Bend- Pak lifts

[OldCarGuy]

I would be extremely leery to put any part of my body underneath any object held up by a jack purchased from Harbor Freight. If you choose to take the path of saving a few dollars on purchasing such a lifting device, it would be good advice to block the lifted object with an appropriate blocks and or stands.

When looking for a car lift make sure it has an Automotive Lift Certification (ALI) before purchasing. I would be extremely concerned about the overall quality and safety of any lift priced below $3,000.00. No doubt it was manufactured in China and most likely without an ALI certification.

If you go through Bend Pak’s Website, not all of their lifts are ALI certified. I can only wonder why they don’t certify all their lifts? Over the years Bend Pak made great products; but they have taken the cheaper path of purchasing components from China.

From my research the only lifts that are ALI certified and totally manufactured in the USA are Rotary, Mohawk, and Ben Pearson less their BayMaster line that is imported from China and has no ALI certification.

 

[PAToyota]

First, you should never crawl under anything that is just on a jack.

For what it is worth, I jacked up the back end of my K2500 over the weekend to do some brake work. Put the 2-ton HF floor jack under the pumpkin, lifted the whole thing, and stuck HF jackstands under each end of the axle - no problems...

 

[vintagegto]

Does anyone know of a mid rise lift that is certified because that's the type I need and was leaning toward the Norco but then I read about the saftey certification and now I'm back to square one.

Because I only have a 1 car garage,if something slips or falls,I don't have anywhere to move to avoid this. So for me this is very important to feel safe and be assured I'm not buying junk.

 

[CBGB]

Does anyone know of a mid rise lift that is certified because that's the type I need and was leaning toward the Norco but then I read about the saftey certification and now I'm back to square one.

Because I only have a 1 car garage,if something slips or falls,I don't have anywhere to move to avoid this. So for me this is very important to feel safe and be assured I'm not buying junk.

I recommend the Bend-Pak MD-6XP. Runs around 1500.00

 

[wilbilt]

Just a quick comment about air-operated safety locks; it is very easy to disconnect the air valve and operate them manually.
I would not let that feature influence a lift purchase.

The used Bend Pak I have was previously being used without air. When I set it up, I might leave it that way. Having manual locks forces a trip around the car before lowering it to release the locks.

It is a good time to make sure tools are off the runways and everything is clear before letting it down.

If I had a dollar for every fluorescent trouble light I have run over on a lift, I'd have three dollars...

 

[kutza]

I spoke to a local lift tech/installer, and he mentioned the the Bend Pak was also sold under a private name of Magnum Lifts by a distributor. I dont know this for sure, just thought I would add this to the mix we have going, an can anyone confirm this?

 

[z28toz06]

My buddy has used one for years. Didnt know about the air needs. I would like an asymetrical lift when I get one though.

 

[wilbilt]

I spoke to a local lift tech/installer, and he mentioned the the Bend Pak was also sold under a private name of Magnum Lifts by a distributor. I dont know this for sure, just thought I would add this to the mix we have going, an can anyone confirm this?

The one I have is a private label, although I don't remember if it is Magnum. It does have Bend-Pak's address on the tag along with a BP model number. It's the same blue color, but doesn't have the name on the legs.

I'll confirm when it's not so cold and dark out there...

 

[brownbagg]

well I have had my bend pak for a couple months now. It is great. no , it not air controlled, that is on the four post. i have no problem with it. And its made in USA. I feel good about it

 

[Mr Nick]

About 1/2 hour drive from me is a distributor for Direct Lift. Any one familuar with these. Also the installation instructions say the concrete must be min 4 inches thick an 3000 psi rated. How do I know if my slab meets these specs? The bases have a small area. Can one make a larger longer base and attach to the bottom for added safety?

 

[CBGB]

I spoke to a local lift tech/installer, and he mentioned the the Bend Pak was also sold under a private name of Magnum Lifts by a distributor. I dont know this for sure, just thought I would add this to the mix we have going, an can anyone confirm this?

Magnum does sell a few BendPak lifts under their name. The ony way to be 100% sure is by the Model number. If it is a BendPak device, the model number will reflect, "BP-model number).

If you don't see this - it isnt BendPak.

David
BendPak, Inc.

 

[CBGB]

The one I have is a private label, although I don't remember if it is Magnum. It does have Bend-Pak's address on the tag along with a BP model number. It's the same blue color, but doesn't have the name on the legs.

