Thinking of adding Bendpak HD-9

[saabman]

I have a detached shop at my house. Currently one bay has a Bendpak XPR-9F and the other bay has an above ground chassis dyno. Recently I had the thought of adding a Bendpak HD-9 to the dyno bay. The dyno is set back far enough that the HD-9 would comfortably sit in front of it. My uses would be:

- Aux service lift
- Storage lift
- Dyno lift

By Dyno lift I mean to use the HD-9 to raise the car even with the rollers and have it drive from the HD-9 ramps to the dyno (currently the dyno has 5 foot long sloped ramps.) Removing the front ramp stops would seem to allow the car to drive off the front of the lift.

I am worried that the shop will feel closed in with two lifts.

Does anyone use the caster kit? How easily does the lift move on the casters?

Chris

 

[James E]

I just assembled my HD-9. I have smooth concrete floors. The lift weighs around 1600 lbs and moves surprisingly easily on the casters. One person can do it easily.

The casters are poly and are exceptionally large. They roll very smoothly.

I have not moved the lift with a car on it but I know that you can.

 

[PurdueSD]

I used my caster kit just this past weekend for the first time. I had a fox body mustang on the lift at the time of moving. Moving the loaded lift is doable with 2 people (maybe even one). Its just not the easiest. As long as the casters are pointing the right way its not to bad. For as often as i have to move my lift, its really a non issue.

I love my HD9XW and would buy it again in a heartbeat. It gets the occasional brake job, oil change, clutch install etc. But it is really priceless when im not using it for service. In storage mode, it frees up a whole bay in my shop.

 

[m.james]

Casters shouldn't be a problem. As for space in your garage what do you have to work with?

 

[saabman]

I took some measurements today. The dyno frame (where the rollers are) is 108 inches wide with a 34 inch gully. I am thinking the HD-9ST would be a good fit (100 inches wide with 37.8 inches between rams) as I dont want the columns to sit outside of the dyno frame (and especially not in front of the eddy brake cabinet). Besides the only thing I would park underneath it is a sports car. And unlike a two post the column width does not dictate door opening clearance.

My shop is 32 wide by 30 deep. The other concern is my 54 inch tool box is on the outside wall so I dont want a lift column to interfere with it opening. I will have a good amount of space between the two lifts. This is where I keep my welders and other large portable tools.

Chris

 

[ket-tek]

Yeah you can drive on/off the front or rear of the lift. As there is acutally no 'front' of the lift it's built the same on both ends of the runways. The flip tire stops and hinged ramps are interchangable and can be removed/installed with no tools.

Moving the lift on casters empty is totally easy. With a car loaded you really need two people to make it easy. I moved mine over one bay alone with a supercab ranger on it in a few minutes, but a hand from a friend would have been a great help.

The problem alone is if you want to move it straight ahead or over you have to push one post some then the other, back and forth. With two people you can each grab a post and push at the same time and get it rolling nicely.

Like mentioned point the casters in the direction you want to go when setting the lift down on them, makes it much easier to start it moving and keep it on course.

 

[e-tek]

I took some measurements today. The dyno frame (where the rollers are) is 108 inches wide with a 34 inch gully. I am thinking the HD-9ST would be a good fit (100 inches wide with 37.8 inches between rams) as I dont want the columns to sit outside of the dyno frame (and especially not in front of the eddy brake cabinet). Besides the only thing I would park underneath it is a sports car. And unlike a two post the column width does not dictate door opening clearance.

My shop is 32 wide by 30 deep. The other concern is my 54 inch tool box is on the outside wall so I dont want a lift column to interfere with it opening. I will have a good amount of space between the two lifts. This is where I keep my welders and other large portable tools.

Chris

You measures look spot on. I have the XTW (extra tall and wide) in a 24' wide shop and the posts are about 2' from one wall and right in the centre of the shop. While I still have room for "stuff" along the side, an ST would be even better, especially in your 30' wide shop. you'll have lotsa room.

 

[saabman]

I pulled the trigger on a narrow HD-9 on Monday. Should be here sometime next week.

 

[rickycobra]

I pulled the trigger on a narrow HD-9 on Monday. Should be here sometime next week.

Congrats! You should keep us updated on how and if it was easy to install.

 

[66dave]

Congrats on you HD-9st , I ordered one a few days ago (hd9xw), and it will be dropped off tomorrow. Any tips or tricks encountered on your install that I could be aware of? Did you get the dp-30, if so what do you think of it?

 

[saabman]

It has not arrived. I live in Maine so transit time is a bit longer than the rest of the country. I installed an XPR-9F (with the help of a friend) in the other bay in my shop so I am feeling pretty confident about installing the HD-9. The biggest obstacle is all the stuff that is in the bay (it is winter an the shop becomes an aux storage facility).

