BendPak HD-9 Install Thoughts/pics

[HIRISC]

I mostly lurk on here, but got a lot of valuable insight from the GJ members regarding lifts - thanks.

I've had a Bend Pak scissor lift for a couple of years and have been very pleased with its versatility.

Since winter is coming, and my garage is filling up with snowmobiles, I thought it would be a perfect time to 'justify' buying a 4 post lift to stack my Z06 and my Camaro for the off-season.

The lift is a Bend Pak HD-9 (the wider of their current options).

Rough dimensions are 121" wide (outside to outside) and about 174" long (excluding the ramps). I contemplated buying their 'ST' version that is about 103" wide, but that version wasn't wide enough between the crossbeam supports to fit the 76" (tire) width of my Z06. Close, but no cigar.

I bought a 110v for versatility - I'm planning to have a winter layout and a summer layout for the garage. FWIW, a 220v is also available and is supposed to raise the car faster. IMO, the 110v is plenty fast, raising my Z to the top safety lock in about 55 seconds.

Max lift height is 70" which gives you about 78" to the bottom of the car (5" for the ramp height and 3" or so of normal ground clearance on my Corvette).

My ceiling height is 121". The pic below shows the Camaro and the Corvette on the 2nd to the highest safety stop - it could go up another 5" or so, but the hood of the Camaro would hit the garage door.

The included ramps work fine for my '69 and my truck, but due to the low ground clearance of the Z, I ended up using the wood ramp ends I built for my scissor lift to help get the spoiler over the main crossbar. (See pic below).

I considered other brands - Backyard Buddy, Rotary, Revolution (Rotary), and Direct Lift. In the end, the combination of price (about $3500 installed, including casters which allow one to move the lift around), reputation of brand, (auto) air safety locks, enclosed cabling, adjustable ramp width (between 37.25" and 44" inside to inside), and optional rolling bridge jack made the BendPak the best option for me. (plus, the blue matches my other lift )

BendPak web page:
http://bendpak.com/products/automotive-lifts/four-post-lifts/hd-9.php

Bought it locally (Shakopee, MN) from a company called Benco (no affiliation with BendPak). They made their lives easy by bringing a truck with an on-board hoist.. Would be difficult to get the larger sections off the truck without some type of lift (engine lift would work). 2 guys took about 3.5 hours to set it up. The install was fairly basic really, but IMO, only 'easy' after watching someone do it. It would have taken me a lot longer.

Here are some pics of the Z on/under:

Overall, very happy with it - should have bought it a long time ago.

 

[200horse]

now thats a tight fit

 

[akdiesel]

I went with the 110v power unit as well since there are more plugs available than the 220v and the lift time is not that important.

Looks good.
What are the blue tape squares on the floor for?

 

[67pete300]

Those are some great looking toys you have there. Very nice.

 

[HIRISC]

now thats a tight fit

Yes, it is.. Hindsight as it is, I should have built the house with either an 18' or a 20' wide main door. The 3rd stall is 12' and that has worked out well, but that stall isn't the best place for the lift - at least with my snowmobiles in there.

Luckily, I can still (easily) get my SUV in between the lift post and the right side of the door.

 

[HIRISC]

I went with the 110v power unit as well since there are more plugs available than the 220v and the lift time is not that important.

Looks good.
What are the blue tape squares on the floor for?

Thanks.

Re the 110v - I couldn't agree more.. Lifts plenty fast.

Re the blue squares - they are my pre-purchase measurements of where the post pads would go - mostly I was concerned about the width of the 'wide' HD-9.

As it worked out, I decided to move the lift in and (even more) toward the wall. The lift is wide enough for me to park the Vette over to the right to give me some more exit room. I could back in, but I'm lazy and this is only a couple week routine until I park both cars for the winter.

 

[HIRISC]

Those are some great looking toys you have there. Very nice.

