BendPak MDS-6LPF: a flush-mount lift, and the honest arithmetic of recessing one

Flush-mount lifts are sold on the floor they leave behind — drive over the closed MDS-6LPF and there is nothing there. What almost nobody puts on the page is what the recess costs you at the top of the stroke, and BendPak does state it: the published lifting height carries the qualifier "minus 4-3/8 in. for sub-surface flooring". Sink the lift into the slab and the rise you get is measured from your floor, not from the base of the pit.

That is not a criticism of the design, it is the design. It is simply the number a buyer needs before cutting concrete, because you cannot recover it afterwards. Everything else is the same 6,000 lbs / 2,724 kg open-centre mid-rise as the surface-mounted version, on 19 in. / 484 mm by 67 in. / 1,701 mm platforms with a stroke of about 35 seconds.

Will It Fit?

Overall length is 67 in. / 1,701 mm, and the platforms set between 40 in. / 1,018 mm and 46 in. / 1,168 mm apart. Lowered, the top of the platform sits flush with the floor. The power unit runs on 208-230 VAC / 60 Hz / 1 Ph, and the pneumatic lock releases need an air supply of at least 50 psi and 10 CFM available at the time of installation — a detail that catches people out, because the compressor has to be there on the day, not later.

The concrete work is the real project. Our record does not state the pit dimensions, the slab thickness or the compressive strength required; those are in the installation manual linked on this page and we will confirm them in writing on request. Do not start cutting on an assumption — and factor in drainage, because a recess in a shop floor collects whatever runs across it. Verifying floor, ceiling and electrical supply before ordering remains the buyer's responsibility.

How high it goes — three figures, and they do not agree

This is the number most worth settling before you commit, and we hold more than one answer for it.

Ask us to confirm the rise in writing before you order, and before anyone cuts a hole in your floor. We will get the figure from the manufacturer rather than pick the flattering one. Note also that the same specification lists three lock positions at 21 in. / 533 mm, 32 in. / 813 mm and 38.75 in. / 984 mm, measured on the same basis as the full rise above.

A lift that disappears is a lift you have to design around

The argument for flush mounting is not tidiness. It is that a mid-rise scissor sitting proud of the floor blocks a bay for everything else — you cannot roll a jack over it, park on it, or use the space for a job that does not need a lift. Recessed, the bay is a normal bay when the lift is down, which is why lube shops and full-service bays with a pit specify it. In a home garage the same logic applies to the car you park in front of it.

Each platform carries four solid steel scissor frame support bars, and a pair of master cylinders works with a pair of equalising cylinders through a flow divider so the platforms move as one. Solid-steel lock bars engage automatically as the lift rises; once seated they hold the load mechanically, so a hydraulic leak cannot lower the vehicle.

Releasing the locks without walking round the lift

Stainless-steel pneumatic cylinders replace the spring releases used on cheaper scissors, and they all release together from a push-button station positioned away from the lift. Spring releases wear, stick and eventually need someone to reach in and free them; that is not a job anyone should be doing near a loaded lift. Hinge points carry Zerk grease fittings for scheduled lubrication, and four cushioned rubber contact blocks are included as standard.

Perfect For

• Lube shops and full-service bays installing over an existing pit, where floor space is the constrained resource.
• Home garages wanting zero footprint, keeping the bay usable for parking and general work.
• Tire and brake work at a chosen lock height rather than full rise.
• Showrooms and detailing spaces where a lift standing in the middle of the floor is not acceptable.

What's in the Box

The lift with both platforms and their four-bar scissor frames; solid-steel safety lock bars with stainless-steel pneumatic release cylinders and the remote push-button station; the electric-hydraulic power unit with flow divider; four cushioned rubber contact blocks; and the full installation, training and service manual with safety decals and stickers. There are no approach ramps, because a flush-mounted lift does not need them.

Specifications

Certification, stated honestly

No third-party safety listing is recorded for this model in our data. That is worth stating plainly rather than leaving to inference. A manufacturer's own assertion of compliance and an independent body's assessment against a published standard are different things, and when an insurer, a fleet policy or a local inspector asks for certification it is the second that satisfies them. Bullet points do not. If a listing is a condition of your cover or your permit, tell us which scheme applies and we will pursue documentation for this model from the manufacturer before you commit to a floor cut.

Shipping and delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states. The cost is calculated live against your address at checkout, which is why no figure for it appears in this text.

Kerbside delivery is the standard. Arrange the unload before the truck is booked — a forklift on site, or terminal collection, which is frequently simpler. A residential address attracts a residential fee. Warehouse pickup is available for this brand. Inspect the crate at delivery and record any damage on the bill of lading before signing; afterwards is too late.

Warranty

The governing warranty document is linked on this page. Read the term and its exclusions there, not in a paraphrase. One rule holds regardless: do not dismantle a part you mean to claim on. Photograph it in place, leave it alone and speak to us first.