Bend pak HD-9 questions

[bobs4092]

Hi,

1) I'm going to be buying a Bend Pak HD-9 4 post lift within the next few months and was wondering what all I will need to get this operational? I read it takes hydraulic oil. Does anyone know how much? I'd like to have all the things needed to install ready to go so I don't have to leave my car(s) out overnight on install day. The electrical and air hook ups are no problem as that should be common Lowes/H.D. stocked items.

2) Is $2,795 a good price? (with free shipping) That price is from Northern tool. Any better deals out there?

3) They mention an optional lift gate delivery. Anyone know about how much that costs? I believe they ship with Yellowfreight trucking.

4) Anything else I should know?

Looking for a smooth delivery/install and want to have everything ready.


Thanks for any and all help,


Bob

 

[6t7gto]

Bob,
Beg, borrow, steal and/or, buy, a couple of four wheel dollies to get the lift from the truck to your garage.
And make sure you have someone to help you.
Some of the pieces are quite heavy.
You may have to break down the lift and move some pieces individually.

I think lift gate delivery usually runs about $75.00 extra.
The driver will have a pallet jack and he might be able to set it on the dollies for you.
If you can borrow a trailer from someone, have the lift delivered to Yellow Freight's terminal and pick it up yourself. Much cheaper.
5 gallons of hydraulic oil will be plenty.


david

 

[milkovich]

Check with Garage Equipment (www.gesusa.com). They list the HD-9-B for $2615 with shipping included in the price.

I just bought a two post from them. Unfortunately, the two post is too big for liftgate service. Yellow shipping liftgate restrictions are 2500 lbs max and under 8 feet of length or width (as it was explained to me by michelle at yellow).

Ask for Marco at Garage Equipment to get someone who is articulate,polite, knows his product and how to ship it to you.

I've not dealt with northern, they might be just as good. I did deal with GE and am pleased so far.

 

[bobs4092]

Thanks guys. I got an e-mail back from Northern tool and they said this is too big for lift gate service.

Not sure how the heck I'd get it off the truck if delivered to my house. They said I'd need a fork lift! (I don't happen to have one of them laying around though)

I think I'll see where the nearest yellowfreight terminal is and possibly rent a trailer as you suggested Dave.

Thanks for the link Milkovich. I may end up buying from them if they are cheaper.


Bob

 

[bluesman2a]

Not sure how the heck I'd get it off the truck if delivered to my house. They said I'd need a fork lift! (I don't happen to have one of them laying around though)

If you have it delivered to the terminal they can put it on a trailer for you with a forklift. Once you get it home you can maneuver it around from the trailer and unload with your average cherry-picker/engine hoist ($100ish at most places).

HOWEVER, when I bought my lift, I found the cost difference between local and internet was pretty thin. For $300 they delivered, unloaded, AND set it up.

 

[brownbagg]

get a trailer and go pick it up at yellow freight. they will load your trailer for you. once you at the house, break the bundle and take it off piece by piece. the heavist piece is about 2oo lbs. I did mine by myself with no help.

 

[Junkman]

I had mine delivered to the local lumber yard where they took it off with their fork lift and put it on the crane truck. It cost me I think $50 to have it delivered to my house by the lumber company truck, and with the crane, they put it exactly where I wanted it. Where do you live? One thing that I learned is that if you have a long vehicle, you should buy the extra long lift. It will cost more, but in the end it is worth it. My car has a 145" wheel base, and it is too long for the runways. It would be fine if the wheels didn't have tires on them. I assembled mine with the help of an old friend (70 years old), so if two old men can put it together, then a couple of young guys should have no problem. I used some old rims to move the runways. I also didn't follow the instructions when it came to putting the ends together. I assembled them lying down, and once assembled, lifted them up. It was a lot easier than trying to lift the cross beam to the top of the post and slide it down. DO NOT install the bolts that hold the runway to the cross beam in the area of the cables until last. The instructions don't warn you of this, but the cable can get stuck under the bolt, and it will pull it off the pulley, and ruin the cable. This happened to mine and someone else that I know. You would think that they would have fixed this in the instructions, but as far as I know, it hasn't been changed. Get a price from WWW.ASEDEALS.COM before you order. I have found them to be very competitive.

