Lift Recommendation

[Crazy68Dart]

Hi all,

I need to get a better idea of what space requirements I need. I don't plan on a lift in the immediate future, but am getting estimates for a garage, and will have the space designed in.

Plan is to use a single bay with a 9x8 overhead door for the lift. I want to utilize space appropriately and not waste a bunch around the lift itself if I can keep from it.

So, looking for a recommendation. I want a 4-post style, so don't try to convince me otherwise.

I have a few cars that I might do an over/under storage, and also want to use it for maintenance. The largest vehicle I can ever see on it is a long bed 1/2 ton pickup (or short bed extended cab or similar). I currently have a 1/2 ton GMC long bed that weighs 4k lbs. Smallest/most narrow car (at this time) likely to be an E-type Jaguar.

So, I don't need to lift a semi, but want something safe and reasonably "space efficient".

What do you guys recommend? Looking for manufacturer and/or model.

Thanks.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

 

[EOC_Jason]

The BendPak HD-9 seems to be the most popular (or a variation thereof). People like BendPak because of their top notch customer service. Their lifts you don't have to bolt down either, and you can get a caster kit to roll it around if need be.

As for size, they have specs all on their website for the various models (extra wide / narrow, extra tall / short)... You can also call up the company to talk to someone about your needs and such and maybe they can help you figure out which one would be best.

 

[jlylec]

I'm in nearly the exact same situation as you and have been looking at this one, and this one from Torin. The Torin one is cheaper, but you have to buy the caster kit that's include in the NAT one and it's capacity is less. I have no idea which is better, but would love some advice too!

 

[LuvAZ]

Here's the one I had in a previous home a few years back. I found it to be an excellent value, and it comes with all of the nice-to-have-extras, like a set of 3 drip trays, a jack tray, and a set of casters. I put it together in a day w/a buddy and a cherry picker. Sold it when I moved cross country about 2 years later and sold it for $200 less than I paid for it new.
HTH,
Will

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Garage-Pro-8-000

 

[jlylec]

Here's the one I had in a previous home a few years back. I found it to be an excellent value, and it comes with all of the nice-to-have-extras, like a set of 3 drip trays, a jack tray, and a set of casters. I put it together in a day w/a buddy and a cherry picker. Sold it when I moved cross country about 2 years later and sold it for $200 less than I paid for it new.
HTH,
Will

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Garage-Pro-8-000

nice! great recommendation and even cheaper price. thanks so much! i have a new front-runner!

question (may be a dumb one)...can you move this around on the casters with a car on it?

 

[LuvAZ]

"question (may be a dumb one)...can you move this around on the casters with a car on it?"

Not a dumb question at all.

I think you probably could do it (I never needed to so I can't speak from experience). The reason I say this is that to attach the casters the lift ramps must be relativley close to the ground. If I remember correctly it was somewehere like 12" to 18" above the floor. In other words, you can not attach the casters with the ramps at full extension (or in any position that would put it in a 'top-heavy' condition, for that matter).

HTH,
Will

 

[torquepower85]

Tried to look into why that Greg Smith lift is so damn cheap.. Apparently they don't hide any info:

"...provide our customers with the "best of the best" from ASIA, we have aligned ourselves with Chinese factories..."

-www.gregsmithequipment.com/A-Letter-From-The-Desk-Of-Greg-Smith

Can't decide if good or bad. That price seems a little fishy.

 

[blk00ss]

Yeah it ***** they're made over seas. But I do know for a fact that a friend of mine bought two of them when he opened up a shop. And they never gave him an ounce of trouble and worked well.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I was reading a looong thread about people moving their lifts around with caster sets provided by the manufacturers. For the most part it can be done with a car on it, however some manufacturers have changed caster types over time and some people have complained they can't even budge their lift empty!!! So my recommendation is to make sure you can return the caster set if they do not work as advertised, or you can get yourself some higher-quality caster (larger size + grease fittings is my recommendation) to replace the stock ones.

 

[torquepower85]

On that note: I am pretty sure it's not recommended to have a car on the lift while moving it.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Here is the thread I was talking about before. It's an interesting read.

 

[torquepower85]

Here is the thread I was talking about before. It's an interesting read.

Gotcha, I'd call up BendPak or something if you're really interested in the capabilities of the casters.

But like I said, I've always heard that you're not supposed to have the car on the lift when using the casters.

 

[jlylec]

Gotcha, I'd call up BendPak or something if you're really interested in the capabilities of the casters.

