65specialk

Anyone know of one for sale ?? Would like Backyard buddy or a BEND pak. I might be looking for the impossible but maybe someone wants to up grade. Looking in the Va or NC area. thanks DAve

Easy Rhino

Good luck with your hunt. You may want to start a "want to buy" thread in the parts forums.

I am constantly on the watch for one in the coastal Virginia area, and when used ones come up for sale they get snapped up quickly.

MikeM

I watched C'sL for two years for another two post lift. If I found anything at all it was either junk or not worth the price compared to new.

I finally heard about one at the morning Dairy Queen breakfast gathering. A guy had a really good quality lift he was wanting to sell for $1000. I had to tear it down and re-install it in my garage but that lift sold new for over $3000. I had the two lift cylinders re-sealed and it's worked perfectly for a couple of years.

I felt lucky as the good used ones just don't pop up unless you have an inside track.

John McGraw

I agree! I have been watching for another 4 post lift for over a year, and they never show up used. I am just going to buy another new Directlift like my other lifts, and be done with it. With a Brand-new Direct lift only costing $2100, it just does not make sense to keep looking for a used lift that may not be of the same quality, and will probably be just as expensive as a new one.

People never sell these things, as they never wear out.


Regards, John McGraw

Roger Walling

I was in the junk yard the other day and found 4 two post lifts in a dumpster. They were from a car dealer that installed new ones. They were cut up for scrap so that there was no chance of liability from use from using them again.

There is always a reason why they are taken out of service.

chevahaulic

With 4,000# hanging over your head I am not looking for a bargain. Either buy a quality lift or grease the creeper wheels. Like riding a cycle without a helmet. If you have a five dollar head your in luck.

Randy G.

Well said.

MikeM

Does this mean you can't find a used lift that is safe to use? I've looked at a lot of two post lifts and never saw one I wouldn't work under. There are people I won't work around though and people are a common cause of lift failures. whether the lift cost $1300 or $5000.

65specialk

I am moving from NH to VA in July. Sold my two year old Ben pak because it was easier to move the cash than the lift . It was mint shape and only had my 63 SWC on it . I sold it the first day it was listed . I am not looking for junk ,just maybe some one else needs to get rid of a good one. Dave


Not all used lifts are junk.
Not all 62 Corvettes are red .
Not all Corvettes are barn finds.

65 Coupe
63 SWC
62 Corvette -- yes it is red.

Roger Walling

Chances that the used lift that you buy is safe...but what about the one that the guy is getting rid of because it failed a few times?

GTOguy

In my area, used lifts only come up when a garage goes out of business. They don't really wear out. The hydraulics can be rebuilt if needed, for cheap. A co-worker got a twin post for $400 in mint condition. I had to buy mine brand new. I never have that kind of luck.....

MikeM

Failed how? That's what I don't understand.

The only thing I see that will fail and cause a problem on a two post is the pulleys wearing and the cable fraying. Easily inspected.

Hydraulics sometimes leak but that's obvious. I've never heard of a lift "breaking".

As previously posted, I have seen some real dufus operators of equipment and I won't work around them.

Roger Walling

Lifts are like any other machine. Most of the time, the owner gets tired of repairing it or wants a new model that will not require his attention.

And like a used car lot, there are a lot of models that are cream puffs along with the lemons.

Personally, I would buy a used one if I had a space that I would like to dedicate it to, but I feel that it would get in the way more than it would be in use.

SledgeHammer 2.0

I bought three of them for $1600.00. Two were practically brand new(off of craigslist), the third I got from an auto shop near by. The shop had a two post, but wanted to go to a drive over lift to do fast oil changes with.

I also found a shop that wanted to get rid of a four post, It was an older one that had narrow ramps and they wanted to upgrade to a higher capacity wide ramp model.

They are out there..

Easy Rhino

This^

Any user of anti-gravity equipment, i.e., hoists, lifts, chain falls, cranes, would be crazy (read: unsafe) to NOT have their equipment in a periodic test and inspection program. If OSHA requires it for commercial companies, I would consider doing no less for my own safety. Gravity is a biotch and does not sleep.

Good job - I have not been so lucky.

For people wondering or convinced if/that lifts cannot fail, google the you tube videos of lifts that failed to hold even their rated weight, likely Chinese-built lifts. I'm not talking about operator error, but about lifts that failed at weights they were supposedly built to take.

SledgeHammer 2.0

Rotary lifts for sale....
http://houston.craigslist.org/tld/4973685038.html


and some in Virginia....
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/bfs/5034833088.html

North Carolina
http://charlottesville.craigslist.or...040133835.html

MikeM

I have 3-4 bumper jacks in my old cars and if you can recommend a place where I can get them certified and inspected, I'll get right on it!

1965markaccount

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...041156105.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...052007944.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/m...063977728.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...050332215.html

there are a bunch around NOVA. I am not sure where Gasburg VA is

Edit: google maps states about a 3 hour drive to Centerville

Easy Rhino

Well the first rule is to never get under a bumper jack, so you've got that going for you. However, if I had a valuable car that I intended to use one on (I have witnessed an actual number jack failure), I would consider doing a load test with say, 120% or so of the weight it was expected to see when fully loaded with the valuable car.

For the test, I would have it jack up the test weight, hold it for five minutes, then lower it down in a controlled manner.

(FWIW, some of my guys are among the world's pre-eminent weight handling equipment 3rd party certifiers, 3rd party certifier trainers, and 3rd party certifier licensers, so yeah, I am kind of OCD about weight handling safety)

I also do weight handling safety investigations for fatal events, so, needless to say, I take this stuff seriously.

MikeM

So do I but I do my own inspections and watch the lift as it cycles up/down. You've heard it said there are some people that should never touch anything mechanical, even very smart people. I'd agree at the very least, they need their equipment (and themselves) certified before they operate a car lift.