Another 2 post vs 4 post lift question...

[docwyte]

So I currently have a 4 post hobby lift in my garage. Not sure the manufacturer, but I suspect its a Direct/Tuxedo lift, 8000lb capacity, standard height, so about 70" to the bottom of the deck.

I've been wanting to change it out, as it can't accommodate a bridge jack and I'd like something that lifts a bit higher, so I can fit taller vehicles underneath it.

I was initially thinking about getting the Bendpak H9XW, as it lifts to 82" and can handle a bridge jack.

I have to decide what to do here, it looks like the Bendpak lift is $3000, the bridge jack is $1165 and the air compressor I'd need to buy (and find a home for somewhere in my already very crowded garage) is $800.

So this arrangement would cost the better part of $5000! Ouch... I figure I can sell my current lift for $1500 or so, but that means coming up with $3500 for this 4 post lift I want.

So that makes me wonder if I'm looking at this all wrong and maybe I should be thinking about replacing my 4 post lift with a two post lift. A good one of those can be had for $3300. But then I'd need to have some concrete work done to my garage slab to get the proper thickness and PSI grade. Not sure how much that would cost.

I also have some questions about how high the two post lift will raise the car, whether or not I could fit my wifes GX470 underneath a car on it or not. Plus the security of leaving my M3 up on a 2 post lift for long term storage...

Thoughts?

 

[slowTA]

I have an HD9, and my first comment about what you posted is that you could get a cheaper compressor. I have an old 4.5 HP 30 gallon craftsman that does just fine with the jack (and obviously the locks too.)

 

[LX-Markham]

^^^there's a few threads about using airbrush compressor.
I'm currently using a 1 gallon DeWalt nailer compressor.
edit: was thinking just for the air locks, not the bridge jack.

Why can't the Direct lift accommodate a bridge jack?

 

[Chevy-SS]

Based on your comments, I am recommending 4-poster

I went through the "2-post or 4-post" debate about three years ago. Ended up buying a Challenger Q4P09X 4-poster, and I am very happy with it. I have 16' ceiling above the lift, so I can get trucks with ladder racks up there all the way. Plus, this lift goes extra high (80" underneath), so its wonderful for winter storage. I can put the lift all the way up with the Roush Mustang on it, and still have plenty of room to park my Chevy Silverado underneath. And I don't have to worry about hitting my head (I'm 6'2").

At first, I thought this lift would be too big, but it is just the right size. I would say to go as big as you can go.

I bought one rolling jack, but might buy another at some point. I have a 'jacking tray', which will hold bottle jack(s), so I can get all four wheels up if needed.

Good luck!

 

[docwyte]

I was under the impression, after talking to the guy at ASEDEALS.COM, that I needed at least a 60 gallon, 5 hp compressor to run the bridge jack? Is that not the case? Right now I have a small air compressor, as I mostly use cordless electric impact tools now. My compressor is maybe a 12 gallon 2hp model.

From what I was told, the Direct lift I have doesn't have the necessary channel to hold the bridge jack in place. It just has enough of a lip to hold the drip pans...

I have a 13.5' ceiling height, so I've got plenty of room for a lift height of 80-82", I store a '98 M3 on the lift. Just want enough space to fit an SUV underneath.

My Cayenne fits underneath my lift now, with 1" to spare, so I can't have any ski racks on it, my wife's SUV definitely won't fit underneath the lift....

 

[Chevy-SS]

I was under the impression, after talking to the guy at ASEDEALS.COM, that I needed at least a 60 gallon, 5 hp compressor to run the bridge jack? ........

My jack is hand-operated pump style. It works great. If I was using it every day, then I'd surely go with air-powered jack, but for occasional use, the hand-pump jack is just fine. Just something to consider.............

 

[LX-Markham]

I was under the impression, after talking to the guy at ASEDEALS.COM, that I needed at least a 60 gallon, 5 hp compressor to run the bridge jack? Is that not the case? Right now I have a small air compressor, as I mostly use cordless electric impact tools now. My compressor is maybe a 12 gallon 2hp model.

From what I was told, the Direct lift I have doesn't have the necessary channel to hold the bridge jack in place. It just has enough of a lip to hold the drip pans...

The Bendpak bridge jack takes a surprising amount of air, but you don't need a 5 HP compressor for it. Your 12 gal compressor is likely fine.

