Please help me decide!!; Bendpak xpr-10ac vs. xpr-10 acx

[TX-WJ]

I am in need of help deciding which lift to go with. I have a 42'x24' garage which is split in two double bays, the bay close to the house is for the wifey with her suburban and our three little monsters; and the bay towards the back of the house is the man-cave for my DD, the Jeep, and my workspace/bench area .

I'm finally ready to pull the trigger on a two post lift and after much research, have made up my mind to go with a 10K Bendpak.

Now, the issue is the lift will be used mostly to work on my WJ jeep which should fit comfortably to open the doors on the narrow lift, but I want to be able to lift the suburban as well. When looking at the promotional pics for the xpr-10ac (narrow), it depicts a chevy avalanche on it which means the suburban should fit fine, but would it be a hassle to get in and out?

Now, the reason for not going straight to the xpr-acx (wide) is that I want to install the lift so that I can still park the Jeep between the posts (see pics below) and yet park the DD next to it comfortably, but I don't know if the wide lift will simply take up to much real estate and the parking will become a daily ritual of "avoiding the post" , rather than just "driving into the bat-cave" feel.

Anybody with experiene comparing both these lifts (narrow vs. wide) "side by side", and which one would you go with, and why..... or anyone who went with the narrow and then hoped had gone wide, or viceversa?......I just can't decide, please help a brotha out!

Thanks in advance. (sorry for the crappy phone pics).

David.
------------

 

[e-tek]

I would think that the bat-cave feel would come from a 4 post lift? Easy drive on and off and you could park under it too.

Check this thread out:

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1437718

Looks like you'll get a narrow lift that is adjustable to wider - so you won't have to choose and you'll get the "best of both" worlds!

ALSO - Love the bumper on the Jeep!

 

[tdkkart]

2 5 gallon buckets, fill with sand and stand 6ft tall pieces of 4" PVC in them. Place the buckets in the anticipated post locations for a couple weeks and see how they work out in the daily scheme.

 

[TX-WJ]

Nah, don't want a 4 post, as the main goal is to work on suspension / axles for the heep; just want to be able to park the jeep between the 2 posts and the DD next to it without much concern of "lack of space" taken up by the lift.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1437718

^^^
Wow, interesting read, so I guess one can simply "customize" the width now.

Thanks again.

 

[TX-WJ]

To tdkkart, yeah, I placed some objects yesteday at the expected post locations and got a feel for it, but I still can't decide..... space to park comfortably next to the lift, or the freedom of space between the posts when lifting the burban.....

 

[TX-WJ]

Just a follow-up; got the xp-10a and just finished installing it, only issue I run was the driver's side post rub the ceiling (concrete is level, ceiling had a slight drop in that area), so had to cut a small section of drywall which now I need to patch.

Went with the wide configuration so I can park the trailer under to load/unload stuff. Overall, very happy with the constructon / quality of the lift.