so i finally bought a car lift....

[TO AWSUM]

Tall option allows raising of engine cover

I installed the Bendpak HD9XW in my garage with a buddy. It was very easy to install using a single shop crane/engine hoist with chain to move the two runways into position on the cross members. Everything else was easily lifted by myself for assembly. You'll need an extra hand just to balance the runway on the crane to get it into position (one pushing the crane and the other holding one end of the runway balanced on the crane. Your wife or girl friend could do the balancing since the crane holds all the weight. The assembly instructions say to lift the cross members above the standing posts to slide them inside the posts being careful not to knock the posts over. I ignored this part of the instruction, instead, I laid the posts on their sides and inserted the cross members into the posts and then stood the posts upright. Worked like a champ and much, much safer.

I'm glad I chose the highest height 82" lift since I can raise the lift to the top and still be able to raise my GT engine cover without hitting the bottom of the runways by about 4 inches clearance. To avoid having to deploy the Race Ramps to drive the GT onto the lift, I raise the lift and park the GT under it. I also purchased the Bridge Jack and think it is worth the $480. Makes life much more enjoyable.

 

[MTV8]

I agree that race ramps are a good idea. I had a set made in two pieces so the longer sections can store between the runways like the original steel ramps.

 

[Vincent998]

I just had a Bendpak HD9SWX 'double wide' hoist installed in my detached garage, and TRUST ME when I tell you - yeeeeeeeeew WILL NOT have 82" of 'PASS-THRU' clearance under the hoist once the hoist is dropped down on - and locked in - its upper-most position. AT BEST you might have 77.5" - MAYBE.

I needed 78" of clearance or so in order to park my Ford F-350 dump truck beneath said hoist. 'Solved the clearance problem by cutting four, 4x4xqtr-inch-thick steel tubing 'legs' to put inside the hoist's 4 legs for the hoist to come down and rest on when the hoist was lowered to the needed height...then 'used tie wraps to make darned sure these internal 'legs' wouldn't fall out of the hoist's 'legs' during a 'quake. IOW, I had to bypass the factory's 'air locked' safety catches completely. (I'm nothing if not resourceful...)

'Submitted just 'FYI" for those who may believe and need the 82" clearance as I did...

I had a long talk with a BendPak technical rep today, and found out why this problem occurred. It turns out that the lift figure give is the maximum possible clearance/deck height, NOT the height/clearance for the highest rest. I was told that the height/clearance for the highest rest is 4-6" LESS than the "maximum height". The 4-6" represents a working clearance of sorts, because the deck must be raised at least 4" off the rests to get the safety stops to release. Therefore, the 82" represents a clearance height of 76-78" only. An HD9, which has a highest clearance of 70", therefore has 64-66" of clearance above the floor.

 

[Xcentric]

There is a pdf file on their website that shows the floor plan and all dimensions of all the lifts.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Vincent998]

Maximum heights

There is a pdf file on their website that shows the floor plan and all dimensions of all the lifts.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Yes, I have it - but it does not give the distances when the deck is on the highest rest, or make it clear that the given "maximum heights" (dimensions F and G) are significantly different (higher by 4-6") from the height of the deck when it's on the uppermost rest. That's what caught EP by surprise.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I had a long talk with a BendPak technical rep today, and found out why this problem occurred. It turns out that the lift figure give is the maximum possible clearance/deck height, NOT the height/clearance for the highest rest. I was told that the height/clearance for the highest rest is 4-6" LESS than the "maximum height". The 4-6" represents a working clearance of sorts, because the deck must be raised at least 4" off the rests to get the safety stops to release. Therefore, the 82" represents a clearance height of 76-78" only. An HD9, which has a highest clearance of 70", therefore has 64-66" of clearance above the floor.

There is a pdf file on their website that shows the floor plan and all dimensions of all the lifts.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeup...and I went thru all of that on the phone with Bendpak AND the distributor. I stated multiple times to both that my dump truck measures 78" tall at the cab shield and I wanted to be able to drive the truck under the hoist once it was locked in the top position.

But, like I said, I figured out a way to get around the lack of clearance...a solution which an engineering friend of mine said was several times more "skookum" that the factory's setup as far as actually securing the hoist in place once it is elevated.

 

[BlackICE]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeup...and I went thru all of that on the phone with Bendpak AND the distributor. I stated multiple times to both that my dump truck measures 78" tall at the cab shield and I wanted to be able to drive the truck under the hoist once it was locked in the top position.

But, like I said, I figured out a way to get around the lack of clearance...a solution which an engineering friend of mine said was several times more "skookum" that the factory's setup as far as actually securing the hoist in place once it is elevated.

