Does anyone agree with OP assessment of the Kwik Lift being unsafe. I don't quite agree that this is as unsafe as he wants to make it sound. The idea that it will collapse if a "vehicle would hit it"?? Would that not also apply to a scissor jack, jack stands, two post lifts, with the only exception a four post lift that is probably impossible to knock over, except if you knocked out one post. I am not affiliated with Kwik Lift, but was certainly considering it as an economical option, and I do NOT want anything unsafe. But I am questioning the idea that this is unsafe. I would like to hear your opinions, especially from people who own one.

 

I have had a Kwik Lift now for 4 years. I have had my 3 Vettes on it. In no way do I consider it dangerous. If I did, it would have been gone 4 years ago. Dont believe everything you read on the Web.

With that said, I live alone, very remote, and always play it safe in everything I do, I cant get hurt. If I am going to work under the Kwik Lift, I do stack 3 wood 6x6's under each end of the lift. No, It does not need them to be safe, its just me, super killing safety.

And if I had a 4 post, I would have 4 6x6 posts to set by each of the 4 posts....just in case. But again, thats just me super killing safety

8Valve

 

I totally agree. The Kwik Lift is very stable. It has absolutely no sway whatsoever. I am very satisfied with mine. I do also agree with 8valve that safety is very dependent on the user.

 

To your point there's ways to mitigate risk with every lift type. There is no such thing as totaly safe when working under any lift. Every lift option has inherent risks in working under a vehicle and every option can be made a little safer. With a Kwik lift you can put jack stands under it, you can put wood under it etc. With a scissor you can brace them between each other, you can make kick stands for them. With a 2 post you can prop the vehicle with a lift jack stand. Heck I have a customer who has an in ground lift and has a set of steel wheels welded end to end that he uses as a safety. The purpose in rating safety in this thread is in relative terms to another type of lift. There's nothing to say that you don't have many years of safe operation with whatever option you choose. I qualify types of dangers inherent with each type for the express purpose of comparison. I am not trying to prop one type or brand up over another. Again this is just an educational thread with basic overview.

FWIW if you think im picking on the kwik, I do intend on getting a Kwik lift at some point, because I think it will do a nice job for my garage setup.

If you think a car bumping into the lift is nothing major, consider for a moment the energy imparted. A 4,000 lb car at 5mph imparts 7,375 ft-lbs of energy at point of contact. Feel free to disagree with my assessment.

 

Good points.
I am sure we all have nightmare stories about jacks, jacks stands, cinder blocks, lifts, etc if we have spent any reasonable amount of time working on and under cars.
I have a few.
Off lift topic but similar.....long time ago I worked in a paper mill in upstate NY. We are talking spinning metal drums that have bearing blocks at each end. In order to move the completed roll of paper while spinning off the machine those bearing blocks have to be lifted by a chain and pulley system using a guy at each end. One time on a late shift one guy lifted his too soon. The other block let loose and that spinning drum filled with several tons of paper flew off and decapitated a guy.....ouch.
Point is.......no matter how well something is made, human error can have deadly consequences. There is no substitute for safety.

Having said that....I think your rating system is pretty unbiased.

Bman

 

Great write up! Your input on concrete floors are good reading, especially when a two post lift is being installed.

What about Mohawk? Not cheap, but USA made and very solid. I have an A7 along with two 4 post lifts at home. I've looked at other lifts and the Mohawk seems to be very well built.

I did have the local Mohawk dealer install it in my garage.

Bob K.

 

I have not sold Mohawk before, but I do run across them from time to time. I typically see them in DOT or heavy duty fleet shops, and many of them have given their customers decades of reliable service with minimal maintenance and parts service.

 

Thank you for the advise and ideas. I did find a lift installer locally and gave them a call. They quoted me a price of $900 to pick up the used Backyard Buddy lift at the sellers house, transport it to my house and set it up in my garage. I don't know if that is a competitive price or not. The sales guy did have some disparaging remarks about Backyard Buddy and then began to pitch the imported 4 post lift that they sell ($3000 installed).

 

Typical installers

Installation is typically about $500, figure if you went with a tow company they would be between $250-500 for transport. I'd say that's relatively competitive considering they will take care of it start to finish. I would however consider they certify that the lift is in order when they picked it up and they have the responsibility of its safe keeping during the process. I only express that reservation because they are trying to make an alternative sale and I have known some of them to do .... nefarious things .... in those cases. Not to say they will, but it has happened before. Better safe than sorry in my book.