Surprising since Direct Lift makes a bridge jack. Maybe not all their lifts have the channels?

http://www.directlift.ca/pro-jack-4500.htm

 

[rsanter]

I am no expert here but.
It seems to me you have to look at how much you will use the lift for service verses parking.
If the service time is only a small part of the use of the lift then you have to remember that it is ok if the service part is not as convenient as it would be with all the fancy stuff.
To me it seems like a good jacking tray and a couple of the air operated jacks could work for you.
I also don’t think that you need as big of s compressor as they are saying. It seems that you could try it with the compressor you have. It will work but if it does not work as fast as you want you could fix that by adding a reserve tank to the compressor for use with the jack.
If you had to buy another compressor I think one offer 60gal ones that are around $400 should work fine for you

Ob

 

[docwyte]

I do have a jacking tray for my lift now. What are the air operated jacks you're talking about? Also, there are hand operated bridge jacks? Do those easily lift an SUV? I mean, I'm a decently sized/strong guy, but I'm not a giant!

LX Markham, in looking at that picture of the bridge jack you linked it looks like it needs a C channel on the lift to sit into. The top flange sits on the top of the C channel and wheels roll on the inside of the channel, with a lip below the wheels to make sure they stay in place.

My lift just has an L flange on it, so those wheels would have nowhere to roll and there wouldn't be anything to secure the jack from falling out the bottom so to speak.

I do end up using the lift more for storage than service, so I do think a 4 post is probably the better solution for me. Now its just up to finding a 4 post that'll lift to the height I want (80-82") and be able to accommodate a bridge jack.

 

[stingry]

I do have a jacking tray for my lift now. What are the air operated jacks you're talking about

The bendpak rj45 rolling bridge jack is an air powered hydraulic jack. It is built to fit only bendpak 4 post lifts. To operate a full speed it requires 100psi and 20 cfm but should operate ok at lower cfm (slower lift speed) as long as the compressor will produce 100 psi. It will easily lift a SUV. I have the rj45 jack on an hd9 lift and it works great. As far as I am concerned, it is a necessity if you are jacking on a four post lift.

 

[Ray916MN]

The Direct Lift Pro Park 9+ will meet all your dimensional and capacity needs. It is their competing model to the BP H9XW. Unlike the BP it doesn't require any compressed air to operate and is available as a 220 or 120V. It is ALI certified and With a bridge jack it will be about $1K less than the Bendpak

https://www.derekweaver.com/rodders..._NpwAVYzMmzUQZ4UAVOYqQRoVOhyRJNhoCrRgQAvD_BwE

 

[Dakota00]

From what I was told, the Direct lift I have doesn't have the necessary channel to hold the bridge jack in place. It just has enough of a lip to hold the drip pans...

The bridge jack doesn't rest on the lip where the trays go, it rests on the runways itself.
This is the Direct Lift Pro Jack, this wont work with your Direct Lift??

More info here... http://www.directlift.ca/pro-jack-3500.htm

 

[James E]

Some people say that two posts aren't good for storage because the suspension is in full droop for long periods of time. Sounds legit to me but I am not a suspension engineer so I can't say for sure.

Regarding the lift choice, be sure to investigate the height of the bottom of the rails when the lift is at rest on the top safety lock. I mistakenly made my lift decision based on the height listed in the specs, but what I was looking at was actually the maximum height of the top of the rails when the lift is all the way up. My mistake, and now I can't park my truck or SUV under my HD-9.

The RJ45 jack has rollers that ride on the edge of he U-channel on the inside of the rails on a BendPak lift. The jack carriage has sliders that allow the jack to fit mipultiple rail widths.

Also, I normally attach a very cheap Craftsman 3 gallon compressor to run my RJ45. It flows a measly 3 or 4 cfm. It works perfectly fine for both the jack and for charging the safety lock releases on the lift.

HTH, James.

 

[Global Express]

The bendpak rj45 rolling bridge jack is an air powered hydraulic jack. It is built to fit only bendpak 4 post lifts. To operate a full speed it requires 100psi and 20 cfm but should operate ok at lower cfm (slower lift speed) as long as the compressor will produce 100 psi. It will easily lift a SUV. I have the rj45 jack on an hd9 lift and it works great. As far as I am concerned, it is a necessity if you are jacking on a four post lift.

same setup here, and it works great. My rj45 lifts my F250 with ease.

