Who has a two-post lift and a 40? (1 Viewer)

[reddingcruiser]

Well, my new three bay shop is underway and I am planning ahead for a two-post lift. I am looking for feedback from those among you that ACTUALLY HAVE AND USE a two-post lift to work under an FJ40. I have researched some of the material from BendPak and Rotary Lift, but am looking for some firsthand feedback. Ceiling height is no problem, I will have close to 16 feet and the lift will be bolted on to a 6 inch, steel reinforced concrete slab.

So....... pros and cons of different manufacturers, mechanisms, capacities, etc.? I know the 40 can be very nose heavy, especially when there's a winch, HD bumper, stinger, stretched wheelbase, etc.

I have a pile of projects and am done playing with jack stands and rolling around on the floor!

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

Rotary Lift is pretty much industry standard in my neck of the woods, I've not seen an FJ40 in particular mounted on a 2 post. But like anything, just use proper safety procedures when your using any lifting device.

 

[Godfather90]

I've used my dad's Bendpack lift quite a bit while I was doing work on it in NY:

I can ask my dad the dimensions of his lift. What I do know is that its Hydraulic, and its a larger one for his commercial trucks built to a custom height for his ceiling. The downside of the big boy lift is that it is really slow to lower down the lighter cars and trucks because of the return orifice is sized appropriately for a large capacity.

The other not on the 40 series is that due to the frames curvature up front the flat portion of the frame is fairly short as you can see in the last picture, which decreases its stability.

Here's a video of it going up and down a million times :

 

[whitey45]

Dick,

Been working under racks for 30 years, I have a Rotary, definately the standard, and never an item to get a good deal on! Spend the money and get the best. If your just doing 40’s a 7k is perfect, if you going to do full size trucks get a 10k. Common sense and safety go along way when racking vehicles. I have never had a mishap, but it can happen. I always lift it a foot off the ground and rock the vehicle pretty good to get a feel for the balance. A 40 is more of a challenge due to its short wheelbase. After you do it 10 times you will get more comfortable and learn exactly where it likes to be. Another big safety issue is removing axles! It can unweight one end and cause an imbalance. Invest in some tall screw jacks. I like to place them under the front or rear cross members or bumpers to support the ends. You will wonder why you didn’t get one years ago, it is nice and as we age it helps the old body!! Jealous of what looks like a nice shop going up!

 

[archie73]

I have access to a Dover/Rotary lift at work and it’s glorious. We bought it used from a dealership and it’s chugging right along. You’re absolutely right about the nose heavy business. Took me a couple tries to find a point I was happy with it over my head.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Dick,

Been working under racks for 30 years, I have a Rotary, definately the standard, and never an item to get a good deal on! Spend the money and get the best. If your just doing 40’s a 7k is perfect, if you going to do full size trucks get a 10k. Common sense and safety go along way when racking vehicles. I have never had a mishap, but it can happen. I always lift it a foot off the ground and rock the vehicle pretty good to get a feel for the balance. A 40 is more of a challenge due to its short wheelbase. After you do it 10 times you will get more comfortable and learn exactly where it likes to be. Another big safety issue is removing axles! It can unweight one end and cause an imbalance. Invest in some tall screw jacks. I like to place them under the front or rear cross members or bumpers to support the ends. You will wonder why you didn’t get one years ago, it is nice and as we age it helps the old body!! Jealous of what looks like a nice shop going up!View attachment 1971743View attachment 1971743

Thanks for the insight, Gents. Trust me, if my old shop had a high enough ceiling I would have bought a lift much sooner. I am surprised at the support for the Rotary Lifts, good to know.

The budget only allowed for a 30X54 shop. It will have a mezzanine for storage over the area where my work bench, lathe, mill, etc. will be. The old shop will be for overflow, a temporary paint booth as needed, and the wife's 40.

 

[firestopper]

BendPak XPR-10A-LP is what I'm using for all my rigs . The shop has 14' eves and is 16' at the highest center point. My slab is 5" 3K psi concrete fiber reinforced with rebar and remesh. The dedicated garage door for the lift bay is a commercial style rollup allowing the door to remain open or closed without hindrance or light obstruction. I chose to mount the two post lift in the wide configuration allowing plenty of room for opening doors on the GMC 2500HD. I have used the lift on the following rigs without issues,

06 Lexus 430GS
97 Camaro
2010 Camaro
2000 Silverado 2500
2005 GMC 2500HD
2010 Cobalt
1956 Ford P/U hot rod
1982 40
All these rigs are good examples of extreme jack points. The XPR-10A-LP is a 10K pound asymmetrical low profile lift.