As for the quality of the lift, there is always some turn of phraze, some alternative non standard industry nomenclature that different manufacturers use to "compare/contrast" their product with another. Frequently fairly unscientific marketing ploys. I'm sure they have some feature the BYB doesn't have, and again every lift can be improved upon but if you chase it down the rabbit hole you'll end up with a $25,000 12k lb 2 post lift. If the BYB suits you then pull the trigger. IMO the feature I like about the BYB is the obvious lock holes on each post to help you verify you're safely locked down, along with the fully square tube and foot pads. The feature I like least, from what I see of it, is the hydraulic system routing. That can always be upgraded in time for minimal cost.

BTW. If you have never worked with a 4 post lift before with a closed front, get used to having a bottle of Advil Migraine handy for those whacks on your forehead.

 

I have a Kwiklift and never had any issues with it. Actually I have never even heard of a Kwiklift failing.

Do a Google search and you will see many 2 and 4 post lift failures though.

With the Kwiklift, as long as you're careful, follow the instructions, and don't drive off the ramp, you should be fine.

Also, I worked several years in auto mechanics and auto body, and have worked with all the different styles of lifts.

 

Yes. The first time I saw one, as an engineer, I thought to myself "Who has the ***** to get under that?".

Scissor jack lifts, and jack stands are also dangerous.

Two posts lifts can be dangerous, and I've seen cars fall of them, hydraulic lines fail, etc. However, due to the fact that they have mechanical safeties, and that your not laying on the ground they are inherently safer than a lift made of sheet metal that is 18" off the ground.


4 Post lifts are great for oil changes, but really suck for suspension work.


I have a rotary sp84, had it for almost 20 years.

-- Joe

 

Again I don't have a dog in the fight on which lift any of you guys get. The subject of this thread is to highlight the different products on the market and how they fit within the hobbyist segment. The biggest difference between an auto shop getting a lift and a hobbyist is the hobbyist is generally not a professional, and does not have experience on which to back their decision. Additionally, since there is less exposure to danger than a professional (probability of an accident increases with use) they are more likely to make a decision that doesn't appear to be risky without having a good perspective to base that decision on.

For example:
________________________________________ _____________________________________

________________________________________ _____________________________________

Now I just pulled this image and post off of google, but I would ascertain that this customer purchased the kwiklift because it fit into a budget and that was the main reason. (FYI there's quite a few of using wood ramps just like this out there) Like I stated at the start of this there is a lift for every budget, and the kwiklift very well may be the right lift for you. This thread is to help you come to your own conclusions based off of my experience in the industry, and to any further learning I can point you toward, rather than looking at cost as the primary purchasing decision.

I won't be talking about kwiklift anymore, as I think it is pulling this off topic.

 

Something looks wrong with the scissor lift photo in the original post. My MR6K-38 manual is very clear that the engine should be on the other side of the lift so that the center of gravity is over the lift pin where the hydraulic cylinder pushes.





I prefer the MR6K-38 design. It is heavy construction, has dual tie bars for the scissors, and has safety latches on both sides. The construction and design is very heavy. I am not as comfortable with the dual stage double height scissors.

As mentioned in other posts, the safety comes from design, install, and operation all being in order.

 

I think we should continue talking about all the lifts. I think if nothing else it has been very informative and should help people in making an informed decision.

 

I've been wanting a lift for couple of years now and all the options for home DIY make my brain dizzy.. glad to see all the info in one place!

 

I am going to pull the trigger on this next year....

https://www.eagleequip.com/product/MobileMan.html

Jebby

 

Jay Leno tested a lift like this, I also think he has it in his workshop, he was happy with it......

 

That is good to know
Must be good...they are backordered!

I like the mobility factor.....that rocks.

Jebby

 

Yes I agree, very mobile......

 

If you're not tied to the Eagle brand, a handful of other mfgr's make lifts just like that.

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The stertil's are awesome. Heavy duty is my favorite market segment. There's so many creative solutions out there. You should see the 240 volt harness connectors on the older non-wireless units. They looked like something out of George Lucas' brain!