I'll confirm when it's not so cold and dark out there...

Will, from what you have described - that is a Magnum - made by BendPak.


David
Bendpak, Inc.

 

[CBGB]

About 1/2 hour drive from me is a distributor for Direct Lift. Any one familuar with these. Also the installation instructions say the concrete must be min 4 inches thick an 3000 psi rated. How do I know if my slab meets these specs? The bases have a small area. Can one make a larger longer base and attach to the bottom for added safety?

A 4" slab is fairly standard for the typical homes' foundation - unless you did it your self and "cheated" ...

Here are the recommended slab thickness by capacity:

CONCRETE SPECIFICATIONS
LIFT MODEL CONCRETE REQUIREMENT
7,000 Pound Two Post Models 4 ” Min. Thickness
9,000 Pound Two Post Models 4 ” Min. Thickness
10,000 Pound Two Post Models 4” Min. Thickness
12,000 Pound Two Post Models 6” Min. Thickness
15,000 Pound Two Post Models 6” Min. Thickness
18,000 Pound Two Post Models 6” Min. Thickness
7,000 Pound Four Post Models 4 ” Min. Thickness
12,000 Pound Four Post Models 4 ” Min. Thickness
18,000 Pound Four Post Models 4” Min. Thickness
27,000 Pound Four Post Models 4” Min. Thickness
35,000 Pound Four Post Models 4” Min. Thickness
40,000 Pound Four Post Models 4” Min. Thickness​

David
BendPak, Inc.

 

[Pooh_Hashai]

My $.02. I don't see it as scare tactics. If they would pass a certification
why wouldn't they have one? Fly by night is something to consider too.
Autolifters is one(and US built I believe) thats disapeared in the last few
years. How many lifts are out there with no factory support?

Autolifters lifts were a US built lift and yes they went out of business in April of 2005, mainly because they couldn't keep up with the cheaper prices of the foreign made lifts. But you can still get support for that lift if you get in contact with All American Lifts. A couple of ex employees (the guys that were actually involved in the making of the lift) were given the opportunity to start their own company making the same lifts. If you have any questions or need parts they will be more than happy to help you, the only thing is that they did not take on Autolifter's responsibilities with past customers. Give them a shout, they would love to hear from you.

 

[Junkman]

Great.... we now have a employee of Bend Pak on site. Wonder if he will be answering questions about Bend Pak????

 

[Old Moparz]

I have 2 Bend Pak, HD-9 lifts that I purchased from Hydraulic Mgt. Inc. http://www.e-autolifts.com/index.html One I installed 2 years ago, & for various reasons, just recently installed the second one last week. I had a minor problem that was not the fault of the manufacturer. I ended up doing some damage to one of the lifting cables because of where the cable was routed inside one of the horizontal supports. (See sketch)

The cables run inside the hollow supports at the front & rear of the lift, & travel under one of the parking runners to the hydraulic cylinder. There are guide wheels at both ends of the runner, but one cable jumped off the wheel & got wedged when the lift was in the up position. I couldn't lower the lift, so & had to partially disassemble it to correct the problem.

The cable ended up above the bolts that hold the parking runners to the front & rear supports. They must all be below the bolts to keep them perfectly horizontal to the floor. There's no mention of this in the installation manual, & no way of seeing where the cable is once you snake it through to the 4 posts from the cylinder.

Some of the metal strands in the cable became frayed, but after prying the cable out from where it was wedged, I made it worse. There was no other way to unwedge it, so I knew I would have to replace the damaged cable. Once I managed to get it out I saw why it got wedged in the first place & corrected it. Then I was worried about the first lift I installed & went to inspect it & saw it was fine.

The first lift has been up for 2 years & works fine. When I straightened out the problem with the cable on the second one, I called the place I bought it from to order a replacement and spoke with Dave Harper, the proprietor. I was told that he would call me back with a price, but when he did, he said he'd send it free of charge. This was for a lift that has been sitting in my shop for 2 years, & for damage that was not the fault of the manufacturer.

I was very happy about how it was handled & content to know that Bend Pak's distributor will stand behind the product & offer a service like that. I don't know what the cost of the cable is, but even if it was an inexpensive item, the gesture of replacing it for free means a lot to me. I would, & will, recommend their product to others in the future, & will consider going to them for other equipment when I need it.