Thanks

...too bad I can only drive them 7 months out of the year

 

[e-tek]

I hear ya on only having 7 months for your babies! Where do you live?

Last week I took an 08 Vette 'vert for a test ride - very nice! Then I took an 09 Mustang GT500 (500HP) out, and - although very fast in a straight line - the rest was MASSIVELY disappointing! I can't believe Ford has had forever to make this thing right (and built the GT40) and it still feels like your sitting in a plastic Jeep made for GI Joe!

 

[The Alchemist]

Looks good. Is it a real Yenko? Nice collection and choice in cars.

Here's my toys, not quite Z06 and Yenko's, but still makes me smile.

 

[HIRISC]

I hear ya on only having 7 months for your babies! Where do you live?

Last week I took an 08 Vette 'vert for a test ride - very nice! Then I took an 09 Mustang GT500 (500HP) out, and - although very fast in a straight line - the rest was MASSIVELY disappointing! I can't believe Ford has had forever to make this thing right (and built the GT40) and it still feels like your sitting in a plastic Jeep made for GI Joe!

Minneapolis

I'll reserve commentary on the Mustang.. Haven't driven one. I bleed Chevy blue (unless I find some money and then I'd buy a Ford GT (GT40) in a heartbeat)

 

[HIRISC]

Looks good. Is it a real Yenko? Nice collection and choice in cars.

Here's my toys, not quite Z06 and Yenko's, but still makes me smile.

Thank you.

Your lift looks great..

I love the T/A..looks like you've got her modded up pretty well.

How do you like the 9-3? I had the previous generation and, aside from the torque steer, really liked it.

The Yenko is a clone - real ones are way, way too expensive.. Plus, I like to drive my cars

 

[The Alchemist]

Thanks for the compliments.

The only thing stock on the t/a is the block and bottom end. It's not quite 427ci territory, but it holds it's own for a 346. I plan to do a large cube motor swap in the future when my sold is old enough to understand and help. One day it'll be his, so I figure what better than to build a 500+ rwhp car together.

I love driving the 9-3. It's an 06 and has the 210hp turbo 4 which is surprisingly agile and fun to drive, especially for a daily driver.

 

[ovilla]

HIRISC - Congrats on the lift. It looks like it's working out well for your needs there. I just wanted to point out that you can easily raise your hiroizontal track a bit (if you want to) in order to get the extra clearance you need to be able to go all the way to that top lock. Just loosen your track a bit at the wall and then lift your horizontal track, at the very end (furthest away from the wall) and you should be able to get another 5-6" easily. That's what I did on mine.

 

[lh4x4]

I put in the Bend Pak HD9 wide and tall model because I have a 12'1" ceiling in the back part of the garage. I have been using it for over 2 years and it is great. I did go the 220 because I had an outlet right where the lift was going.

I added a Dannmar lift this year. Bend Pak markets that brand also. It is a 7000 pound lift but the only difference is the diameter of the ram. The posts and rails are the same gauge steel as the HD9. It has manual rods to disengage the stops instead of air powered. I can't report on how it works as my son has his S10 truck up there for a street rod project and he just told me that he would be done with it in 2022.

 

[Junkman]

HIRISC - Congrats on the lift. It looks like it's working out well for your needs there. I just wanted to point out that you can easily raise your hiroizontal track a bit (if you want to) in order to get the extra clearance you need to be able to go all the way to that top lock. Just loosen your track a bit at the wall and then lift your horizontal track, at the very end (furthest away from the wall) and you should be able to get another 5-6" easily. That's what I did on mine.

Could you please post of picture of this, because I am lost as to how you are getting the extra lift.

 

[The Alchemist]

Junkman, I was a little confused as well, but from the picture, I think he's talking about the garage door. By looseing the track at the wall, he's then changing the angle that it's lifting. A small angle change at the door is a big linear difference at the end of the door.

