BendPak PCL-18B-2 Mobile Column Lifts, Pair — High Voltage

Read this first, because it is the thing most likely to cause a bad purchase: a pair of PCL-18B columns is an expansion module, not a complete lift. BendPak's own instruction on this page is unambiguous — a minimum of four mobile columns must be used to lift a vehicle, and heavier vehicles need six or eight. You must never try to raise the front or the back of a vehicle on two columns alone; a vehicle on mobile columns has to come up on an even plane at all times. If you do not already own columns, this is not the SKU to start with.

What a pair is genuinely good for is growth. Each column is rated at 18,000 lbs, so two add 36,000 lbs of capacity to a set you already run. Buying in pairs is how a shop moves from a four-column set to a six- or eight-column set over two budget cycles instead of one, and this is the high-voltage build for a building already fed with a three-phase supply at the higher service.

Will it fit?

Two columns are easy to store and easy to underestimate. Each is 45" (1,143 mm) wide, 48.75" (1,238 mm) deep and stands on a chassis 32.25" (819 mm) long, and each weighs 1,450 lbs (657 kg). That is the number that matters for the route: mezzanine floors, ramps, thresholds and lift trucks all have to cope with it. Lifting height at the fork is 71.5" (1,889 mm) and the forks adjust from 9.5" (241 mm) to 35" (889 mm) wide, with a fork length of 11.5" (292 mm).

Voltage — get this confirmed in writing. The title and our product record describe this pair as the high-voltage configuration, 460/360V three phase. BendPak's PCL-18B feature list and the specification block both carried on this page state a 208-240V, 3-phase power system, with optional voltages available on request. Those two statements do not describe the same supply. Confirm your building's service with your electrician and ask us to confirm the configuration in writing before you order — and if you are adding to an existing set, confirm that the new columns match the ones you already own.

Confirm the system capacity for your column count. Published figures for maximum system capacity differ: BendPak's feature list states 108,000 lbs, while the product copy above it describes a full set as offering up to 144,000 lbs. Since that number determines what you can legally put in the air, ask us to confirm the maximum system capacity for your intended column count in writing before you commit.

Check the overall height before you plan the clearance. The sheet lists 101" (2,565 mm) and 146.5" (3,721 mm), labelled raised and lowered in that order. A column that does not telescope cannot be shorter when raised, so both figures are carried here as published and the labels are left as they are. Where clearance is tight, ask us first.

Floor capacity, access route, clearance and electrical supply are the buyer's responsibility to verify. BendPak's installation and operation manual governs siting and commissioning.

Why a pair still has to be a matched pair

Columns lifting one chassis have to agree with each other continuously, which is why mixing configurations is a real risk rather than a paperwork problem. Position feedback in the PCL-18B comes from sealed and enclosed linear potentiometers with precision output and high-frequency response, so each column reports where it is throughout the cycle. Control is programmable from any column in the group, and columns can be run SINGLE, as a PAIR, or as a TEAM. That flexibility is what makes a two-column purchase useful — but it depends on the new columns speaking the same language, on the same supply, as the ones already on your floor.

Safety features that come on every column

Each column in the pair is self-contained. It has its own key-lock enclosure and its own emergency shut-off switch that cuts power to the lift the moment an operator sees something wrong. It carries a warning light and an audible alarm for critical alerts, multi-fuse-protected electronics and 24-volt control circuitry. Multiple automatic, independent safety locks are spaced every four inches through the rise, and an inverted hydraulic cylinder with an integrated safety valve guards against an uncontrolled descent if oil pressure is lost. A manual safety override valve lets a vehicle be brought down during a power cut without hand cranks.

Moving them and storing them

Pallet-jack style steering wheels let a column settle firmly onto the floor under its own weight, instead of staying up on constantly loaded spring-type rollers that can let an unladen column drift across a shop. Tandem 8" polyurethane-covered steel wheels on sealed roller bearings deal with dirt and debris. Forklift pockets in the chassis mean a pair can be lifted onto a truck and taken to another site. Power units and cylinders are mounted low, which keeps the centre of gravity down and makes a column easier to push than a screw-drive design carrying its motor overhead.

Perfect For

• Shops that already run a four-column set and want to reach six
• Fleet garages expanding capacity a pair at a time across budget years
• Operations replacing or adding to columns after a building move
• Buildings already served by the higher three-phase supply

What's in the Box

Two PCL-18B columns in the high-voltage configuration, each with multi-width wheel forks and locking pins, a key-lock control enclosure, an emergency shut-off, a manual safety override valve and forklift pockets. The multi-width forks are stated to remove the need for specialty wheel adapters. Cabling and control hardware for a full set, cross beams and any other accessory are separate — and because this SKU is an expansion pair, tell us what you already own so we can confirm compatibility in writing before anything ships.

Specifications

Certification, stated plainly

BendPak's feature list for the PCL-18B says the system meets or exceeds the standards prescribed by ANSI/ALI ALCTV-2011. That is a manufacturer's conformance statement about the design, not a current third-party listing held against this model — a different document, from a different body, verified somewhere else. Insurers, corporate fleet policies and some local jurisdictions ask specifically for the listing. We have not independently confirmed the listing status of this model, so if it is a condition of your cover or your contract, ask us before ordering and we will answer in writing.

Shipping and delivery

Freight to the lower 48 states. Two crates is a smaller shipment than a full set but each one is tall and heavy, so you still need a forklift or equivalent at your end, or terminal pickup from the carrier. Residential delivery is available and carries a residential fee. This item ships free, so there is nothing to add at checkout.

Check both crates against the delivery receipt and write down any damage before you sign. Once a clean receipt is signed, a concealed-damage claim is an uphill argument. Warehouse pickup for BendPak equipment can be arranged at the locations shown in the Pick Up and Delivery section of this page — call us to set it up.

Warranty

The BendPak written warranty document covers this product and is linked from this page; it is the governing text and we have deliberately not paraphrased a period or a coverage term from it. If a fault appears, open the claim before you open the equipment — taking a cylinder or a power unit apart before it has been inspected is one of the most reliable ways to lose a hydraulic warranty claim. Photograph the fault, take the column out of service, and contact us.