BendPak PCL-18B-6 — Six Columns, Built From Parts You Can Buy Here is the detail on this lift that almost no competing column set can match, and it has nothing to do with capacity: the PLC and the main system components are standard off-the-shelf brands, not proprietary printed circuit boards. Anyone who has waited three weeks for a sole-source control board while a bay sits empty understands what that is worth. A column lift is a fifteen-year purchase, and the question that decides its cost of ownership is not what it lifts on day one but whether you can get a part for it in year eight. The rest is a six-column, 460/360V three-phase system rated 18,000 lbs per column, giving 108,000 lbs across the set — the configuration for three-axle vehicles. Six Columns, One Control Point All six columns connect into a single control system, and any one of them can program and drive the whole set. In practice that means the technician commands the lift from wherever he happens to be standing rather than walking to a designated master column, and every column carries the emergency stop that halts all of them together. The columns can also be run individually or in pairs when the job is smaller than the set. Levelling is measured, not assumed. Each column carries a sealed, enclosed linear potentiometer that reports carriage position continuously, and the columns compare those readings throughout every raise and lower so the vehicle stays level rather than being nudged level. Sealing that sensor is what keeps it working in a shop where the floor is covered in dirt, salt and brake dust. Smart electronics add self-diagnostics and self-calibration, safety circuitry runs at 24-volts, and the electronics are multi-fuse protected. Will It Fit? Power, Slab and Ceiling Power. This package is wired for 460/360V three-phase. The PCL-18B feature list gives a 208-240V three-phase main power system as the standard, with optional voltages available on request — this set is that option, so it is the right choice only if your building genuinely has the high-voltage service. Have that confirmed by an electrician at the point of use before you order; the check is the customer’s responsibility and it is a great deal cheaper than a commissioning visit that cannot proceed. Slab. Mobile columns are not anchored and need no pit, which is the reason many shops choose them, but it makes the floor the whole foundation. Each column weighs 1,450 lbs empty. The slab must be flat, level and sound; if you are unsure of it, have it assessed before the columns arrive. Ceiling and doors. Maximum fork height is 71.5", and your clearance requirement is that plus the vehicle plus working room overhead. Height limits can be programmed if the roof is low or a particular job needs a fixed rise. Be careful with the published overall-height figures — 101" and 146.5" are labelled raised and lowered in an order that appears transposed — so if door clearance for a stowed column is tight, ask us in writing and we will confirm the figure in writing. Moving Them, and Where They Live Between jobs the columns wheel away against a wall. They roll on tandem 8" polyurethane-covered steel wheels with sealed roller bearings, and the steering wheels are pallet-jack style, so a column under load sits down firmly on the slab rather than perching on spring-loaded casters that can let it creep. The power units and cylinders are mounted low, which puts the centre of gravity near the floor — easier to push, and far less inclined to tip than a screw-drive column with a motor and drive assembly overhead. Forklift pockets are moulded in for relocating the set between facilities. Cabling is light for a system this size: a standard four-column arrangement uses only three 30’ cables, leaving one end of the vehicle clear. Working the Set Forks that fit the wheel, not the other way round. Multi-width forks with locking pins adjust from 9.5" to 35", and extend for wide tyres and deep-dish wheels, so specialty adapters are not part of the routine. Two lowering speeds — a brisk setting and a slow one for the final approach. Automatic mechanical locks engaging at close intervals as the carriage rises, independent of hydraulics. Inverted cylinders with an integrated safety valve, so a loss of oil pressure cannot become a free descent. Manual override valves on every column for lowering during a power failure, without hand cranks. An enclosed electric-hydraulic power unit, which is quieter than an open unit — worth having if the shop shares a wall with an office or a waiting room. Perfect For Three-axle work — the configuration this set is sized for. Mixed fleets, where the same six columns cover heavy-duty trucks and ordinary passenger vehicles. Shops that cannot install a pit or drill anchors, including leased units. Operations that keep equipment a long time and care about parts availability more than badge appeal. Specifications (Per Column) Item Figure Capacity per column 18,000 lbs (8,165 kg) Columns in this set Six — 108,000 lbs combined Supply 460/360V, 3-phase Control circuit 24-volt safety circuitry Max. lifting height 71.5" (1,889 mm) Overall width 45" (1,143 mm) Overall depth 48.75" (1,238 mm) Chassis length 32.25" (819 mm) Fork width range 9.5" to 35" (241 mm to 889 mm) Fork length 11.5" (292 mm) Turning circle 40" (1,016 mm) Rise time 85 seconds Column weight 