Scissors Lifts

Scissor lifts trade the open undercarriage of a two-post for a much smaller footprint and, in the mid-rise and low-rise formats, portability. They suit tire, brake, body and detail work, and any bay where the lift has to disappear when it is not in use. The range here runs from about 6,000 lb portable mid-rise units to 10,000 lb commercial low-rise pad lifts and 14,000 lb full-rise and alignment scissor lifts. BendPak, Atlas, Tuxedo, Rotary, Challenger, Forward, Autel and Dannmar are stocked in portable, surface-mount and flush-mount versions.

How to choose

Decide how high you need to go. Low-rise scissor lifts raise a vehicle to roughly working-stool height and suit wheels, brakes and bodywork. Mid-rise lifts get you under the car sitting down. Full-rise scissor lifts stand you up underneath, but the scissor mechanism sits under the vehicle, so they do not give the open center access a two-post does. If you need the middle of the car clear, buy a two-post. Then decide mounting. Portable models roll away and typically run on 110V, which makes them the realistic choice for a shared or rented garage. Surface-mount models are anchored to the slab. Flush-mount models sit level with the floor and need a recess cut, which is slab work to plan in advance. Frame-engaging models lift by the pinch welds; pad and wheel-engaging models lift by the tires. Confirm capacity, rise height, lowered height, which governs whether a low car can drive on, and power supply before ordering.

Installation, freight and what is included

Scissor lifts ship crated by freight. Portable units are close to ready once the hydraulic power unit is connected. Anchored and flush-mount units need slab work and, in most cases, a licensed electrician. Arm kits, pad kits and drive-on ramps are separate listings unless the title says otherwise. Some of the scissor lifts listed here are ALI Certified and say so on the product page. That certification is held by the manufacturer and applies to the specific model; Variety Engines sells those models and is not itself ALI certified or accredited. A 6-month limited warranty applies as standard. Call 440-374-1039 with your ceiling height, slab and power details.