 

[bobs4092]

I checked the other places you guys told me about and looks like I can get one for $2,615 at either ASE or R&B and have it shipped with Conway trucking as I requested. The nice thing about that is there is a Conway terminal 2 miles from me!

Now I just have to find a trailer. Was thinking of maybe just hiring a roll back to bring it home. Probably about the same cost and alot easier for me.

Thanks for the help,


Bob

 

[bobs4092]

One thing that I learned is that if you have a long vehicle, you should buy the extra long lift. It will cost more, but in the end it is worth it. My car has a 145" wheel base, and it is too long for the runways. Get a price from WWW.ASEDEALS.COM before you order. I have found them to be very competitive.

The longest vehicle I will need to put on it has 127 inch wheel base so I should be ok. I am going with the wider lift though as I have all old Chevy's and I didn't like the idea of having 6 inches of room on either side of the car between the posts. That extra $100 will be very well spent there.

Thanks for the link to ASE. I contacted them and may end up buying from them.

 

[lis]

I bought an HD9-XW from asedeals last year, and had it delivered to my installer. They brought it over on a flatbed tow truck, and slid it off right in my driveway. Maybe you can do something similar with a local towing company?

It takes 15 quarts of 10-WT hydraulic oil or Dexron III automatic transmission fluid- I used the latter.

Other things to consider-
- the steel ramps it comes with are really heavy. If you'll need to remove them frequently to park a second car underneath, consider the aluminum ramp option.
- a rolling jack is really useful when working on the car. I use mine constantly.
- if you plan to park underneath, you'll need drip trays of some sort. I managed to score some side-panels from an equipment rack for free. They are exactly the right width, and rest in the rail used by the rolling jack.

-Larry

 

[MAD IN NC]

Just put up mine HD-9B. Bought from RB-Wholesale http://www.rb-wholesale.com/ best price ~$2,475. Need to call and talk to Robert for the internet price! Rolling Jack 4500 was $1,125 and is really great! The RJ runs on air.

I moved the ramps to 44" so even though I ordered the drip pans they don't fit as they are set for 36" Had to move to the larger thread due to the Ford GT!

Since it's been up I have replaced a clutch on an '03 Cobra adn now have the capability to truly detail out my gal being the Ford GT! The real reason I bought is that I need the space. Have a 69 M1 coming back that I have to finish the engine on and afterwards need basic storage.

The lift will be delivered at a freight yard. I ordered a flat bed tow truck to pick it up and deliver it to the driveway for $100. From there bulk muscle of my neighbors, friends and my sons college buddies. Have beer on hand!

Directions really ****. Not enough detail. I learned more from the deatiled picture in the abck of the instruction manual as that is the only place to show how the bolts are placed on the end posts for the caps, saftey ladders and cable. Remeber to remove the pullies before placing the ram ramp! Second insure the cable doesn't bind or is routed on top of the bolts (see Junkmans post).

I filled with 12 quarts of Dexron III - works fine! Thanks Junkman for the posts and PM's!


Good Luck - Mike

 

[bobs4092]

Thanks guys. Can't wait to get mine and start using it!

Transmission fluid is cheaper so if it doesn't matter, I will probably use that too.

My brother knows someone with a trailer so looks like I'm just about set. Just waiting for the weather to warm up. C'mon spring...

I didn't realize the ramps had to be moved. I thought they lifted up out of the way with the tracks.

Planning on building my own drip trays. Might even make my own jack platform but have to see this in person first to figure that one out.

Mike, I'll be sure to ask about that internet price. Thanks.

 

[lis]

The ramps hang down when the lift goes up and get in the way of pulling a second car underneath. They're not too hard to remove, but they are heavy.

 

[MAD IN NC]

The ramps hang down when the lift goes up and get in the way of pulling a second car underneath. They're not too hard to remove, but they are heavy.

There are "washers" that are threaded through the ramp pins (two for each ramp) that keep the ramps from dropping down. Four should have been in the parts box. Took a while to find them - look at the detail page - not the instructions as they don't even mention them! They look like this. The small tab will bend down if something is to heavy on the ramps when they go up.

