iDEAL TP10KAC-DX: the two-post whose arm set is published in full
On a two-post lift the arms decide almost everything — whether a low car can be picked up at all, whether a long-wheelbase truck can be balanced, how far you have to crouch to set a pad. Most listings skip straight past them. iDEAL publishes the TP10KAC-DX arm set completely: three-stage front arms reaching 23" to 45", rear arms reaching 41" to 59", a 4" minimum pad height, and a maximum load of 2,500 lbs per arm. Four numbers, and between them they answer the question a spec sheet usually leaves you guessing at.
The rest is a conventional 10,000 lbs clear-floor two-post: bi-symmetric arm geometry, direct-drive pull cylinders, single-piece columns and a single-point lock release. Nothing exotic, everything documented.
Will It Fit?
A two-post is the least forgiving lift to buy sight-unseen, because it is anchored to your floor and it goes higher than people expect. Work through all of this before ordering.
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Ceiling. The lift's own overall height is 144". That is the structure, not the clearance you need above it — a required ceiling height is a separate figure that also allows for the raised vehicle and safe access, and we do not publish one for this model. If your ceiling is anywhere near the lift's own height, ask us for the installation manual's figure before you buy rather than after.
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Bay width. Overall width with the power unit is 145-1/2", and there is 116" (9.5 ft) between the columns. Add room to open a door on both sides.
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Drive-through. 104" (8.5 ft) of clearance to drive a vehicle in between the columns.
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Lift height. Maximum lift height is 71" at the pad, 67" under the arms, with 6 ft to the top of the arms. That is the working headroom you actually get underneath.
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Low cars. Minimum pad height is 4", which is what makes a low-slung car possible without ramps or blocks.
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Power. 220V, 20 amp, single phase. Have this run before the lift arrives, not after.
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Floor. This lift is bolted to your slab, and the slab is what holds a raised vehicle up. We do not publish a concrete thickness or strength requirement for this model, and rather than invent one we will say plainly: the figures are in the installation manual, they are not negotiable, and a garage slab of unknown age and depth is the single most common reason a home buyer cannot install a two-post. Ask us for that page before you order if you have any doubt at all.
Checking your ceiling, your bay width, your slab and your electrical supply is the buyer's responsibility. None of it is a warranty matter, and all of it is cheaper to find out now.
Bi-symmetric arms, and why the reach numbers matter
Bi-symmetric geometry means the arms can be set to carry a vehicle centred between the columns or biased towards the rear, so the same lift takes a small symmetric car and a longer vehicle that needs its weight shifted back for door clearance. Buying a symmetric lift and an asymmetric lift for those two jobs is the alternative.
The three-stage front arms are what make it usable at both extremes. Three telescoping stages give a much wider span of reach than a two-stage arm — from 23" tucked in to 45" extended at the front, and 41" to 59" at the rear — so a pad lands on the manufacturer's lift point rather than the nearest bit of sill that will take it. The spin-up low-profile lift pads screw up to meet the vehicle from a 4" starting height, and stackable adapters are included for trucks and anything with a high pinch weld.
The published 2,500 lbs maximum per arm is worth reading properly: it is exactly a quarter of the lift's rating, which tells you the 10,000 lb figure assumes a reasonably even load across four arms. On a vehicle with a heavily biased weight distribution, arm placement is not a matter of convenience.
Direct drive, single-piece columns and a lock release you use once
Direct-drive pull cylinders put the hydraulic cylinder in line with the carriage rather than driving it through a chain-over-sheave arrangement. Fewer moving parts in the load path means less to stretch, wear and adjust over the life of the lift, and it is the reason this design has stayed in production.
The columns are single-piece rather than welded or bolted sections — one continuous structure carrying the load. The safety locks release from a single point, so lowering is one action at one place instead of two people or two trips. External hose guards keep the hydraulic lines out of the way of a swinging door, rubber door guards protect the paint of the vehicle you are working on from the column itself, and a heavy-duty arm restraint system stops an arm drifting out of position under load. A full lift cycle takes around 50 seconds.
Perfect For
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Independent repair shops wanting one lift that covers a mixed car and light-truck list.
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Tyre, brake, exhaust and suspension work, where clear floor and wheels-free access is the whole point.
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Specialists working on low vehicles, who need that 4" pad height and the spin-up pads.
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Well-equipped home garages with the ceiling height, a proper slab and a 220V circuit already in place.
What's in the Box
Per the manufacturer's feature list: the two-post structure with single-piece columns, bi-symmetric three-stage front arms, spin-up low-profile lift pads, stackable adapters, the heavy-duty arm restraint system, rubber door guards, external hose guards, the single-point lock release and the power unit. Anchor bolts, a rolling jack, truck adapters beyond the supplied stack and any air line work are separate.
Specifications
| Model |
TP10KAC-DX |
| Capacity |
10,000 lbs |
| Max load per arm |
2,500 lbs |
| Configuration |
Bi-symmetric, clear floor |
| Overall height |
144" |
| Overall width with power unit |
145-1/2" |
| Width between columns |
116" (9.5 ft) |
| Drive-through clearance |
104" (8.5 ft) |
| Max lift height |
71" |
| Max rise under the arms |
67" |
| Lifting height, top of arms |
6 ft |
| Minimum pad height |
4" |
| Front arm reach, min/max |
23" – 45" |
| Rear arm reach, min/max |
41" – 59" |
| Power |
220V – 20 Amp – 1PH |
| Ship weight |
1,705 lbs |
Certification, stated plainly
This model is ALI certified, and that claim is the manufacturer's own — it heads iDEAL's specification for the TP10KAC-DX, not just ours. It is worth knowing what it covers: an independent third-party listing of the lift against a North American lift safety standard, which is the document an insurer, a fleet contract or a local inspector asks for when they ask for anything. If you are buying for a commercial bay, this is the box being ticked.
Separately, the power unit is a Duro unit carrying MET, UL and CSA marks. That listing sits on the electrical assembly rather than on the lift structure, and the two are not substitutes for one another — but for an electrical inspection of the shop, the power unit is usually the part in question.
Shipping and delivery
This lift travels as freight within the lower 48 and the cost is quoted live at checkout, so it reflects today's rates. Plan the unload before you order: columns and arms arrive crated and heavy, and you need a forklift, a telehandler or a genuinely capable set of hands and equipment at the delivery point. Terminal pickup is a perfectly sensible alternative if you have a trailer and no yard equipment. Deliveries to a residential address carry a residential fee — tell us in advance if the address is a home, so the quote is right the first time. Inspect the shipment at the kerb: count the crates, look for crush and puncture damage, and write anything you find on the bill of lading before you sign it.
Warranty
The manufacturer's warranty applies to this lift, and the terms in force are published on our warranty claims page. We do not restate a term length in the description, because the page is the version that will be honoured and a copied number is not. If something fails, do not take the component apart before the claim is agreed — photograph the fault and the serial plate and contact us first. A disassembled power unit or a cut hose makes a straightforward replacement into a dispute about cause.