Here's a link to the post I did on my installation a while back:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=636&highlight=Bend+Pak

 

[Junkman]

I had the same problem with mine, and only one person at Bend Pak knew what the cause was. I also know of another person that had the same problem, but he wound up paying for the cable. It isn't a manufacturing defect, but a poorly written installation manual. They should inform the assembler that the bolt should be left out until the cables are installed completely. That would eliminate this one problem. I like the product, but the manual leaves a lot to be desired. There customer support is top notch, but not always well informed. The company needs to have a method to get this type of technical information out to all the service reps that answer the telephones.

 

[edl]

OM; JM - many, many thanks for your posts - had the same problem - until just now, had NO clue what the cause was - this clears it up - super - and JM, I agree with you 100% - the product is great, the installation instructions are CR*P - personally, I had to call the support line a half a dozen times to clear up items that were either ambiguous or simply unaddressed in the instructions - regarding the support staff, it was a bit hit or miss - with some much more knowledgeable than others.

Separately, the conclusion I came to in buying the lift is there is actually NOT that much difference in lift prices - it is the included accessories where it adds up - so, the best import lift prices I was finding were for 1800 or so - the BP - 9 (9000lb, certified made in usa lift) was 2450 (AES) - the difference is that the cheaper one came with casters, drip pans and jack tray - but it seemed to me that to be able to get the more robust lift for a bit more, I could do the accessories down the road - FWIW, Stephen

 

[z28toz06]

WHat about this bend pak model? Its a low rise.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200322825_200322825

 

[brownbagg]

That the one that I bought but in 9000 lbs load. Its great no problem

 

[wilbilt]

Will, from what you have described - that is a Magnum - made by BendPak.


David
Bendpak, Inc.

I finally got out to look at it; the tag says Pro-Lift.

Model # is BP1288 and the tag has Bendpak's former Moorpark address on it.
Capacity 12,000 lbs.
It is dated 1992

It looks exactly like the current 18,000 lb. Heavy Duty Truck lift on the Bendpak site (overhead cylinder, chains instead of cables).

 

[Berg]

Just thought I'd join say Howdy..did a search and found this thread

I bought a Bend Pak SP 7x scissor lift.. anyone have any thoughts about them.
For me it was the best choice and I was told it was USA made but not sure if it's certified.. anyone know.
I wanted to stay away from Chinese stuf just for the sake of buying US..hope I did.

opinions appreciated good or bad,

Berg

 

[V-10 Killer]

Is there a feedback website out there that objectively rates the lifts currently on the market? I hear so much negativity about chinese made lifts, I'd like to see actual customer feedback from owners. Not second, third and fourth person grapevine stories of failures. I'm looking at a Greg Smith Equipment 9000lb assymetrical 2-post lift for my garage this year. Even if it's marginal at the upper end of its rating, I feel I can trust it holding a 3600lb car on the locks.

 

[PxTx]

I would say all of the lifts out there work. Cars falling off lifts are typically due to user error. Some are more reliable and user friendly. I'm sure GS can give you a reference list of people who are happy with his lift.

 

[930]

I've had my Bendpak 7000 for 4 years now....love it!

 

[mikeyr]

Is there a feedback website out there that objectively rates the lifts currently on the market? I hear so much negativity about chinese made

This site is as close as you are going to get to a review site but I guarantee we won't be objective

I have a Bend-Pak scissor lift and I love it, I would go with BendPak again.

I also have a 4-post lift, you know the one in the magazine ads from Backyard Buddy that has failed with a Vette on it ? I have the same model as that failed one and I would buy another one again EXCEPT that the company ***** (at least it did 5 years ago, they are still in business so they must have gotten better). It was a flaw that in many lifts and certainly not a concern for me, i get under it and play as often as I can.

 

[V-10 Killer]

My friend has a 4 post if I need access to one. But it drives me nuts that I can't change tires, brakes, drop the axle... on it. I need a 2 poster. After a little searching, most of the lift related accidents I could find related to 4 post lifts, and vehicles rolling off them (i.e. people not chocking the wheels when they pulled the driveshaft). I'll keep looking to see if I find any due to inferior brands of lifts.

 

[mikeyr]

I change tires all the time on my 4-post, no sure why you think it cant be done.

And I have heard just as many stories about 2-post failures as I have about 4-post, both are about the same. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do a lift failing.

 

[Vicegrip]

i have one Bend-pack 2 post at the home shop, 75 Rotary in-ground or two post and and 75 champion in-grounds at work. I have had some build issues and repair problems with the Champion lifts. The Rotary are good lifts and work just fine but Rotary is tight about selling parts and kill you cost wise when you go through the local dealer for them.