 

[jfitz]

I also have an HD9XW with the RJ45. I used to have an old 20 gal, 2HP compressor and it worked fine. Lifted my 08 Megacab 2500 with no problem. I picked the BP over other lifts as it was a little narrower, but still able to handle what I wanted. The air release locks work great over the rod lever type. My neighbour has an Atlas and was in envy of my BP. Use it for storing my R/T in the winter and drive underneath. It has made my big two car a three car garage!!

 

[bushmechanic]

Some people say that two posts aren't good for storage because the suspension is in full droop for long periods of time. Sounds legit to me but I am not a suspension engineer so I can't say for sure.

Regarding the lift choice, be sure to investigate the height of the bottom of the rails when the lift is at rest on the top safety lock. I mistakenly made my lift decision based on the height listed in the specs, but what I was looking at was actually the maximum height of the top of the rails when the lift is all the way up. My mistake, and now I can't park my truck or SUV under my HD-9.

The RJ45 jack has rollers that ride on the edge of he U-channel on the inside of the rails on a BendPak lift. The jack carriage has sliders that allow the jack to fit mipultiple rail widths.

Also, I normally attach a very cheap Craftsman 3 gallon compressor to run my RJ45. It flows a measly 3 or 4 cfm. It works perfectly fine for both the jack and for charging the safety lock releases on the lift.

HTH, James.

From a practical perspective, it's probably fine for a month or so here and there.

The problem is coil springs don't like to be extended. I could get into the math, but I've done it so many times before discussing spring retainers for off-pavement use that I don't feel like it anymore.

There is a limit that can be observed without damaging the springs. At the very least, try to keep them under 30% extension for the longest lasting results.

The shocks and anti-roll bars on many vehicles will artificially limit extension. Just use your good sense and see if those springs are extended beyond obvious reason.

You can get away with more for longer term storage if you just remove the wheels and tires. Just be wary of suspension designs that rely on opposing forces within rubber bushings to keep things aligned. They aren't designed to hang for any amount of time that would be useful for storage.

It won't hurt the car as a whole, but leaving springs too extended for a long period of time, or extending them much farther for a short period of time will reduce their life and cause sagging/bad performance; especially with variable rate springs.

Bushings on certain cars can be damaged or worn very quickly like this, as well.

 

[lakeroadster]

Well, for the folks that are worried about vehicle storage suspension damage on a 2 post lift, there's always this option:

The metal ramps...

Here's a link to the thread look at post #143... https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=347432&highlight=modification&page=8

 

[docwyte]

Dakota00, I saw that direct bridge jack and thought it would work. I had a lift company out when I first got my lift and they told me I couldn't use a bridge jack.

Maybe they were only talking about the bendpak ones tho.

Good advice on checking the ultimate height of the top lock vs top lift height.

 

[LXCam]

If it were me I'd modify the lift you have now to run a RJ45 jack on. It ain't rocket science. Then there's the other option of the direct lift jack. As for a compressor anything that'll push out 100psi will operate it, you just need to be patient that's all.


And yes I have a BP with an RJ45.

 

[docwyte]

Another question about bridge jacks...

Looks like that Direct lift bridge jack will lift 3500lbs about 18". Is that tall enough and enough capacity to lift an SUV off the deck?

 

[LXCam]

Another question about bridge jacks...

Looks like that Direct lift bridge jack will lift 3500lbs about 18". Is that tall enough and enough capacity to lift an SUV off the deck?

Yup. Plus don't forget you can buy the pads in different heights too. So having 18" of travel can go a long ways with the right stand off pads.

 

[docwyte]

Unfortunately there's no way for meme to confirm whether the lift can take it or not. I don't know who made it.

That Direct lift bridge jack looks like it sits on the main decks of the lift, should be any more force than I've already put on it with just my jack stands. Although please correct me if I'm wrong!

As long as you're lifting the vehicle from its jack points, I doubt the manufacturer cares how you're lifting it...

 

[Dakota00]

Unfortunately there's no way for meme to confirm whether the lift can take it or not. I don't know who made it.

Can you post a pic of your lift?

I"ll measure the space between the runways of my Direct Lift where the Pro Jack should sit. I'll let you know what it is... You do the same, if we both have the same measurement, then the Pro Jack will work on your lift.

