There's a ton of 'em out there... many cost about $4k delivered (7,000 lb. cap.) but some are close to 1/2 that price!

I know you DO most often "get what you pay for"... but sometimes you ARE paying more just for a brand name when the quality can be the same on a cheaper one without the recognized name attached to it.

Is there a 4 post lift out there that is as good as they get without unnecessary expense?
-Or- have the cheaper lifts been nothing but a pain in the butt to those who've bought them (and wished they hadn't)?

 

I shopped four post lifts till I was ready to throw up. The Back Yard Buddy sales person was such a *** I would never buy anything from him. Most entry level name brand lifts are imported with their stickers on them. Some are US made with imported steel, and so on.

I bought mine "Panther Lift" on a famous auction site for 2200.00 shipped to a terminal. I bought a extra jacking tray so I can get all the wheels off at the same time. It came with casters, 1 jack tray, three oil drip pans, and aluminum ramps. The second tray cost about 100.00, the drip trays were a option at 75.00 Flame suit on. David

 

I had the same experience with the BACKYARD BULLY, err BUDDY salesman. I think he must have sold cars prior to lifts. He had nothing good to say about any of his competitors, contrary to every other rep I spoke to. I caught him in some blatant misrepresentations as well.
I now have a BEND PAK HD9 four post lift (delivered and installed for $3,800). I've previously owned a FORWARD MANUFACTURING two post and a SUPERLIFT four post, both delivered and installed for just under $4,000.00. Both provided excellent service and factory support.
I know BEND PAK also manufactures some low rise and mid rise hydraulic lifts that might be less expensive and provide you with good service.
KWIK LIFT might be another option to consider @ approx. $1,500-2,000, but it's a drive on w/o power. You use a floor jack to lift the aft section, allowing for plenty of room beneath to work on a vehicle.
In our local newspaper, there is a section for machinery/equipment, which often has good deals on used lifts. I sold my SUPERLIFT locally that way for only $2,500.00. You might be able to find a good quality used lift from a professional lift installer.
The best advice I can provide is try to buy a USA made lift with factory support, especially if you buy a used lift. Some of the off shore lifts have no factory support for replacement parts. The installer that did my BEND PAK won't even install off shore lifts, just to much liability issues.

 

Mine is a Bend-pak HD9, very satisfied with it.

 

I bought an AMPRO PP4-HD9 from Rick Nickerson (800-348-4244) at America's Pride and have been very happy with it. They were very helpful and pleasant to deal with - He has been a vendor at Carlisle for years. The toughest part of the deal is getting it unloaded from the delivery truck and into the assembly area (your garage) as is is all bolted and shrink wrapped in one 1500# piece. Once unwrapped, it can be handled and assembled with the help of a few strong friends or an engine hoist. I should have bought one of these years ago!

 

I know you inquired about a four post, but here's a KWIK LIFT for sale in the CF classifieds...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1797900

 

Check Greg Smith Equipment for reasonable pricing and shipping.

Located in Indy and Delaware.

Greg Smith Equipment Sales

 

I've got a Rotary Revolution XLT 4 post lift....American made, heavy steel, commercial quality, certified by ALI (American Lift Institute)...I have never had a second thought about parking or working underneath it....priced in same ballpark as BendPak

Also, agree about the Backyard Buddy salesperson....a real turn off...

 

I bought and installed an HD-9 9000 lb. capacity Bend-Pak 4-post lift about a year ago. My ceiling is 10 feet high and I park one C5 under and one C5 on the lift.







Here are my lift's dimensions.



Here are a few threads I posted on my Bend Pak HD-9 installation.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1468748

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1470876



I will only speak to the two types / brands of 4-post lift I am most familiar with - the AutoLifters which a friend of mine owned (AL now out of business but being produced by former AL employees - same design as the BYB) and the Bend Pak HD-9 I currently own. I spent many a weekend under the AutoLifters (7K lb. cap.) over a few years and have owned my HD-9 (9K lb. cap.) for a year now.

The AL uses the fully boxed post section with collar-style crossbeam ends while the BP has a C-channel post design with internal runners that slide on ladder locks suspended from the top caps.

