Time for Vehicle Lift

[Leaky88]

Wanted one my entire life, and I’m going to get one.
There’s a plethora of stuff on line, but I want safety, quality and personal experience if I may.

I have a 40 x 60 Pole Barn pictured. It has 6” concrete floor, built circa 2006.
Without modifications, I’m limited to sliding doors due to the inside height limits on white roll-up door. It has a 100A sub-panel. The grounds around are not paved, only gravel.

I have and will always have pick-ups and cars. Especially pickups. The lift needs to be capable of safely lifting a Dodge Cummins Dually.

Would appreciate lessons learned, and “if I had to do over again, I would have..”.

Thanks Leaky

 

[ScaldedDog]

I lift my 8000lb Excursion with a 10K Rotary, but I bet your dually is heavier. I'd go 12K, if so. I'm an inground lift guy, but they are eye-watteringly expensive to install into an existing floor.

Mark

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I lift my 8000lb Excursion with a 10K Rotary, but I bet your dually is heavier. I'd go 12K, if so. I'm an inground lift guy, but they are eye-watteringly expensive to install into an existing floor.

Mark

I'm confused. They're like $4k how much is install?

 

[ScaldedDog]

The SL210 in-ground lift is a good bit more than 4k.

Mark

 

[racecougar]

Yep, about $10k more than $4k...before installation.

OP, are you only looking at 2-post lifts? The thread doesn't specify exactly what you're after.

 

[Copper head]

I Highly recommend an AMGO brand lift. I have one,.....and it's been great !! https://www.ebay.com/itm/1556975780...044&customid=427a5f577ee11542edfc3835a74100f6

 

[pattenp]

I suggest what ever lift you get has an ALI certification. Also get 3 stage arms.

 

[zmotorsports]

I suggest what ever lift you get has an ALI certification. Also get 3 stage arms.

^^This. I also suggest getting one that is ALI certified as not all lifts are created equal.

I lift my brother Cummins dually on my Ammco 10k pound lift, which is nearly identical to the Challenger Versalift and I was told they came out of the same manufacturing plant, but that was 12+ years ago. I routinely lift mine and my son's Duramax 2500HD's without issue, but the dually longbed does weigh a bit more than our shortbed SRW trucks.

If I were buying one to specifically to lift heavy pickup trucks more so than <8k pound cars, SUV's, trucks, etc. then I would probably lean more towards a 12k pound lift.

They are not hard to install, so I would save the money on the installation and put it towards a better quality lift if it were me, that's what I ended up doing and the install was pretty simple.

 

[gizardlizard]

If you’re going to be consistently lifting a Cummins, get the 12k lift. 3 stage arms would awesome. I have 3 stage fronts but only 2 stage rears and it can be a challenge with wide body crew style pickups.

 

[Leaky88]

Thanks guys. I am certain I could install one and move installation fee to best quality unit. I just pulled a manual to replace clutch system… laying underneath. Gets old like me. ‍

 

[finn]

If you’re going to be consistently lifting a Cummins, get the 12k lift. 3 stage arms would awesome. I have 3 stage fronts but only 2 stage rears and it can be a challenge with wide body crew style pickups.

Agree.

I routinely lifted my old Super Duty cc drw on my 10k Bendpac asymmetrical lift. Lifting wasn’t an issue, but placement /balancing seemed sketchy, at best.

Support jacks front and rear were pretty essential.

For a crew cab dually, a four post like my Advantage SS 11000 lift is my preference. I realize that’s not your plan, though.

 

[crazylunker]

I personally would keep an eye out for a used mohawk, I have a 9k rotary at home that lifts my crew cab diesel ram but its a little wiggly with it on there. I have a 10k mohawk at work thats a completely different animal than the rotary. and the versatility with nothing to drive over or balance cables makes it way more attractive.

 

[firebirdparts]

This is a very low-difficulty decision. Good lifts are for sale everywhere, they cost practically nothing compared to the enjoyment you'll get and how good you'll feel. Installation is super easy. They are fabulously reliable.

People post in this group about lifts as if you had to cut your arm off to have one and the whole process of getting one is torture. The opposite is the case. You will kick yourself for not doing it faster.

if I had it to do over, I would want an asymmetrical with 3-section arms. I have a symmetrical and I push everything.

 

[finn]

This is a very low-difficulty decision. Good lifts are for sale everywhere, they cost practically nothing compared to the enjoyment you'll get and how good you'll feel. Installation is super easy. They are fabulously reliable.

People post in this group about lifts as if you had to cut your arm off to have one and the whole process of getting one is torture. The opposite is the case. You will kick yourself for not doing it faster.

if I had it to do over, I would want an asymmetrical with 3-section arms. I have a symmetrical and I push everything.

Agreed, to some extent. The initial outlay seemed high at the time that, in all honesty, I could live without. It was a want, not a must, especially when you have kids that hopefully will go to college, a mortgage, and a retirement you are trying to fund, etc.

I retrospect, I should have bought my first lift when I put up the garage.

The kids made it through college, and I was able to retire early, and the mortgage got paid early, thanks to a couple of refinances though, so maybe it was worth the wait. The lift was always third or fourth priority.

The other part is the fact that installing it oneself is sort of daunting for those that have never done it. In the end, installation wasn’t a big issue, when it came down to it.

It’s only been the last fifteen years that inexpensive homeowner lifts have received widespread acceptance, though.

Even now there’s a lot of badmouthing of them here from the “only Mohawk” crowd. That talk does more to sow uncertainty and hesitancy among the “new to lifts” crowd than anything.