 

[Ray916MN]

...
That Direct lift bridge jack looks like it sits on the main decks of the lift, ......

The Direct Lift bridge jack sit on a channel lip on the side of the runners. It has rollers on it and rolls along the channel.The lip is also used to support drip trays and the jacking tray that comes with their lifts. It is similar in design to the BendPak.

 

[Dakota00]

I"ll measure the space between the runways of my Direct Lift where the Pro Jack should sit. I'll let you know what it is...

Just came home and checked. I got 37.25" of space between the runways.

 

[docwyte]

Ray916MN, looks like the DirectLift4500 is like that, but the DirectLift3500 sits on the main deck and then has nylon blocks that slide on the decks.

My jacking tray sits on the main decks.

Dakota00, I'll try and post some pics of the lift tonight, my measurement between the two decks is just about 38". When I was talking to the Direct Lift distributor he was saying that the measurement he had was 37.75", so I'm pretty much right there...

How tall is the bridge jack above the decks? Not sure if my M3 will clear it... EDIT, just talked to the local distributor, he said ~3.5" with the lift pads on it and ~1.5" without the pads. So I'll have plenty of clearance for my M3.

Only bummer part is its hand operated, not air operated. Next up is to figure out how to raise the lift up some more. I'm thinking about adding 4-6" spacers underneath the jack feet.

Thoughts?

 

[docwyte]

Yet another question, anyone order from Derek Weaver Co? My local distributor won't have these in stock for at least another month.

I can order it from Derek Weaver and looks like they'll deliver it to my house for $35. That seems awfully low for freight shipping? Or is it the cost of the freight plus $35 for residential drop off?

EDIT: Turns out shipping is $212 + the $35. At that point I'm much better off waiting until my local distributor has them in stock and just buying it from them and paying tax.

Unless someone knows of a place that's selling these with free shipping?

 

[James E]

Bridge jacks are heavy. My RJ 45 weighs about 300 lbs. If you can get your bridge jack delivered to your house for an additional $35, then it's worth the extra money.

OTOH, $250 to ship a bridge jack is a pretty high premium to pay over the cost of the jack itself. When I bought my RJ45 from Dave Shedlock at Workshop Depot (call him if WD sells your brand, his customer service is outstanding), I got free depot shipping. It pays to shop around.

 

[docwyte]

Yeah, I'd love to not have to wait a month for my local distributor to get them in stock, but it doesn't make sense for me to pay $150-250 in shipping if I don't have to...

 

[docwyte]

Update! I did order the bridge jack from my local distributor and picked it up a few months ago. It does work fine on my Direct Lift and made my life much easier.

However, I just swapped SUV's with my wife, and her old SUV won't fit underneath my current lift. So I sold the lift yesterday and will be ordering a new, taller/wider lift so my "new" SUV will once again fit in the garage. It's 75" tall, so I need something with at least 78" of clearance from the bottom of the deck to the floor on the top lock. I also want something with around 100" of width between the posts.

EDIT: Looks like the BendPak HD-7W is the only lift that'll do what I want it to.

Is Asedeals.com the best place to order from?

In looking around for air compressors to run the RJ-45 bridge jack, most of what Lowes/Home Depot have are 2-3.7hp/30-60 gallon compressors. Will a 2-3.5hp compressor get the job done? Simple Y off the compressor to get two air lines out?

 

[lakeroadster]

...

So that makes me wonder if I'm looking at this all wrong and maybe I should be thinking about replacing my 4 post lift with a two post lift.

Thoughts?

Update! I did order the bridge jack from my local distributor and picked it up a few months ago. It does work fine on my Direct Lift and made my life much easier.

However, I just swapped SUV's with my wife, and her old SUV won't fit underneath my current lift.

I suggest you replace the 4 post lift with a 2 post..... and I wonder.. do you see the irony of this thread?

Another 2 post vs 4 post lift question...

If you had bought a 2 post lift originally.. as a result of the advice of some of the members here, you wouldn't be needing to replace the lift.

 

[docwyte]

Actually I'm quite happy with the 4 post. Most of the time I use the lift for storage, and a 4 post is much better for that. It also takes up less space on my garage and doesn't require concrete work to fit it.

I made out just fine selling my old four post and am about to buy the Bendpak HD-7W. My only regret is I didn't do enough research on my old lift, I should've bought this bendpak to begin with.