Bendpak HD9XW runway strap

[leverhead]

Hello all. Long time lurker....first time poster. Just finished 'raising' a new HD9XW. Went well, other than the mediocre instructions.

I noticed one leftover part that seems to be a runway strap that gets installed under the offside runway with cap screws and washers/nuts (pics attached). There is no mention in the manual or any exploded views of the lift.

For those who have one of these lifts, did yours have the same bit and if so do you have any issues with the ramp not sitting flat on the floor because of the bolthead? Looking at not so detailed pics of the same lift on the web seems to show a welded strap underneath like the powerside runway. Not sure what to do with it at this point and really don't want to weld and have it become a warranty issue. Thanks.

 

[04chase]

Is there a spot to bolt it on the power side as a strap to retain hoses or slack cables

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[leverhead]

No....there is an identical ******** the power side but it is welded on....underneath the power cylinder. The holes on the offside match up perfectly with the holes in the strap so I assume that is what it is for. However I don't see how the runway can drop flat on the floor and be even with the other runway if the bolt heads stick out below the runway.

 

[rtz]

Do your ramps sit completely flat on the floor?

 

[leverhead]

They do now....

There is about 1/8" + difference between the bottom of the runways and the bottom of the crosstubes....iow, the runways sit slightly higher 'off' the tubes....so....

thinking if I mount them INSIDE the bottom rails and get some grade 5 bolts and grind the heads down to 1/8" + that might work.....

Don't know what bendpak was thinking here....

 

[pbon]

Could it be a leftover shipping frame strap?

 

[MAYOR28]

I just put up my HD-9XW too. I had the same extra spare part. It looks like a piece for the optional removable ramps. Or at least that is what I thought it was.


Tell me though, is your lift wobbly? I am trying to decide if I should bolt mine down or not (separate discussion over HERE).

...

 

[LX-Markham]

Mine has straps under the non-power ramps, except they are welded. Maybe the bolted in ones are something new? Thus not in the instructions?

Not the best pic, but you can see the cross straps

From a structural point: the strap braces the bottom flange from buckling under load. So I would definitely install the bolt-in brace on your ramps

 

[Cryptic1911]

Yeah same here.. mine has welded straps in the middle

 

[leverhead]

I called bendpak and they said it is a strap for the underside of the offside ramp. The holes don't line up very well so I couldn't use the supplied hex head cap screws anyway....I used std hex but slightly smaller diameter grade 5 hardware (pic included) and mounted the strap inside (on top of the lip). There is a slight gap now between the bolt head and floor when the lift is fully lowered. I don't understand why they weren't welded on.

Mayor28:
I didn't bolt mine down...my slab is 4 inches so the supplied anchors wouldn't do much good. I may wish to have the option to move it around with casters in the future. I wouldn't say it is 'wobbly' although you can shake the columns a bit when there is no load on it. When a vehicle is on top it seems to tighten up a lot. Seems sturdy.

Thanks for the responses everyone.......

 

[pbon]

My cross straps are welded on both sides. HD9-XW bought last year.

 

[leverhead]

Good pic...thanks for sharing....they should all be welded IMHO.

Ordered lift from summit a few weeks ago but build date on the data plate says 8/18 ....

 

[stevezx900]

Pain in the *** but got them in.
I don’t know how bendpak thinks this is right.

 

[geoffro5]

Good product but instructions leave a lot to be desired.

 

[stevezx900]

I went on their website. They have new instructions that are much better. Too bad I learned of this when it was already fully assembled.

 

[logical]

My cross straps are welded on both sides. HD9-XW bought last year.

Mine as well. Did they change how stuff is bundled in shipping maybe and need that space open to nest something under the dead side runway?

Sent from my garage.

 

[pbon]

Maybe they found a lower cost producer in Myanmar?

 

[Matt M PA]

Pain in the *** but got them in.
I don’t know how bendpak thinks this is right.

Not an answer to whether or not they should be welded or bolted, and I don't remember how mine are...but look next time I can put the lift up....

Rather, a suggestion to use an "elevator" bolt or similar with an almost flat head. Shouldn't be hard to "square out" the holes a bit with a file...thinking out loud..

 

[pbon]

Don’t the ramps arch up slightly? Could be that bolt head will not touch the ground.

 

[logical]

I can't imagine the heads would hit the floor but mine is shimmed up some under the feet so maybe it's possible if your floor is flat or even crowned. Bendpak spec sheet is no help since it lists minimum runway level of 4.5 inches off floor yet bottom of my cross tubes to top of runway is a full 5.0 inches...so that can't work.

But yes, carriage bolt or button head bolt if you don't want to file the holes square.

Sent from my garage.

 

[MAYOR28]

I have the same problem with bolts hitting the floor. I need to source better bolts......I also have another strap to install on the power ramp side due to a defect in the runway sheetmetal....

My runways touch the ground (not the bolts, the actual runways) when the lift is all the way down. Is that normal?

 

[ixlr8]

My cross straps are welded on, so they are not an issue for me. But I found that the rolling jack would scrape the floor when the lift was all the way down and I tried to move it. I put a piece of 5/4 treated lumber under each corner of the lift so when all the way down it would rest on the wood and not go all the way down. This solved the problem of the rolling jack scraping/dragging on the floor when the lift was all the way down.