 

[66dave]

I understand anbout the weather, I am in Boise, although I think it might be just a bit warmer here (~40' during the day). The bay that I am putting the lift in is ~50' long, so I can push all the other "stuff" back for now and then re-org it.

 

[saabman]

Right now my Sonett is up on the XPR-9F, and the Miata is underneath. The plan is to move the Miata out, transfer all the stored stuff under the lift. Install the HD-9, put my Saab 900 SPG on it, and raise it. Then move the stuff back under the HD-9, and put the Miata under the XPR-9F.

 

[JMURiz]

Wow, all kinds of us buying BendPak HD-9 series lifts this month, I ordered mine earlier this week. We'll have to have a lift show-off to ring in the new year, haha.

BTW those are some awesome Saabs...late Sonett and SPG, sweet!

 

[saabman]

I used to live in NoVA, whereabouts are you?

A buddy of mine put up a car loft in the last three days. He and I ordered our HD-9s together. He is getting a caster kit and will use the HD-9 as a mobile elevator for cars that go on to the loft.

 

[SMLDONZI]

Hey guys, first post here from frigid NE Ohio. I just recieved 2 HD9STs and look forward to some quality assembly time this weekend. I recently heard a good lift tip--if your floor is really smooth epoxy or equivalent (like mine), you may want to add a layer of rubber under each column to prevent any slippage when driving on and hitting the brakes. Sort of hard to imagine but I guess it can happen. I thought it sounded like a good idea and would protect the floor. I picked up some self adhesive neoprene sheets to adhere to the base of the columns--Mcmaster-Carr part # 8445K282. Thought I'd mention it in case it sounds good to anybody else. Anyway, glad to be here.

 

[Cryptic1911]

I recently heard a good lift tip--if your floor is really smooth epoxy or equivalent (like mine), you may want to add a layer of rubber under each column to prevent any slippage when driving on and hitting the brakes. Sort of hard to imagine but I guess it can happen.

This is a good idea.. I wasn't planning to bolt mine down, but I scared the **** out of myself driving my fwd GTI onto the ramp.. My driveway slopes away from the garage door opening, so I was going up hill slightly, and trying to go slow onto the ramp, and since I have solid motor mounts, the clutch grabbed on me.. and it moved the lift about a foot and a half across the floor! Definately bolting it down now.


Anyways, I have two tips for you guys that just bought some HD-9's. In the instructions, it says to stand up the posts, then drop the cross beam down into them. I don't know why it says to do that, but lay the posts down, and slide the crossbeam in:

The other tip is for when you are putting the cables on. It can be a pain in the *** to keep the cables on the pulleys and the ends in the block that is on the hydraulic ram when they have no tension on them. What I did was use two ratchet straps hooked to the block on the ram to the first cross support bar. I then tightened the straps to get some tension on the cables, and got them lined up in the grooves on the pulleys. After I primed the pump and then let it pull for a few seconds, the straps slacked, and I took them off. You still have to do some adjustments with the cables afterwords, but this will get them on the pulleys quickly

 

[Cryptic1911]

Oh, and one other thing. I have the caster kit, and we tried to move the lift with my GTI on it, and it was kind of a ***** to move. It will roll if the wheels are all pointed the right direction, but don't expect to be rolling it all over the place easily. It would be muuuch easier without a car on it. The casters just don't like to turn since they are the slanted type. Once there is alot of weight on them, its just hard to change directions

 

[SMLDONZI]

Laying the columns on the ground is a much better idea--thanks. Will be doing that today.

I tried the adhesive rubber sheets last night and was not too happy with the adhesive strength so decided not to do this. I definitely want the lifts to be portable, so I won't bolt them down. Might try just a loose sheet of rubber under each column when I place the lift in the desired location.

 

[66dave]

THat is funny, I unpacked mine last night and the crew (Dad, Brother, and cousin) are going to be here in 30 min to help set it. Last night after running ~40" of new 3/4" copper from my compressor to the lift area I read over the instructions and thought the same thing, why the hell am I going to lift that over those posts? My only thought is it could change the placement of the posts. I am glad someone else thought it was a good idea, also the cable comment is great! I will let you know of any snags I run into.

 

[JMURiz]

I used to live in NoVA, whereabouts are you?

A buddy of mine put up a car loft in the last three days. He and I ordered our HD-9s together. He is getting a caster kit and will use the HD-9 as a mobile elevator for cars that go on to the loft.

I'm in Arlington. Cool idea with the loft! I have a parts loft over my garage door area...wish it was strong enough for something like a car, too cool.

