This page is for anyone running a Challenger lift and needing replacement parts. Challenger has been building vehicle lifts in Louisville, Kentucky for decades, and their CL-series 2-post lifts, 4-post lifts, and inground lifts are still in shops all over the country. Parts are still available for even the older lifts – the trick is matching the correct part to your specific model and serial number. That is what this page is going to walk you through.
Or call 800-674-9302 with your model + serial and we will pull the right part for you.
How to identify your Challenger lift
Challenger data plates are riveted to a column and show the model, serial, capacity, and often the year of manufacture. On CL-series 2-post lifts the plate is on the drive-side (motor-side) column, typically front-face, about waist-high. On CL 4-post lifts it is on one of the front outer columns. Snap a phone picture of that plate before you call – having the exact model and serial cuts the parts conversation in half.
Common Challenger models we source challenger lift parts for: CL10 (10,000 lb 2-post), CL10V (10,000 lb 2-post versymmetric), CL12 (12,000 lb 2-post), CL15V (15,000 lb 2-post), CL16 (16,000 lb 2-post), CL18 and CL20 heavy-duty 2-posts, the LE series 4-posts (LE10, LE12), the CL 4-post families for storage and service, E-series inground lifts, and older Ammco lifts (Challenger absorbed Ammco years ago, and many Ammco parts crossreference to current Challenger numbers).
The Challenger lift parts we sell most
Equalizer cables and lifting cables
Cables are the number-one wear item on any surface-mount lift. Challenger uses its own part numbering separate from Rotary or Forward, and you want to match the cable set exactly to your lift’s model + configuration + column height. Standard-height CL10 uses one set, extended-height columns use a longer cable set. Always order cables as a matched pair, never one at a time.
Hydraulic cylinders
Challenger cylinder complaints show up the same way as any other brand: lift dropping under load, leaking down overnight, or dripping fluid onto the shop floor. In many cases a seal kit is enough. In others the cylinder body itself needs replacing. We stock and source both, and can help you diagnose which repair the symptom points to before you spend money.
Arms and pad adapters
Challenger CL-series arms have a specific pin and restraint system. Wear in the pins creates arm droop under load, which is a serviceable condition – do not just tighten a loose arm and hope it holds. We source arm restraint kits, arm pins, pad adapters (screw-up pads, flip-up truck pads, low-profile car pads), and complete arm assemblies when the arm body itself is bent or cracked.
Lock ladders and safety systems
Challenger lifts use a mechanical lock ladder to catch the carriage at each stop height. If your locks are not catching cleanly, that is a safety-critical situation – lock parts must be replaced immediately, and not run in the interim. We source Challenger lock ladders and lock cable / release cable assemblies.
Power units, motors, and electrical
Challenger power units run single-phase or three-phase depending on the shop. We source complete replacement power units, motor contactors, up-buttons, thermal overload protectors, and pressure hoses between the power unit and the cylinders.
Genuine Challenger versus OEM-equivalent challenger lift parts
For safety-critical parts on any lift – cables, cylinders, lock components – we recommend genuine or OEM-equivalent. The engineering tolerances on these are exact. A cable that is a fraction of an inch off the correct length will not equalize the lift properly, wearing the sheaves and eventually failing prematurely. A cylinder with wrong bore diameter cannot achieve rated capacity. Save the money-saving choices for consumables (fluid, decals, generic hardware) and stick with genuine or true OEM-equivalent on the load-bearing side.
One helpful fact: Challenger and BendPak-family lifts are separate companies, so Challenger parts do not cross to BendPak or vice versa. Challenger and Ammco DO cross in many cases because Ammco was absorbed. Rotary and Forward parts are a different family entirely. When we look up a challenger lift parts number for you, we make sure we are in the right catalog family before quoting.
How Challenger parts availability compares
Challenger keeps decent parts backup on lifts sold in the last twenty years. Older lifts – CL9 from the 1990s, early 4-posts, some of the specialty inground models – sometimes take longer to source because the factory has to run a small batch. If your part is one of those, we tell you the lead time before you commit. What we will not do is take your money for a same-week promise and then delay the invoice – the number we quote is the number that ships when we said it would.
Turnaround on challenger lift parts
In-stock items – common cables, popular cylinder sizes, standard pad adapters, motor contactors – ship same-day when the order clears by early afternoon Central time. Non-stock items ship in 3 to 7 business days from our distributor or the Challenger factory. Anything backordered we flag before checkout, not after.
Install help along with the parts
Some parts are a simple swap for any shop technician (pads, hoses, cables in a familiar shop). Others are a job where a mistake gets someone hurt. Our install crews work on lifts every day – we can quote a service visit with the parts order and handle the whole thing turnkey if the wrench work is more than your team wants to take on. This is especially useful for cylinder swaps, lock ladder replacements, and any repair that requires taking a column apart.
What to do if you are not sure
Call 800-674-9302 with your Challenger model, serial number, and a description of what the lift is doing. If you can, send a photo of the failed part or the symptom – oil leak location, cable fray photo, lock engagement issue – it closes the diagnosis fast. We do not push parts you do not need. If a $60 seal kit will fix the leak, we will tell you that before quoting a $700 cylinder.
Ready to order challenger lift parts? Search our store or call with the plate data and we will confirm the exact fit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Challenger lift model and serial?
Look at the data plate riveted to one of the columns. On a Challenger 2 post lift it is typically on the drive-side column, front face, about waist-high. On a 4 post lift it is on one of the front outer columns.
Do Challenger lift parts cross to Ammco?
In many cases yes. Challenger absorbed Ammco years ago and many Ammco parts have direct Challenger replacements. Bring the plate data from either lift and we can look up the current number.
What Challenger models do you source parts for?
The full current lineup – CL10, CL10V, CL12, CL15V, CL16, CL18, CL20, LE-series 4 posts, E-series inground – plus older Ammco and legacy Challenger lifts.
Do Challenger parts cross-reference to Rotary?
No. Rotary and Challenger are separate manufacturers with different parts systems. Rotary and Forward parts do cross (they are sister brands under VSG).
How long do Challenger cables last?
Equalizer cables on a Challenger 2 post lift typically last 8 to 12 years on a busy shop lift, longer on a home garage lift used only a few times a week. Any visible strand break means take-out-of-service per ALI guidance.
Our Clients Include: