Lifting a flatbed dually on a 2 post lift

[Jeepermike]

I have a couple of duallys, one being a flatbed that I built and the bed is heavy. Should I adjust the recommended lifting points for this? 95 F350 with a 460 and it is a regular cab 2wd. Bed is 8'x10'. I have a Bendpak XPR-10S two post lift.

 

[dbabicky]

I would just position the lift where you think CG might be, take it up a few inches off the ground and shake the truck from the front and from the rear. You can do this a couple times until it feels right. It's really not that difficult. Don't over think it.

 

[T_R]

I've been in the automotive industry almost 30 years. I have never checked where the recommended lifting points on anything may be. Setting a lift is common sense. Figure where you think the center is, raise it, shake it and bounce it. If it's solid go all the way up. If you think one end is heavier, use a stand on that end to stabilize it.

 

[Ironcrow]

I drove over to the landscaping materials company, weighed the front and rear axle of my truck, so I know where the CG is. Obviously this is over the top for a professional shop with all the vehicles they work on, but for the home garage and one truck, why not?

 

[mrobins297aaa]

just curious, how much does it weight?

 

[mrobins297aaa]

if you know the rear axle weight, total weight and the wheel base you can use the calculator below to calculate the distance from the center of the front axle to the center of gravity/center of the lift.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/calculators/center-gravity/#LocationBehindFrontWheels

below is the calculations for my 7.3 F250:

Rear Wheel Weight: 3000

Overall Weight: 7200

Wheelbase: 158"

Location Behind Front Wheels = 65.833333333333

I want to add it's a starting point, before I ran across this calculator I was setting the location just the way T_R described, been at it for about 4 years moving the location a little bit each time I was at 68" to center with the common sense method........and like crow said why not?

 

[DieselNut88]

Just use common sense to find a balance point. I have lifted many crew cab, long bed, dually diesels on a 10k two post Rotary without a problem.

 

[Ign]

Since you have a symmetrical I agree you're mostly over-thinking it. I've had an '06 dually flat bed regular cab on my lift, but it was 4wd and I suppose the front drive axle helps add a bit of weight to the front.

I understand you've got a custom bed you say is heavy but I'm not sure it's much different than the leverage of a longer, stock truck

 

[Ign]

I just picked my CCLB. From the back of the column to the end of my rear bumper is almost exactly 12’.

Again, not sure that a longer but lighter truck is much different than shorter and heavier.

Now obviously if we had actual weights leverage is easy to figure as LxW, of course we’d also have to know weight distribution within that L

 

[Jeepermike]

Thanks guys. Lifted it no problem. Only issue was the step under the door. It hangs down low so I had to remove it to get the height adapters set right for the frame.