But like I said, I've always heard that you're not supposed to have the car on the lift when using the casters.

yeah it seems risky and I'm not sure the situation i'd be in where i had to move it with the car on, but just thought i'd ask.

not sure how i feel about a chinese built lift either, but i guess everything else in my house is chinese now so why not the lift! saves like $500. i will want to make sure their service and return policy is top notch if it's a mess when i get it.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

So, is the BendPak actually manufactured in the states? I know it is an American name, but that does not mean a whole lot anymore.

Thanks for the ideas. The import lift looks decent too, and the extras that come along are a definite plus.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I'm going to have to say yes. Also FYI the Bendpak prices typically include shipping.

http://www.astudyinliftdesign.com/manufacturing-facility.html

 

[lt1driver]

made in china, stated in readings that over 700 or so employees "around the world"means china. best way is to call them and ASK if made (assembled) in USA AND if steel is USA or china etc. .. makes big difference in quality and strength I have read. Your life but for me I won't go cheap.

 

[Bob C]

I was never a fan of not bolting down a lift. Just my choice. I'm not interested in dying under a lift. You will have to make YOUR OWN decision on bolting it down or not. There are a lot better lifts than the ones mentioned here but if money is a major concern, then you got the right suggestions.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

I was never a fan of not bolting down a lift. Just my choice. I'm not interested in dying under a lift. You will have to make YOUR OWN decision on bolting it down or not. There are a lot better lifts than the ones mentioned here but if money is a major concern, then you got the right suggestions.

I never stated that money was the driving force behind my decision... someone else eluded to that.

What would you recommend? I believe I am in the "lower tier" of cost just due to my requirements and use.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

I'm going to have to say yes. Also FYI the Bendpak prices typically include shipping.

http://www.astudyinliftdesign.com/manufacturing-facility.html

made in china, stated in readings that over 700 or so employees "around the world"means china. best way is to call them and ASK if made (assembled) in USA AND if steel is USA or china etc. .. makes big difference in quality and strength I have read. Your life but for me I won't go cheap.

Gotta agree. Nothing about that website makes me feel like they are made in USA. Worth a phone call, but I think I know the answer.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

I was never a fan of not bolting down a lift. Just my choice. I'm not interested in dying under a lift. You will have to make YOUR OWN decision on bolting it down or not. There are a lot better lifts than the ones mentioned here but if money is a major concern, then you got the right suggestions.

I would bolt it down. I don't plan on floating it around the garage. If I need to I'll unbolt it, no biggie.

 

[Stuart in MN]

As far as I know, all four post lifts with caster kits are designed so you can move them around with a car on them. I have an older Challenger lift in my garage, and the casters won't even move the lift off the ground unless the car is fully lowered, so there's no way it would tip over when pushing it around in the garage.

edit: when lowered down onto the casters, the baseplates on the bottoms of the legs are only an inch or so off the ground.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Gotta agree. Nothing about that website makes me feel like they are made in USA. Worth a phone call, but I think I know the answer.

This was from a press release april 2011:

BendPak began construction of a new $65 million manufacturing facility that will nearly double the size of the company's current manufacturing and administrative capacity. The 480,000 square-foot, 15-acre complex in Santa Paula, Calif., is one of three new factories BendPak says will help facilitate production, increase efficiency and improve delivery times of its products.

I agree with you though, a phone call asking some details wouldn't hurt.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Nix that... I did some googling and found old posts where people said their lifts came with a "Made in China" sticker on them.... That's disappointing...

Mohawk lifts are made in the USA (not sure where they get their steel from though)... I also read a lot of positive reviews about them.

 

[jlylec]

I can't find any home-size lifts made in USA. The Mohawk ones are huge. It's pretty disappointing, but I guess it's just the way it is now. I always buy American if I can, but for something like this I guess it's just too expensive to manufacture here and compete with the Chinese.

On moving a lift with a car on it...there is a video on Greg Smith Equipment showing how the casters work and they show a guy moving a car around on one, but they say it's not recommended. It does only work when the lift is lowered all the way so it didn't look too dangerous. Unless you ran over your toe or something. But if you lowered it all the way why not just drive the car off and have an easier time pushing the lift around?

The Greg Smith ones seem to be the way to go for me. I'm only going to be using it once a week or so at most. Not up and down all day. I haven't seen a better price for what you get. If anybody has any experience (good or bad) with these lifts please let us know though. Thanks!

 

[Bob C]

I never stated that money was the driving force behind my decision... someone else eluded to that.

What would you recommend? I believe I am in the "lower tier" of cost just due to my requirements and use.

Rotary is by far my favorite lift. Easy to install. Easy to use. Nice finish and elegant in design. I've been to the rotary facility and it is a model of efficiency as to how they do not waste anything. Very professional. I cannot say if the steel is made here though, but you can be sure I will inquire about it asap.

