that benco carries them along with others
http://www.directlift.com/DistributorMap.aspx
My shop is 65 x 45 and is basicly a renovated Tobacco barn which gives me a real high ceiling! I was going to leave mine unbolted to move around till I saw the shake issue. It may be able to hold 9K unanchored but why risk it. I have 4 inch concrete and thicker in places, I put anchor bolts in as directed and set them to where they only would stick up 1 1/2 inches, If I remember right, with the wheels on the lift to move it, clearance was 2 inches, so my theory is that if I ever need to move it, I can unbolt it, use the wheels and clear the bolts to do so by using the wheels. Of course the bolts sticking up I figured to use a peice of 2 x 8 or ? with holes drilled to set over the bolts to protect them when the lift was not there.
I set mine in the middle of the shop right in the middle of the main thru way. It lets me drive under it even with my car trailer (thanks to the plus size), and I can move the ramps from one end to the other to load or unload from either end.
I would suggest that if you were looking at that many lifts to see about a discount, and you might even want to buy just one first and see how you like it and move it around to see how many and where you want to put them.
Right now I have a 65 GTO on mine, a 1959 series 62 caddy underneath it, the 58 hearse in front of it, and a 65 Caddy limo behind it! LOL I could use a couple more lifts myself!
I know the instructions state that you should try to center the weight where a max of 4500 is on each end. So not sure on your truck! Look in the door jamb and it should have the trucks weight on a decal/plate

 

[gtoblade]

 

[sixtnut]

I don't know about the Atlas.
I bought a Direct Lift Pro Park 8 Plus. My cars are 17 1/2 feet long (see profile albums).
I have plenty of head room underneath. It is truly an advantage over creeper work. I love it and it has some safety certifications. Mine has a double safety lock system.
Go to directlift.com and read all about the lifts. I bought mine from them and had it shipped for $154.00. Mine came with casters, jack tray, and 3 drip trays. I could only lift the car one end at a time doing brake work. Bought a couple of hydaulic jacks at Harbor Freight for $9.95 each. Also bought another jack tray for $84.00 and $18.00 shipping. Now, I can lift both ends, rotate tires, 4 wheel brake job and bleed brakes, etc. I do use jack stands as well. I have plenty of room.
Do your homework and pick the best one for you. Be carefull of Chinese lifts being sold by dealers that haven't been in business long. Direct Lift has been at it over 75 years and the lifts are made to their specs at their own factories. I had two very small problems and they were taken care of immediately. Great service from Direct Lift. I can honestly say they took care of me. I spoke with real people, not a recording. They spoke ENGLISH too!
Some lifts are way over priced. That's why it is so important to compare. Most all are made over seas
Whatever you buy, make sure it is safe.
Good luck!
Tim

 

[e-tek]

This poll gives a good picture of what people are buying:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61498&highlight=lift+poll

 

[32rules]

Live 2 hours from Indianapolis. Drove to Greg Smiths, bought my lift, they loaded it on the trailer, and I was home in time for lunch.
Was easy to put together. Did it by myself. Slid the ramps off my trailer onto my under wheel car dollies and rolled them into place.
Hadit up and going by teusday, only working on it in the evenings.
3 years later, not a problem.

 

[6806goats]

Thanks gents. Looks like my best plan is one BendPak HD-14TL and three Direct lift Pro 8 plus. Checking with Best Buy Auto Equipment since they have Bendpak and Direct Lift. I need something tall enough to clear the top of my truck so I can store something lighter above it. Better to have something rated at way more than I'll need than to consider a lift just barely above my weight. Google says my truck is 77" tall and the 14TL is at 82" under the rails. We'll see what happens. Op, sorry to jack your thread but I appreciate it.

 

[gtoblade]

Sounds like a good plan! I almost bought a bend Pak. But got the direct instead to save money. Both are certified so should be a nice shop!

 

[6806goats]

Thanks! Ya the extra cost of the BP will sure put a dent in my plans. Need to find out if the lift needs to me plumbed to air all the time to keep sthe locks engaged. Can't imagine that being the case though. I don't have 220 run to my shop yet and will need to rent a generator to lift it before I head back over after vacation. No need to put power in until I'm ready to use the shop but I sure would like to. It has 110 but that's running from the house 200A panel and I'll want at least 200A service run to the shop. Just need to get it set up for storage this year.

 

[gtoblade]

YEah, that was another issue that got me to try the Direct lift, being able to use 120v (no problems so far), I have 220 but didnt want to run the wiring for it, and another issue was that the Bend Pak (and some others) charge extra for any additional items such as the wheels, jack tray, drip pans etc....., the Direct lift came with the wheels, jack tray, 3 drip pans included. I bought one of the roller hydralic jacks for mine, which does jack up slowly but very nice to have. I use it to raise one end then put stands under it and roll it down to the other end and raise it so I can do brakes, rotate tires, etc...... I dont know on the air issue, but was glad to see that the Direct has the extra safety locks on it with no need for any air or other. But if I hadnt bought the Direct I would have gotten the BP.

 

[southernfriedcj]

Greg Smith Equipment will tell you flat out that they sent a Handy Lift to an offshore manufacture to reverse engineer and copy, the only change they made is the table is diamond plate instead of smooth. My technician worked on Handy's for 6 years and he cannot tell the difference.