[jmoffett]

based on price, capacity, etc. i have narrowed my lift selection down to two. both are priced within $50 of the other. one is the bend-pak hd-12. my concern with this one is it appears that the lift mechanism is underneath the tread and on only one post. the other is the fp-12 made by american automotive equipment. it's lift mechanism seems to be like that which i've seen on other lifts...the hydraulic ram on top pulls a chain or cable and the lift rises. what are the pros and cons of each design. the information on the american automotive website doesn't offer much detail. i have links to view both below. i would appreciate any opinions on which to choose.

Bend-Pak HD-12
AAE FP-12

 

[JerseysBest]

I just got down working at an Oil Change place for the summer and we had two of the bend Pak ones, pretty much the same thing on the webpage except ours had a walkway around the top. We usually did between 50 and 70 cars a day, so figure 25-35 per lift per day, and the only problems would be some of the bearings on the pulleys wearing out, or something like that.
The platform can be a bit obtrusive at times when doing anything other then oil changes so I'd rather get a two post lift. It would be real easy to get all four tires off the ground to do whatever. Unless that isn't of your concern; I dunno what you're using it for.

 

[jmoffett]

i've looked at several 2-post lifts and i don't want to have to put stands under each end of the vehicle to stabilize them. the 2-posts allow the vehicle to move too much for me to be comfortable standing underneath it. besides, i already have a center post lift that will allow me to get the wheels off the ground. i want something that's quick and easy to drive onto, and it will be used for dropping fuel tanks for fuel pump jobs, changing oil, servicing transmissions, etc.

 

[copydoc351]

4-post lifts make it difficult to do any kind of real work on a car so, unless you're just using the lift for vehicle storage like in the pics, I would strongly recommend a 2-post. Else, I'd check into the options for swing jacks which attach to the lift and allow the car to be raised front or back so you can gain access to the wheels while on the lift (probably pretty pricey, though).

I have a 2-post Rotary in my shop and it's awesome, but I do all kinds of work in my garage.

At any rate, lifts are a great investment.

Good luck!

 

[Shaummy66]

4-post lifts make it difficult to do any kind of real work on a car

Just curious why you say this about 4 post lifts?

 

[390GTAcv]

Can't imagine what kind of " REAL " work that is much easier on a two post unit. If your garage floor isn't MORE than four inchs thick, make sure load is weight centered with a two post .

 

[67fstbk]

I have the Bend Pak BP-12. It's the older style with the hydraulic ram across the top and lifts with chains. Like you indicated, the HD-12 has the hydraulics under one of the ramps and uses steel cables. When I bought mine the HD-12 was new, so I got one of the leftovers at a pretty good price. One advantage of the newer style is when the car is in the air, you can open the doors fully without hitting the bar/hydraulic cylinder. As to whether the chains are any better or worst than the cable, I would believe if properly designed, they are equivalent. In any case, I'm pretty happy with the Bend Pak. Make sure you include shipping cost in your price comparison, because at 2200 lbs. it will be a factor.

Lou

 

[Midlife]

Four post lifts usually have full-length ramps that you drive onto, so all four wheels are supported. Thus, these lifts don't normally support the unibody directly. If you want to work on suspension, or brakes, you have to get the accessories that support the frame from the ramps.