 

[EOC_Jason]

On moving a lift with a car on it...there is a video on Greg Smith Equipment showing how the casters work and they show a guy moving a car around on one, but they say it's not recommended. It does only work when the lift is lowered all the way so it didn't look too dangerous. Unless you ran over your toe or something. But if you lowered it all the way why not just drive the car off and have an easier time pushing the lift around?

The weight of the beams (or whatever they are called) is what pushed down on the caster assembly to force them to the ground and raise the posts up. Some people want a vehicle on the setup so they can move it into a corner or some other location that they would otherwise not be able to pull the car into the lift after its moved. It's rare but it does seem to happen.

Here is a page, click on the first question Where is the lift and all components manufactured?

They have pictures of Challenger, BendPak, Rotary, and Dannmar all with "Made In China" stickers on them...

I guess there really isn't any American made 4-post lift available today. Probably too much competition for the least expensive in the home-owner category drove production overseas...

 

[darkk]

If I'm not mistaken, I think all of the*lower priced* home owner type lifts from Bend Pak are manufactured in China to *stringent* U.S. material and manufacturing/assembly specifications/standards. Just because something is made in China, Taiwan or Bum **** Egypt doesn't necessarily mean it's a *************. Bend Pak's customer service is exemplary, the product I received *HD9XW*is a great product and has been since I purchased it. I don't think you will get a better quality lift for the same or cheaper money delivered anywhere! If I ever need another lift, Bend Pak will be it.

 

[Bob C]

Rotary is by far my favorite lift. Easy to install. Easy to use. Nice finish and elegant in design. I've been to the rotary facility and it is a model of efficiency as to how they do not waste anything. Very professional. I cannot say if the steel is made here though, but you can be sure I will inquire about it asap.

I just got off the phone with Rotary. The steel used in their lifts IS manufactured here in the states. They use Global (Brand Name) Power units. These are overseas. They use Pacoma(Massey Ferguson) and Texas Hydraulics Cylinders. I asked why they went to overseas power units and was told the same thing we all heard at one time or another. "Price".

 

[Crazy68Dart]

Thanks guys, very good information. I really appreciate it.

I try to buy American when I can, cars, etc. I know this is debatable and everything that is manufactured is never totally American.

I guess I won't feel bad about purchasing something that is made overseas since I don't have much of a choice in the matter.

One thing that really does get under my skin is when I know something is made overseas and the *exact same product* is sold at markup just because of some USA manufacturer's sticker is applied.

I totally agree, just because it is made overseas does not automatically make it junk.

 

[boosteddsm92]

I can't find any home-size lifts made in USA. The Mohawk ones are huge. It's pretty disappointing, but I guess it's just the way it is now. I always buy American if I can, but for something like this I guess it's just too expensive to manufacture here and compete with the Chinese.

What about Backyard Buddy? Don't know much about them but they claim to be USA.

 

[fluid power]

What about Backyard Buddy? Don't know much about them but they claim to be USA.

Made in Warren Ohio. Super expensive, in 2010 a 7k lb lift 4 post lift was $4195 with no options, start adding casters ($395) and drip pans (125) and a jack table ($1695) and you approach $6500 pretty quick.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

I forgot about backyard buddy. Too easy, only an hour from me...

I'll check them out. Thanks!

 

[Beaumont67]

Tried to look into why that Greg Smith lift is so damn cheap.. Apparently they don't hide any info:

"...provide our customers with the "best of the best" from ASIA, we have aligned ourselves with Chinese factories..."

-www.gregsmithequipment.com/A-Letter-From-The-Desk-Of-Greg-Smith

Can't decide if good or bad. That price seems a little fishy.

I talked to a lift manufacturer owner, a few months ago.
He refuses to assembly and sell his lifts with cheap Asian hydraulic/elecrtic sourced components...and the reason for a competitor ~$1900 lift price.
- USA in this area, so not the lowest price...just more reliable
The cheapest lifts, probably have thinner gauge steel and weaker formed post channel profiles.
http://www.liftsuperstore.com/about-us/the-lift-superstore-difference

^^^^ These lifts are made off shore, but the power units are USA components.
(Canadian Company, near Toronto):
Product Testing
Product Liability Insured - $5 million
US Made Monarch Hydraulics
UL CSA (MOTOR) Certified
Pre-Stretched Cables
Steel Pulleys
Powder Coat Finish
ISO 9001 Manufacturing Facilities

 

[roaddog359]

Most hobby lifts are made over seas. The good thing about bend pak is they mantain a high level of quality control on there production at the plant. Bend Pak is in control of everything, not like a greg smith or others that just sells what they get from China.