Does anyone use a MaxJax lift to service their car and do you recomend it? | FerrariChat

Does anyone use a MaxJax lift to service their car and do you recomend it?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Ferrari Fix, Jul 9, 2020.

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  1. Ferrari Fix

    Ferrari Fix Rookie

    Mar 13, 2018
    7
    Pittsburgh, PA USA
    Full Name:
    Matt D
    I am thinking about pulling the trigger on a MaxJax M6 lift. It's portable and stows away so it looks ideal for my cramped garage. Do you think the lift is useful and safe?
     
  2. cls

    cls Formula 3

    Jun 12, 2007
    1,663
    Los Angeles/Montreal
    Full Name:
    Chris
    I had one and it was both useful and safe. You need a min. 4" reinforced slab or you have to pour concrete pads.
     
  3. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 29, 2002
    2,544
    Suwanee Georgia
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    Jeffrey Davison
    I have one on order, should be delivered in August. BendPak now makes them and they are improved over the original ones. YouTube is full of videos.
     
  4. Ferrari1221

    Ferrari1221 Karting

    Jan 14, 2017
    65
    I have had a Maxjack M6 now for a year and a half and I use it with my Ferrari F430 Spider. I love it, however, couple things I wanted to point out that I learned.
    Make sure the distance between the posts is wide enough for your car. I put my posts at about 95% that maximum recommended distance and found that the arms can still touch the car unless it is positioned just right. I end up having to drive up onto 1 inch panels of particle board to get it off the ground enough as there is no margin for error, because the car is too low to put any spacers on the arms unless you drive it up on something and the arms by themselves without some rubber spacers are very likely to touch the car.

    It is only with my Ferrari I have this problem, all other cars are fine. It is because the Ferrari is low and wide, two things that MaxJack needs help with when lifting.
    I have a procedure now, so it is OK, but I scrapped the paint on my car and had to repaint the bottom because the lift touched once before I learned.

    By the way, the other cars that work fine, Mercedes SL63, Corvette C6 Z06, BMW 745Li, Toyota Camry, Dodge Daytona, Toyota Sienna Van, Toyota Tundra, Ford Flex, Mercedes SL500.

    I did not want to place them too far apart because I was concerned, since my concrete was just thick enough it would put to much stress on it, as the wider apart they are the more stress on the flooring. And besides, all my other cars which I work on more frequently fit fine. But If I had to do it over, I might have gone 10 more inches wider which would make the ferrari fit easier.

    Overall, the lift has been great and i am glad I bought it. I have done tons of work in my shop (personal shop at my house) and I love it.

    Good luck with your lift I think you will love it if you buy one. It was the only one I could find that allowed me to remove it from the floor, which is why I got it.

    Of course I have never removed it LOL
     
  5. Ferrari Fix

    Ferrari Fix Rookie

    Mar 13, 2018
    7
    Pittsburgh, PA USA
    Full Name:
    Matt D
    What's a good width to place the posts?

    I just placed an order for one. They are offering a discount of $150 if you order before August. Bendpak is shipping the lifts starting in August...I can't wait but I'll have to.
     
  6. mxstav@comcast.net

    Nov 24, 2005
    199
    Green Oaks, IL
    Full Name:
    Mark Stavropoulos
    I have had.a MaxJax for several years now. I have used it on a 360, 456, 308 and several non F-cars. When I put it in I sized the spacing to fit several cars. I had not considered a 308 which is considerably narrower than most modern cars. It not only is narrower, but the jacking points are far inboard on the 308, so the arms would not reach. I wound up drilling another set of holes in the floor to accommodate the 308. It works fine for all of these cars. I do not have to drive it up on blocks in order to get clearance. I can look up my dimensions and let you know how far apart I put the posts. I used the epoxy anchors for extra safety. They were extra cost.
     
  7. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2007
    5,193
    waynesburg,pa
    Full Name:
    bill brooks
    stupid question:

    why not use 4 high quality jack stands and a 2 1/2T floor jack of = reputation? i was raised on them.
    i can confidently raise my 328 up to 19"aff. and can get them out of the way with ease, when not needed.

    i have radiant heat in the garage floor, so lifts are out of the question.
     
    moysiuan likes this.
  8. mxstav@comcast.net

    Nov 24, 2005
    199
    Green Oaks, IL
    Full Name:
    Mark Stavropoulos
    The MaxJax lift will lift the car about 48", so you don't have to lay on your back to do work. Also, the posts are removable. They can be unbolted from the floor and moved out of the way when not in use. Granted, moving them is not as easy as moving a jack stand, but they do have wheels on them.
     
  9. itsablurr

    itsablurr Formula 3

    Dec 9, 2005
    1,006
    Carlisle, MA
    Full Name:
    Matt
    #9 itsablurr, Jul 20, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2020
    I've had a MaxJax 2 post portable lift for about 4 years now. I've done various suspension, brake jobs etc across our household vehicles, as well as an engine-out service on the Ferrari. It does the trick, however if I were to do it again, I would recommend going in a different direction for a nominal $ amount more and end up with something a bit nicer and more robustly designed. There is much better value out there for not much more.

