Bought a Bend Pak lift for my Ferrari. Had a question if this is safe. pics inside.

I have a Bend-Pak 2-post, never had a problem.

Is it possible that the new design allows for leveling the ramps without shimming the columns?

I've used some pretty big 4-post lifts that seemed to swing a bit if you lean on them. Always a good idea to bolt it to the floor.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I bought 2 lifts last year, Direct-Lift 9000 lb capacity (the heavy duty model). I had the exact same fears that you did. The ladder mechanism on your lift is exactly the same as mine, and it is proper. The ladder is suspended from the top, just as yours is. If you don't have a car on the lift, it will sway slightly. However, once a car is on it, it will be solid as a rock. And on the 0.00001% chance that a ladder fails, your cables will hold the weigh anyway. Your lift design looks very safe to me. I was initially a little freaked out when I bought mine, but my Direct-Lifts have worked very well.

 

Actually, the ladder will only sway under the point where the lift locks into place. So, the connection point at the top will not be affected by any swaying of the ladder. The swaying only occurs from the locking point downward. So, from the locking point upward, the ladder is steady, in place, and will not put any torsional motion on the bolt point.

 

My 2-post has cables and welded tabs.

Have you called Bend-Pak for clarification?

 

That is exactly how it was designed. The are made to float to assist in leveling all four corners. In fact you can also adjust the top max lift. I gained an extra 2" of clearance for the Range Rover under mine, by adjusting the bolts on top, and thus raising the ladders. In addition, as for the swaying, the block prevent the swaying of the ladders at the upper part (threads). Only below the blocks can the ladder move, as when it is in the raise position, just as CLAX stated.
Adam

 

Adam I'd take a picture too and send to your insurance guy and make sure that if you are storing on or under a lift your covered.

 

Did you take a picture before you started to disassemble the package? It's pretty neat how small the package was (relatively speaking).

 

I don't have a lift but I can see why you are concerned; I would be, too. Once leveled out you could fit a solid metal block under the ladder as a precaution.

The bolt looks like it would be subject to stretching forces, not torsional, as it's being pulled along its axis and not twisted.

 

We have one or two 4 post lifs in each of our automotive service centers and they all have that adjustment. That is to make sure the safetys latch at the same level as the cable stretches. Our lifts have been in service for over 20 years without a problem.

 

The small amount of sway that you are talking about is not enough to stress the bolt past its elastic limit. Steel (and all metals) can be flexed up to a point and still retain all their strength properties (like the coil springs in your suspension). The .5 degree of sway is not enough to make the molecules lose their elastic bonds, so my only concern is that the single bolt that holds the ladder be rated for at least 1/4 of the rated capacity of the lift (i.e. 2,000 pound bolt capacity for a 8,000 pound lift).
BT