Bendpak 4 post Lift....anygood?

Well, I'm fixi'n to put an order for a 9,000 lbs lift from Bendpak....and wonder if anyone out there has any serious issues with it. The final price will be about $1k more than the "other" generic lifts...but after thinking about it long and hard....the construction, components, etc are much stronger on the Bendpak compared to cheaper units.
Any thougths?
Thanks.

 

Hey there I got one of the no name 2 post lifts from Ft. Worth and it gets the job done but is just not quite right bottom line I wish I had spent the extra money and bought a name brand lift and paid to have it installed.

 

I bought a Quality lift from a place in Mass. I went to the shop to see one in person. I suggest you do the same. The first four post lift I looked at I wouldn't put my lawnmower on. It was rocking back and forth with nothing on it. The salesman said it would be better when it had a car on it, I don't think so. The second one he showed me was much better. It had backup safty locking systems, thicker steel, powder coated, and people there to service it if it ever needed it. The one thing I would suggest is having it hooked up to 220V rather than the 110V. It greatly improves the speed of the lift. It doesn't matter what one you get, you are going to love the thing.

 

I have a Bend Pak lift for the past 6 years, and it is superior to most other brands on the market. You will not be disappointed. you get what you pay for. Built like a tank.

 

Many, many threads on this topic over the years. Time for a search.
I have owned a BendPak lift since 1993 and have had zero problems.

 

I've had a BendPak for about 3 years. It's been awesome.

 

All 4-post lifts will rock a little as the large "slides" that ride up and down the channel have some play. The key is to set the posts level with each other. That may mean the front posts sit on the concrete while the back posts sit on a 3/4 inch plywood base to counter the slope of the garage floor. Doing that makes the 4-post lift very stable with a car on it.

 

Four post lifts won't rock if you BOLT them down. Unless, you really are going to move it around. Most people never move them. Please, bolt em down.

 

I've had my Bend Pak for several years. No problems. I ran a seperate 220V circuit to it. Mine rocks when empty also, but not when loaded. I did not bolt mine down and I occasionaly move it around a little.
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Actually, it is reccomended that you don't bolt them. They say they work better that way and have the ability to self level. 2 technicians from 2 different companies told me this.

 

Do they make 4 post lifts that lift the car on the chassis?

I like the idea of a 4 post as you can park next to it and your kids cant open the car door into the lift. However, if you need to remove tires to work on the car then you would still need to put the car on jack stands.

Aaron

 

There is a jack tray with the 4-post lifts so you can jack up the car while on the lift and remove the wheels. You can also set the car up on "blocks" using the jack tray so working with the wheels off is no problem.

 

Great lift- got one in my garage.

 

I see you are in Texas and chances are you won't have to deal with earthquakes, but here in Southern California, the 4 post lifts must be bolted down, a moderate earthquake could bring down the lift, dropping one car onto the other one, two ruined cars for the price of one !

So if there's anyone out there from California, or the west coast in general, be advised, earthquake-proof your 4 post lift by restraining against lateral movement, A 2-post lift in a residential garage in California is insane. (unless you pour a 4 ft concrete foundation)

 

Self leveling ? Recommended by a technician ? That's a chuckle, shim it so it won't rock, grout it, and bolt it down. If you're not sure what to do, consult your local neighborhood civil/structural engineer. If you need to move it, remove the bolts, chisel out the grout, and move it.

 

+1.

What the "technician" is really saying is that you can't bolt them down to an uneven floor without shimming (otherwise the posts won't be vertical and will bind). That doesn't mean they're safe when not bolted down - they're not, particularly in places like California.

Shimming doesn't have to be a big deal, just use inset concrete bolt anchors and very large washers where necessary to shim. Of course, better to set up a dam and pour shimming material in, but washers and removable bolts will work fine too.

I have a 12 inch thick slab - wanted it plenty thick for the 2 post (which still needs to be tied into the roof structure for add'l stability).
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Dancer,

What is the height of your ceiling? Also the height from the floor to garage door when it is raised?

Seems like a tight fit, but suspect you measured the height of your Ferrari and Jag before knowing if lift could fit when garage door is open?

In process with new garage construction and working out headroom with a 12' garage - knowing it can accommodate a lift, but get a little concerned with stacking, especially if go to a SUV with a sports car. Bottom line the only obvious thing to do is measure from floor to top of opened garage door and then measure height of both cars... not sure if there is more thought than that?

TIA.

 

California might be another thing altogether. But anyfloor anywhere is going to shift/crack small amounts. In Frost in Northern parts.
If it's bolted down and the floor shifts, the lift may bind.
Civil engineer???

 

My garage has a 10 ft ceiling and I wish I had 2 more ft. I can have my 328 on the lift and put a Grand Am or Hyundai Sonata under it with about 8 inches of room between the lift and the bottom car and about 5 inches between my 328 and the ceiling.

 

I drive up on my 4-post lift, chock the wheels and use the factory jack based on the ramp. I use a 2 x 6 across the ramp, under the jack base so I don't dent it.
I also use a hydraulic bottle jack the same way.
Once the car is in the air I use mini-jack stands (8" tall) under the car, usually under sub frames or suspension arms, either based from the ramps or a jacking beam that comes with the lift.

 

Bend Pak is a good lift. They are big in the commercial lifts too.

 

Why do you think they put giant skyscrapers on rollers instead of bolting them down tighter as you suggest for the lift? These newer buildings in actively seismic areas are engineered to dissipate energy.

I have two 4 post lifts in my garage and did consult an engineer after talking to the technical engineer at the manufacturer. The manufacturer's engineer suggested not bolting the lifts even after I told him I lived in CA and had concerns. The independent engineer agreed.

The idea being that you actually want the lifts to "walk" during a major seismic event. If the lift is bolted down, the car can actually be rocked off the lift. If the lift "walks", most of the energy is not transferred to the car on the lift and the worst that could happen is the posts could damage something underneath that they move into.

I am more worried about the structure around the lifts surviving than I am the lift moving a little bit.

I never researched 2 post lifts, so I don't know if the same thinking would apply.

 

I have had a Bendpack for a couple of years and am very happy with it. I did the same research and ultimately decided on Bendpack for the same reasons you listed.

 

To bolt down or not to bolt down? Most installers ("technicians") are too lazy level the lift, shim, hammer drill holes, and install the anchors, period. There IS a REASON why the base plates have holes in them.

Also, If your foundation is shifting during frost heave, you've got problems beyond your lift binding.

 

My ceiling is 9 1/2 ft. Yes, I did a lot of measuring before ordering my lift. If you are building a new garage, be sure to have the garage door channels as high as you can get them along the ceiling. My garage door does not go over the roof of the cars, only the hood or trunk. I actually have a car that is taller than the Jag and there is plenty of room.