MSC-13K-B-226: Siemens control gear on a 26,000 lbs mobile column set

Mobile columns live or die on synchronisation, and iDEAL names the component that does it: a Siemens PLC paired with an electro-optical encoder, keeping every column in the set at the same height continuously through the lift. That is a specific, checkable choice of control hardware from a maker whose parts a shop can still source in ten years, and very few lift listings will tell you whose logic controller is inside the cabinet.

Rated 26,000 lbs, this set lifts by the wheels rather than by frame contact points, needs no anchors in your slab, and parks out of the way when the job is finished.

One thing to confirm before you order: how many columns you are buying

We will not guess this one for you. The title on this listing calls it a single column lift, while the specification sheet stored against the same SKU says two columns and a combined 26,000 lbs capacity — and the -226 suffix in the model code reads like the same two-column set. Those are two different things to take delivery of, at a price where the difference matters.

Ask us to confirm the column count in writing before you place the order, and we will get it from iDEAL rather than reading it off a listing. If you already know you want more columns than the set contains, say so at the same time — these columns are built to work in larger groups, and the master controller handles individual or paired synchronised operation either way.

Will It Fit?

• Ceiling. A column measures 88.6" collapsed and 155.5" fully raised. Check that against the lowest obstruction over the bay, not the roof line.
• Lifting height. 67.1" at the fork.
• Floor space. 44.1" of width per column, and the set will spread to 32.8' between columns, which is what lets one set handle both a service van and a long chassis.
• Wheels. Forks adjust from 6.3" to 22", the fork length is 14", and fork-to-column clearance is 9.3". The wide bottom end of that range is the useful part — it takes the set down onto small wheels that a truck-only lift cannot grip.
• Floor. iDEAL specifies 3,000 PSI minimum concrete surface strength. Confirming your slab meets it is the buyer's responsibility; a mobile column is not anchored, but it does put its entire share of the load through a small footprint.
• Environment. Specified for indoor set-up and operation. Noise level is 70 dB(A).
• Power. 100 to 140VAC, 60Hz, 1PH per column on the AC input side. No three-phase service required.

Hydraulics and bearings — the parts that wear

iDEAL specifies a heavy-duty hydraulic system and large carriage bearings. Bearing size is one of those specifications that sounds like filler and is not: the carriage is the part that takes the whole load off-centre, hanging a vehicle's corner weight out in front of the column on a pair of forks. Larger bearings spread that moment over more surface, which shows up years later as a carriage that still runs smoothly instead of one that judders and wears its guides.

Each column carries an independent mechanical locking system, so at working height the load sits on steel rather than on trapped hydraulic pressure, and an emergency switch on each column lets whoever is closest stop the set.

Reading the lift while you work

An LCD screen with a keyboard on the control panel shows the current settings and the lifting height. On a mobile set this is more than a display: because the columns are not fixed to anything, the operator's confidence that all of them are where they should be comes entirely from the readout and the encoder feeding it. Optional jack stands are available if you want the vehicle supported independently while a wheel-off job runs long.

Perfect For

• Fleet and municipal shops with a vehicle mix that changes from one week to the next.
• Truck, bus and RV service where lifting by the wheels avoids hunting for frame contact points.
• Leased buildings where drilling the floor is not an option.
• Shops with more bays than lifts, which can move the set to whichever bay is free.

What Comes With It

• Master controller for individual or paired synchronised operation
• Siemens PLC and electro-optical encoder synchronisation
• Adjustable lifting forks
• Pallet-jack style wheel for repositioning
• LCD screen with keyboard
• Independent mechanical locking and a per-column emergency switch

Jack stands are listed by iDEAL as an option, not as part of the set.

Specifications

Certification, stated honestly

iDEAL's data for this model does not claim a third-party North American safety listing for the lift, and we are not going to imply one by decorating the page with a badge. What that means in practice is worth knowing before you buy rather than after.

Some shop insurers, some fleet policies and some local jurisdictions require lifting equipment to carry a listing from a recognised third-party body. A manufacturer's own declaration is a different document and does not substitute for it. If any of those apply to you, get the requirement named in writing by whoever imposes it, then contact us and we will take the question to iDEAL before you commit.

Shipping and Delivery

This ships by truck freight within the lower 48. Each column is listed at 1,210 lbs, so unloading needs a forklift, a dock or a telehandler — the delivering driver is not equipped to do it and will not attempt it. Terminal pickup is the usual answer for a shop without lifting gear on site, and warehouse pickup is available at our iDEAL locations.

Inspect the freight before signing. Photograph crate damage, count what arrived against the packing list, and note anything wrong on the bill of lading in front of the driver. Once you have signed clean, the carrier's position is that it arrived intact.

A residential delivery address carries a residential fee. Freight is quoted live at checkout against your ZIP code.

Warranty

Terms and the claim process are on our warranty claims page, and the warranty document is in the downloads section of this page. The single most useful rule: do not take a suspect part apart before the claim is opened. Photograph the fault, leave it assembled, and call us first.