My only regret is not getting the taller version of my lift. At the time that I bought it, I didn't think I needed it any higher. But now, with the raised ceiling, I have a full two feet above the t/a that I could have used to raise it higher. I would have been able to put my wife's suv under my car, but it's probably a good thing she can't park under it. I'd probably get a phone call that started with "now don't get mad at me...."

 

[KevDawg]

Wow! I'm dying to know if that is a real Yenko?!?!?

 

[HIRISC]

HIRISC - Congrats on the lift. It looks like it's working out well for your needs there. I just wanted to point out that you can easily raise your hiroizontal track a bit (if you want to) in order to get the extra clearance you need to be able to go all the way to that top lock. Just loosen your track a bit at the wall and then lift your horizontal track, at the very end (furthest away from the wall) and you should be able to get another 5-6" easily. That's what I did on mine.

You're referring to the garage door track, yes? I'll have to take a look at that!

Thanks

 

[e-tek]

Wow! I'm dying to know if that is a real Yenko?!?!?

He just said earlier it isn't....
A good reason as any not to build/buy a clone - having to say to EVERY perosn who see's it...."Nah, it's just a clone". (Nothing personal It's still a nice Camaro!)

 

[HIRISC]

Junkman, I was a little confused as well, but from the picture, I think he's talking about the garage door. By looseing the track at the wall, he's then changing the angle that it's lifting. A small angle change at the door is a big linear difference at the end of the door.

My only regret is not getting the taller version of my lift. At the time that I bought it, I didn't think I needed it any higher. But now, with the raised ceiling, I have a full two feet above the t/a that I could have used to raise it higher. I would have been able to put my wife's suv under my car, but it's probably a good thing she can't park under it. I'd probably get a phone call that started with "now don't get mad at me...."

Yeah, I thought about that too, but the 'taller' version of the HD-9 series is also 24" longer and I didn't want the lift to be any 'longer' than it already is.

 

[HIRISC]

He just said earlier it isn't....
A good reason as any not to build/buy a clone - having to say to EVERY perosn who see's it...."Nah, it's just a clone". (Nothing personal It's still a nice Camaro!)

Yes, I do get a bit of that.. either people want to know if it's 'real' or 'what does Yenko mean'?

There are two 'real' Yenko's in MSP - never, ever see them out at shows/meets.

 

[HIRISC]

I put in the Bend Pak HD9 wide and tall model because I have a 12'1" ceiling in the back part of the garage. I have been using it for over 2 years and it is great. I did go the 220 because I had an outlet right where the lift was going.

I added a Dannmar lift this year. Bend Pak markets that brand also. It is a 7000 pound lift but the only difference is the diameter of the ram. The posts and rails are the same gauge steel as the HD9. It has manual rods to disengage the stops instead of air powered. I can't report on how it works as my son has his S10 truck up there for a street rod project and he just told me that he would be done with it in 2022.

Wow, that's way up there!

LOL @ 2022 comment - he's probably being optimistic

 

[ovilla]

Yeah, I was talking about the garage door being able to go a little higher (away from your cars) by simply being able to raise the rear most portion of the horizontal track 5-6" higher. Anyway, I also thought of getting the longer/taller lift but then I would have no room for a workbench in front of the lift. If my garage was deeper and I had a higher ceiling height, I definitely would have bought the longer/higher unit.

 

[ovilla]

I put in the Bend Pak HD9 wide and tall model because I have a 12'1" ceiling in the back part of the garage. I have been using it for over 2 years and it is great. I did go the 220 because I had an outlet right where the lift was going.

I added a Dannmar lift this year. Bend Pak markets that brand also. It is a 7000 pound lift but the only difference is the diameter of the ram. The posts and rails are the same gauge steel as the HD9. It has manual rods to disengage the stops instead of air powered. I can't report on how it works as my son has his S10 truck up there for a street rod project and he just told me that he would be done with it in 2022.

How big is your garage? That thing is awesome!