BendPack Four Post Lift Air Bottle

[Snakepilot]

I am thinking about buying the model HD-9 for my garage. I do not currently have an air compressor nor do I need one as I mostly want to be able to accommodate two cars on my single garage (three car attached garage) and the only work I plan to do is simple oil changes.

I would appreciate hearing from those of you with experience using this method to release the locks. I know that the bottle charges on the way up. Does it have enough air pressure to allow more than one stop on the way down?

Please let me know if you have had good results with it ..or not.

TIA,

John

 

[akdiesel]

I have to ask is who doesn't need an air compressor. Tires loose air every now and then. I would think if you can afford a four post lift than you could afford a small compressor.

 

[Snakepilot]

I appreciate your concern regarding my finances, but my question was specific to using the Air Bottle option on the BendPack lift.
I have a good 110V compressor to take care of tire inflation which suits my needs.

 

[darkk]

We sent the bottle back. The lift is awesome, but that ******* bottle ain't worth $80. It's a piece of pipe with caps on both ends...
EDIT: My bottle didn't come with any of the fittings necessary to install it, the directions are ****. Yes I suppose it does work...we never got our to. Any small compressor will work except those plug in your lighter types. You only need about 30-40 lbs air.

 

[Snakepilot]

OK... we are making progress. So it's a piece of **** that used to cost $80.00.
BTW, I've been quoted more than double that amount to add it to a new lift today.

Would anybody that has one, or had one, care to be more specific?. Does it do the job or not? And if not why?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

If you have a compressor of any sort, it will release the locks, you are wasting time and money to fool with the on lift bottle. And no, I don't have any experience with this, but I'm well aware of how it works.

Charles

 

[James E]

I just got the bottle a few weeks ago. Obviously, a compressor works fine but in my garage the layout necessitates an air hose across a walkway, which is a PITA.

The directions are weak, but the air routing is straightforward and if you assembled your BendPak lift you will figure it out pretty easily.

The problem that I have is that the darned thing leaks air (drains completely overnight). The leak is in one of the many threaded connections on the bottle so I have yet to fix it. It will require dismounting the bottle, un-doing all of the connections, re-taping and re-installing them.

If there was no leak, the bottle would be great. Once I fix the leak, it'll be a great addition to my lift.

I installed an air fitting to it so that once it bleeds down, I can re-fill it with no problems. When I am working on a car, the lift generates enough air for normal use and yes, there is enough air for several unlocks on one charge.

Another issue I have is that the pressure relief valve allows too much air to escape. Running the lift all the way up from the floor creates more than enough air to fill the bottle. As you approach the top, the pressure relief valve opens and apparently, it stays open too long. The valve pops at maybe 100-110 psi (not sure exactly) but the pressure reading after it blows is 60-70 psi. The thing is just letting too much air out.

In my opinion, it's a great idea executed poorly.

In BendPak's defense, they have been great answering my questions about the kit. I just think that as simple as this thing is, it should work better out of the box without a bunch of fiddling on my part to get it to work better.

HTH, James.

 

[c39er]

Sounds like the bottle is not the thing to use. Get a compressor.

 

[darkk]

Running the lift all the way up from the floor creates more than enough air to fill the bottle. As you approach the top, the pressure relief valve opens and apparently, it stays open too long. The valve pops at maybe 100-110 psi (not sure exactly) but the pressure reading after it blows is 60-70 psi. The thing is just letting too much air out.
I just think that as simple as this thing is, it should work better out of the box without a bunch of fiddling on my part to get it to work better.
HTH, James.

That pressure seems a bit high. I think my instructions said no more than 40 lbs to the locks or you chance popping a seal...? Maybe I'm wrong, what do yours recommend for lock release pressure?

 

[HIRISC]

That pressure seems a bit high. I think my instructions said no more than 40 lbs to the locks or you chance popping a seal...? Maybe I'm wrong, what do yours recommend for lock release pressure?

I use a mini compressor on mine.. 40psi or so works great.

BP recommends 30psi min/125psi max:

From here:
http://www.bendpak.com/HD-9 VER E Manual 5900123 REV D 06-16-2011.pdf

 

[2001RedCoupeBandit]

Does it work, of course it works or they wouldn't sell it. I almost got it, but I was told the air locks are better and since you already have an AC, MY Opinion is to use the air compressor.

I read posts for 6 months here and on other forums but I would say the majority of people use the compressor so I figured why not. I liked the idea of already having a saftey mechanism in place that was avaliable all the time, via the bottle jack, but I followed the majority.

I've had my lift in for 2 weeks so I am just getting used to it.

P.S. HIRSC always gives great feedback. He helped me a great deal.

 

[Snakepilot]

Thanks for all the replies. James E, that's the kind of info that I was looking for, but not the results I was hoping.
As you said, a great idea executed poorly.

I can't understand why, since my research shows BenPack releasing the Air Bottle solution back in 2009. You would think 3+ years would be plenty of time to get it to work right. It's not exactly rocket science.

