BendPak MDS-6EXT: 78.7 in. platforms, because the lift points moved outboard

The reason this model exists is a measurement. Standard mid-rise platforms were sized for the wheelbases and pinch-weld positions of an earlier generation of car, and a lot of what now comes through a workshop — long-wheelbase saloons, and battery-electric cars in particular — carries its manufacturer-specified lift points further apart and further outboard. The MDS-6EXT answers that with platforms 78.7 in. / 2,000 mm long instead of the usual sixty-something, so the contact blocks land where the vehicle's own manual says they should.

That is worth being blunt about, because the alternative is what actually happens in busy shops: a technician settles for the nearest bit of solid-looking underbody. On a car with a structural battery tray, the nearest bit of solid-looking underbody is an expensive mistake.

Will It Fit?

Overall length is 104.3 in. / 2,650 mm and the platforms adjust between 40 in. / 1,018 mm and 46 in. / 1,168 mm apart, each 19 in. / 484 mm wide. Fully lowered the lift stands 5.25 in. / 133 mm off the floor, and the published locking heights are 21.5 in. / 546 mm, 32 in. / 813 mm and full rise. Add the length of the removable approach ramps to the footprint when you are planning the bay.

The pneumatic lock releases need a compressed air supply of at least 50 psi and 10 CFM present at the time of installation. Slab thickness and strength are not stated in our record; the installation manual linked on this page carries them and we will confirm them in writing on request. Checking floor, ceiling and electrical supply before you order is the buyer's responsibility — a scissor lift puts its whole load into a small footprint.

Two figures to confirm before you order

Published figures for both of these differ, and each one is set out below with its source, because getting either wrong is expensive.

The rise gap is large enough to change what you can do with this lift, so please ask us to confirm it in writing before you order. We will get the current figure straight from BendPak. The lowered height matters for the opposite reason — it decides whether a low car can drive onto the ramps at all — and the supply voltage should be settled with your electrician before the circuit is run.

The pneumatic kicker, and why a scissor needs one

A scissor lift is at its mechanically weakest when it is flat. With the arms nearly parallel to the floor, almost all the cylinder's force pushes sideways rather than upward, which is why some scissors sit and strain before anything moves. The MDS-6EXT adds a pneumatic kicker that boosts the platforms through the first 6 in. of travel, handing over to the hydraulics once the geometry is working in your favour. It uses shop air rather than a second hydraulic circuit, so there is nothing extra to service.

Above that, four hydraulic cylinders share a flow divider so both platforms rise and fall together, and solid-steel lock bars engage continuously through the stroke. Once the lift is resting on its locks the hydraulic system is unloaded, which means a leaking hose or fitting cannot lower the vehicle.

Ramps that clip on and lift off

The extended approach ramps attach to the platform rather than sitting loose on the floor, and pull straight off when you want clear access to the wheel arches. Long ramps are the difference between a low-stance car boarding cleanly and a splitter catching, and they help wide tires roll on without fighting the edge. Hinge points carry Zerk grease fittings for scheduled lubrication, and a set of treaded rubber contact blocks is included so the lift works from day one.

Perfect For

• Shops taking electric vehicles, where the specified lift points sit further apart than a standard mid-rise reaches.
• Workshops on long-wheelbase cars — estates, executive saloons, larger crossovers.
• Low-ceiling bays that cannot take a two-post lift but need real under-car access.
• Tire, brake and suspension work at a chosen lock height.

What's in the Box

The lift with both extended platforms; solid-steel safety lock bars with stainless-steel pneumatic release cylinders and the remote push-button release; four hydraulic cylinders with flow divider and the electric-hydraulic power unit; the pneumatic kicker assembly; a set of rubber contact blocks; the removable extended approach ramps; and the documentation set with safety decals, placement information and training placards.

Specifications

Certification, stated honestly

Our data for this model records no third-party safety listing. That absence is worth printing rather than glossing. When a manufacturer says a product meets a standard, that is the manufacturer's own statement; when an independent organisation tests it against that standard and issues a certificate, that is a different document, and it is the one an insurer, a fleet policy or a local inspector will ask to see. If that requirement applies to you, identify the scheme first, then ask us in writing and we will pursue documentation for this model from the manufacturer before you commit.

Shipping and delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states, priced live against your address as you check out. No shipping figure is written into this page because the number changes.

The carrier delivers kerbside. Decide in advance how it comes off — forklift on site, or terminal collection, which many buyers prefer. A residential address carries a residential fee. Warehouse pickup can be arranged for this brand — call us to set it up. Inspect before signing and note damage on the bill of lading at the time.

Warranty

The warranty document that governs this lift is linked on this page; read the term and exclusions there. Whatever it says, do not disassemble a component you intend to claim on — photograph it, leave it assembled, and talk to us first.