 

[lis]

I forgot about those- I never installed them. My lift is only ~1ft from the garage door, so there's no room to have the ramps in place with a closed door.

 

[Piper]

I too am thinking about the wide version of the HD 9 and understand that the runways can be set to 2 different widths. Is this a setting that can be easily adjusted? I plan on working on a narrower mustang but the ability to adjust for a pickup I periodically work on would be great. How difficult is it to adjust width? Also, I'm assuming that with the rolling pneumatic jack it's safe to use this jack without jack stands (ie: just roll to the lift point, lift car and work).

Piper

 

[Junkman]

The runways are easy to move. Only one runway moves, and that is the one that doesn't have the lift cables attached to it. There are two large bolts at each end that you will need to remove to move the runway. I would just put them in hand tight to make moving the runway easier.
The Bend Pak rolling jack is designed to accommodate both the narrow and wide runway configuration. Once you lift the car with the jack, you back off on the lift cylinder, and it will stop on the jack safety cogs. Once the safety is set, there is no need for jack stands. If you want to be extra cautious, you could put some wooden cribbing under the frame rails. That way, even if the jack failed, the car couldn't come down.

 

[JohnZ]

You do NOT want the steel ramps - trust me. Get the aluminum ramps. Mine is a Cytech Double-Park.

 

[Piper]

can you order the wide (or any version for that matter) without the ramps? I have an aluminum fabricator located by my office that could make a set of these for me. I was contemplating buying the aluminum ramps but they're pricey. I don't want 2 sets of ramps for sure.

Piper

 

[lis]

I wasn't able to order it without the standard steel ramps, so I have them sitting in my shed while I use the aluminum ones. I figure that they'll get cut up and used for a project someday...

-Larry

 

[turbojimmy]

I just bought and installed a Rotary Revolution lift in my garage. I looked at the BendPak at Northern Tool but I don't remember why I decided against it. It's a lot cheaper than the Revolution, but I think the lock positions and overall dimensions didn't work in my application (I have very little room to work with).

Anyway, I rented a u-haul box truck and picked it up at the local Rotary dealer. Picking it up at a local trucking company would have been the same - they just fork-lift it into the truck. Contrary to popular belief, it can be picked up 'long ways' and put into a box truck. You need a pretty heavy forklift to do it (the first one they tried just tipped over when they tried to pick it up) but it can be done. Alternatively you can rent a flatbed truck and pick it up yourself. Penske rents flatbed trucks that do not require a CDL. They are hard to get but if you call them far enough in advance you can get one.

Pics:

EDIT: I forgot to mention how I got it off the truck. It wasn't easy to do by myself. I broke the pallet down and removed what I could carry myself. The yokes are heavy and I had to drag them. The runways are 13-feet long and weigh over 400 lbs. each. The way Rotary packages it, the ramps are bolted together. I used a combination of a floor jack, wood blocks, 3" pvc pipe and dollies to get the thing aimed out the back of the truck and down the ramp. 2 or more people to get it off the truck would be ideal.

HTH,
Jim

 

[JMURiz]

I just bought and installed a Rotary Revolution lift in my garage. I looked at the BendPak at Northern Tool but I don't remember why I decided against it. It's a lot cheaper than the Revolution, but I think the lock positions and overall dimensions didn't work in my application (I have very little room to work with)...
HTH,
Jim

Is that the standard sized Revolution? It is nice to see it loaded up with full size cars to see how big it is. Looks great BTW...I'm leaning toward the Revolution more these days...even though my cars are small and light, I think I'd trust an overbuilt lift more with me under it.

 

[Junkman]

The Bend Pak is just about a carbon copy of the Revolotion. The locks are the same on the Rotary lifts that I have seen. If you were to paint them identical colors, and put them side by side, I would say that you would have a hard time deciding which was the Rotary and which was the Bend Pak. They are both quality products.

 

[turbojimmy]

Is that the standard sized Revolution? It is nice to see it loaded up with full size cars to see how big it is. Looks great BTW...I'm leaning toward the Revolution more these days...even though my cars are small and light, I think I'd trust an overbuilt lift more with me under it.

Thanks.