The rotary are of a better build than my Bend-pack but they should as they cost a lot more.
I figure I will have this fully certified 9000 pound rated lift for the rest of my life and in home use it will see in my 30 or so years left the same use as a dealer lift will see in 4 or 5 years at the most and hopefully because I retired early from saving and investing my $ wisely. i figure that in the 30 years of my "service life" left the money not spent on a little to far more expensive lift will double every 7 to 11 years so.

As was said most lift accidents are from user error such as leaving a post jack under a car and not looking before lowering the car or having a poorly set arm slip from a corner or the car tipping from being set too far out of balance. My mechanics like to leave the oil and coolant fluid tanks under the cars. The metal catch bowl makes a good sound as it crunches down some alerting the wrench that he just trashed another $65 bowl.

 

[V-10 Killer]

I change tires all the time on my 4-post, no sure why you think it cant be done.

And I have heard just as many stories about 2-post failures as I have about 4-post, both are about the same. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do a lift failing.

I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm saying that if your lift doesn't come with the sliding tray and airbag scissor lift (in which case you're really paying more either way to have that included in the total lift package), then its siginificantly more difficult/dangerous.

I'm not trying to argue, just showing what I could find by internet search. I haven't found any in the first few pages of 2 post lift failures yet.

 

[JSK]

endPak has a simple solution for the pneumatic lock issue. We actually have applied for a patent.

It is a 48" long hose with valve-stem clip that attaches to the car tire.

You can use your cars tire as the pressure vessel.

Jeff Kritzer
BendPak

 

[katit]

1.5 years later.. With my home usage - left cylinder leaked within warranty period. Now second cylinder leaking. I bought lift in May 2006. So.. Make conclusions.

 

[Danglerb]

Am I reading this correctly, the lock works with positive pressure? YIPES

 

[Junkman]

Am I reading this correctly, the lock works with positive pressure? YIPES

The locks work with a passive spring tension that puts them into the holes of the ladder inside of the column as the lift is going up. You apply air pressure to release the cogs as the lift is lowering. You have to keep your hand on the release button as the lift descends, and if there were a catastrophic failure, you would run away from the lift, and the locks would engage immediately. I think that this is a very safe method of locks, and apparently Rotary does also, since they also use an almost identical system. I say "almost", since I have never taken a Rotary locking system apart, but from all outward appearances, they look identical.

 

[Junkman]

1.5 years later.. With my home usage - left cylinder leaked within warranty period. Now second cylinder leaking. I bought lift in May 2006. So.. Make conclusions.

I don't know what air pressure you are supposed to use, but the failure of the cylinders might be a result of too much air pressure. I have found that it doesn't take much air pressure to release the safety cogs.

 

[Danglerb]

Interesting, the cheapo chinese import lift I am looking at uses air as well, just didn't know how til now. Kind of annoying that I might need to run the compressor at night to lower a car. Using tire pressure not that exciting, but maybe it will be ok running off residual pressure in the tank.

I am guessing the leaking cylinder in the earlier post is hydraulic not air.

 

[katit]

I don't know what air pressure you are supposed to use, but the failure of the cylinders might be a result of too much air pressure. I have found that it doesn't take much air pressure to release the safety cogs.

Air locks work good. It's hydraulic cylinder that leaks. Both of them leaked within 1.5 years of DIY use in garage. Lift - SP-7X

 

[brownbagg]

sp-7x, you sure of that model number, bend-pak does not list that model on their web page

 

[JSK]

Katit,

Drop me an email. I'll see what I can do for you.

Heads up to all.....

DIY lifts are usually raised very few times a year. This sometimes does not accommodate internal lubrication of the cylinder bore adequately enough. The hydraulic cylinders are "wet" only on one side of the piston. The other side is just atmosphere. The atmosphere side can become corroded if the cylinders are not raised to re-lube them inside. I would suggest the lifts be raised at least bi-weekly to prevent this from happening.

Katik, send me an email and I’ll see what I can work out for you.
We stand behind our products.

[email protected]

 

[kuhl0040]

I am looking into the HD-9XW-B hoist and have noticed some sites list it as a HD-9XW without the -B at the end. Do you know what the difference is? Does the -B signify a newer model?

Also, is there any disadvantage to going with the 110V power source, I assume it takes more current, if so how much more?

Thanks,
Tyler