The runways move: 35 in. apart for a sports car, 41 in. for a truck

A four-post lift is usually sold on capacity and length, and then you find out the runways sit where they sit. The BendPak HD-7W publishes two settings for the width between its runways — 35 in. (889 mm) or 41 in. (1,041 mm) — moving the centreline from 56.75 in. (1,441 mm) to 63 in. (1,600 mm) and the outside edges from 75.75 in. (1,924 mm) to 82 in. (2,083 mm). That is the difference between a narrow-track sports car sitting squarely on the decks and a light truck straddling them properly. If your garage holds one of each, this specification decides whether the lift suits both.

The rest is a 7,000 lbs. (3,175 kg) four-post lift in the wide configuration: 110.25 in. (2,800 mm) overall, with a generous 100.25 in. (2,546 mm) between the columns and a drive-through clearance of 86.5 in. (2,197 mm). There is enough side room for larger truck mirrors, and the whole thing occupies only a little more floor than a parking space.

Two readings of the loading height, and it is the one that matters

Runway height decides whether a low car can be driven onto the lift without touching, so it is worth being straight about the fact that our two sources disagree.

Half an inch is not much in the abstract and is a great deal on a lowered car's front lip. If you are buying this lift for low-riding vehicles, ask us to confirm the runway height in writing before you order and we will get the answer from the manufacturer rather than pick whichever figure sounds better. Either way the extended-length approach ramps are the other half of the answer: a longer, gentler ramp is what actually protects a front end, and this lift is supplied with them.

Cable rated far beyond what the lift can lift

The four stainless steel wire ropes are each rated at 14,400 lbs., a combined rating of more than 822% of the lift's own maximum capacity — the kind of margin that makes the cable a non-issue rather than a maintenance worry. They are heavy-duty 3/8 in. aircraft-quality rope, fully enclosed in the structure, protected from weather, chemicals and the drips off a vehicle overhead.

Two supporting details do more work than they look. Dual-hub sheaves double the cable-run surface area and are deliberately oversized: a cable bent around a larger wheel fatigues more slowly, so sheave diameter buys service life that never shows on a spec comparison. And the roller axles are 1.25 in., the part carrying those sheave loads day after day.

Will It Fit?

• Footprint. Overall width 110.25 in. (2,800 mm); outside length 174 in. (4,420 mm); overall length 200.5 in. (5,093 mm).
• Overhead. Column height 100 in. (2,540 mm); maximum rise 82 in. (2,083 mm), maximum lifting height 86.5 in. (2,197 mm). The vehicle's own height sits on top of that.
• Between the columns. 100.25 in. (2,546 mm), with a drive-through clearance of 86.5 in. (2,197 mm).
• Runways. 19 in. (483 mm) wide, 158.25 in. (4,020 mm) long, adjustable to 35 in. or 41 in. apart, with a rail kit for optional accessories.
• Base plates. 10 in. x 12 in. — a small, stable footprint at each column rather than a large plate to trip over.
• Wheelbase. Minimum wheelbase at rated capacity is 115 in. (2,921 mm); axle limits are 3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg) front and rear.
• Power. 220 VAC, 60 Hz, 1 Ph. The lift runs at 45 dB and reaches full rise in 35 seconds.

Floor area, ceiling height and the electrical supply are the buyer's responsibility to confirm before ordering. Our record states no concrete thickness or strength requirement for this model. A four-post lift puts its load into four base plates rather than into anchors, but the slab underneath still has to take it, so please do not assume an existing floor is adequate — the installation manual linked on this page carries the requirement and we will confirm it in writing on request.

Locks that let you choose the height, and a backup that does not ask

The columns lock automatically as the runways pass, so you set parking or service height by lowering onto the lock you want rather than accepting where the lift stops. Push-button controls release all four together — releasing them one at a time is how a vehicle ends up out of level. Lock ladders are adjustable, which matters years later when a lift has settled and you would rather correct it at the ladder than with shims.

Behind that sits a slack-cable device: if dangerous slack develops, it catches the runways and holds the vehicle level, and the lift will not operate again until the cause is dealt with. That last part is deliberate — a safety device that lets you carry on working is one that gets ignored.

Perfect For

• Mixed home fleets — a sports car and a pickup wanting different runway spacing.
• Low-ceiling garages: column height is 100 in. and the footprint is barely larger than a parking space.
• Storage and parking, stacking two vehicles in the floor area of one.
• Light service work, with the optional rolling jack making it wheels-free.

What's in the Box

From this product's own feature list: the four-post structure with runways carrying an accessory rail kit, four fully enclosed stainless steel wire ropes, the single under-runway cylinder, the electric-hydraulic power unit, internal anti-sway slider blocks, oversized self-lubricating cable rollers and dual-hub sheaves, multi-position locks with adjustable ladders, the push-button pneumatic release, non-skid extended approach ramps, and a four-piece caster kit whose foot-lock casters work with or without a vehicle on the runways. Optional and not included: the 4,500 lbs. rolling jack (model RJ-45) and the accessories the rail kit takes.

Specifications

Certification, stated honestly

This product's data claims no third-party safety listing, and we are not going to add one to make the page look stronger. Take that as a statement about our records, not a conclusion that none exists. What matters in practice is the difference between a manufacturer declaring its own design conforms and an independent laboratory listing a specific model against the North American lift safety standard. Some insurers, fleet policies and local authorities require the second and will not accept the first. If that applies to you, establish what evidence is wanted and ask us — we will put the question to the manufacturer and answer in writing before you order.

Shipping and Delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states, at 1,756 lbs. (796 kg) in a crate listed at 167 in. x 22 in. x 28 in. The runways make this a long shipment as much as a heavy one, so plan the offload before booking: a forklift, a dock, or enough hands and machinery for a long crate. Terminal pickup needs a vehicle that can take the length, not just the weight. Residential delivery carries a residential fee, quoted live at checkout with the freight.

Inspect before signing. Look for punctures, crushed corners and banding that has moved, and note anything on the bill of lading while the driver is there. A clean signature says the shipment arrived undamaged and is hard to reverse afterwards. Photographs taken at the tailgate cost nothing and settle claims.

Warranty and Service

BendPak's full warranty document is linked on this page and governs the terms; our record does not restate a period for this model, so we will not paraphrase one. Two points hold regardless: do not disassemble a component before making a claim, since a stripped part is normally treated as a modified part; and keep the manual with the lift, plus the in-service date and a note of which runway spacing it was set to at installation.