HAM8URGER Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I'm in the market for a new 2 post auto lift for my garage/workshop. I've only used a friends old junker lift and don't know anything about what is good and what is bad. I have $3k-$4k max to spend. Can someone help shed some light on what lifts are great for the money, safe and reliable? What have you used and what are your opinions? Help will be appreciated. I will post pics of my new setup once it is purchased and installed. Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 So far the only lifts I have looked at are the BendPack lifts. They look good... Anyone use them? These are the ones I have been looking at. Mainly the XPR10 or any other one without the floor crossbeam for unobstructed floor space...http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/two-post-lifts/xpr-10a.aspx Quote Link to comment
graveltrapp Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Take a look at this forum, I go here to dream of warm dry place to park all my babies. SSShhhhhhh don't wake me!!! http://www.garagejournal.com/ Let us know what you end up with. 1 Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Anyone else here using lifts? Quote Link to comment
datrod Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 It's Ratsun man, No one here can afford one. I have 3 shops here in my complex That do auto repair and all of them use lift's just like the one's you posted. BendPack. So they must be good. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunrides Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Bend pak is good. Top of the line is Mohawk and Rotary make nice lifts. I personally have used a Dannmar 10AC in my shop for the past 2 years with no problems. To bad your not closer, I'd sell you mine as I am moving out of the shop. :crying: At minimum make sure whatever you get is ALI/ETL certified. Watch out for those $1500 lifts. I saw one in person while I was looking to buy the one I have now and ran the other way! Really poor welding and reinforcing design. Mark Quote Link to comment
Lonestar Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Bend pax is a good brand but the leg design is what I don't like. Worked in a shop with lifts of similar set up and they were pain to get low/small cars on. A lot of pushing back and forth, these you have to be pretty dead center or you may not hit all your jack points. I know it was a bit$%! trying to get my 210 to fit on one. Not dissing the brand, it's a good work horse but doesn't like certain type of cars. Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I do not know how true this is, but it seems to me that when small narrow cars, like our Datsuns were popular, most garages used a single post lift, or they had twin posts, that fit the rear axle, and fhe frame at the front of the car. Both posts under the car. Now it seems the twin side post lift is popular, and there is not as many narrow cars around anymore. Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Bend pax is a good brand but the leg design is what I don't like. Worked in a shop with lifts of similar set up and they were pain to get low/small cars on. A lot of pushing back and forth, these you have to be pretty dead center or you may not hit all your jack points. I know it was a bit$%! trying to get my 210 to fit on one. Not dissing the brand, it's a good work horse but doesn't like certain type of cars. Was the issue that you had trouble getting the arms underneath a lowered car? Or was the problem getting the arms to extend to the jack points? From what I understand, a lot of the newer lifts' arms extend/telescope far to acomidate the new small Eco car movement Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I may have to make some measurements. What do you guys thing of the asymmetric post lifts? Think they are worth the extra buck over a symmetric one? Quote Link to comment
maltese Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I've used Bend pack, Rotary, and Mohawk. All good lifts, IMO. Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'm really leaning toward this one just in case some taller vehicles need to get on it. Still need to look at the Mohawk and Rotary lifts though... http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/two-post-lifts/xpr-10a-168.aspx Quote Link to comment
JoeCool Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I have worked on cars for over fifteen years and have used Rotary, Hunter (alignment racks), and Mohawk in the shops I have worked in. Most shops I worked in had Rotary/Rotunda. Only failures I ever saw with Rotary was user related. Too heavy of a vehicle, off balance load, not paying attention when lowering, user rigged up locks or controls, or not dropping to locks before working. Only worked in one shop (Sears) with Mohawk, half of the lifts there were broken, but unsure as to why, I was only there three months. One shop had a Bendpack lift that they bought used, the thicker arms made it hard to fit under a lot of cars. The arms also sat higher off the ground than the Rotary next to it which didn't help with clearance either. Because of that I didn't like using it. Thcker and bigger is not always a good thing. Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Rotary, never had an issue other than shitty maintenance schedules from the shop owner. Quote Link to comment
hotvwnut Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 i have used bend pack for over 14 years, i still have a 4 post and 2 post from when i opened my shop and now have 7 total--- u will need to maintain any you buy -lube cables, keep mounting nuts tight, etc bend pack has excellent customer service if and when needed -we also service heavy fleet trucks with no issues Quote Link to comment
Komeuppance Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 How thick is your floor?? If you don't have a thick enough concrete slab, might have to go with the floating types. I once saw a lift installed in asphalt, buy a dumbass kid. -Robert Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted March 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 I drilled and checked 5" 1 Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted March 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 After doing a bunch of research, this is what I'm going with. http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/two-post-lifts/xpr-10a.aspx Quote Link to comment
uberkevin Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Sweet! Now don't forget pics when is in the shop.. Quote Link to comment
captaingamez Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Nice, I dream of having my own some day. Shit in Phoenix you can find a nice used one thats less than 8 years old for like 1500 or less sometimes. But I would need to own a shop first..... Quote Link to comment
Komeuppance Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Nice, I dream of having my own some day. Shit in Phoenix you can find a nice used one thats less than 8 years old for like 1500 or less sometimes. But I would need to own a shop first..... Install one on top of your "ultimate honda", I thought it does everything. -Robert Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Yeah this one will be going in an out building next to the house. Being able to use a lift at home will be bad ass Quote Link to comment
HAM8URGER Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 It's probably going to take a few more months but I'll post pics when we get it Quote Link to comment
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