Recommendations 4-post lift?

[morepower]

Planning to purchase a 4-post lift for my twenties era vehicles. 9K rating. So far, the brands of choice include Bendpak, Rotary, Challenger, Atlas and Danmar. Lift needs to accommodate rolling jacks for wheel work. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Matt Harwood]

I currently have a Bendpak 10,000 pound lift that's extra long to handle big stuff and it works quite well. 220V means it goes up and down A LOT faster than the light-duty 120V 7000-pound Eagle lifts we use for inspections and photos. My only real complaints about the Bendpak are related to the locking system, which on the lifts above 7500 pounds, is pneumatic rather than mechanical. When it was first installed, there were two giant springs on each of the four retaining pins and the recommended 50 PSI of air pressure could not even come close to retracting them. It would go up just fine, but coming down one or two corners would not quite retract all the way and it would hang up, driving everything all out of kilter. I turned up the air pressure to 100 PSI just to make them retract fully and eventually blew the seals on two of them because that was twice the recommended pressure. They replaced them under warranty and the tech said I could remove the springs. I asked him to do it so that if things went to hell, it wasn't my fault and my warranty wouldn't be affected. He said they were for the European standards and yes, they never worked correctly. Once the springs were removed, it has worked flawlessly on 40 PSI. I still don't love the way it locks in place, which is a 3/16-inch plate with rectangles cut into it just kind of hanging down inside the lift channel, and the locking pins fire into those rectangular openings. Never had a problem with it, but it sure looks wonky.

 

Anyway, that sounds like I don't like the lift, which isn't true. It has never given us any problems aside from the spring thing and it just shrugs off the heaviest stuff, including my '41 Buick limousine, '29 Cadillac sedan, and some immensely heavy Dodge Power Wagons. It is very stable even though it is not bolted to the floor and we ordered the optional caster kit so we can move it around the shop as needed (the kit works rather well even with a car on it).

 

I'd recommend 240V over 120V if you have the option, and if you do Bendpak, check about the locking mechanism for the size and weight of the lift because the bigger ones are indeed pneumatic. I can show you how to remove the springs if needed.

 

Hope this helps!

[morepower]

Matt, thanks for the info! I had trouble operating a mid rise Bendpak scissors lift on 110V. Fine when starting at ground level, but tripped the breaker when attempting to increase rise from a lower position. Guess the extra load was too much.

Edited May 30, 2019 by morepower (see edit history)

[C Carl]

Morepower, your picture appears to be a Mercedes-Benz SS38/250 flying high and mighty. I have a now impossible insatiable personal attachment to those things. I know the chance is slim to none, but do you have any other pictures of it ? Here is "mine". I finally, after being deprived of it for 40 years, briefly had the theoretical chance to buy it. But the "Big one" got away from me again, then, 20 years ago, for the last time.   -   Bubba Benz 

 

 

[c49er]

I have two 4 posts- a Rotary 12,000 lb  and a BP 14,000 lb... 270" long...extra long  limo lifts. Dual rolling jacks...One extra tall 80" lift.

Drive over and under them. Work on them......Never an issue with either.