BendPak Inc. has started shipping OctaFlex, an eight-arm two-post lift the company calls the world's first, aimed at shops handling cab-off repairs, EV battery work and other heavy component jobs.
The OctaFlex 12DPS pairs a 12,000-lb vehicle capacity with an integrated 6,000-lb lift-assist system. Four primary arms hold the vehicle while four secondary arms can raise, lower or hold cabs, drivetrains, EV batteries and suspension assemblies. When not needed, the secondary arms stow up so the unit works as a standard two-post lift.
Controls and safety
The patent-pending lift uses a magnetic pendant controller with normal and slow speeds, and each arm set operates independently. An Automatic Swing Arm Restraint System (ASARS) provides 360-degree grip and, according to BendPak, 10 times the holding power of traditional restraints. The lift is ALI Certified as model EV12DPS. BendPak first showed the concept in 2024.
"As dealers and independent repair shops continue to struggle with an aging and shrinking technician workforce, they also face surging demand for labor-intensive tasks like cab-off repairs and EV service," says Jeff Kritzer, BendPak president and CEO. "OctaFlex eases the pressure by helping technicians handle complex jobs independently with greater efficiency and less physical strain, maximizing throughput and profit potential."
Time savings
BendPak says shops save two hours per cab-off on average. By its math, a shop doing 20 cabs a month at a $150 hourly labor rate would save $6,000 a month, or $72,000 a year. The company offers an ROI calculator on the OctaFlex page.
Dave's Auto Center in Centerville, Utah, which runs 25 bays, is an early user. "OctaFlex is a gamechanger if you're pulling cabs off trucks," says owner Dave Bell.
BendPak is based in Agoura Hills, Calif. Learn more at BendPak.