1,450 lbs (657 kg) Certification BendPak states that the PCL-18B meets or exceeds the standards prescribed by ANSI/ALI ALCTV-2011, the North American standard covering the construction, testing and validation of automotive lifts. In a commercial shop that is a document your insurer may well ask to see, and it is a claim a great many imported column lifts cannot make. If you need it evidenced against the serial numbers you receive, ask us and we will obtain it from BendPak. Shipping and Delivery The set moves as freight within the lower 48 states, with each of the six columns weighing 1,450 lbs and crating at roughly 106" by 55" by 41". Freight is quoted live at checkout against your delivery address; a residential address attracts a residential fee, and collecting from the freight terminal avoids it. BendPak equipment can also be collected from a warehouse — ask us which is nearest you. Arrange unloading in advance, because taking crates of this weight off the trailer is the receiver’s responsibility and needs a forklift or a dock. Check the count against the paperwork and inspect each crate with the driver present; anything missing or damaged goes on the delivery receipt before you sign it, not in a phone call the next morning. Warranty BendPak’s warranty document for this equipment is available on this page, and the terms there govern — we would rather you read them than take a paraphrase from us. Two things worth doing regardless of the term: register the lift when it is commissioned, and never disassemble a failed power unit, control box or cylinder before the claim is open. The manufacturer has the right to inspect the part as it failed, and a stripped component is the usual reason a good claim is turned down. Call us and we will start the claim with you. Product Features 18,000-lb. individual column capacity / 108,000-lb. maximum system capacity Meets or exceeds the standards prescribed by ANSI/ALI ALCTV-2011 Two, four, or six column configurations can accommodate heavy duty trucks and light duty passenger vehicles 208-240V, 3-phase main power system - optional voltages available upon request SINGLE, PAIR or TEAM operation For a standard four-column set, just three 30' cables are used leaving the front or back of the lift clear of cable obstructions Simple operation, long service life and minimum maintenance Intuitive controls allow the lift to be fully programmed and controlled from any column Control systems feature 24-volt safety circuitry The PLC and main system components are standard off-the-shelf brands rather than proprietary printed circuit boards or controls, which can be very expensive to service or replace Smart electronics feature self-diagnostics and self-calibration functions Sealed and enclosed linear potentiometers feature precision potentiometric output and high-frequency response for precise synchronization and communication of all columns throughout all operation cycles for precise, level lifting Variable height limit settings can be programmed for shops with low ceilings or when specific vehicle service requirements necessitate specific rise heights Two-speed lowering option – turtle or rabbit speed settings Each column is equipped with a warning light and audible alarm for critical warning alerts Emergency shut-off switches on each column quickly shut off power to the lift in the event an unsafe condition is detected by the operator Separate key lock enclosure on each column Electronics are multi-fuse protected An enclosed electric-hydraulic power system that ensures quieter operation is better suited for sound-sensitive areas Pallet-jack style steering wheels enable the columns to be lowered firmly on the floor vs. constantly loaded spring-type steering wheels that can cause columns to roll when unladen by the weight of a vehicle Low-mounted power units and cylinders means a lower center of gravity, making the columns easier to move and less likely to topple vs. screw-drive systems with heavy overhead motors and drive systems Extended forks accommodate wide tires and deep wheel configurations Multi-width wheel forks with locking pins accommodate the widest range of wheels, eliminating the need for specialty wheel adapters Tandem 8” diameter polyurethane covered steel wheels with sealed roller bearings easily roll over dirt and debris Heavy-duty steel carriage rollers feature turned, ground and polished axle pins Manual safety override valves on each column permit the lift to be lowered in the event of a power outage without the need for manual hand cranks Durable forklift pockets provide simplistic handling when moving the lift columns from one facility to another Inverted hydraulic cylinders feature an integrated safety valve to prevent accidental uncontrolled lowering in the event of oil pressure loss Multiple, automatic, independent safety locks spaced every four inches ensure safe operation Space-saving design, reduced column weight and a tight turning radius provides improved mobility Use the lift to place vehicles on tall jack stands then use the columns to raise another vehicle in an adjoining bay Durable powder-coat finish Pick Up and Delivery Our Pick Up locations for Bendpak/Dannmar/Ranger are located in Santa Paula, California & Theodore, Alabama.Call, text, or chat with us if you have questions.
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