Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Hello all,

I was hoping to get some insight from the group regarding automotive lifts as I am in the process of building a new place with an attached garage. The garage is a little more than 22 feet wide and has 13 foot ceilings. I have just started my research and think I have settled on a 4 post lift as I can store the SVX on top (winter) as well as use it to perform maintenance on all my cars. I am leaning towards a BendPak light-duty but I know there are a ton of different brands that various people like.

Thanks!

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Call me.;)
I think that you have my number.
301-707-3437:p

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Bend Pak and Rotary are make good lifts. For your light use, you may even be able to go with a cheaper one. Or find a used bend pak/rotary to save yourself a few bucks.

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Try Harbor. Freight or Norther Hydraulic. Northern Tool ..A friend bought a great lift for $2,800.

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

I was writing this and thinking I should just call you. Expect a call this weekend :)

About the HF lift, I love to save a few bucks but the only HF one I see is a scissor lift. I wouldnt be able to park under it.

The bendpak models that I have been looking at are priced between $2800 and $3800 from SummitRacing. Delivery is free but I would need installation.

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

I know folks here are big on Northern Tool and I don't mean to discourage that, just to offer a warning especially relating to large, complicated items such as lifts -- and generators. I bought a largish (7.5 - 9KW) generator from Northern Tool and have had a sadly long list of problems with it. The latest problem involved smoke pouring out of the generator end and no more volts. (This happened with no load on the generator, during my monthly start-and-run exercise.) Northern Tool reps have been helpful on the phone, but now that the stator or other electrical element has failed, I need to find a local outfit that will service it. In other words my inexpensive generator just got expensive. In truth, if I hadn't been able to fix all of the other little glitches myself, this thing would have gotten expensive a long time ago.

The generator was built in China; not bad in and of itself, but in working on this it as much as I have (despite only using it for emergency power) it is plain that quality control was not a priority during the assembly process.

Maybe I got a dud. But I won't be buying large items like this from Northern Tool anymore, not until I hear that their stuff exudes a higher level of quality. For me, for bigger ticket items especially, I just want it to work.

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Thanks for the link.

After some reading comparing the two brand I found the following two differences to be the biggest factors as to why people go with BP over other brands:

1. BendPak has a long history of providing great customer service
2. BendPaks are in general a higher quality unit

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

These lifts are supporting the vehicles on their wheels, right? How do you do brake jobs?

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Like this
[IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps26e4965f.jpg[/IMG]
Small bottle jack. You bring it up so u get under it. Jack up the rear( there is a movable bar that you slide into position) placing the jack under the axle jack it up so wheel leaves ramp.
Lower the car to eye level.
BTW this lift can be wheeled around.

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

Make sure you download the installation manuals on the lifts you're thinking about to see what the concrete requirements are before your contractor makes the pour! Concrete thickness and PSI ratings vary. It would really suck if you had to jackhammer your new floor.

I'm more than a little bit jealous . . .

Dan

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

I did that a while ago but it is very good advice :)

My concrete min thickness is 4 inches with a 4,000 PSI rating.


PS - Tom called but didnt get a hold of you

Re: Car Lift Advice & Suggestions
 

i have two challenger lifts and am very satisfied with them. i have used all kinds of lifts including bendpak and rotary but had issues with all of them. i did a lot of leg research when buying my last two lifts by asking other mechanics what they had and why. if you go to your local small garages you can probably see them in action before biting off on such a big purchase.