BendPak SP-7X Lift Purchase Question

F16driver · 01-20-2007, 07:09 AM

I'm starting to get serious about purchasing a lift for my 87 911. I've read just about every post on this forum about lifts but no one has written anything about the BendPak SP-7X (space saving scissor lift). Has anyone purchased this lift and/or is there a good reason that this is not a good option for the P Car? Obviously it is more expensive than most of the others that have been discussed here and I'm sure some will say spend less on the lift and have more left over for other toys. I dont want a 2 post or a 4 post lift. I'm mostly just curious why no one else has mentioned this model. It's been around for several years. Does anyone know that this lift would not be good for the P Car? The only negative I can find is the lifting Pad lenth is 63 inches which doesnt leave much clearance between front and rear wheels/tires.

87 911 Carrera Black/Black
87 325IC BMW Bronzit

speedracer · 02-03-2007, 08:01 AM

BUMP, I am also interested in this lift. I wonder if it can be easily recessed into the ground.

F16driver · 02-03-2007, 08:25 AM

I'm just curious why you want to recess it into the ground?

widgeon13 · 02-03-2007, 10:56 AM

It may lift the car too high for some conventional garages with 8 - 8 1/2 FT ceilings. Otherwise it looks pretty nice.

Zeke · 02-03-2007, 11:17 AM

I like it and you don't have to lift the car all the way with any of these. It's just a waste of money if you have an 8' ceiling. But, the 3K price is a lot. The built in ramps, which they say are "extendable," seem like part of the enhanced features. I think I'd prefer a 110v model, but if youv'e got the circuits in the garage, 220v is more efficient.

It does look pretty nice.

Todd Simpson · 02-03-2007, 12:14 PM

I have an MD6 and the pad can get in the way unless you move the car around a little. My first thought was that a longer pad could be a problem.

Then I checked the specs and the MD6 is 60", not that much less than this one. With the rubber blocks you should be fine.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

I have the MD-6XP, and while it appears to be a well-made product, I haven't been able to use it at all. It's too high for almost all of my cars to fit underneath - I would have to recess it in order to make it useful. Since I'm renting my place right now, I doubt the owner would want me jack-hammering holes in his concrete.

I've looked at it, and thought about it for a LONG time, and I think I did make a mistake getting a scissors lift - it's not something that I can use right now, and when I do build that six car garage sometime in the future, I think I will probably just get a full-sized lift to go in there.

I know that I can build ramps to drive the car up on, but I'm concerned about hitting the ramps each time, plus, I want my wife to park her Boxster in the garage when it's empty, and I certainly don't think she would feel comfortable driving it up on the ramps each time.

It's on my trailier right now, I guess if someone wanted to buy it from me(at my cost), then I would do that. I think it would be in the $1400 range. It's brand new, and never been used to lift a single car.

-Wayne

F16driver · 02-03-2007, 12:24 PM

Wayne,
Is Pelican going to start selling lifts? Did I read that somewhere? If so, any particular brand?

speedracer · 02-03-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by F16driver
I'm just curious why you want to recess it into the ground?

For the clean look and I don't want to drive on top of the lift everytime I park the car.. This is what I am talking about....

ted · ted's Garage

My 6 car garage was built with a lift in mind, 24 foot high rafters with 10 foot walls.

Still I went with a used MD-6XP.
I considered a used two post lift for about the same, $1,000.
I liked the fact the scissor is mobile.
If you have a low ceiling it may be your best choice.
I've got mine in the center of my two car side with the loft above.
Located in the center of the garage and lacking the obstruction of the two posts or garage walls allows the doors to open all the way for interior work, for example door or seat removal.

The two post is great if you want to store a car under it.
The two post is bolted to the floor, as such it would have been required it be crowded closer to the wall to leave parking access for the other cars.
The two post would lift the car higher but still too low for me to work under comfortably.
A short backless rolling chair is helpful for working under the car.
I could of really used it years ago when I was pulling hot rod VW engines every other month.

Scott at Pelican Parts · Scott at Pelican Parts's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by F16driver
Wayne,
Is Pelican going to start selling lifts? Did I read that somewhere? If so, any particular brand?

edit: Pelican no longer sells Bend Pak lifts.

F16driver · 02-04-2007, 03:27 AM

Speedracer,
That is one really cool lift setup you have there. I would recess mine in a heartbeat but... I have radiant tubing running thru the garage slab for heating and unfortunately did not have the forethought to plan ahead for recessing the lift. So I can't cut into the slab without cutting thru the radiant tubes.

Green 912 · 02-04-2007, 05:39 AM

Make a set of 2X12 ramps that lay on ether side and clamp to the lift fixed rail to hold. No need to drill or bust concrete and you can change you mind and move things around later if you like. being able to move the lift around is one of the few good points to a mid rise X lift.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

I like the built in ramps on the SP-7X, they appear to solve an issue that isn't a real problem but more a PIA

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by F16driver
Wayne,
Is Pelican going to start selling lifts? Did I read that somewhere? If so, any particular brand?

We carry BendPak, I have no idea why they are not up on the site...

-Wayne

84toy · 06-04-2008, 12:54 PM

I posted this on the 914 board but it's appropriate here too. I did sink my lift in the floor. Although it's a lot of work it sure makes a clean installation. I can now use my entire shop again and park cars side by side over the lift. The picture of my car on the lift is BEFORE the concrete was cut out.

Zeke · 06-04-2008, 05:33 PM

That is really nice!

speedracer · 06-04-2008, 07:06 PM

Paul, thanks for sharing. That is awesome!! It is hard to tell from the photos but is the "line" from the controls to the actual lift under the concrete?

SXSMAN · 06-04-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

I like it and you don't have to lift the car all the way with any of these. It's just a waste of money if you have an 8' ceiling. But, the 3K price is a lot. The built in ramps, which they say are "extendable," seem like part of the enhanced features. I think I'd prefer a 110v model, but if youv'e got the circuits in the garage, 220v is more efficient.

It does look pretty nice.

Here is something along the lines that you mentioned . Not the quality of the other lift but could get you into a portable lift for not a lot of coin .

http://www.completehydraulic.com/tcpl6.html

Product Name: TCPL-6
Price: $1,249.95
Maximum Capacity: 6,000 lbs.
Lowered Lift Height:: 5-1/2""
Max. Lifting Height to
Top of Pads: 61"
Width of Lift: 39-3/4"
Length of Lift : 100-1/2"
Max. Lifting Height to Top
of Pads on Top Lock: 52"
6 Safety Locking Positions: 26", 32", 38"
43", 48", 52"
(Measured Using
2 1/4" Mid Adapters)
Power Unit Electric / Hydraulic 115V
Lift Speed (Approx.): 30 Sec.
Shipping Weight (Approx.): 1,250 lbs.

I am thinking about a twin post of theirs but I really didn't need to see the very clean installs posted above .

Now I'll have to throw this in the mix also .

This is the lift I've been thinking about ....... http://www.completehydraulic.com/cl10000bp.html

They also have some shop tools .

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

I like what Paul has done... I think I would have to lay a rubber mat over the opening because I would have have half of my tools down in the recess before the day was out.

My biggest heart burn is that the 4 post lift with swinging arms always deforms the floor pan of my car. Have you found a way to avoid this? Or is the full contact of the ramps on the floor pan gives good weight bearing to the entire floor pan?