Challenger CL10v3 or CL12 for lifting Ford Transit or Sprinter vans?

[Airfix]

Hello,

I'm just about to buy a car lift. I need to lift 2 extremes of car. Firstly a Lotus Elise, secondly a Ford Transit or Mercedes 144 WB Sprinter Van.

The plan for the van is to build it out as a camper van and I want to get a lift so I can at least work on the running gear even if I won't be able to lift it over head height due to ceiling limitations.

I'm having a hard time finding the basic curb axle weights for the sprinter but for the Ford Transit the weights are:

Base curb weight front axle 3285 lbf
Base curb weight rear axle 2281 lbf
Base total curb weight 5561 lbf
Max GVWR 9500 lbf

The max gvwr of the sprinter is about the same but I don't have a breakdown of the curb axel weights.

Obviously after a camper van build out the curb weights will be greater than listed and probably more evenly loaded front to rear.

I've been looking at the Challenger CL10V3 and the CL12 because they maximize the use of my 13'10" ceiling height. Obviously the Max gvwr is under the 10,000 lbf rating of the cl10v3 but should I use a 10,000lbf lift or go for the 12000lb lift. The cl12 is about 50% more expensive and a lot more money than i was expecting to spend.

Will the cl10 have the arm reach and capacity to lift a Transit or Sprinter?
Do I buy the cl10 or cl12?
Apart from the cash, is there a reason not to buy the CL12 over the CL10 given my needs?
From the manuals and marketing materials I can't get a feel for how much bigger the size of the cl12 is to the cl10, does anybody know post cross section sizes of each?
Would i ever regret buying the higher rated lift for any reason?

What would you guys do?

Airfix

 

[Wrench97]

The problem with Sprinters and Transit van's is the height, the high roof models need a height extension on the lifts to get more then 3 or 4 feet off the ground before the roof is hitting the top x bar and shut off switch.
A 13'10" ceiling may allow you to get the 2' extension option on the lift.

For constant use on a loaded van I would want the CL12, for occasional use as long as
you keep the gross weight near the 10,000 limit the CL10 will work.

 

[Airfix]

Wrench 97,

The height is one of the reasons I'm looking at Challenger lifts as they maximize the headroom available coming in at 13'8" for my 13'10" ceiling with a 2ft extension on the cl10 and standard height cl12.

I'll never likely have a garage with enough headroom to lift a tall van over head but so long as i can lift it a few feet to work on running gear.

What i have been trying to figure out is that I need to ensure the first lock will engage before the over head switch triggers and that when the overhead switch triggers i can have enough lift to have the wheels off the ground considering suspension sag.

That's the same problem for both lifts. However to help me choose between the lifts I need to know that the cl10 has the arm reach for a transit/sprinter and has the capacity to lift a camper van conversion.

Someone has told me even although a lift is rated to 10,000lbs you should only use it to lift vehicles up to 60% of the rated capacity due to the potential for loading the arms unevenly.

Apart from the cash difference is there any reason not to buy the cl12 over the cl10?

I see the cl10 can be loaded asymmetrically or symmetrically. Is an asymmetric lifting capability that important?

 

[Wrench97]

For a van conversion where you have weight in the back I would want a symmetric, Asymmetric was designed to allow the posts to be moved closer together and still open the car doors, but consider most have the engine in the front and little weight in the rear.
A symmetric lift with the posts designed on an angle solves most of that issue where it is needed. For a van it's usually not an issue as the doors are in front of the posts.

 

[aggie113]

You would have more than enough headroom to get the wheels off the ground with the lifts. The height extension is more to allow you to operate the lift normally regardless of vehicle height. So you might not be able to get the taller vehicles high enough to walk under like you might be able to do with your normal vehicles. Bendpak also offers height extensions but I think they would put you over your available limit.

 

[finn]

Just do a search for dry weight of a similar, factory converted van.

My Coachman Beyond , a T350 high roof with dual wheels, is listed at 8320 on some random internet search site. That’s not far off from the door sticker, which is mandatory for the upfitters to install when they convert an incomplete vehicle. I think the door sticker actually lists wet weight, though. The van is in storage at the moment, or I would give you an exact number.

The van is a little over 9’ tall...9’4”, if I recall.

 

[Airfix]

Finn,

Yeah I've got some numbers for a Winnebago Revel which is close to the build out i want.

If a van was 8300 lbf I'm assuming a 10,000lbf lift would be acceptable to use?

Is the rule of thumb i posted above about only using 60% of the lifting capacity of a lift bogus?

Airfix.

 

[jpaw]

If you have the room and it's in the budget go with a 12,000. Most 12,000lb lifts are built more robust and will be a lot more stable with the stacked pad extensions that will be required with the vans.
With your needs you really need to spring for 3 stage arms.
The only reason for the smaller lift would be lift arm clearance on the Lotus but you can simply drive up on boards to gain ground clearance.

 

[jpaw]

I've never heard of the 60% capacity. I work in a dealer and if it will lift it and it's stable up it goes.

 

[jsaw]

I've never heard of the 60% capacity. I work in a dealer and if it will lift it and it's stable up it goes.

My thought also. They would not post a rating on the lift if it could not lift that weight.

 

[finn]

Re: Challenger CL10v3 or CL12 for lifting Ford Transit or Sprinter vans, unless you h

Finn,

Yeah I've got some numbers for a Winnebago Revel which is close to the build out i want.

If a van was 8300 lbf I'm assuming a 10,000lbf lift would be acceptable to use?

Is the rule of thumb i posted above about only using 60% of the lifting capacity of a lift bogus?

Airfix.

Tough call. This site is king of the go big or go home mantra, but there are lots of things to consider when a tiny, low slung car is also involved.

Bigger 12 or 14 k lifts physically take up more shop space. The footprint kid bigger and the column cross section is greater, making them harder to work around.

Section height of the lift arms is higher, making lifting small low clearance cars a pita..

You definitely need a tall lift, though, with a raised roof van in the plan.

I didn’t order the extended height option on my 10k Bendpack, and suspect that means my Transit is a no go for the lift for anything other than brake work.

 

[Super Mech]

Make sure you get some really long truck adapters for the lift pads. Transits have the lift points way up under the body. I had to make a set for my lift.

 

[stupidsexyflanders]

Just for reference my Winnebago Revel with a Fox suspension kit, 33” tires and a half load of gear and water/diesel was around 8430 lbs. Interested in this thread as I too am thinking of a four post lift for it and all the other toys.

 

[theegovernor]

Here is a long wheel base transit with shelving and tools on my CL10V3. No issues with positioning of arms.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYpVcxxBc1XhzGlpE_FdXQAl22oHK4Jk/view?usp=sharing

 

[jpaw]

I lift a lot of Transits on my cl10v3 but it maxes out the lift arms and you need a long and short adapter and the pad screwed all of the way up on all 4 corners to lift from the frame rails.
I am usually pulling the subframe so I can't position the lift arm under there but regardless the arms are still about maxed out.
Just had one with steps on it and could not safely lift it with them on.

 

[meathooker]

We got a Challenger dealer setup for our work. Just placed our first order for a customer and my buddy and I got our lifts as well.

I got the cl10v3 as 90% of my work will be on a lowish race car. I do have an f450 that I’ll need to lift occasionally but the 10k will be sufficient.

My buddy got the cl12. He owns a family business that uses powerstoke vans loaded with steam cleaning equipment and he does all of the work on them. He also rebuilds motors and transmissions for other customers on primarily powerstrokes. He has done this for 14 years with a cheapie Chinese lift and it has worked - but he’s pushed the lift to its limits.

If I were you I’d get the cl10