c39er
Well-known member
I just purchased a new special order HD14 tall and Extra long runway lift. I also use a fairly new (2 years old ) HD9TL lift.
I have noticed that on the HD14 the base plates are only3/8" thick and slightly curled from the welding process or dropped. On the HD9 the base plates are1/2" thick! Whats up with that? Why does the much heavier duty HD14 have thinner base plates and use the exact same upright posts as the HD9? Also if I don't fill the fluid tank absolutely to the top I cannot raise the lift all the way up. Seems I have seen a longer deeper tank on these lifts. When I hold the air lock button in to lower the lift air leaks by this release valve-no problem but my rotary doesn't do that. The noise is kinda bothersome too. It shouldn't by pass air at 80lbs. The piston ram rod on my HD14 is 1-1/4"" as compared to 12,000lb Rotary's 1-3/8" diameter. Lastly the paint work has quite few runs with the paint repair being a sponge dabber-pretty funky way of painting, and yes its only a shop tool but I used to paint industrial equipment and this kinda paint work wouldn't make it today!
I think now that Bendpak has these lifts made in China (the sticker on the upright proudly states this) there is going to be more and more quality control issues that will need to be addressed. I will need to fix-flatten the base plates before I bolt this lift to the slab otherwise there will be constant excessive tension pulling on the hilti slab bolts. I am also going to have 1/2" thick 18"x18" new base plates to be centered under the 3/8" thin base plates and bolt them to the upright base plates then bolt the new thicker base plates to the slab-at least it will look H-duty for a 14,000lb lift. I know 3/8" is enough but why were the HD9's using 1/2" base plates-They look good-not cheap like Chinese cheap! Other than these few annoyances all is ok.
If I buy another-back to Rotary!
I have noticed that on the HD14 the base plates are only3/8" thick and slightly curled from the welding process or dropped. On the HD9 the base plates are1/2" thick! Whats up with that? Why does the much heavier duty HD14 have thinner base plates and use the exact same upright posts as the HD9? Also if I don't fill the fluid tank absolutely to the top I cannot raise the lift all the way up. Seems I have seen a longer deeper tank on these lifts. When I hold the air lock button in to lower the lift air leaks by this release valve-no problem but my rotary doesn't do that. The noise is kinda bothersome too. It shouldn't by pass air at 80lbs. The piston ram rod on my HD14 is 1-1/4"" as compared to 12,000lb Rotary's 1-3/8" diameter. Lastly the paint work has quite few runs with the paint repair being a sponge dabber-pretty funky way of painting, and yes its only a shop tool but I used to paint industrial equipment and this kinda paint work wouldn't make it today!
I think now that Bendpak has these lifts made in China (the sticker on the upright proudly states this) there is going to be more and more quality control issues that will need to be addressed. I will need to fix-flatten the base plates before I bolt this lift to the slab otherwise there will be constant excessive tension pulling on the hilti slab bolts. I am also going to have 1/2" thick 18"x18" new base plates to be centered under the 3/8" thin base plates and bolt them to the upright base plates then bolt the new thicker base plates to the slab-at least it will look H-duty for a 14,000lb lift. I know 3/8" is enough but why were the HD9's using 1/2" base plates-They look good-not cheap like Chinese cheap! Other than these few annoyances all is ok.
If I buy another-back to Rotary!
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