I like the idea of a self contained solution to releasing the locks mostly because I am very limited on space in the garage and do not really need an air compressor for other things.

 

[Cryptic1911]

We got the air bottle right after it came out, and I was disappointed with it for what it was. I never did install it, as at the time, the instructions were pretty vague. I sent it back and traded it for the air / power station instead, and just hook the compressor to it to pop the locks

 

[Snakepilot]

Hi there Red Bandit! YOU are partly to blame for getting me thinking of a Lift for my garage again, after discounting it a few months ago...
I followed your saga, and read every thread. Still waiting for those pictures!!(yes, I saw the couple posted to the Air gun thread) Want more!

No, I do NOT have a compressor that would accomplish the required task. What I have is a 110V that takes care of my tire inflation needs. If the darned bottle would work as advertised it would be perfect for me.

Cryptic, when I Googled the Air Bottle I only found a couple of reports, all from when it was first released by BenPack. Yours was one of them, and why I started this thread to see if I could find more recent info.

 

[Cryptic1911]

Actually, your tire inflator should do the job. All you need is 30psi, and it doesn't require any real amount of flow since it just pops the locks and keeps them pressurized while you hold the button down.

 

[2001RedCoupeBandit]

Snake,

I took the pictures down and I promise to put Part 3 up this weekend. Have so many pictures, it will take awhile.

If my garage was 1 foot wider it woul dhave been perfect! I can get all 3 cars in and IF I move my Seadoo next to the lift and let my wife park her SUV in the single door garage, it will be fine.

Good Luck and thanks for following my thread. If you have any questions, just ask or PM me.

Take Care.....

 

[James E]

Thanks for all the replies. James E, that's the kind of info that I was looking for, but not the results I was hoping.
As you said, a great idea executed poorly.

I can't understand why, since my research shows BenPack releasing the Air Bottle solution back in 2009. You would think 3+ years would be plenty of time to get it to work right. It's not exactly rocket science.

Glad to be of help. I should be clear, the problems with the bottle are minor, just inconvenient. Re-taping the threads and putting it back together should solve the air-leak issue and I'm sure that Bend Pak would make it right if I sent it back or asked for another one.

It's just that it's such a simple little setup that it really should work right out of the box. Once I get it sealed up right, I think I'll be glad that I got it. It's certainly more convenient than a compressor.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[ixlr8]

No, I do NOT have a compressor that would accomplish the required task. What I have is a 110V that takes care of my tire inflation needs.

If you have enough compressor to take care of your tire inflation needs, 30psi or more, you have enough compressor to undo the locks.

 

[2001RedCoupeBandit]

Just get a "Bottle of Jack", and forget the bottle jacks.

 

[akdiesel]

snakepilot

In the first post I was not trying to sound like a smart *** but simply giving direction. I have a simple 110v compressor as well and have my shop plumbed for air and reels waiting for a better air compressor down the road. But even with the small compressors (and you say you will not use air tools) the option is there to have a simple air line set up (less cost then the bottle system you want).

 

[ket-tek]

I installed one of the BP air bottles a couple years back. Yes it seems pricey for what you get, but it does work just fine.

I got an original that was just a piece of pipe with check valves, which is fine because that is all you need it to be. The talk back then was that it was the prototype, and the kit was going to become a machined aluminum bottle, in which if it was it would not be as bad for spending $180 (still pricey tho). It sounds as if that is still what ships and the nice aluminum bottle never came to fruition.

Otherwise, since it was only a couple fittings I took it apart and did retape it before installation. So I don't know if it would have leaked as shipped, but I don't trust anyones teflon tape job but mine

It doesn't leak, you can come back 2 weeks later and open the locks. I did paint the bottle black so it looked a bit better. And I think most of the bad taste for this optional item come from the Price paid for the physical item you get, not the function it serves.

Yes you can make one, now that I know how it works I could make something a bit nicer for alot less. But if you don't want a compressor piped in, don't want to make one on your own, then just buy it and retape/seal it if you need to and it will function just fine don't overlook the fact that it does work.

 

[ket-tek]

oh I found an old pic of it on my computer, here it is:

You'll notice I also added a compressor input fitting for just incase it was ever needed to be filled externally.

 

[Snakepilot]

Thanks to all for the the replies.

AKDIESEL, It's all good. I did not take offense, but wanted to keep the focus on the Air Bottle itself and not let the topic wonder about cost vs benefits of a compressor, mine is bigger than yours, yada, yada...

KET-TEK, that's good to know. Thanks for the picture.
According to the BP website it comes with a valve stem for emergency recharging.

http://www.bendpak.com/Air Bottle Jack.png?h=349

I'm not sure which way I will go... still working on getting quotes to raise garage door (have 11' ceiling) electrical needs etc...

 

[ket-tek]

I'm not sure which way I will go... still working on getting quotes to raise garage door (have 11' ceiling) electrical needs etc...

I've had two friends recently high-lift their single garage doors, and both cost between $250-300 to get it done. That included new drums, cables, track sections, and labor. Just so you have some basis of general price to compare.