 

[66dave]

OK Guys-My dad and I did most of the work on the HD9xw and the rest of the crew showed up just in time for the beer and to string the cables. The build went fast, main structure was done in 3 hours but we had troubles, I will comment on that later. The cables, adjustments and ancoring took another 3 hours. The tips cryptic1911 had were great! I am very pleased with the finished product, but I also learned a few hard lessons:
1. Instructions note to keep the pulley holes on the cross beams to the inside, but it does not state to ensure they are on the same side as your pump. We quickly realized this before building up the second unit.
2. Instructions do not state to remove the pulleys on the live ramp before trying to install, but irronicly enough later in the instructions it does state to "re-install" them. The ramp will not fit if you do not pull these out.
3. When you pull the sheeves out for the pully's you might think that these were machined in 1980 and left to corrode for the last 30 years. I ended up spending about 5 min on each unit at the bench grinder removing the scale, once this was done they looked good. I was not able to clean down in the grease zerk area, as they are rusty and the aluminum is oxidied, so I might get new zerks in the near future.

 

[ket-tek]

By Dyno lift I mean to use the HD-9 to raise the car even with the rollers and have it drive from the HD-9 ramps to the dyno (currently the dyno has 5 foot long sloped ramps.)

Chris

This video made me think of this thread again..

Has a dyno with a 4 post in front to get the car up on it. Oh yeah, and then the car falls off during the dyno run....

 

[saabman]

Yeah, that is why I use chains for restraint rather than straps. Plus not sure how a standard lift would support AWD dyno testing.

 

[ket-tek]

On a positive for the lift, it kinda looks like the rear quarter of the car got caught by the lift post, so the lift kept the car from falling all the way off the dyno.

I've seen so many dyno jump/fall off videos it's crazy. Though most the times they go off sideways but I see people and camera guys standing right in front of a car going 100+.. I wouldn't stand there that's for sure.

 

[ket-tek]

Here's one with a Bendpak behind a dynojet. The car falls off, and the lift post saves it again.

Just for fun here is a guy that steps on the spinning roller!

 

[saabman]

In each of these videos the cars are poorly secured. When using nylon straps they must be pre-tentioned. I can only assume that these straps were not tentioned or they were underrated.

My dyno is not for commercial use and my sports cars are not HP/Torque monsters. Even so, I use chain to secure the cars. Unlike the Bendpak configuration in the first video above, my cars will have one axle on the lift and the drive axle on the rollers.

Dynos are dangerous and spectators should be kept well back. My unit has an big flywheel and eddy brake. You can bet I dont let anyone stand in line with the flywheel. I can only imagine what would happen if it grenaded.

 

[Cryptic1911]

OK Guys-My dad and I did most of the work on the HD9xw and the rest of the crew showed up just in time for the beer and to string the cables. The build went fast, main structure was done in 3 hours but we had troubles, I will comment on that later. The cables, adjustments and ancoring took another 3 hours. The tips cryptic1911 had were great! I am very pleased with the finished product, but I also learned a few hard lessons:
1. Instructions note to keep the pulley holes on the cross beams to the inside, but it does not state to ensure they are on the same side as your pump. We quickly realized this before building up the second unit.
2. Instructions do not state to remove the pulleys on the live ramp before trying to install, but irronicly enough later in the instructions it does state to "re-install" them. The ramp will not fit if you do not pull these out.
3. When you pull the sheeves out for the pully's you might think that these were machined in 1980 and left to corrode for the last 30 years. I ended up spending about 5 min on each unit at the bench grinder removing the scale, once this was done they looked good. I was not able to clean down in the grease zerk area, as they are rusty and the aluminum is oxidied, so I might get new zerks in the near future.

Glad the tips made it a little easier.. Now that I read your comments, I remember having a couple of those, but had forgotten, otherwise I would have mentioned those too.

#2, Yeah, I had this problem too.. kinda pissed me off. Didn't realize that the pulleys stick out of the end of the ramp, and they have to go into those slots. I too noticed a few steps later it did say to put them back in

#3, Mine weren't corroded at all, but they were pretty dinged up on the center piece that the pulley spins on. We checked for any burrs, and there were none.. just alot of indentations. I think they were banging around in the box on the way here. I just made sure they were smooth (no burrs) and greased them up really well. Seems to work fine

 

[BDharley07]

The straps are a good tip. I'm in the middle of installing mine

 

[hotco]

Are any of you guys in Texas? The nice thing about the HD9 is that its tracks can be adjusted from 75" to 82" in width. Most are just 75", which might be tight if your car measures 70+" from outside of wheel to outside of wheel. The length of the ST was too long to give me any working room in front of it in my garage.