My new shop is in its final stages of being completed. It is a 30 X 50 with twelve foot ceilings. The concrete floor is 3500 lb. tensile strength and I have two areas of twelve inch thick concrete for the lift towers. I've looked at all types of lifts and really want a two post asymmetrical of about 10K lb. lift capacity. My budget is around $3500 for the lift and installation as I'd rather not do it myself. I would love to have a Rotary or Bend Pak lift but they are really up there in price. Anyone out there have advice on the other lift manufacturers? I have messaged back and forth with a Challenger rep. He will sell me a 9000 lb. two post lift for $3500 installed. Thanks for any advice.
Two Post Lift
- Thread starter 67Camaro
- Start date
JeepJohn62
Well-known member
I bought an Atlas 10K 2 yrs ago. Works well. I have the baseplate model as my ceiling is only 10ft. You have 12ft so it may fit an overhead type.
Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app
Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app
Disney
Well-known member
You've got the spot, just wait for the right lift. I found my Rotary used on Ebay. They pop up fairly often. Just be ready to buy and have a way to go get it.
You may want to check out what I did related to a 2 post lift.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458345
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458345
JasonF
Well-known member
Derek Weaver has a certified 10k with three stage front arms for under 3k shipped. Been doing a ton of research and this I the one I'm pulling the trigger on once I finish a few other projects.
I was not impressed with Atlas aka Greg smith as a company.
the 12 ALI Atlas Lift I bought was OK but weld spatter under the paint where the guides ride.
plasma cut holes that were not complete, parts not made properly and poor instructions for my lift while I noticed others of the same brand had decent instructions
that may be par for the course with any lift specially china IDK?
what really screwed me over was the little secret they kept
the adapters for this lift are all their BS Proprietary size and they have a limited selection
I asked them why and they blamed ALI cert ALI said that was untrue and when I presented this to Atlas they stopped replying to me
if I had to buy another I may try the Bendpak 10k unit that lifts higher than most
the 12 ALI Atlas Lift I bought was OK but weld spatter under the paint where the guides ride.
plasma cut holes that were not complete, parts not made properly and poor instructions for my lift while I noticed others of the same brand had decent instructions
that may be par for the course with any lift specially china IDK?
what really screwed me over was the little secret they kept
the adapters for this lift are all their BS Proprietary size and they have a limited selection
I asked them why and they blamed ALI cert ALI said that was untrue and when I presented this to Atlas they stopped replying to me
if I had to buy another I may try the Bendpak 10k unit that lifts higher than most
fiataccompli
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2017
- Messages
- 89
Might want to make 100% certain whatever you chose will fit under 12'. I have about the same size & height & ended up adding a couple courses of 2x before trusses were placed to make up for the drywall thickness & whatever other losses I may have acquired (mine is finished, pretty much like a house). So, the height I have is a bit over 12' and I found a Forward 10K lb asymmetrical lift from a local supplier. This one is suitable for professional service, so it should last someone like me long enough to be a liability for my children.
fiataccompli
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2017
- Messages
- 89
I had mine installed by the local vendor. They did in a short amount of time what a friend and I could have also done in 3-4x as long. It was interesting to see how they had a trailer rig that was set up to become a post/beam installer of sorts. I wouldn't call my choice economical or necessary, but at the time the time factor & logistics were an issue and the cost difference was worth it for the time & effort. As far as quality, my own POV is when you're lifting a car by 2 posts, cost is not always the driver. Since 99% of what I lift are 2000lb Fiats, my lift is ridiculous overkill except for the 1% of the time it's wonderful to be able to lift anything that fits through the door and not worry...and not worry about duty cycles, quality of frictional surfaces, etc.
I plan on a 4 post also in the garage and the logical approach for selecting & installing it will likely be the opposite of what I described for the 2 post.
I plan on a 4 post also in the garage and the logical approach for selecting & installing it will likely be the opposite of what I described for the 2 post.
Ries
Well-known member
I’m still in this boat. I’ve been all over the map. I started looking at BendPak, Challenger, and Rotary. Then I started looking at Mohawk because of the wheel lift adapters. Sticker shock set in with the lift being $7800 and the adapters being $2250. I then found/learned about Atlas lifts, which then led me to Titan lifts. I also looked at Direct Lift and then Dannmar.
I’m over whelmed really when I see a price range of $1900-$10,000. Frankly after everything I’m thinking I might just pull he trigger on a Titan Premier 9k lift and call it a day. I can get it from the Harley Davidson dealer down the road from my house for $2500 + tax. It has chains and cables and a metal reservoir tank, a single lock release, and has a wide foot print. Not to mention I like the hammered gray powder coat and the price.
I’m over whelmed really when I see a price range of $1900-$10,000. Frankly after everything I’m thinking I might just pull he trigger on a Titan Premier 9k lift and call it a day. I can get it from the Harley Davidson dealer down the road from my house for $2500 + tax. It has chains and cables and a metal reservoir tank, a single lock release, and has a wide foot print. Not to mention I like the hammered gray powder coat and the price.
Markromeo
Active member
I found a used Rotary for $800, needs hydraulic lines, cables, and cleaned up some, but I figure I'll still be well under half of a new one by the time I'm finished fixing it up, and have the piece of mind that I have a good quality lift.