I made saddles for framed rigs and custom spacers as well as front arm extensions for narrower frames.
I posted this as well but worth mentioning it again. Build yourself some sort of reservoir support as this plastic tank can be accidentally broken off with very little effort resulting in a huge mess.

Not the smallest rig but a narrow frame non the less.

The largest rig I own on the lift, around 8800 pounds.

The shop made frame saddles. Made from CR.

The reservoir is only secured by four small cap screws with the bottom floating. The shelf has a 2" lip on three sides locking down the tank.

Lastly, I would highly recommend a pair of safety stands. Removing major components can and will change the center of gravity (CG).
The 2-post lift has proven to be invaluable to me, especially working alone.

Best of luck.

 

[S4Cruiser]

I have the same as @firestopper but in the symmetric flavor. Also setup in the ‘wide’ configuration. There is zero way I could’ve done have of what I have solo without this lift. Used it to flip 40 tubs solo.

Works great with every car so far, even used it to pull the cab for my buddies F550 to do engine work...lift cab, back in trailer and lower cab onto trailer. So nice!

Echo comments about being careful. I equate it to riding a motorcycle, being a bit scared of the lift makes me be more cautious and respect the danger associated. I always raise then stop not far from the ground to ‘rock’ whatever vehicle I’m lifting and ALWAYS use a pair of safety stands when working under it.

Edit - I need one of those reservoir stands!

 

[matzell]

I have a 10k Bendpack at my home shop. It is the extra wide model so I do not hit the doors on my GMC.

My work shop that we use everyday has 2 10k Challenger lifts and one 15k Rotory. When the 10ks wear out they will be replaced with Rotory.

 

[southern son]

I will second the asymmetrical type as well. We have several flavors of lifts at our commercial shop that include: Rotary, Bendpack, some WAY old ones that aren't made anymore, and most recently are two Challengers. If I remember right Snap-On bought Challenger lifts a few years ago so the price has most likely gone up. The Rotary's and Bendpack's have been fantastic, which they should be for the cost, but I will say that the Challenger's we have both work really well with no real problems- my dad and I both have been impressed by them in consideration of capability and cost. They're both in the asymmetrical configuration to allow more lifting options given the way vehicles are made today with odd lift points. I've lifted my 40 on most every one of the 10 lifts we have at some point.

For what you'll be doing I would vote a 10k Challenger or something similar will be plenty, definitely asymmetrical option if I were buying one today.

 

[White Stripe]

Best lift I've ever used are the in ground dual ram/post lifts. Then u dont have lift posts to always work around.

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[apeterson]

Works great for me.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Best lift I've ever used are the in ground dual ram/post lifts. Then u dont have lift posts to always work around.

Challenger Lifts EV1020 10000 Lbs Inground Car Lifts

JMC Equipment has the best prices when it comes to the Challenger Lifts EV1020 10000 Lbs Inground Car Lifts. Call us up at 800-562-4791 for prices and discounts.

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I really do like the idea, but I am having enough fun now with my structural engineer/architect, California Building Codes, and Shasta County Building Codes for what essentially a simple, uninhabited (not a residence) box. In almost any other state this shop would take a quarter the time to permit and cost half as much to build - California sucks. A big hole in the slab isn't something I can hide until the final inspection and I am not about to open a can of worms at this point. The above grade lifts do not require any unique engineering other than a minimum slab thickness, specific anchor bolts and concrete compressive strength.

 

[whitey45]

Pretty sure you can’t put any in ground lift in, here in California, too many environmental rules and bs!

 

[matzell]

Be sure to put the cables above the lift. It sucks trying to roll a jack stand or cart around under a car with the cables on the floor. I vote for asymetrical as well. At least a 10k capacity.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Pretty sure you can’t put any in ground lift in, here in California, too many environmental rules and bs!

That's a big 10-4 on the BS in CA.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Be sure to put the cables above the lift. It sucks trying to roll a jack stand or cart around under a car with the cables on the floor. I vote for asymetrical as well. At least a 10k capacity.

Yep, conduit down from the ceiling.

 

[matzell]

Yep, conduit down from the ceiling.

I was talking about the lift cables. You want an overhead style lift.