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

The feature on these columns that nobody thinks about until they need it is the manual safety override valve fitted to every one of them. When the power goes out with a truck in the air — and eventually it does — that valve lets the vehicle be brought back down in a controlled way without hand cranks and without waiting for the building supply to return. Paired with an inverted hydraulic cylinder carrying an integrated safety valve against loss of oil pressure, it means the failure modes of a PCL-18B column have a planned answer rather than a phone call.

This listing is a pair of columns in the low-voltage configuration. Each column is rated at 18,000 lbs, so two add 36,000 lbs of lifting capacity. A pair is an expansion module, not a complete lift. BendPak states that a minimum of four mobile columns must be used to lift a vehicle, that heavier vehicles need six or eight, and that you must never raise only the front or only the back of a vehicle on two columns — the load has to come up on an even plane.

Will it fit?

Each column measures 45" (1,143 mm) wide by 48.75" (1,238 mm) deep on a 32.25" (819 mm) chassis and weighs 1,450 lbs (657 kg). Two of them will not fill a bay, but the weight is what governs the route in — check ramps, thresholds, mezzanine slabs and the capacity of whatever lifts them off the truck. Fork height reaches 71.5" (1,889 mm), fork width adjusts from 9.5" (241 mm) to 35" (889 mm), and fork length is 11.5" (292 mm).

What to confirm about the electrics. Published voltages differ: the title of this product gives 208-230/190V, while BendPak's feature list and the specification block on the same page both give a 208-240V, 3-phase power system, with optional voltages available on request. Both are shown here rather than combined. Have your electrician confirm the incoming supply, and ask us to put the configuration of the columns you are buying in writing — particularly important here, because these columns are going to be joined to a set you already own and they have to match it.

Confirm the system capacity for your column count. Published figures differ: the feature list gives a maximum system capacity of 108,000 lbs; the product copy on the same page says a full set offers up to 144,000 lbs. Because this figure decides what a completed set may legally lift, ask us to confirm it in writing for your intended column count before you buy.

And two overall-height figures are published with contradictory labels: 101" (2,565 mm) and 146.5" (3,721 mm), described as raised and lowered in that order. That cannot be right for a column of fixed height, so both are reproduced here without the labels attached.

Verifying floor capacity, access, clearance and electrical supply is the buyer's responsibility; the installation and operation manual is the governing document.

What happens when something fails

The override valve and the cylinder safety valve are the last line, not the first. Ahead of them sit multiple automatic, independent mechanical safety locks spaced every four inches through the rise, so a column holds its load mechanically rather than hydraulically at any working height. Each column has its own emergency shut-off switch that cuts power the moment an operator sees a problem, its own warning light and audible alarm for critical alerts, and its own separate key-lock enclosure so the controls cannot be operated by someone walking past. Electronics are multi-fuse protected and the control circuitry runs at 24 volts.

Layered like that, a fault in one place does not become a fault in the vehicle's position. That is the actual design goal, and it is worth understanding before comparing this against a cheaper column that lists the same lifting number.

Forks that fit the wheels you already have

The multi-width wheel forks with locking pins are the reason a set of these columns works across a mixed fleet. They adjust across the range above and are stated to accommodate the widest range of wheels without specialty wheel adapters — which matters more than it sounds, because adapters are the accessory that gets lost, borrowed and then bought again. Extended forks are designed to reach wide tires and deep wheel configurations, the sort found on commercial duals.

Control, and adding to an existing set

Columns can be operated SINGLE, as a PAIR, or as a TEAM, and the group can be programmed and driven from any column, so nobody has to walk back to a master station mid-job. Sealed and enclosed linear potentiometers give the position feedback that keeps the group synchronised through the whole cycle. All of that only works if the columns you are adding match the ones you own — configuration, supply and control generation. Tell us what is already on your floor and we will confirm compatibility before anything is dispatched.

Perfect For

• Existing PCL-18B owners stepping a four-column set up to six
• Fleet workshops growing capacity a pair at a time
• Buildings on the lower three-phase service
• Operations that need a spare pair on hand to keep a set working during service

What's in the Box

Two PCL-18B columns in the low-voltage configuration. Each arrives with multi-width wheel forks and locking pins, its own key-lock control enclosure, its own emergency shut-off, its own manual safety override valve and an inverted hydraulic cylinder with integrated safety valve. Control cabling for a complete set, cross beams and other accessories are ordered separately — ask us to confirm exactly what is on your order in writing.

Specifications

Certification, stated plainly

The PCL-18B feature list states that the system meets or exceeds the standards prescribed by ANSI/ALI ALCTV-2011. Take that as what it says: the manufacturer declaring conformance to a standard. It is not the same as a current third-party listing against this model, issued and maintained by an independent body — and where an insurer, a fleet safety policy or a local authority sets a requirement, the listing is usually the thing they mean. We have not independently verified this model's listing status. Ask us before you order if it matters, and the answer will be in writing.

Shipping and delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states. Even a pair of columns arrives crated, tall and heavy, so plan the unload: a forklift or equivalent equipment at your end, or collection from the carrier's terminal. Residential delivery is available and carries a residential fee. This item ships free, so there is nothing to add at checkout.

Inspect both crates before signing the delivery receipt and record any damage on it at the time, however minor it looks. A signed clean receipt is very hard to reopen later. Warehouse pickup for BendPak products can be arranged at the locations listed in the Pick Up and Delivery section of this page — call us to set it up.

Warranty

BendPak's written warranty document is linked from this page and is the governing text; nothing here restates or paraphrases its terms. The practical rule for any hydraulic lift is the same regardless of what the paperwork says: report the fault and open the claim before anything is dismantled. A cylinder or power unit that has already been taken apart is very often a claim refused. Photograph it, take the column out of service, and call us.