    A couple of observations that would drive that decision...
    - It is not a ratcheting safety-catch design. Instead, the posts have a handful of holes to stick a steel rod through to act as a 'catch'. These holes are few and widely spaced up the length of the posts.
    - Hydraulic rams do not lift at an even rate between sides on a fully bled system.
    - Though on the more qualitative side, when compared side-by-side to similar options at a nominally higher price point, the MaxJax percieved quality of build (size, heft of materials, fit/finish, is noticeably less, whereas others are more confidence-inspiring.
    - Though it is removable, I haven't removed mine since the initial install so it's primary benefit hasn't been realized in my case, despite initial intentions. YMMV.
     
  10. INRange

    INRange F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2014
    9,992
    Virginia/Florida/Caymans
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    JD

    I agree with the observations. However, at a $2k price point delivered ......it is hard not to appreciate the value. I ended up replacing the crap hydraulic connectors on the lifting rams with these:

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Additionally, you must grease the heck out of the sliding mechanism. Any binding shows up scary quick if the hydraulic carriage assembly binds or drags on the lifting post. I'm fine with the slot safety holes and bars. Both positions are ideal for me.

    Even after tuning and bleeding.....one side always seem to lift quicker than the other side. It is in MaxJax tolerance of 2". Not a big deal since the safety stops are level and I always rest the lift on the safety stops when I'm doing work under the car.
     
  11. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
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    Jul 29, 2002
    2,544
    Suwanee Georgia
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    Jeffrey Davison
    #11 jeffdavison, Jul 20, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2020
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but when BendPak took over, that they designed in a safety ratcheting system and did a few other upgrades as well. Video comparison, old vs new .
     
    INRange likes this.
  12. INRange

    INRange F1 Veteran
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    Jan 27, 2014
    9,992
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    JD
    I would rather drill safety bar holes (MaxJax) than use that ratchet (BendPak) mechanism. I do like the beefy Bend Pak arms.....if they were two inches longer. The same length doesn't help.
     
  13. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
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    Jul 29, 2002
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    Jeffrey Davison
    I'm sure BendPak's are designed with as much safety as can be engineered, as a product liability lawsuit could be devastating and reputation probably irrecoverable.
     
  14. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    The lack of a newer 4 inch thick garage floor forced me into a 4 post lift and I have not regretted it at all.
     
  15. gunn

    gunn Formula Junior

    Aug 30, 2021
    263
    Full Name:
    Gunn S
    Q: How far away do you have to place the M6 jack tower from the F430 to lift it?
    Your car is 75.7" wide so presumably a mondial at 70.5" can be lifted with the lift towers placed closer to the vehicle.

    The reason I'm asking is because my garage is fairly narrow and the door itself is in a position that I only have a few feet between the car and the left wall. I'm curious to understand if an M6 will lift the Mondial, do I stick with the jacks/stands I use currently, or do I consider something like a midrise scissor lift if I'm planning for dropping the engine.
     
  16. TuttoBene

    TuttoBene Karting

    Sep 6, 2020
    65
    Full Name:
    Doug
    I've had one for 2 years. Echoing what others have written. The 360 is very low and at first I had to use ramps or 2x4s to get the car higher before I could fit the lift under. Now I lift the car by hand at the fenders and that gets it just high enough to fit the lift and a rubber puck under the car. Believe or not, this works. To make your life easier, put the posts as far away as you can if you have the space. Mine are too close together and it's painful to move the car to the right spot to fit the arms under. 12 more inches would help a ton and I'll probably move it this winter.

    The biggest downside of this lift is that it can start lifting unevenly. The Dannmar support person hasn't been helpful, but some research into this tells me that I should be lubricating those posts quite often. We'll see if that makes a difference. Otherwise I put a level on the car and when it goes uneven, I release the high side and lower it until it gets even. You CAN damage your car if it slides onto the yellow posts.

    But for the price, it works well enough and if you have a low ceiling it's pretty much the only sensible option in town.
     
  17. gunn

    gunn Formula Junior

    Aug 30, 2021
    263
    Full Name:
    Gunn S
    Its only been a week since I owned the scissor lift and FWIW, it's been working well.

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/q-would-this-scissor-lift-work-for-a-mondial-8-qv-3-2.648338/

    Since both pistons use the same pump and reservoir, there is no issue with uneven pumping and I don't need the same space next to the car for the lifting post that you need with a maxxjax setup.

    I've been pretty happy with it. Only thing you need to worry about is that in order to go down, you first need to lift the car enough to unlock and then it starts moving down. This can be problematic if you get close to the ceiling/garage door. In my case, once I realized I had this limitation I placed a cardboard box on the roof of the car. I stop when I get close to the box so I know there will be enough room to unlock and lower the car without hitting the swingarm that connects the garage door to the track. If I need more space, I can always temporarily remove the arm, close the garage door, or replace the rubber blocks with thinner pieces of wood.
     
