Time to buy my 2 post lift

Joined
Jan 8, 2007
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2,390
Location
TN
Anyone have suggestions? I have no height restrictions and I would like on that can lift my super duty. Safety is my first consideration, I am willing to pay for a unit that is well built and safe.

Thanks
 
Happy day, @BeerCan! My recommendation would be a 10k lb ALI certified lift. Lifts above 10k lbs usually require thicker concrete slabs, so a little more advance planning would be in order (maybe you already have enough concrete, though?). A 10k lb lift should lift your Super Duty just fine. A couple pole jacks will help keep the wobble to a minimum when it's in the air. (y)
 
Just fyi concrete is 6" 4000psi according to contractor
 
I think BP has gone downhill. I'd do a Rotary and honestly a 12k.

I love my BP 10k from '09 but there have been times I've wanted to lift heavier/longer stuff like a Ram 5500

I'd do symmetric (I don't know if 12k+ even comes in assym?) and the WIDEST drive-thru clearance you can get. If there's an option for additional overhead clearance (unless you're doing a Mohawk) just pay it. It's a drop in the bucket and you'll be glad you did sooner rather than later.

If you can afford a Mohawk that's the bomb-diggity, but maybe they've been canceled by now or had to rename themselves something dumb like the Commanders......
 
I personally don't like lifting 4x4 Diesel trucks with 10,000# 2 post lifts, Can you safely do it.....Usually. Though A couple screw stands front & back is highly recommended like cpayne5 said!!!

6" 4000 PSI is more than enough for Rotary, Bendpak, & Challenger 12,000# lifts. The Mohawk LMF-12 calls for 6 1/2" & 4000 PSI.....But I would have no reservations installing one on your slab.
 
Wow big jump in price from 10k to 12k. Wonder if I could lift my tractors with one of these.

Anyway, can some one recommend a good dealer or should I try direct.

I have not used one of these in years, so I have no preconceived notions on brands, just want safe and reliable.

What do people think about weaver?
 
Wow big jump in price from 10k to 12k. Wonder if I could lift my tractors with one of these.

Anyway, can some one recommend a good dealer or should I try direct.

I have not used one of these in years, so I have no preconceived notions on brands, just want safe and reliable.

What do people think about weaver?

Years ago at least they were all drop-shipped from the manufacturer (BP in my case) so the dealer is not necessarily relevant unless perhaps significant problems are encountered.

I don't have any direct knowledge of Weaver but if they're not made in China and are ALI certified I wouldn't be too worried.
 
Oh and yeah the price jump from 10 to 12k is pretty significant because they're definitely stepping up to a different league.

You can lift just about any CCLB diesel with a 10k, it's just a bit wiggly. And you want quality that actually has a safety factor built into the ratings. There's some scary vids of Chinese lifts folding the arms at less than the rated capacity....basically a negative safety factor if you will

The extra cost for a 12k is soon forgotten if you plan to use the lift much.
 
There are lift dealers/installers in all large cities. Car dealers etc change out their worn lifts often. Lift dealers/installers often rebuild the lifts they remove and resale and install them.

We were enlarging our home shop so ordered the new lift from a local dealer/installer. They received it and held it until we were ready for it (months). We got the concrete/foundation specs. When construction got to the point where it was time for the lift, we called them, they delivered and installed it. $2800 delivered and installed in 2014 not including electrical and foundation work.

I've been a DIYer mechanic all my life. Having a lift took my game to the next level.
 
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Wow big jump in price from 10k to 12k. Wonder if I could lift my tractors with one of these.

Anyway, can some one recommend a good dealer or should I try direct.

I have not used one of these in years, so I have no preconceived notions on brands, just want safe and reliable.

What do people think about weaver?

Weaver lifts haven't been around in years (Bought out by Dover Corp., Rotary's parent company). Derek Weaver is a retailer not a manufacturer, All Derek Weaver branded lifts are made in China.

The W-10KHD is NOT ALI certified, I've seen one of these in person & it "looks" like a well made lift, Almost bought one but it was backordered & no certification spooked me.
The carriage design is very similar to Rotary & Challenger.

The W-Pro10 is ALI certified, This is almost a carbon copy on a Forward i10, It's manufactured by Dover Corp in China (Same plant that makes Direct & Forward Lifts)
*I don't care for Forward or Direct lifts, Especially the Carriage design which tends to cause "Arm Droop" when pushed to capacity.....Though it takes a few years to become noticeable.

*However.....The Forward F12 does use a Rotary style Carriage. Made in China....But is ALI certified.

If you want USA made.....Rotary or Mohawk would be my recommendation.
*Worth Lifts are made in Mansfield, Texas, Used to be made in Fort Worth, Texas. I've known welders that have worked there.....They say quality is spotty.
*The Challenger CL12 is made in the USA, I have a 2 Challenger lifts & have been very happy with them, Though I have more confidence in my Rotary lift.
 
Weren't Challenger and the SnapOn-badged units ultimately Wheeltronics? Is that still true?
 
Here we go, this is what I've used as a cheat sheet before to kinda get a feel for who makes what.

Lots of manufacturers I've not personally heard of like RAV, Nussbaum, TLS (appears to maybe be The Lift Superstore?), Tuxedo aka iDeal, MAHA and others

Looks like Snappy is now made by PKS Equipment

And apparently BendPak and Danmar merged or one bought the other. I guess I missed that news

Best viewed in Desktop if on a mobile device:
 
And this is the famous vid of failure, frequently cited in cyber land. I'm not saying it's real or fake, good or bad.....merely that it gives you pause. The video appears to have been put out by GSE (Greg Smith Equipment- now mostly defunct or merged with Hoffman? Again, I can't keep up with the industry)
 
Yikes, Hofmann is producing 2-posts they claim are 16k and 20k, but they sure don't look anymore heavy duty than your average 10k or 12k

Now I could be very wrong, just making judgments from a pic online is not exactly accurate

It appears GSE joined with Tooltopia and if I'm using the fancy interweb thing right they say all their lifts (Atlas, of course) are built in Amsterdam, NY
 
Here we go, this is what I've used as a cheat sheet before to kinda get a feel for who makes what.

Lots of manufacturers I've not personally heard of like RAV, Nussbaum, TLS (appears to maybe be The Lift Superstore?), Tuxedo aka iDeal, MAHA and others

Looks like Snappy is now made by PKS Equipment

And apparently BendPak and Danmar merged or one bought the other. I guess I missed that news

Best viewed in Desktop if on a mobile device:

I believe Wheeltronic made the last Snap-on branded lifts, Then Snap-on bought Challenger (2012?).....Which makes lifts for Sun, Hofmann & John Bean (All three being Snap-on subsidiaries)

PKS likes to use hydraulic equalization, I've never seen/heard of a Snap-on or subsidiary lifts use hydraulic equalization. Maybe Snap-on sells PKS lifts in other countries??
 
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