An alignment lift built as one, not converted into one

Plenty of four-post lifts can be made to do alignment work with a kit. The HD-9AE arrives as an alignment lift: the turn-plate pockets are recessed into the front runways, the multi-caster slip plates sit in the rear, and the runway assembly carries adjustable multi-position levelling. Nothing is bolted on afterwards, nothing sits proud of the runway waiting to catch a tyre, and it is compatible with the leading alignment instrumentation including 3D and camera systems.

The consequence is practical rather than glamorous. Set-up time on a converted lift is a tax you pay on every alignment; on a purpose-built one the plates are already where they belong. At 9,000 lbs capacity it also covers light-duty trucks and SUVs, which is where alignment work has been quietly migrating for a decade.

Dual recessed turn-plate pockets, and why there are two

The front runways carry two recessed positions for the turn plates rather than one. That is not redundancy: it lets the plates suit different wheelbases without the plate hanging over the edge of the runway or sitting behind the front axle. Get that wrong and the geometry you measure is not the geometry the car has.

The plates are galvanised for corrosion resistance, which matters more here than on a service lift — a turn plate lives at floor level in a bay where wet, salted cars are driven straight on. At the rear, multi-caster slip plates let the wheels float during a free-floating alignment so the suspension settles honestly instead of fighting friction in the tyres.

Set the plates where you can see them

The lift has 12 locking positions, so the turn plates can be brought to eye level for adjustment or dropped a few stops to roll the wheels or set alignment pads, each position locking automatically and releasing at the push of a button. On an alignment lift that range is a working-comfort feature that turns into a throughput feature. The spring-loaded locks engage as the platform passes each ladder position and will accommodate a floor with a slight slope while keeping the rise even — which, in most older workshops, is not hypothetical.

Will It Fit?

• Floor length. 224" (18.66 ft.) overall including ramps, or 198" (16.5 ft.) without them. The entry and exit ramps are deliberately extended so low-clearance cars load without grounding.
• Floor width. 127" (10.58 ft.) overall, with 117" (9.75 ft.) between the columns and drive-thru clearance of 103 1/2" (8.625 ft.).
• Runways. 19" (1.58 ft.) wide, 188" (15.66 ft.) long, set 40" (3.33 ft.) apart and fully adjustable for different tread widths.
• Rise. Minimum height 6 1/2" (0.54 ft.), maximum rise under the runway 70" (5.83 ft.), maximum lifting height 76 1/2" (6.375 ft.), with a full cycle in 60 Seconds.
• Power. 220 VAC / 60 Hz / 1 Ph.

Our record does not state a concrete thickness or strength, and it does not give a usable column height either — the figure we hold for that carries no unit, so we have left it off rather than guess. Both are in the installation manual linked on this page and we will confirm them in writing before you order. An alignment bay is also the one place where floor flatness is worth measuring rather than assuming, because the lift's levelling adjustment has a range and a badly sloping slab can exceed it. Checking ceiling, floor, slab and supply is the buyer's responsibility.

The cable and sheave system, in full

This is where the lift shows what it shares with the manufacturer's full-size car lifts rather than with a lighter alignment-only machine. The cable sheaves are 10.5” in diameter, dual-hub, running inside the runway and cross tubes on 2.25” diameter axles. A larger sheave is a gentler bend radius, a gentler bend is less fatigue in the wire, and dual hubs spread the load across two bearing surfaces instead of one. The cables are 1/2” diameter, 6 x 25 aircraft-quality stainless steel, routed internally through the post structures, and grease fittings are standard on every sheave and axle — which is the whole maintenance regime for this system.

What stops it coming down

Three independent things, covering different failures. A hydraulic flow divider guarantees a level ascent and descent and makes a sudden drop impossible even in the worst case. A secondary lock system watches cable tension and halts all lift functions the moment slack is detected — the failure mode that matters on a lift whose cables do the levelling. And the spring-loaded mechanical locks hold the platform whatever the hydraulics or the power supply are doing. Release is a single push-button firing aircraft-quality stainless steel and aluminium pneumatic cylinders. Cables, sheaves and airlines are enclosed within the structure, protected by a thick flexible rubber conduit that resists chemicals and oil without restricting hose movement.

Perfect For

• Dedicated alignment bays running 3D or camera equipment, where set-up time is the margin.
• Tyre and wheel shops adding alignment as a service without giving up a service bay.
• General workshops covering cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs on one lift.
• Shops that want wheel and brake service on the same lift — add rolling bridge jacks and the alignment lift does both without moving the car.

What's in the Box

From this model's own feature list: the four-post structure with extended approach ramps and runways adjustable for tread width, integrated front radius plate positions and multi-caster slip plates, heavy-duty stainless steel lifting cables, dual-hub cable sheaves with grease nipples on every sheave and axle, the single hydraulic cylinder with its integrated flow restrictor, spring-loaded safety locks with multiple adjustable height positions and push-button release, the secondary lock system, fully enclosed cables, airlines, latches and sheaves, the maintenance-free electric-hydraulic power system and a durable powder-coat finish.

Turn plates and rolling bridge jacks are not included. The lift is built to take them — the pockets are already there, and the runways carry three locking positions for jacks — but they are separate purchases, and the jacks are what let you do wheel and brake work without switching lifts. Decide at order time.

Specifications

Certification, and what it does and does not cover

Our record states that this lift is CE approved and certified, meeting or exceeding the standards prescribed by European Standard EN-1493. That is what we hold, and it is worth having.

Be precise about what it means, though. A European conformity marking is in large part a manufacturer's declaration against European directives. It is a different document from an independent North American lift safety listing, in which an outside body examines the design and lists the product, and it does not substitute for one. Insurers, fleet policies and some local code officials ask specifically for the second kind, and our record does not hold one — a statement about our paperwork, not a verdict on the machine. If your workplace rules make it a condition, ask us in writing before you order.

Shipping and delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states, priced live at checkout for your own address — which is why no shipping figure appears on this page.

Delivery is kerbside. Arrange unloading first: a forklift and an operator on site, or collection from the freight terminal, which for a crate this size is often the easier route. Warehouse pickup is available for this brand from our BendPak locations, and a residential address carries a residential fee. Inspect the shipment before you sign and write any damage onto the bill of lading at the time — a clean signature makes a later claim very hard to win.

Warranty

The manufacturer's warranty document is linked on this page; read the term and the exclusions there rather than any summary of them. Whatever the terms, never dismantle a component you intend to claim on — photograph the fault, leave it assembled and contact us first. A stripped part is the usual reason a sound claim is refused.