Challenger Lifts SA10 Symmetric — 10,000 lbs, balanced between the columns

The SA10 in symmetric configuration places the vehicle centred between the two columns, with the arms set to reach roughly equally fore and aft. That is the configuration you want when the load is long or heavy toward the middle — vans, pickups, work vehicles — because it keeps the weight where the columns can share it evenly instead of loading one end of the lift harder than the other.

What separates this lift from most 10,000 lb two-posts is that its geometry is chosen at installation rather than fixed at the factory. Overall width can be 129" or 135", inside columns 106.75" or 112.75", drive-through clearance 92.75" or 98.75", overall height 136.5" or 142.5", with a 2' height extension available. The same lift can also be installed asymmetric. You are buying one product that can be made to suit the building.

This is an overhead lift — plan for the beam

Worth being explicit about, because it changes your ceiling planning entirely. The SA10 carries a padded overhead shut-off across the top of the columns: the beam is up there, not in the floor. Challenger specifies 12' of required ceiling height, the overall height is 136.5" or 142.5", and the figure a tall vehicle's roof actually meets is the floor-to-overhead switch at 131.125" or 137.125".

The upside of the overhead arrangement is the floor. Nothing crosses the bay between the columns, so there is no bar to trip over, no channel to sweep out, and a trolley jack or a drain pan rolls straight through. The trade is headroom, and it is not negotiable — if you have less than the specified ceiling, this lift is not the one.

One rise figure we will not choose between

Our two sources for this lift's maximum lift height disagree, and we are not going to quietly pick the flattering one:

• The product copy this page replaces stated a maximum lift height of 74-3/4".
• Challenger's specification block for the SA10 gives rise height as 74.5".

A quarter of an inch will not change many purchase decisions, but it might change a ceiling calculation that is already tight, and printing a number we cannot stand behind is how customers end up with equipment that does not fit. If your installation depends on that measurement, ask us and we will have it confirmed by the manufacturer in writing before you order. Separately and unambiguously, maximum rise under the arms is 70".

Will It Fit?

Ceiling height, bay width, power supply and concrete all need checking before the order, and all of them are the buyer's responsibility.

• Ceiling height required: 12'.
• Overall height: 136.5" or 142.5", plus an available 2' extension.
• Floor to overhead switch: 131.125" or 137.125".
• Overall width: 129" or 135".
• Inside columns: 106.75" or 112.75".
• Drive-through clearance: 92.75" or 98.75".
• Power: 2HP, 208v/230v, single-phase, 60Hz.
• Speed of rise: 43 seconds.

Concrete deserves its own thought. A two-post lift concentrates the whole load into the anchors at the base of two columns, so slab thickness, strength and cure time all matter, and Challenger publishes requirements for them. Confirm your floor meets those requirements before the lift is delivered rather than on the morning the installer arrives.

Arms, pads and the parts that touch the car

Front arms are 3-stage and rear arms 2-stage, giving a front reach of 22.375" to 41.5" and a rear reach of 38.25" to 59". In a symmetric installation that range is what lets you set the pads on proper lift points across a wide spread of wheelbases rather than compromising on the nearest sill that will take a pad.

The pads themselves are premium double telescoping screw pads adjusting between 4.75" and 6.875", which is deliberate: the more height a pad can find on its own, the fewer stacked adapters end up under a vehicle, and stacked adapters are where lifting mistakes happen. Plated arm restraints and arm pins resist corrosion, and dual integrated rubber door guards are standard equipment rather than an upsell.

Coming down, a single-point mechanical lock release disengages both columns together in one motion. The overhead shut-off is padded so a roof, aerial or roof bar meets rubber rather than steel if a vehicle is taller than the technician expected.

Perfect For

• Shops lifting trucks and vans, where symmetric loading suits the weight distribution.
• High-volume general service that wants a clear floor between the columns.
• Buildings with awkward dimensions, thanks to the two-width, two-height specification.
• Fleet and municipal workshops where third-party certification is a procurement requirement.

What's in the Box

A complete SA10 two-post lift set up symmetric: two columns, the overhead assembly with padded shut-off, 3-stage front and 2-stage rear arms, double telescoping screw pads, plated restraints and pins, single-point mechanical lock release and rubber door guards, in premium powder coat. Red and blue are the listed colours.

The 2' height extension is an option, not standard. Anything else your installation needs — anchors, truck adapters, extra pads — confirm with us in writing before ordering.

Specifications

Certification

Challenger's data for this lift records ALI/ETL certified. For a commercial buyer that is often the deciding line on the page — fleet contracts, insurers and some local authorities require third-party lift certification explicitly, and being able to evidence it removes a procurement obstacle.

What certification does not cover is the installation. Your slab, your anchors and the workmanship are yours and your installer's responsibility, and a certified lift installed on unsuitable concrete is not a certified installation. Keep the documentation, follow the published anchoring specification, and check any site-specific inspection requirement before delivery.

Shipping and delivery

This lift ships freight-only within the lower 48 states, free of charge.

Two crated columns and an overhead assembly are not a hand-unload. Arrange a forklift or equivalent for the delivery, or select terminal collection and bring a trailer. A residential delivery address attracts a residential fee, and this product can also be collected from our warehouse.

Do not sign before you look. Inspect every crate with the driver present and record damage or missing items on the bill of lading at the time. A clean signature is treated as confirmation that nothing was wrong, which makes a later claim considerably harder.

Warranty

Warranty is Challenger's, under its published terms, and our own claims page sits at mechanicsuperstore.com/pages/warranty-claims. The data we hold for this model does not state a warranty duration, so we have not invented one for the page — ask and we will put the current term in writing for you.

Should something fail, take the lift out of service and talk to us before you strip anything down. Disassembly before inspection is the most common reason a claim that should have been paid is refused, and photographs of the failure as found are the most useful thing you can send.