I buy almost all my vehicles and stuff used, but I was not going to buy a used lift
I paid the 4200.00 full price and did the installation because I know I will do better work on my stuff than anyone doing it for 20 bucks an hour ,,I bet if they spin an anchor mums the word and on to the next one
no telling what the PO did to overtax the lift or mishaps he may have had ,, ,my lift is ALI certified and should be rated to at least handle 150% of the rated load
sorry if it sounds like a soap box speech
I ain't rich , and I have trust issues so sometimes I buy new
I paid the 4200.00 full price and did the installation because I know I will do better work on my stuff than anyone doing it for 20 bucks an hour ,,I bet if they spin an anchor mums the word and on to the next one
no telling what the PO did to overtax the lift or mishaps he may have had ,, ,my lift is ALI certified and should be rated to at least handle 150% of the rated load
sorry if it sounds like a soap box speech
I ain't rich , and I have trust issues so sometimes I buy new
You probably don't have enough height but I love my Stratus. Great price and great product. Plus I cant stand the blue and yellow lifts everyone has. Here is the link to my post. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8715235&postcount=28
https://stratusautoequip.com/2-post-lifts/
https://stratusautoequip.com/2-post-lifts/
Ries
Well-known member
Can a guy really go wrong choosing between Challenger, BendPak, and Rotary?
firebirdparts
Well-known member
People complain a lot in this forum about new lifts, so look for that. Sometimes it’s unwarranted, but not always.
bmwpowere36m3
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2012
- Messages
- 1,125
+1 That's what I'm going with too
Looked at Atlas, Bendpak, Rotary, among others... would love a Rotary as we had them in my father's shop. Made in US, solid, lifted everything we put on them and some, no issues ever and worked day-after-day for 15+ years.
That said, for the price and usage at home I considered other options.
What sold me on Derek Weaver W-PRO10 was a combination of: 3-stage arms, symmetric or asymmetric lifting, ALI cert, price and subsidiary of larger company which includes higher-end brands including Rotary. My thought regarding the last part is less risk for defective lift or safety issue given the company profile.
67carl
Well-known member
Mobile Liftman
New member
It is my opinion, based on a lot of experience, that Bendpak is by far the best lift on the market today. Go to their website and watch the videos where they do a side by side comparison with other lifts and you will see why. No, they're not the perfect lift for everybody, no lift is but, all in all, they can't be beat. Rotary is an industry leader but for my money, they're not as far ahead in technology as they once were but their price continues to rise as if they were leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. If you don't want to spend Bendpak or Rotary money, Atlas has come a long way from where they were when I started in the business. The manager at the Buford, Ga branch is a personal friend. I've known him since he and his brother did installs probably 12 or more years ago. The experience of Greg Smith's people is evident when you do business with them. Anyone who wasn't satisfied or had issues with their lift only has to say so and should have no problems straightening them out. I'm sure there are isolated incidents but, you have to look far and wide to find complaints. Keep in mind, you're buying a Chinese made lift. A good one but, yes it is Chinese made. The bottom line is, if you're not spending Bendpak or Rotary money, you're not getting a Bendpak or Rotary lift. Greg Smith has a 9000# two post floor plate lift right now for $1695 if you pick it up at their warehouse. You can't beat that with a stick. Any installer worth his salt will pick it up on his way to install it and include a reasonable price in his charges. Again, no, it's not a Bendpak or Rotary but it's brand new with a manufacturer's warranty and the cost including delivery and install shouldn't be over $2500.00. What's wrong with that?
Been down this road. 4 th bendpak now, just bought two for new shop. 4 post and 10K two post. Nice two post only complaint is the safey system could be smoother. Safety is paramount when your truck is 6 ft in the air. Factor in the accessories like arm extensions needed for truck lifts.
ncfireman1918
Well-known member
I purchased a Derek Weaver W Pro 10 in March of this year. It was $2600 picked up at the Charlotte, NC warehouse (I'm only an hour from there). I installed it myself, and couldn't be happier. One comment on the ALI certification... If you look up the certificate, Rotary is listed as the actual manufacturer of the lift. Since Rotary was my "wish list" brand, but more than my budget, I was sold.
I have a 30 x 40 garage with an almost flat 12 foot ceiling. I purchased a used Challenger two post lift for $500. To make it fit I had to cut 6 inches off the posts, notch the metal roof supports, and integrate the posts into the roof as support columns. It works fine, and I don't miss the 6 inches height reduction.
thanks for the proffesional opinion Lift Man ! I wish I read it last month lol
I had issues with Atlas /Greg Smith in the last month or so
did you know they just sold out to another company ?
this was verified by Atlas and a GS employee when I asked where the showroom was ?
and it was just a massive mail order warehouse with no as advertised showroom
did you know they use a proprietary adapter pin size of 1.57" on some of their lifts but do not sell the same range of adapters that you can get in the industry standard sizes ?
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I just installed a Forward DP10 10k 2 post. The decision was made after looking at a Forward Lift installed at a local Chevy dealer. They had a combination of Rotary and Forward lifts throughout their huge operation. Mine is an extended height option and has 112" between the columns. The hardest part was standing the columns up. The rest just took time and attention. I've only had my Volvo S80 and Land Rover LR4 on it but it sure makes life a lot easier! I'm in it for about $3800 after purchase, hydraulic fluid and electrical bits. There was a lift point manual for most late model vehicles. It stated not to lift my LR4. I asked for guidance at a Land Rover/BMW shop. They pointed out that they don't have a 4 post except for the alignment machine and lifted various Land Rovers daily without mishap.
CarCrazyRDM
Well-known member
Mobile Liftman, I was wondering if you've had any experience with Nussbaum lifts? If so, do you have thoughts on how they compare to Bendpak or others of similar cost?
I have just become aware of them between this forum and Obsessed Garage and I'm very interested as they are made in the USA and their factory is only a few hours from me in NC. I see you are also in the southeast so thought you might have encountered their products before (maybe even been to the factory).
Thanks for any input.
Did you end up going with a Titan lift?