There seems to be a perception that the C-channels can spread under load, but that's not how these lifts work. There is virtually no side load on the posts and certainly nothing to splay the channels apart during raising or lowering. Basically, they are cable and pulley systems with crossbeam and column supports to manage the transmitted loads. What's important is that the members remain stationary (rigid) and no one corner binds - or lets loose - during the lifting or lowering process, destabilizing the equilibrium enough to allow one of the posts to tip too far.

The posts can actually tilt in/out a certain amount without destabilizing the lift and toppling it. I've seen this happen twice in person - once on the AL lift when one of the manual lever-actuated locks didn't engage while lowering and the other the first time I actuated my BP and one of the cables was still too loose. Both times, the tilt in the post was completely recoverable because the lift was not allowed to travel beyond one lock level. Remember that the entire mechanism is tied together with a tensioned cable system and tends to want to stay tied together rather than spread out.

I have noticed that neither design has more tendency for the corner attachments to decouple from the post or allow post tilt. Both designs are quite secure. What I have noted are the differences in lock designs which is the reason I went with my BP. The BP has a double lock system - the first is a pneumatically-actuated, "normally-closed" set of ladder locks. These are the primaries and the only way for these to allow the lift to lower is to keep one's hand on the release button and hydraulic release continuously and simultaneously until the lowest lock is passed.

The secondary, "slack-cable" set of locks are purely for safety. Should a cable break or go slack for any reason, that corner lock will release and automatically lock into the next detent, not allowing that corner to drop uncontrolled. This was the failure suffered recently by an AL lift with pictures posted here.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ht=autolifters

I'll qualify that link by saying that could have been prevented with proper maintenance and replacement of a faulty pulley setup that the manufacturer warned of. But it does illustrate that, ultimately, it's up to the owner/operator to safely install, maintain and operate his lift.

Also, high quality components and construction are vital when weighing the issues of cost and safety. My Bend Pak is made in America with solid engineering backed by decades of commercial lift design and construction, high-strength, high-quality components and great workmanship, including beautiful welds. The cost was comparable to it's competitors too.

I spent a lot of time researching lifts before ordering mine and I still believe I'd make the same choice today that I did when I chose the BP. Others have their own thoughts and opinions - and requirements. My decision was between the All American, the Revolution (Rotary), the Backyard Buddy and Bend Pak. Cost was not the primary factor, safety was. Check all the certification and testing that a manufacturer does on it's lifts - that alone is a very educational process.

Whatever your choice is, have a healthy respect for the potentially dangerous piece of heavy equipment that a lift is. Safety should be foremost on your mind always when working around a lift. That behavior alone should keep it a safe and fun piece of equipment to own.

My buddy's AutoLifters. Note the collar-style beam ends.


The channel and ladder setup on my HD-9. You can see the air-cylinder-enabled main lock and the spring/lever pulley secondary safety.


As always, this is JMHO.
Good luck with your decision and be safe!

 

DP7 from Greg Smith Sales.
I would not lift my Escalade or other truck with it, but a 3500 lb Vette is fine. Mine was about $2100 with tax, delivery and assembly. I am fortunate enough to live 70 miles from Indianapolis where it was purchased, so delivery and installation were reasonable. It came with three drip trays, a jacking tray and a set of casters.

 

I looked at all the lifts at carlisle and agree the backyard buddy guy would never get my money. All he did was bash everyone - I kept asking him to tell me about his lift................

I leaning towards the revolution by rotary show price $3,399 delivered with a bridge, ramps, and drip trays. The Bend pak looks good also.

 

great to do buisness with and great lift , i got the 9000 lb unit

oak

 

Bend-Pak HD Series or Rotary Revolution both ALI certified

 

Thats the same lift I have. I called Greg Smith, at the time I purchased mine, they didn't offer the aluminum ramps. I trust mine 100% however.... any lift is only as good as the maintenance. They should be inspected regularly for level, lock adjustments, pulleys, cables and all nut and bolts. Again, flame suit on. David

 

I've got a Bend Pak low rise lift (not a 4 point lift) - but I'm happy w/ the quality

I think EG got a Bend Pak 4 post lift when he opened his shop - might want to check with him for his thoughts.

 

hmmm, Im about to get a lift. Thanks for the helpful info!!

 

I purchased a Perfect Park 7000 built in the good ole USA. A little spendy ($4000) but I feel it is worth it. Happy as a clam with it. Also talked to the Backyard Buddy rep and I agree with the previous posts. I wouldn't buy one just cuz of his attitude and bad mouthing of his competitors product.