 

[JSK]

Just wanted to fill you in as to why the recent runway strap change.

We are continually looking for ways to improve both quality and the method of delivery. Four post lifts are inherently difficult to transport due to their length and weight. Trying to mitigate shipping damage has been on ongoing effort.

I applaud “logical” for his/her logical deduction…

“Did they change how stuff is bundled in shipping maybe and need that space open to nest something under the dead side runway?”

Bravo logical. As likely surmised, welding the ******** would be a less expensive method of manufacture than drilling four holes and including fasteners. So why'd we do it?

We now clamshell the runways. Many parts including the cross tubes and other components often scuffed, scratched and tossed about during cross-country transport, are now safely entombed within the opposing runways. Making the strap removable was the only way to accommodate this sure-to-be-copied change. In addition, the entire bundle is now wood-wrapped to provide another means of protection.

OLD and NEW packaging shown below.

 

[pbon]

You could just take a grinder to those bolt heads. On a 2 year old model like mine, the straps are welded onto the bottom so the stick out 3/16 to 1/4 inch below the runway depending on the weld bead size. Certainly flatter and more spread out that a bolt head that could chip concrete.

I like the wood packaging. My HD9-XW arrived with some scrapes and dings but lifts will get dinged and scraped up in use so I chose not to complain.

 

[JSK]

We're looking to see what it would take to fit the strap inside the runway. Would save 1/4" of protrusion. Will share.

 

[pbon]

Look on page 1 of this thread and you will see that one person installed the strap in the inside. Only the bolt head is in the underside. Maybe he had to trim the strap to fit it inside; I am not sure. To do a flush fur you would have to weld a recessed fitting into the bottom of the runway and probably redesign the strap slightly to accommodate the raised area inside the runway where the bolt head is, like naming the strap double thickness on the ends.

 

[stevezx900]

That new shipping procedure is exactly the way my lift came. I was very surprised my lift did not have any scratches at all.

Any scuffs or scratch’s happened during the installation process for me.

 

[pbon]

Looks way better than mine 2 years ago.

 

[19Vert64]

Mine is an Advantage, no major scratches. Happy camper here


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[logical]

Just wanted to fill you in as to why the recent runway strap change.



We are continually looking for ways to improve both quality and the method of delivery. Four post lifts are inherently difficult to transport due to their length and weight. Trying to mitigate shipping damage has been on ongoing effort.



I applaud “logical” for his/her logical deduction…



“Did they change how stuff is bundled in shipping maybe and need that space open to nest something under the dead side runway?”



Bravo logical. As likely surmised, welding the ******** would be a less expensive method of manufacture than drilling four holes and including fasteners. So why'd we do it?



We now clamshell the runways. Many parts including the cross tubes and other components often scuffed, scratched and tossed about during cross-country transport, are now safely entombed within the opposing runways. Making the strap removable was the only way to accommodate this sure-to-be-copied change. In addition, the entire bundle is now wood-wrapped to provide another means of protection.



OLD and NEW packaging shown below.

Thanks for the shout out. My bendpak is the favorite addition to my garage. I assume I win like a rolling jack or something?

Sent from my garage.

 

[GarageTroll]

Nothing about the included strap in the instructions of my HD-7W. Can't see why the offside runway needs it when the powerside does not have it, anyone? Only difference on the powerside is 4" gussets at each end. Looks more like a CYA throw-in item.

New packaging does allow for damage to the underside of the runway and the shipping brace does not fully protect the runway ends, see dented ramp hinge picture. Why not offset the brace past the ends of your product? High expectations for a company that does not give you an extra 2 cent airline ferrule.

A well made lift but their approach to the total product is on the side of "good enough" rather than as good as it can be.

 

[stevezx900]

Nothing about the included strap in the instructions of my HD-7W. Can't see why the offside runway needs it when the powerside does not have it, anyone? Only difference on the powerside is 4" gussets at each end. Looks more like a CYA throw-in item.

New packaging does allow for damage to the underside of the runway and the shipping brace does not fully protect the runway ends, see dented ramp hinge picture. Why not offset the brace past the ends of your product? High expectations for a company that does not give you an extra 2 cent airline ferrule.

A well made lift but their approach to the total product is on the side of "good enough" rather than as good as it can be.

If you go to the BendPaks
website they have updated instructions. Shows strap install there.

 

[GarageTroll]

Thank you stevezx900. It may be that some version of their manual does show it. As I don't see it in the HD-7W online manual here is a link; sorry, not old enough to link yet.

Still no explanation why one runway needs it and not the other.

 

[stevezx900]

Thank you stevezx900. It may be that some version of their manual does show it. As I don't see it in the HD-7W online manual here is a link; sorry, not old enough to link yet.

Still no explanation why one runway needs it and not the other.

My HD-9 has one welded on one side and the other I had to bolt on.

I believe that is for shipping purposes.

 

[pbon]

It probably is not even needed. But it does add rigidity to what is otherwise a C channel. The ram side has a strap as well.

 

[66Caprice]

They are there to help keep the cables from drooping too low and getting pinched by the runways of the lift.

 

[pbon]

That is not why the strap is there on the side with no cables.