BendPak PCL-18B-4 Mobile Column Lifts, Set of Four
Four columns is the standard working set, and BendPak's cabling is the reason this configuration lays out well on a shop floor: a standard four-column set runs on just three 30' cables, deliberately routed so the front or the back of the vehicle stays clear of cable. Anyone who has walked a creeper over a cable loom to reach a rear axle knows why that is worth reading twice.
Each PCL-18B-4 column is rated at 18,000 lbs, so a set of four lifts up to 72,000 lbs — the range that covers most two-axle heavy-duty and commercial trucks. Nothing is bolted down. The columns roll to the vehicle, clamp the wheels, lift as a synchronised group, and stow away when the bay is needed for something else.
Will it fit?
The question for a mobile column set is not ceiling height over a fixed bay, it is whether the columns can get to the vehicle and stand safely once they are there. Each column is 45" (1,143 mm) wide and 48.75" (1,238 mm) deep on a chassis 32.25" (819 mm) long, with a 40" (1,016 mm) turning circle. Each weighs 1,450 lbs (657 kg), so check doorways, ramps, thresholds and any mezzanine or basement slab on the route as well as the bay itself.
Lifting height at the fork is 71.5" (1,889 mm). Fork width adjusts between 9.5" (241 mm) and 35" (889 mm) with a fork length of 11.5" (292 mm), which is the span that lets one set take a light passenger wheel and a deep commercial dual without a box of adapters.
Power — confirm this before you order. This listing is the low-voltage build and its title specifies 208-230/190V. BendPak's feature list published on this same page states a 208-240V, 3-phase main power system with optional voltages available on request. Those are not the same specification. We have not resolved which describes the set now shipping, so treat neither as settled: have your electrician confirm the service you have, and ask us to confirm the required voltage in writing before you order.
The two published overall-height figures do not agree with their own labels. BendPak's sheet gives 101" (2,565 mm) and 146.5" (3,721 mm) and calls them raised and lowered in that order, which cannot both be true of a column that does not change height. We are carrying both numbers and declining to say which label is correct. If clearance through a door or under a beam is tight, get the governing figure from us in writing first.
Verifying floor capacity, clearance, access route and electrical supply is the buyer's responsibility. BendPak's installation and operation manual, linked in the downloads on this page, governs siting and commissioning.
Three cables, one control point
The cabling is not just tidiness. A four-column set is normally used for wheel, brake and suspension work, which means people and tools are constantly moving around the vehicle at floor level while it is in the air. Keeping one end of the vehicle free of cable runs is what makes a rolling toolbox, a transmission jack or a parts cart able to approach without a trip hazard or a snagged connector.
Control follows the same idea. The set can be programmed and driven from any column in the group, so an operator does not walk back to a master station to change something. Columns can be run SINGLE, as a PAIR, or as a TEAM, which is what makes a four-column set usable for a job that only needs one axle in the air.
Programmable height limits and controlled lowering
Variable height limit settings can be programmed for a building with a low ceiling, or for a specific service procedure that must stop at a set working height. That is a genuinely useful feature in a leased building where the roof is what it is. Lowering runs at two selectable speeds, which BendPak labels turtle and rabbit — the slow setting for bringing a loaded chassis down under supervision, the fast one for clearing the bay.
Synchronisation across the four columns comes from sealed and enclosed linear potentiometers with precision output and high-frequency response, so each column is reporting its position continuously through the cycle rather than only at the top and the bottom.
Wheel service, and the cross beam
A mobile column set lifts by the wheels, which is the wrong place to be holding a vehicle when the wheels are what you need to remove. The PCL-18B cross beam is BendPak's frame-engaging adapter for exactly this: it takes the load off the wheels so tires can come off with the vehicle still in the air. It is a separate purchase, worth asking about at order time rather than after the first wheel job.
Everything else in the safety package is per column: multiple automatic independent safety locks spaced every four inches, inverted hydraulic cylinders with an integrated safety valve against loss of oil pressure, a manual safety override valve so a vehicle can be lowered during a power cut without hand cranks, an emergency shut-off switch, a separate key-lock enclosure and multi-fuse-protected electronics on 24-volt control circuitry.
Perfect For
- Truck and trailer shops doing brake, wheel and suspension work on two-axle commercial vehicles
- Fleet garages that need lifting capacity to move between bays during the day
- Bus, RV and utility-vehicle service where a fixed lift would tie up floor space permanently
- Operations in leased buildings where a fixed installation is not allowed
What's in the Box
Four PCL-18B columns, each with multi-width wheel forks and locking pins, its own key-lock enclosure, emergency shut-off and manual safety override valve, together with the interconnecting cabling — three 30' cables for a standard four-column set. Multi-width forks are stated to remove the need for specialty wheel adapters. The cross beam, additional column pairs and any other accessory are separate purchases; ask us to confirm the order contents in writing if there is any doubt.
Specifications
| Capacity per column |
18,000 lbs (8,165 kg) |
| System capacity, four columns |
72,000 lbs |
| Max. lifting height |
71.5" (1,889 mm) |
| Fork width |
9.5" (241 mm) min. to 35" (889 mm) max. |
| Turning circle |
40" (1,016 mm) |
| Column weight |
1,450 lbs (657 kg) |
| Control circuit |
24-volt |
| Shipping weight per column |
1,498 lbs (679 kg) |
| Shipping dimensions per column |
106" x 55" x 41" (2,696 mm x 1,397 mm x 1,041 mm) |
The full dimensional table published by BendPak, including the 45" (1,143 mm) width, 48.75" (1,238 mm) depth, 32.25" (819 mm) chassis length and 11.5" (292 mm) fork length, appears in the specifications section further down this page.
Certification, stated plainly
BendPak's feature list for this system states that it meets or exceeds the standards prescribed by ANSI/ALI ALCTV-2011, the North American standard covering automotive lift construction, testing and validation. That is a manufacturer's declaration of conformance to a standard, which is a different thing from a current third-party listing held against this specific model — different document, different issuing body, checked in a different place. Insurers, corporate fleet policies and some local jurisdictions ask for the listing specifically. We have not independently verified this model's listing status, so if it is a condition of your cover or your contract, ask us before you order and we will answer in writing.
Shipping and delivery
Four crated columns ship as freight to the lower 48 states. Each crate is a heavy, tall unit, so the receiving end needs a forklift or equivalent equipment; if you do not have one, take terminal pickup from the carrier instead and collect with suitable equipment. Residential delivery is available and carries a residential fee. Freight is quoted live at checkout, which is why you will not find a shipping figure written into this description.
When the truck arrives, check the crate count and the condition of each crate against the delivery receipt before you sign. Note any damage on the paperwork at that moment, even if it looks cosmetic — a clean signed receipt is very difficult to argue with afterwards. Warehouse pickup for BendPak equipment is available at the locations shown in the Pick Up and Delivery section of this page.
Warranty
A written BendPak warranty covers this product and is linked in the downloads on this page. That document is the governing text; we have not paraphrased a term or a period from it, because paraphrasing a warranty is how a customer ends up with an expectation the paperwork does not support. General advice: if something fails, do not take the column, cylinder or power unit apart before the claim is open. Disassembly before inspection is a common reason a hydraulic claim is refused.