Marketing 101, state the specifications as optimistically as possible. You can drive your truck underneath. You just have to rely on the hydraulics to prevent the ramps from crushing it. :lol

 

[Empty Pockets]

Yes, I have it - but it does not give the distances when the deck is on the highest rest, or make it clear that the given "maximum heights" (dimensions F and G) are significantly different (higher by 4-6") from the height of the deck when it's on the uppermost rest. That's what caught EP by surprise.

It was because of the ambiguity you mention that I discussed the whole thing with both outfits. I was told there was about an inch or inch-and-a-half of virtical adjustment (whatever they said it was) in the 'locking plates' (that fit inside the hoist's 4 legs) that could be factored into the equation.

I was counting on that adjustment solving the problem just in case.

They really need to get out a measuring tape and provide actual 'pass under' clearance measurements for their hoists in their schematics...cuz for some peoplez that be 'portant. I'd have to go back to the Bendpak site and check, but, I believe those are the only measurements missing.

 

[Xcentric]

It's sad that BendPak apparently does not understand how critical dimensions are to home owners. Probably not such a big deal to commercial operations, but, if you're going to market for private personal use, you need to understand private personal use considerations.

Boo! To BendPak on this.

 

[Empty Pockets]

The thing that really burned me up was when I called my sales guy at the distributorship and told him about the clearance problem. He claimed he had informed me there wouldn't be enough clearance under that hoist...that he always explains that sort of thing to customers to stave off complaints just like mine before they happen, blah, blah, blah. He had no real answer though when I asked, "Do you really think I would have spent $7K to buy a hoist that I knew beforehand wouldn't provide the necessary clearance for my truck?"

Anyway - 'nuffa' this...

 

[BlackICE]

The thing that really burned me up was when I called my sales guy at the distributorship and told him about the clearance problem. He claimed he had informed me there wouldn't be enough clearance under that hoist...that he always explains that sort of thing to customers to stave off complaints just like mine before they happen, blah, blah, blah. He had no real answer though when I asked, "Do you really think I would have spent $7K to buy a hoist that I knew beforehand wouldn't provide the necessary clearance for my truck?"

Anyway - 'nuffa' this...

He sounds as truthful as some of those in the IRS.

 

[Fast Freddy]

I had a long talk with a BendPak technical rep today, and found out why this problem occurred. It turns out that the lift figure give is the maximum possible clearance/deck height, NOT the height/clearance for the highest rest. I was told that the height/clearance for the highest rest is 4-6" LESS than the "maximum height". The 4-6" represents a working clearance of sorts, because the deck must be raised at least 4" off the rests to get the safety stops to release. Therefore, the 82" represents a clearance height of 76-78" only. An HD9, which has a highest clearance of 70", therefore has 64-66" of clearance above the floor.

this man speaks the truth. mine operates as stated.

 

[Tomcat]

I think the W is wider...and though I'm using a Direct lift, I would have preferred the wider model to handle the GT's. I find the standard model to narrow and requires too much attention when pulling in underneath.

I too have the standard Direct Lift and would prefer a few more inches of width for the GT.

 

[TO AWSUM]

I have plenty of side room on my Bendpak HD9XW and feel very comfortable pulling in between the columns.

 

[Fast Freddy]

the pic of my lift at the start of this thread was taken on the top lock. i am 6 feet half inch tall and another inch or so taller than that with those shoes on so the lift could be raised another 5 inches or so higher but it would not be on the locks....

 

[Empty Pockets]

the pic of my lift at the start of this thread was taken on the top lock. i am 6 feet half inch tall and so the lift could be raised another 5 inches or so higher but it would not be on the locks....

Actually, mine can be lifted a bit higher than that w/o the cross members 'topping out' inside the 4 posts. I haven't run it all the way up to see just how high that point would be 'cause for my purposes it really doesn't matter.

The four 4x4x1/4" thick steel tubing 'legs' on which the crossmembers will come to rest were cut to 80". (Well, actually 79.5" and 80.25" to negate the drainage slope of the garage floor and keep the hoist's 'runners/runways' level when the crossmembers come to rest on 'em.)

 

[BlackICE]

4x4x1/4 Overkill. How do you move them?

 

[Empty Pockets]

4x4x1/4 Overkill.

You darn betcha it is. That's how I prefer making things like that when I know I'll be walking under the 9,000 lbs of dead weight they'll be supporting (probably more than 10K counting the horizontal portion of the hoist too).

How do you move them?

I doubt the 'legs' weigh more than 80 pounds each, Clinton. 'No biggie...

 

[BlackICE]

You darn betcha it is. That's how I prefer making things like that when I know I'll be walking under the 9,000 lbs of dead weight they'll be supporting (probably more than 10K counting the horizontal portion of the hoist too).




I doubt the 'legs' weigh more than 80 pounds each, Clinton. 'No biggie...

Your pretty strong given your age. :thumbsup

 

[Xcentric]

For anyone curious about how the wheels work, I had to move the lift today to give the Terminix guy access to the attic.