Yes it is the 'standard' Revolution. They have a taller, wider version too.


Like I said before, I can't remember why I ruled out the BendPak. It very well may be the same as the Rotary. I looked at lots of them and ruled out the foreign made ones immediately, despite the fact that they're nearly half the price. I had settled on either the Revolution or the Backyard Buddy. The Backyard Buddy is a lot more expensive and their salesman couldn't really convince me why I should spend more. They do have the collars that ride on the outside of the columns which theoretically would help keep it from tipping in the event a column gets out of whack. But, their sales guy kept harping on the powder coated finish versus Rotary's painted finish. Didn't matter much to me.

I haven't put the Caddy up on the Revolution but I'm going to change the oil this weekend. It has a longer wheelbase than the Grand National but it will still easily fit. The width is a little tight but not bad. It's 93" between the columns which is 3" less than my garage door. After doing it a few times I can put the Caddy between the columns without batting an eye. I wouldn't let the wife attempt it though .

EDIT: I checked out the specs on the HD-9. It is taller and wider than the 'base' Revolution. It was the width that killed it for me. It's nice to have the width between the columns, but my garage bays are narrow and I didn't want the lift to encroach on the bay next to it. The height of the HD-9 potentially allows ramming of my GN through the ceiling of my garage. The Revolution tops out at 63" (physical stop of the hydraulic cylinder) so I don't have to worry about it.


Jim

 

[dickie3126]

Jim,
may I ask what your ceiling height is?

Richard

 

[Junkman]

My ceiling hight is 11', and my car is 7'6", so hight is important to me. I put a tape marker on the column by the pump, and when the runway reaches that mark, I know that I can't go any higher with that car on the lift. If I have the Corvair on the lift, there is no problem at all with hight. If I had it to do over again, I would have a 15' ceiling in my garage because my cars are not the ordinary collector cars. they are all wide, high, and long.....

 

[turbojimmy]

Jim,
may I ask what your ceiling height is?

Richard

Richard,

Ceiling height is 127" measured in the middle. Because of the slope of the floor it's going to be slightly less at the front of the garage and slightly more at the rear (by the doors).

The Caddy is 2" taller than the Buick so I'll have to keep an eye on it as it approaches the ceiling. It would **** to get it up there but not be able to raise it out of the locks to get it back down :-0

Jim

 

[dickie3126]

Richard,

Ceiling height is 127" measured in the middle. Because of the slope of the floor it's going to be slightly less at the front of the garage and slightly more at the rear (by the doors).

The Caddy is 2" taller than the Buick so I'll have to keep an eye on it as it approaches the ceiling. It would **** to get it up there but not be able to raise it out of the locks to get it back down :-0

Jim

Jim,

Thanks. Just trying to visualize my situation here as it appeared in your photos you had about the same ceiling height as me.

Mine is 123" X 125". So approx. 124" in the middle.

Wanting to put my "32" on lift. (Overall height 60")
Wanting to park Corvette underneath. (Overall height 49")

Ramp thickness and where locking positions critical as you know. LOL!

Just researching possible lifts that may fit my scenario.

Thanks Jim,
Richard

 

[turbojimmy]

Jim,

Thanks. Just trying to visualize my situation here as it appeared in your photos you had about the same ceiling height as me.

Mine is 123" X 125". So approx. 124" in the middle.

Wanting to put my "32" on lift. (Overall height 60")
Wanting to park Corvette underneath. (Overall height 49")

Ramp thickness and where locking positions critical as you know. LOL!

Just researching possible lifts that may fit my scenario.

Thanks Jim,
Richard

Richard,

With your combined height it's definitely doable. I know this thread is a BendPak HD-9 thread but....the Revolution has stops at 51" and 57" and a runway height of 5" (actually 4.75"). With the 2" clearance they recommend to lift it off the locks (you don't really need 2" either) you can stop it at either 51" or 57" and still fit the Vette underneath.

I don't know about the other brands, but the locks are adjustable on the Revolution. They tell you where the standard lock positions are, but you can vary them quite a bit (up to a couple of inches in either direction). I've got my top lock at 62" (advertised is 63") so that the Caddy will sit on the top lock.

Good luck with your decision.

Jim