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Cheap Two-Post Lift vS. BendPak

Non-certified bargain brand lift vs. BendPak® XPR-10* series two-post car lifts

*Design features and specifications are subject to change. Please consult Babaco for updates.

After exhaustively reviewing the merits of both BendPak® and a typical non-certified bargain asymmetric two-post lifts, the BendPak® team released the following report. In it, critical design features are compared, evaluated and illustrated in broad detail.




The Truth Behind Cheap Lifts

Established lift manufacturing companies will proudly place their brand name on their product. Unfortunately, many lift “brands” are just labels fabricated by dealers supplying these products as their own. If you find an auto lift that interests you, be sure to search for an informative and detailed manufacturing company website, or at least a brochure. Also check to see if there are multiple dealers offering the same brand for sale. Some dealers may bill themselves as exclusive suppliers, but only for a brand that they created. If you can’t find solid, verifiable information relating to the actual manufacturer of any given automotive lift, or if only a very limited number of dealers even sell the lift, you are probably best off searching for alternative options.






Cheap is Not Value

Value is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. Everyone is looking for the best value whenever they purchase something. Equipment retailers have latched on to this idea; they try to position themselves as “value leaders” by offering cheap products at low prices.


But when you think about the true meaning of value, two primary things should be considered. (1) How much you’re paying and (2) what you’re getting for that amount. Discount lift retailers want you to forget about the second part of the equation. They claim to provide the best value, but they are only providing you the best price. Business owners know that they need to consider the overall cost of the automotive lift throughout its entire life of service. The checklist is slightly different for home users who don’t plan on earning revenue off of the purchase. For them, saving a couple hundred bucks can still mean the difference between enjoying time in the garage and having a total service nightmare.


While an expensive car lift will not always mean high-quality materials, an exceptionally low-priced automotive lift will almost certainly be cheaply made. That means no engineering to speak of, compromised safety systems and thinner steel. These are the kinds of things that can cost a business owner untold thousands of dollars in damage or downtime.






Make Sure You Get What You Pay For

Car enthusiasts are willing to spend thousands of dollars on their beautiful automobiles, but they senselessly cut corners on the very thing that holds the cars up. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around for a good price, but make sure you are willing to at least pay for the value you hope to get out of your new car lift.






The Purpose Of This Study

At Babco, we believe the customer should always get what he or she wants. The best way to do that is for the customer to have all the information available. However, it’s difficult for the average consumer to do their own lift comparison, particularly when the true manufacturer of many lifts is kept secret by the reseller.






This is Where We Come In

We purchased one of the more popular no-name lifts on the market that are sold on many websites under a variety brand names. There is a very good reason why these lifts are sold for hundreds of dollars less than a BendPak. Check out this side-by-side comparison and determine for yourself which lift is safer and which is really the better value.





Column Front

BendPak single-piece columns are stronger and safer.



Column Side

Side view of column comparison.








Column / Side Bottom

Wider, sturdier baseplates from BendPak.



Column / Rear Bottom

BendPak baseplate comparison.








Certification Label

BendPak ALI Certified label



Warning Label

Warning label on a cheap, uncertified lift.








Column Assembly / BendPak® on Scale

BendPak column weighs in at 542 lbs.



Column Assembly / Other on Scale

Uncertified lift column weighs in at 456 lbs. Where's all the engineering gone?








Carriage / Front

The taller lift carriage is critical for user safety and lift
preservation making the BendPak stand out quite a bit from the competitor.



Carriage / Back

More locking positions on a taller, single-piece carriage.
Lock nubs are welded for permanent hold and true peace-of-mind.








Carriage / Top View

Top view of taller carriage.



Carriage / UHMW Slide Blocks

Beefier slide blocks are zero-maintenance for lifespan of lift.





Carriage / Top Dimensions

Compare carriage top dimensions.








Carriage / Arm Attachment Location

Raised arm attachment location, a better-engineered product.



Carriage / Arm Attachment Holes

Reinforced arm attachment holes.





Carriage / Arm Restraint

BendPak's robust arm restraint is the superior design.








Carriage / BendPak® on Scale

Lift carriage is twice as heavy as uncertified lift's.


