The equalizer cable is what keeps the two carriages of a two-post lift at the same height, and when it goes bad the whole lift goes bad with it. If one column has crept ahead of the other, a cable is fraying at the drum, or you can hear a click and a lurch as the lift rises, you are looking at replacing the equalizer cable for 2 post lift service. This guide covers what the cable does, how to spot a failing one, the sizes across Rotary, Challenger, BendPak, and Forward, and a field-friendly replacement procedure so the lift comes back true.
What the equalizer cable does
A two-post lift has one hydraulic cylinder in the primary column that lifts one carriage directly. The other column is lifted mechanically, through a pair of steel cables that run from the primary carriage up over sheaves, across the top of the lift, and down to the secondary carriage. When the hydraulic side rises one inch, the cables force the mechanical side to rise the same one inch. That is why the part is called an equalizer — its job is to keep both sides even, always, under every load and at every height. When the equalizer cable for 2 post lift stretches, frays, or slips, the two sides fall out of sync and the vehicle tilts.
Failure signs
Four symptoms should send you to inspect the cables. First, the two carriages sit at visibly different heights when the lift is on the safeties — one high, one low. Second, the lift ratchets over the locks unevenly, engaging one side a click ahead of the other. Third, visible fraying, kinks, or broken strands anywhere along the cable length, especially where it wraps a sheave. Fourth, the cable tension nut at the anchor end has run all the way out of adjustment. Any one of these is a reason to replace the equalizer cable for 2 post lift as a pair — never one cable alone, because a new cable stretches and an old one does not.
Rotary N378 and cable sizes
The classic Rotary equalizer cable for 2 post lift for many SPO-family lifts is the N378 assembly and its serial-range variants (N378-1 style with terminated ends and specified overall length). Rotary sells equalizer cables as a pair, cut to length, with the correct swaged ends and threaded studs. Verify by lift model and serial number before ordering — cable length changes with column height, so an SPO7-based lift and an SPO12 use different cables even though the geometry looks similar. Rotary cable assemblies are stocked in our Rotary aftermarket parts hub.
Challenger 2-post cables
Challenger two-post lifts (CL10, CL12, CL15, CL16, CL18) use Challenger-specific cable assemblies with their own overall lengths and end fittings. Function is identical to Rotary — a pair of cables terminated with studs and swaged ends — but the parts are not cross-compatible; the drum diameters and column heights differ. Challenger sells them as matched pairs. Cables are in our Challenger aftermarket parts hub.
BendPak, Forward, and older lifts
BendPak two-post lifts (XPR-10, XPR-12, XPR-15) use a Bendpak-branded equalizer cable pair; sizes vary by model and serial range. Forward two-post cables share design ancestry with certain Rotary parts due to shared manufacturing history, but are Forward-branded and should be ordered by Forward model number. Older Ammco, Weaver, and Wheeltronic two-posts had their own cables — some are still made, some are only available as a custom-cut spec. Non-mainline cables live in our other-brand lift parts hub, and our parts lookup filters by lift model.
Lifespan and inspection interval
A properly installed equalizer cable for 2 post lift lasts eight to twelve years in a professional shop and can last twenty in a low-cycle home garage. What kills it early is chronic underlubrication of the sheaves, misaligned sheaves that wear the cable on one flange, and overloading beyond rated capacity. ALI recommends a monthly visual inspection of the cables and a full documented inspection annually. Any broken strand, any noticeable rust, or any cable that has been overtensioned into permanent stretch is grounds for replacement. Details on inspection technique are in our car lift cables guide.
Replacement procedure
Replacing the equalizer cable for 2 post lift takes a mechanic four to six hours. Lower the lift to the floor. Support the secondary carriage with the safety locks engaged. Loosen the tension nuts at each end and mark the current adjustment position. Slack the cables off the sheaves, note the routing (photos help), and free the terminated ends. Feed the new cables the same way, seat them fully in the sheave grooves, thread the tension nuts on both ends by hand, and preload each nut a couple of turns. Cycle the lift a few times, watch for even carriage height at every position, and iterate the tension until both sides sit on the locks at the same click. Grease every sheave while you have access, and replace any sheave with wire-scored grooves or a rough bearing before you close it up.
Do the sheaves, then test and adjust
A cable is only as clean as the sheaves it wraps. If the sheaves show wire-tracked grooves, cracked flanges, or growly bearings, replace them at the same visit — sheaves are inexpensive compared to another cable job, and new cable on old sheaves is the number-one way to shorten cable life. Our 2-post lift parts guide lists the sheave part numbers alongside the cables for common Rotary, Challenger, and BendPak lifts. After replacement, exercise the lift empty two or three full cycles to seat the cables. Recheck the carriage heights on the locks and re-tension — new cables settle over the first couple weeks. Then load-test with a familiar vehicle at typical lift height, listen for even lock clicks, and verify both carriages arrive at each safety notch together.
Ready to order the correct equalizer cable for 2 post lift and matching sheaves for your machine? Call Auto Lift Services at 800-674-9302. Tell us the brand, model, and serial number, and we will confirm the exact cable pair, sheave part numbers, and any hardware you will need before anything ships, so the lift is running true the day the box arrives.
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