  18. SeattleStew

    SeattleStew Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 10, 2020
    983
    In the rain
    Full Name:
    Stew
    I can guarantee to you that this is not at all the case. And if anyone wants proof, they can PM me and I'd be happy to tell you more. Bendpak has gone down hill quite a lot. I used to be a customer (I have owned ~10 bendpak lifts), not any more. Their customer service is atrocious, and their product quality has been very bad.

    As for the max jax system, I can't comment. I just wanted to chime in to say don't be lulled into a false sense of security because Bendpak is some big name.
     
  19. ncjetskier

    ncjetskier Formula 3

    Jul 7, 2012
    1,416
    Eastern NC
    Full Name:
    Chris
    I have had a MaxJax for 5 years (used it on a 360 and now my 458). I am not sure I would buy one again. I seldom use it (just use it for oil changes on the 458 as my other cars / trucks its easier to use a hydraulic floor jack. The last time I used the MaxJax, it froze up on trying to lower it. One side would go down, one would not. I even unplugged the hydraulic fitting and used a screw driver to release the pressure to try to get it to go down - no luck. After over an hour, I ended up using a 2x4 and a sledge hammer to beat the inner post to get the side unstuck. Not a good feeling having a $200K + car stuck 4ft in the air!!!

    The other area of concern is the bolting to the floor. I ended up drilling my garage floor (which is over 4 inches of reinforced concrete). A couple of the anchors still slide up and down the drilled holes. If I were to do it again, I think I would just get a scissor lift - I think Cosco carries them.
     
  20. rbellezza

    rbellezza F1 Rookie

    Jun 18, 2008
    2,792
    Henderson, NV
    Full Name:
    Roberto Bellezza
    I have had a MaxJax for about 8 years now and i use it an average of twice a year. Never had a problem. With the floor anchors or the jack it's self.
     
  21. Alden

    Alden F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2010
    2,903
    Central Florida
    I have had a MaxJax for years with no complaints, used it with my Ferrari and Jaguar, plus, if you have 8-9 foot ceilings in your garage like I do, you don't have to raise the ceiling height.

    I just downsized to a smaller garage and my MaxJax won't fit, so I am going to sell it in central FLA.
    Alden
     
  22. Scotty

    Scotty F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    9,849
    Oregon
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    Scotty Ferrari
    A bit of a thread resurrection. About to be retired, have a lift here but not at my vacation house. Ceiling is high enough for the lowest Bendpak 2 post fixed lift or a MaxJax. I've thought about 1 post lifts and scissor lifts, and they are still something I'm mulling over. Since my main use is summer/winter tire change over, and then oil changes, and then brakes, a 4 post is not as convenient for jobs #1 and #3 (and I have both a 2 post and 4 post lift here, so I have experience with both). But a few specific MaxJax questions.

    1) The main attraction to this lift is being able to move it out of the way--has anybody had an issue with the concrete anchors "loosening" with constant bolting/unbolting?

    2) I think my slab is fine, but how does one check the depth/specs of it--meaning can I do it, or do I need to hire someone to come out and do it, and in either case what is done?
     
  23. Mike Morrissey

    Mike Morrissey Formula 3
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    Nov 2, 2018
    1,091
    Denver, Colorado
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    Mike Morrissey
    FerrariChat sponsor Normal Guy Supercar "Daniel Hurlbert" recently installed a MaxJax, this link might be helpful to you...

     
  24. Scotty

    Scotty F1 Veteran
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    Oct 31, 2003
    9,849
    Oregon
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    Scotty Ferrari
    Checking in again. After going back and forth on choices, I am torn between a mid-rise scissor lift and a MaxJax. The ability to move one of the two lifting post with the the 2 post MaxJax is a huge advantage, as is having the floor space clear (versus having the scissor lift assembly sitting there). Now having done further research, it is clear that epoxy anchors are worth the increased cost when installing a MaxJax. Most importantly Bendpak has a new MaxJax model with another 1000 pounds of lifting capacity, the M7K. The early MaJax (M6K) was certified by the Automotive Lifting Institute but the M7K isn't (yet). I'm going to ask the company if it has been submitted for testing or not.

    I have a few random questions:

    1) Anyone else with a MaxJax who hasn't weighed in on this thread willing to do so?

    2) I fully understand there are compromises with a portable lift versus a better (Rotary, for example, which I have in a different location) fixed two post lift but my ceiling height and use case doesn't allow that. Bendpak had a reasonable reputation, but as pointed out earlier in this thread there have been some issues--hard to know how much of that is internet noise/normal business issues versus a degradation in the company, service, and product quality. Anyone with any recent Bendpak product or service experience?
     

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