Lift Installation

Scissor & Mid-Rise Lift Installation

Surface-mount and flush-mount scissors, scissor alignment lifts, and mid-rise and short-rise lifts for tire, express service, body, and alignment bays.

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A scissor lift raises the vehicle on platforms instead of arms or posts, so there are no columns in the bay. That's why tire shops, express service lanes, body shops, and alignment bays use them: open access all the way around the car.

Scissors come in a lot of shapes: full-rise surface-mount and flush-mount, alignment scissors with turnplates and jacking beams, mid-rise and short-rise lifts for wheel and brake work, and portable units you roll out of the way. The right one depends on your floor as much as your work. See all of our lift installation services.

Surface Mount or Flush Mount

This is the first decision, and it's really a concrete decision.

	Surface Mount	Flush Mount
Lowered height	About 4 1/2" off the floor	Level with the floor
Drive over it	No, vehicles use the ramps	Yes
Floor work	Anchors into an existing slab	Pit or recess in the slab
Add it later	Yes	Only by cutting and repouring

Flush-mount kits for the Challenger DX77 and SRM10 have to be set before the concrete is poured and can't be retrofitted into a finished slab. The Atlas FM9SL needs a pit at least 13 inches deep. If you're building or re-pouring, plan the flush install now. In an existing floor, we cut, excavate, and pour the recess as part of the job; see concrete work.

Full-Rise Scissor Lifts

Model	Capacity	Mount	Max Rise	Shop Air
Challenger DX77	7,700 lbs	Surface, flush, or extended ramps	74 1/2" surface, 70" flush	90 to 120 PSI
Atlas SLP9K	9,000 lbs	Surface	78"	87 to 145 PSI
Atlas FM9SL	9,000 lbs	Flush, 13" minimum pit	85"	87 to 116 PSI

The DX77 is a double scissor with two independent platforms and no crossmember between them, which leaves the center of the car open. It needs a dedicated 208-230V single-phase 30A circuit and a bay at least 12 feet wide and 28 feet deep with a 12-foot ceiling. The Atlas SLP9K and FM9SL run on 220V single-phase, with an optional 400V three-phase motor.

Scissor Alignment Lifts

Model	Capacity	Mount	Built In
Challenger SX14	14,000 lbs	Surface (standard or extended rise) or flush	ER and flush models: turn plates, locking alignment plates, two 7,000 lb rolling jacks
Atlas 12ASL	12,000 lbs	Pit or surface	6,000 lb rolling jacking beam
Atlas 12AWFSL	12,000 lbs	Pit or surface	8,800 lb wheel-free lift tables
Atlas PX16A	16,000 lbs	Flush pit only	Turntables and rear slip plates

An alignment scissor has the same demands as an alignment rack: the platform has to be level and the plates have to move freely, or the readings are off. Air requirements vary by model, from 58 to 87 PSI on the PX16A to 90 to 120 PSI on the 12ASL. Prefer a 4-post rack? See alignment rack installation.

Mid-Rise, Short-Rise, and Portable Lifts

For tire, brake, and wheel work you often don't need full rise, and a lower lift takes less room in the bay.

Model	Capacity	Rise	Power	Mounting
Challenger SRM10	10,000 lbs	22"	115V, 20A (220V version available)	Surface anchors, or a flush kit set before the pour
Atlas 7K-KWIK	7,000 lbs	41"	Air-operated, 85 to 120 PSI	Surface, on 4" of 3,000 PSI concrete
Challenger MR6	6,000 lbs	52 3/4"	115V, 20A	Portable, no anchors
Atlas PSP-6000	6,000 lbs	About 72"	110V, 20A	Portable single-post, no anchors

Portable doesn't mean any floor will do. Challenger requires the MR6 to run on a 4-inch, steel-reinforced, 3,500 PSI slab, level within 1/4 inch, and asphalt isn't acceptable. The SRM10 and MR6 use mechanical locks, so they don't need shop air. Atlas also offers the 6MR portable mid-rise and the 6PL low-rise open-center lift (6,000 lbs), and some portable units, like the Atlas LR-06P, need no installation at all.

What We Check Before a Scissor Install

Slab: most scissors call for at least 4 inches of concrete at 3,000 to 3,500 PSI, and Challenger adds reinforcement and a 28-day cure. Flush mounts also need the pit or recess planned.
Shop air: most full-rise and alignment scissors lock and release on compressed air. We check the pressure your system delivers at the bay.
Power: from a standard 115V circuit for the SRM10 and MR6 to dedicated 208-230V circuits for full-rise lifts, with three-phase options on some Atlas models.
Bay: length, width, and clearance on every side. Challenger calls for 12 feet of clearance on all four sides of the DX77 and recommends a 12 by 24 foot bay for the SRM10.

Common Questions

Can I add a flush-mount scissor to my existing floor later?

Not by just setting it in. The DX77 and SRM10 flush kits are designed to be set before the concrete is poured and can't be retrofitted into a finished slab. In an existing floor, a flush install means cutting and repouring that section, which we handle as part of the job.

Do scissor lifts need compressed air?

Most full-rise and alignment scissors do, for the locks: 90 to 120 PSI on the Challenger DX77 and between 58 and 145 PSI across the Atlas models, depending on the lift. The Challenger SRM10 and MR6 use mechanical locks and need no air.

Is a mid-rise lift enough for my shop?

For tire, brake, and wheel service it often is. The SRM10 rises 22 inches and the MR6 52 3/4 inches. If your techs need to stand under the vehicle for exhaust or drivetrain work, a full-rise scissor or a 2-post is the better fit.

What's the difference between a scissor lift and an inground lift?

A flush-mount scissor sits in a recess or pit sized for the scissor, 13 inches minimum on the Atlas FM9SL. A traditional inground lift houses its cylinders below the floor and takes deeper excavation. See inground lift installation.

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