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BendPak lifts, good or bad?

Moonlight
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Moonlight Apprentice

Moonlight

Posted
Posted

I am buying lifts for our new shop and have always used Rotary. I am looking at BendPak and of coarse the Rotary salesman has plenty of reasons we shouldn't get them. I would like an nonbias opinion. Trouble Free? Support? Warranty issues? Quality?

Thanks for your input.

ncautoshop Proficient

ncautoshop

Posted
Posted

One of the few companies that the head man actually gets on forums and speaks with his customers. I can't say anything but great things about their lifts and customer support!

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

kbomb Rookie

kbomb

Posted
Posted

We bought the 10k lb two post lift about 18 months ago and have been happy with it. We got a second one when we moved to a larger shop and they now had the lower profile arms for the same cost which was cool. For under $3,000 bucks, I think you can't beat it. We installed our first one by ourselves. It took about a day and a half to complete it. But I think most people should be able to knock it out in one day or less.

 

The only issue we had was the overhead cut off switch failed. They sent us a replacement switch for free. One of the installers I spoke to says that fails all the time on other lifts he installs.

 

Overall, I think the quality appears excellent although I'm by no means an expert on steel quality or capacities. It appears as well built as any lift I've noticed at other shops. By the way, delivery took about 5 days from California to Maryland. We bought it through the workshop depot out of california I believe.

mmotley Proficient

mmotley

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have 2 dannmar 10k lifts in my shop. Haven't had an issue yet out of them. Would advise getting the 'extra-wide' model if they offer it.

Edited by mmotley
bigdonstang Explorer

bigdonstang

Posted
Posted

We have three paks in our shop. A pair of 2 post and a 4 post alignment lift. Going on three years with zero problems. Would recommend.

Moonlight Apprentice

Moonlight

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the feedback guys I really appreciate it. From my research they seem to be a good lift but the guys using them are the ones who know best.

ScottyP Enthusiast

ScottyP

Posted
Posted

I've had a Danmar Brigadiere 10 ACX in my shop for 2 years now, it's just a rebranded BendPak XPR-10A. It works fine, but I'm constantly having to clean the lift arms. They get real sticky from dirt, road salt and crap that drips off the cars, mostly in the winter, but now they are sticking all year. I have to flush them out with a hose real good while working the arms in and out. I wish the arms would come apart so I could clean them good.

 

Other than that I've had no issues. Price was right at $2450 delivered with an oil change cart thrown in free.

slowtech Contributor

slowtech

Posted
Posted

If you have always used rotory did they live up to your standards? Was performance and service good? If so why change.

MarGar Rookie

MarGar

Posted
Posted

I've always been partial to Rotary, as they are not made overseas... Bendpak is ok, but Rotary is far superior, in my honest opinion.

 

Stick with Rotary, the extra cost will give extra years of service life! I can't help it, my parents taught me to buy good stuff that outlasts the cheaper alternative!

 

-Jonny

ncautoshop Proficient

ncautoshop

Posted
Posted

I dropped Jeff at bendpak a email asking him to stop by if he got a second. He's extremely knowledgeable on all lift not just his own and I'm sure I

His knowledge would be welcomed here!

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

rtauto3000 Rookie

rtauto3000

Posted
Posted

Have had good luck with our bendpak 2 post. 4 post on the other hand not so much, in the first year had to replace all the cables, 2 front posts, the rolling jack design is not the best, I need to repaint my lift already from the rust, my runway ramps are bowing in the middle. I have another lift ordered as we speak and it is not a bendbak it is a challenger 4 post lift. I will buy another 2 post from bendpak but not a 4 post

Moonlight Apprentice

Moonlight

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the feed back guys. I have had good luck with my Rotary lifts however i was very disappointed with the install of the last three lifts i bought. I did complain and got no service.

The deal was buy Rotary have them install them and get an extended warranty. I haven't had any failures but have issues with the locks on one and the sloppy install was never taken care of. When the rep came by to quote me on the lifts we are now looking into i showed him the issues we had with the old lifts and he said he would get it taken care of that was a few months ago and still have never got any support. I have nothing against Rotary but the dealer and installer may be my problem. So what got me looking at BendPak is when we got the install quote for the new lifts and it was 12k plus the warranty of an extra 450 per lift for the extended warranty allowed with the install. That's when i decided the warranty isn't worth nothing if you don't have a good service company to honor it. So as i looked at other lifts this info got my attention let me know your thoughts. http://www.bendpak.com/a-study-in-lift-design/Two-Post-Lift-Comparison/

If we go BendPak we will install them ourselves, i really think we will end up with a better result.

Moonlight Apprentice

Moonlight

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've always been partial to Rotary, as they are not made overseas... Bendpak is ok, but Rotary is far superior, in my honest opinion.

 

Stick with Rotary, the extra cost will give extra years of service life! I can't help it, my parents taught me to buy good stuff that outlasts the cheaper alternative!

 

-Jonny

I am all about you get what you pay for and that is exactly what i am trying to do. You are right Rotary is a US company but from what i have found they are like many companies now days, they are going to china more and more for their parts. US assembled doesn't mean made in the usa.

alfredauto Experienced

alfredauto

Posted
Posted (edited)

I run 3 Rotary lifts and I won't buy another one. Next lift will be Mohawk. Mohawk lifts are twice as thick and made in NY, also more $$$$. Rotary is made in China now as is the same with virtually all the other lifts. Listen to the salesman all you want but check out the new Rotary and see where the materials come from. I dislike the wear sliders and the cables on my Rotary lifts - its a big job to replace them and they are designed to wear out but besides that the lifts work.

 

There's too much at stake to risk being under a lift with cheap steel that can buckle. I've seen lifts fail and there's not a lot of time between the car being up in the air and the car being on the ground, definitely less than enough time to react. I feel the same way about cheap motorcycle helmets.

Edited by alfredauto
  • 1 month later...
atifn79 Newbie

atifn79

Posted
Posted
I've had one for 5+ yr's. All good experience. I also check the cables and adjusted the slack every month for the first year and check it every 2-3 months still.
They ship with 220v pumps as stock but have 110 v pumps if you ask (I didn't want to rewire the garage so I went 110v), just slower on the "up"
HD-9 Wide Version (they changed the numbering but it's 116"+ between the posts). Also have the rolling jack and use it quite a bit.
I have the ramps "fixed" with the locks so I can drive a car right underneath it without the sagging, or removing and storing the ramps.
80-img_0057_87e7c9739f8092b1c550c85e0f9c
Biggest issue I dealt with was the available height in the car garages as there is the beam at 10' which was my limits.... but all is good....
80-dsc00186_f5048ff16972fb0d1ab97c64a81a

 

FYI - I have a friend in Wa. who just had the 82" version installed and all he could get out of the height was 78" due to the air locks and he had to "re- jig" the lift to get more than 78"+ as he was parking an F-350 underneath it.
My vote - yes.
Atif Naser

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