When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I had a similar problem and I create a spreadsheet that helped me calculate the height based on the lift positions.
Great spreadsheet. Funny how much 'work' we put into these things.
So I've come to the conclusion that if 'adjustable locking ladders' means what I hope it means I'm going to buy a lift with that feature and just try it out. If it doesn't fit then I'll rip it apart and start the ceiling project.
I'm going to give Bendpak a call today to check into it. I'll post the answer here so that some future user will learn from it.
BTW, I see from your sheet you have a GT350R. I freak'n LOVE that car. Congratulations. I just bought a '70 Mach 1 at the Barrett Jackson auction in Vegas last weekend so this is my first foray into pony cars.
Can a Bendpak HD-9 be installed DIY with the help of a friend? Any special equipment necessary to move around the heaviest parts? I can't get a trailer down my driveway so we'll need to transport the pieces about 50' down a steep driveway.
Once installed can its position be adjusted without having the caster wheels, or is it just too heavy?
Can a Bendpak HD-9 be installed DIY with the help of a friend?
Any special equipment necessary to move around the heaviest parts?
I can't get a trailer down my driveway so we'll need to transport the pieces about 50' down a steep driveway.
Once installed can its position be adjusted without having the caster wheels, or is it just too heavy?
1. Yes
2. Dollies or an engine hoist to move the ramps around or a bunch of strong friends
3. No way you are carrying anything down a 50' steep driveway. What is your plan to get the lift from the trailer to the garage area? Do you have a farm tractor or fork lift? If not best to hire a company to pick up the lift from the freight dock, transport to your house and install it for you.
4. No. Even on a level epoxy floor it is very hard to move the lift on the casters. No way it is moving an inch without them.
The real reason for that adjustment is for leveling level the lift.
But I suppose during during the install you can raise and lower each ladder to fine tune the locking heights. It isn't a huge amount of adjustment (maybe an inch or two up max) and you can't do it on the fly or with a vehicle on the lift.
That makes sense for sure. a 2" adjustment would be sufficient I think.
However, they said you need 'about' 3" of vertical lift to get the locks to disengage. WTH?!! I think that might skunk the deal. :-(
If anyone who has a Bendpak HD-9 lifts could measure EXACTLY how much lift is necessary to pop the locks it would be greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately I'm in a game of fractions of inches here.
Ah yes, I didn't realize you were so close on the top, I kept thinking it was the car below. If you need to rest it on the top locks, then yes you will need to raise it up to get it off the locks. 3" sounds way too much, but I have experience with a different lift and locking system so I can't be of much help to you.
I am concerned with how you plan to get it from street to garage because I have a similiar length driveway with 11* slope driveway (doesn't sound like much but trust me it is!). My delivery was a was a crazy ballet of farm tractor with a fork lift attachment, 4 car dollies and some very tense moments between getting it off the trailer and smashing into my house! If they didn't have the tractor and I didn't have the car dollies there is no way a buddy and I could have gotten it into my garage built it ourselves.
I have a Quality Lift with 10' ceiling in garage. Plenty of height for two Porsches, but can't get my Cayenne on bottom and 911 or GT4 on top. Do need to change garage door to side lift (was about $1,200 in Houston). Get extended ramps if offered. Still too much incline even with extended ramps, and GT4 front lip hits the extended ramps, so all I did was go to Home Depot and get some heavy Plywood (like 1 1/4" thick), cut about the width of the ramps and lay down starting about half way up the ramp. This decreases the approach angle so the GT4 does not hit the ramp. Store the plywood extensions with your ramps. No problem with the extended ramps and 2011 Turbo S.
This may give a good idea of how much clearance you need for two Porsches given a 10' ceiling. Plenty of room. You can also ensure that you have more room by looking at light placement, or moving the car forward on the ramps (or the ramps more forward in the garage) to allow clearance with the garage door. Keep in mind that your garage door will have to open.
Happy to send specific measurements if someone needs them!
I have a deep garage and will push the lift all the way to the back and then back the GT3 onto the lift. The hood should clear under the garage door. Since it's a double wide bay door and the lift is in between the bays it won't affect the car's clearance. I do have to move a light fixture though.
So here's my math.
51" Mustang (bottom) + 51" GT3 (top) + 1" clearance above Mustang + 4.5" Ramp thickness + 3" lift off = 110.5" minimum clearance with an 111" ceiling. YIKES!
I could take the sheetrock off the ceiling and replace with a thin aluminum sheet for another 1/2" gain. Unfortunately the trusses are TGI engineered so notching the bottoms of those would really compromise their strength.
Jokingly I told my wife I could run 10psi on my tires for a little more room! :-)
BartN - I think you should be Ok. My garage ceiling was actually not quite 10'. At the current height that I raise my lift to, there is at least 4" of clearance for the car below and 4 or 5" at least between the peak of the roof of the car on top and the ceiling.
One thing to keep in mind, when you raise the car on the lift above the last ratchet, you then lower the lift to seat in the ratchet to take the tension off the lift mechanism. Before you lower the car, you first have to raise it a few inches to clear the ratchet before you can lower the lift all the way down. So you do need some clearance above the top car, but 4" seems to be plenty.
I did place a tape mark on the lift post near the lift motor so that I know when I've reached maximum lift height. That way I won't make the mistake of lifting too high and jamming the top car against the ceiling.
My new car (1970) arrived today and it turns out to be almost 4" lower than the online specs said it would be. It's 47.25" instead of 51". This means I can install the lift with no modifications to my ceiling other than to remove the light fixture.
What a relief!!
Thanks for all your help. I'm leaning towards a BendPak HD-9ST because of it's adjustable lock hangars although I'm really not that keen having to get compressed air to it.
The real reason for that adjustment is for leveling level the lift.
But I suppose during during the install you can raise and lower each ladder to fine tune the locking heights. It isn't a huge amount of adjustment (maybe an inch or two up max) and you can't do it on the fly or with a vehicle on the lift.
You must do it with a car on the lift. The weight of the car changes ladder positions relative to locking fingers. I raised mine just off the locks and adjusted the front ladders down until they clicked, locked. Lift worked perfect until loaded. Would not lock at top setting until I did that adjustment.
BendPak HD9. Installing second one very soon, arrived today.
Well, I got home tonight and my enthusiasm went to c@#p.
Apparently my wife COMPLETELY misunderstood how I wanted the car height measured. I went out to double-check the height and it is, in fact, 50.5". Not the 47.25" that made me soooo happy.
I'm crushed.
So it's back to the drawing board. I probably will need to kick up the ceiling after all.
I guess I need to look at the bright side. At least I have a new car to help get me over the disappointment.
10-19-2016, 09:50 AM
