Bendpak or Rotary Lift?

[rgullett83]

Tryin to decide between Bendpak and Rotary, asymmetrical and symetrical, 10k or 12k, and standard height or extended height, and the standard width or wide width. My shops ceiling heighth will be 16'. Looking for opinions. I used an asymetrical Rotary lift at the dealership where I used to work, and kind of thought it was kind of a pain with trucks and vans. I will be lifting a variety of vehicles, with a crew cab dually being the biggest that will ever be on it. Help me out please.

 

[JD4440]

http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20041&highlight=lift
Here you go Riley. I've about got my in laws sold on the one Ben has. :hug:

 

[RKTMech]

Rotary, in-ground, 12,000 lbs they are the sht hands down. Worth the extra work!

 

[terry.obright]

Challenger

Rotary is a better product than Bendpak however as you mentioned fat chance on lifting larger vehicles on an asymmetric lift. Rotary actually recommends their symmetric lift for bigger trucks like your chevy crew cab. Personally I like Challenger Lifts, they sell a CL10 lift that has offset & heavier arms and larger columns to lift cars, crew cabs, vans and larger SUV's. After hearing good things about the CL10 I bought one, great two post lift that just works.

 

[rgullett83]

I have decided that symmetric is the way to go, now just weight and brand. Primarily all I work on is GM vehicles, however my Dad has a Crew Cab Dually Powerstroke that will need to be on the lift from time to time. I despised trying to put any ford truck on the rotary at work, so which lift will have better lifting arms and adaptors to make it easier and safe to lift a vehicle?

 

[bfletcher]

Used bend pack for years, good lifts. 10,000 two post does the job well.

 

[Mile_high]

I lived in the town where Rotary is (Madison Ind.), and if it means anything to you, they build it all there using American laborers and engineers and treat the employees very well.

 

[duratothemax]

I lived in the town where Rotary is (Madison Ind.), and if it means anything to you, they build it all there using American laborers and engineers and treat the employees very well.

not all rotary lifts are made in the USA anymore...they have moved production of some of their lifts overseas.

Although the factories are still run/owned/operated/quality-controlled by Rotary, so its not like the overseas-built rotary's are inferior.

this is the one I have and I love it, ive lifted lots of heavy crew cab dually's with toolboxes and stuff in them and the lift arms/posts are rock solid, even if you try to shake the truck etc..

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Direct-Lift-Pro-9F-p/tppro-9fp.htm

 

[rick67]

We have a Rotary 12,000# extra wide, extra tall. symmretical lift in our shop. I have picked up everything from NPR Hd box trucks to our 3500 dump with a 7'2" boss power v plow and a salt spreader in the rear. It also works well on vehicles as small as my daughter's 98 z24. To pick up the 02 ccsb 2500hd, with the 9'2" power v on' you have to raise the arms up to clear the plow to drive onto lift.

 

[rgullett83]

So what about the Atlas PV10H it looks like a good lift

 

[terry.obright]

the Challenger CL10 I have has long arms both front & rear which also retract far in to lift wider vehicles on pinch welds and outside lift points. it is my understanding that they have the only lift on the market with this arm design - lifts power stroke F350 crew cabs and honda fits or smaller cars. as far as weight as long as you're not lifting full size crew cabs that are loaded up with heavy tool boxes, a 10000 lb lift will be fine. curb weights on GM 2500/3500 and F250-350's are no more than 6500 lbs. also keep in mind that 3rd party certification is important w/ heavy lifting.

 

[madmatt]

Rotary Symmetrical 12K, extra tall, extra wide is the only way to go. I've used many different brands of lifts and I've never felt safer under big trucks then when I have one on a Rotary. Yes i lift Ford's too although they are kind of a pain. Just have to pull the truck farther forward.

 

[madmatt]

the Challenger CL10 I have has long arms both front & rear which also retract far in to lift wider vehicles on pinch welds and outside lift points. it is my understanding that they have the only lift on the market with this arm design - lifts power stroke F350 crew cabs and honda fits or smaller cars. as far as weight as long as you're not lifting full size crew cabs that are loaded up with heavy tool boxes, a 10000 lb lift will be fine. curb weights on GM 2500/3500 and F250-350's are no more than 6500 lbs. also keep in mind that 3rd party certification is important w/ heavy lifting.

I can lift on pinch welds with my Rotary too. They retract pretty dang far.

 

[duratothemax]

a 10000 lb lift will be fine. curb weights on GM 2500/3500 and F250-350's are no more than 6500 lbs. also keep in mind that 3rd party certification is important w/ heavy lifting.

HAHAHA might want to recheck that one!!!!

 

[rgullett83]

My GMC weighed 7100 with fuel and me in it, and nothing in the bed.

 

[terry.obright]

Madmax - are you lifting cars with the rubber pads meant to lift with or lifting them on the arms of the 12k, because whether you're lifting cars with a 12k Rotary, Challenger or Bendpak, Atlas.... you're not going to be lifting very productively.

as far as curb weights (not GVWR):
http://www.gmc.com/sierra/2500HD/specsCapabilities.jsp

you can lift some smaller cars on a 12k but not very productive, unless you have time to shuffle vehicles forward and backward to spot (unlike a Challenger CL10 with the offset arm design)

rgullett83 - if the heaviest truck (yours weighs 7100), you're fine with a 10k lift (make sure your load is spread correctly across the arms 2500 ea arm) and you leave yourself the option of being able to lift your truck and smaller cars the right way.

http://www.challengerlifts.com/versymmetrictech.shtml
http://www.challengerlifts.com/CL10series.shtml

 

[madmatt]

if by madmax you mean me, yes i can lift cars with the pads but yes, it's not the best lift to do so with. we are talking about lifts for trucks though. I'd rather be over rated for a 8500 lb truck and feel safe before I worry about how quickly i can get a car in the air. I had a 8K asymmetrical Rotary for cars.
Do you work for challenger? I have nothing against them but prefer the Rotary.

 

[duratothemax]

as far as curb weights (not GVWR):
http://www.gmc.com/sierra/2500HD/specsCapabilities.jsp]

um yeah, I read 6,700lbs dry on that website with no fuel or anything for a cc/sb 4x4 duramax.

Real world, wet curb weight for a cc/sb 4x4 is going to be 7100-7300lbs.

 

[terry.obright]

I used an asymetrical Rotary lift at the dealership where I used to work, and kind of thought it was kind of a pain with trucks and vans. I will be lifting a variety of vehicles, with a crew cab dually being the biggest that will ever be on it. Help me out please.

lifting a variety of vehicles, just saying a 12k is not practical for lifting cars if other family members (spouses) don't drive big trucks. and if 7100 lbs is all he needs, certified 10k capacity lifts are tested to 1.5 times its capacity. If you're only lifting duramax diesels and Fseries super duties, then yeah a 12k is probably better.

 

[rgullett83]

Primarily, it will be trucks on the lift with an occasional car here and there. Also I am not worried about how long it takes to get a car spotted on the lift, as this is a second job/ hobby for me. I am more concerned with being able to safely lift a heavy truck (ie. 3/4 and 1 ton diesel pickups).