Carriage / Other on Scale

Revealed to be much lighter-duty when put on the scale and compared to BendPak.







Arms / Side Detail / Arm Restraint

Large BendPak arm restraint vs. competition and a side view of arm restraints to show BendPak's superiority.






Arms / Reach / Retracted

With lifting arms retracted, lift looks similar.


Arms / Reach / Extended

With arms extended, BendPak is the clear winner.







Arms / Construction / Method

Arm comparison, new angle.


Arms / Construction / Underside

Underside lift arm comparison.







Arms Set / BendPak® on Scale

BendPak arms weigh in at 398 lbs.


Arms Set / Other on Scale

Light-duty, uncertified arms weight is only 266 lbs.







Top Beam / Top View

Top beam offers more security, superior welds and better overall construction.




Hydraulic Cylinder / Rod End

Far more seals on the BendPak cylinder rod end.




Tuxedo and BendPak Comparison

See an Overview of the BendPak vs. Tuxedo two-post lift comparison.


Specs/Features

Tuxedo®TP9KAC

BendPak® XPR-10A

BendPak® Advantage

Lifting Capacity9,000 Pounds (Stated)10,000 Pounds (Certified)
ETL CertificationNoYes
Asymmetric ConfigurationArms Only - Non-Rotated ColumnsTrue Asymmetric - Arms & Rotated Columns
Wide-Narrow ConfigurationFixed PositionAdjustable - Configures Wide or Narrow
Lifting DesignDual Cylinder - Chain LiftingDual Cylinder - Direct-Drive
Column ConstructionMulti-PieceSingle-Piece
Carriage ConstructionMulti-Piece Formed SteelWelded Steel Tubing
Rubber Bumpers - Reduces Door DamageNoneCarriage Face / Rubber
Arm ConstructionWelded TubingWelded Tubing
Top Beam ConstructionBoxed Steel - Non AdjustableBoxed Steel - Adjustable Wide or Narrow
Sheave MaterialMachine SteelMachine Steel
Sheave Diameter / Upper3"5"
Sheave Diameter / Column4"5"
Equalizer Cable3/8" up to 2" Adjustment3/8" Up tp 3" Adjustment
Integrated Cylinder Throttle ValveNo - Restricted Flow Raise and DescentYes - Restricted Flow Descent Only
Minimum Pad Height4 1/2"4"
Max Rise - Top of Pads / Less Adapters69"73"
Max Rise - Top of Pads with Adapters70-1/2" - 74" - 75-1/2"76"-79"-82"
Contact Pad TypeBolt-On Rubber Pad/td>Slip-Over Rubber Contact Boot
Adapter Type (Standard)Multi-StackableMulti-Stackable
Arm Restraints - Rack GearReplacable GearsReplacable Gears
Arm Restraints-Arm GearWelded-On Non-ReplaceableBolt-On Replaceable Gears
Overall Height142"145"
Floor to Overhead Trip 137"140"
Overall Width134"132" or 145"
Dimensions - Inside Column110"99" or 112"
Drive Thru Clearance101"89" or 102"
Lift Column ConfigurationNon-Rotated Columns30-Deg. Rotated Columns
Locking Latch ReleaseManual Pull Type at Each ColumnSingle Point Release at Power lift
Overhead Stop / Safety-ShutoffTrip Wire/Pull - No Electric Micro SwitchPadded Stop-Shutoff Bar / Electric Micro Switch
Front Arm Reach / Min.24"23-1/2"
Front Arm Reach / Max.35"45-1/2"
Rear Arm Reach / Min.39-1/2"42-1/2"
Rear Arm Reach / Max.58-1/2"60"
Rise Speed50 Seconds50 Seconds


Warranty Compare

Tuxedo® (*)

BendPak® (*)

BendPak® Advantage

Structure60-Months60-Months
Hydraulics30-Days / After 30-Days Seals Only24-Months / Power Unit & Cylinders
Shipping ChargesPurchaser ResponsibleFree for 12-Months
LaborPurchaser Responsible to Pay Labor 12-Months Free On-Site Labor

*Contact factories for full warranty details.