BendPak MDS-6EXTF: the rise is a menu, and BendPak publishes all three heights

Most lifts give you one rise figure. The MDS-6EXTF is specified with three, because the lift blocks are part of the geometry rather than an afterthought: 36.75 in. / 933 mm on the bare platforms, 38.25 in. / 972 mm on the medium blocks (1.5 in. / 38 mm), and 39.65 in. / 1,007 mm on the tall blocks (2.9 in. / 75 mm). If you have ever tried to work out whether a lift clears your creeper, your transmission jack or your own shoulders, that is the table you wanted and almost never get.

It is an extended-platform, flush-mount, open-centre mid-rise rated at 6,000 lbs / 2,722 kg, with 78.75 in. / 2,000 mm platforms and no approach ramps at all — recessed into the floor, there is nothing to drive up.

Will It Fit?

Total length is 78.75 in. / 2,000 mm with no ramps or extensions, and each platform is 19 in. / 484 mm wide with 40 in. to 46 in. between them. Lowered, the top of the platform sits flush with the floor at a recess depth of 5.25 in. / 133 mm. The console can sit up to 40 in. / 1,024 mm from the platform, which is the figure that decides where the control station can go — worth checking against the wall you had in mind. Full stroke takes about 35 seconds, and hydraulic pressure at maximum capacity is 1,700 psi.

The pit is the part to plan properly. Our record does not give the recess dimensions, slab thickness or concrete strength; they are in the installation manual linked on this page and we will confirm them in writing on request. Drainage deserves a thought too, since a recess collects whatever crosses the floor. Confirming floor, ceiling and power before ordering is the buyer's responsibility. The pneumatic lock releases need 50 psi and 10 CFM of air available at installation.

One supply this lift does not force on you

The power unit is published in three configurations: 110 VAC at 50-60 Hz single phase, 220 VAC at 50 Hz single phase, or 208-230 VAC at 60 Hz single phase. A mid-rise that will run from a domestic 110 V circuit is genuinely unusual, and for a home garage it can be the difference between installing the lift this month and waiting on an electrician to pull a new circuit. Confirm which configuration your order ships with before you plan the wiring, because they are not interchangeable after the fact.

Confirm the rise before you order

Published figures for how far this lift rises differ, and both are given here with their source.

The difference changes what the lift is good for, so ask us to confirm the rise in writing before you order — and certainly before anyone cuts your floor. We will take the current figure straight from BendPak.

The kicker, and what it is compensating for

A scissor mechanism is weakest when it is flat: with the arms nearly parallel to the ground almost all the cylinder force acts sideways instead of upward. A pneumatic kicker boosts the platforms through the first 6 in. of travel and then hands over to the hydraulics. On a flush-mounted lift that matters more than on a surface one, because the stroke begins at floor level with the mechanism fully collapsed. It runs on shop air, so there is no additional hydraulic circuit to maintain.

Above that, four solid steel scissor frame support bars per platform carry the load, dual master cylinders work with dual equalising cylinders so the platforms stay level, and solid-steel lock bars engage automatically. Resting on the locks, the vehicle is held mechanically and a hydraulic leak cannot lower it. The releases are stainless-steel pneumatic cylinders operated from a push-button station away from the lift, so nobody reaches into the mechanism to free a stuck spring.

Perfect For

• Quick-lube stations installing over a work pit, which is the application BendPak names for this model.
• Shops servicing electric and long-wheelbase vehicles whose lift points sit outboard of a standard platform.
• Home garages wanting a zero-footprint bay that parks a car when the lift is down.
• Detailing and showroom spaces where equipment standing on the floor is not acceptable.

What's in the Box

The lift with both extended platforms and their four-bar scissor frames; solid-steel lock bars with stainless-steel pneumatic release cylinders and the remote push-button station; dual master and dual equalising hydraulic cylinders with the electric-hydraulic power unit; a set of rugged rubber lift blocks; and detailed installation instructions with safety decals and training placards. No approach ramps are supplied, since the lift is flush with the floor.

Specifications

Certification, stated honestly

No third-party safety listing is recorded for this model in our data, and we would rather say so than let the omission speak. There is a real difference between a manufacturer declaring its own product compliant with a standard and an independent body assessing it against one and issuing a certificate; insurers, fleet policies and some local authorities ask for the second by name. A feature list is not that document. If it applies to you, establish which scheme is required, then ask us in writing and we will pursue documentation for this model from the manufacturer.

Shipping and delivery

Freight only, to the lower 48 states. This item ships free, so there is nothing to add at checkout.

Delivery is kerbside. Sort the unload out before the truck is booked: forklift on site, or collect from the freight terminal. A residential address attracts a residential fee. Warehouse pickup can be arranged for this brand — call us to set it up. Check the crate before you sign and put any damage on the bill of lading immediately.

Warranty

The warranty document governing this lift is linked on this page — read the term and its exclusions there rather than trusting a summary. Whatever it says, do not take apart a component you intend to claim on. Photograph it as it sits and contact us first.