Body Cart

Full body carts

Seven models here carry a complete body or frame: the Tuxedo BCS-3000 and BCA-3000, and the Auto Twirler Classic (AT-BCC-A), Mustang Cart (AT-MC), Body Cart Plus (AT-BCP-ASSY), Body Cart Elite (AT-BCE-ASSY) and Body Cart Pro (AT-BC-PRO-ASSY). All seven are rated at 3,000 lbs. What separates them is adjustability, mounting hardware and how far they stretch. Three further Auto Twirler line items, the Mopar Cart boxes, are also body carts and are covered in their own section below.

Component dollies

Three items hold one part rather than a whole body. The Lift King LK4055 Light Duty Box Dolly holds pickup boxes of all sizes, including 8 ft. dually boxes. The Lift King LK4035 Heavy Duty Semi Hood Dolly lets one technician move a semi hood, using two swiveling, adjustable front arms and a telescopic rear stabilizer bar. The Auto Twirler AT-AXLE-DOLLY carries an axle at working height and is rated 400 lbs.

Paint and repair stands

Eight Innovative Tools stands hold panels off the vehicle: the I-DFS Door Fender Single and I-DFD Door-Fender Double, the URPS UltraRack Panel Paint Stand, the OPR Octopus Small Parts Paint Stand, the SS-II SuperStand and SS-6 SuperStand 6 bumper cover racks, the I-XS X-Stand mobile scissor stand and the I-DJ Door Jack & Bumper Handler. Four of them - the Door-Fender Single, the Door-Fender Double, the Octopus and the UltraRack - are built around mounting a panel in the same position it sits on the car, so color and texture match and no edge is missed. The two SuperStands work differently: they hold a plastic bumper cover without touching the painted surface and rotate it 90 degrees. The X-Stand is a padded scissor stand for repair, paint, storage and glass, and the Door Jack is there so one technician can handle a big door or bumper alone.

Parts carts and storage

The Innovative SSPC-A Parts Cart-A is the dedicated body shop parts cart in this category. It is a two-shelf mobile storage rack with an open-end design for loading straight off the delivery truck, and it ships with two adjustable shelves, two adjustable support arms, two bungee cords and six metal hooks.

Mopar Cart boxes

Three Auto Twirler line items - AT-MPC-BOX1, BOX2 and BOX3 - are Mopar body carts that bolt directly onto a Mopar body at the K-frame location and the front shackle bracket mount, with the front two wheels tied together by a tube for lateral support so the cart can be ratcheted down to a trailer. Each of the three listings names the other two as options sold separately, and none of them states whether a single box is a complete cart on its own. Confirm which boxes your project needs before ordering, and Confirm which boxes your project needs before ordering.

Posts, casters and add-ons

Eight line items are accessories: the Auto Twirler bolt-down (AT-BCP-BD), straddle pad (AT-BCP-SP), leaf spring (AT-BCP-LS) and perch (AT-BC-PRO-W03) post pairs, the AT-BCC-WHEEL 8 in. and AT-BCC-WHEEL-10 10 in. caster sets, the AT-BC-PRO-CONNECT connector kit, and the Innovative I-XS-SA X-Stand Support Arms Option. One further item, the Dent Fix DF-SPRFD Flow Form Die Set (F1 + F2), is a die set for the DF-SPR67 self-piercing riveter, sold separately; it carries a California Prop 65 warning.

Capacity, height and reach: the real numbers

The seven Auto Twirler and Tuxedo body carts are each rated 3,000 lbs, so among the carts capacity is not the deciding spec - geometry is. On the stands it is the opposite: the published limits run from 25 lbs on the SS-II SuperStand and 35 lbs on the SS-6, through 75 lbs on the UltraRack and the Door-Fender Double, 85 lbs on the Door-Fender Single and 125 lbs on the X-Stand, to 200 lbs on the Door Jack; the SSPC-A parts cart is rated 125 lbs per shelf. The two SuperStands are bumper cover racks for plastic covers. The Octopus listing and the X-Stand Support Arms Option do not publish a limit. Check the panel weight against the stand before you buy.

Height. Three carts are fixed in height: the Auto Twirler Classic at 22 in., the Tuxedo BCS-3000 at 22 in. and the Mustang Cart at 24 in. per its specification table. (The Mustang Cart's description paragraph says the rocker sits 23 in. high; the specification table lists 24 in., and the table is the figure to work from.) The adjustable carts cover 25 in. to 41 in. in total: the Pro adjusts 25 in. to 33 in., the Elite and the Tuxedo BCA-3000 both adjust 28 in. to 38 in., and the Plus adjusts 27 in. to 41 in.

Length. This is where the carts separate hardest. The Classic adjusts 40 in. to 65 in. and the BCS-3000 adjusts 38 in. to 65 in. in both width and length, which suits a compact shell or frame section. The Plus extends from 14 in. up to 132 in., and the BCA-3000 goes up to 132 in. The Elite extends out to 12 ft. The Pro is the exception: its length is set by a center tube that is 3 in. square and 3/16 in. thick, and that tube is not included, because the required length varies by car and it is expensive to ship. Budget for it.

Width. Up to 50 in. on the Plus, up to 60 in. on the Elite and the BCA-3000, up to 63 in. on the Pro, and 38 in. to 65 in. on the BCS-3000.

Casters decide how the cart actually moves

The wheel package is the most underrated spec on a body cart, and this category has four distinct ones.

• Six 5 in. phenolic casters, 500 lbs each (Body Cart Plus, with 2 caster locks). Six wheels spread the load, which is how the Plus reaches its 3,000 lb rating.
• Four 8 in. polyurethane over cast iron casters, 1,250 lbs each (Classic, Mustang Cart, Elite, Pro). The Elite and Classic listings specify an 8 in. x 2 in. wheel. Two caster locks are included on the Mustang Cart, Elite and Pro; the Classic listing does not state caster locks, and the 8 in. wheel set sold for it separately (AT-BCC-WHEEL) is the listing that includes two. The Elite listing is explicit about why the larger wheel matters: it rolls over floor cracks and up onto a trailer.
• Four 10 in. solid rubber casters, two swivel and two rigid, offered as the AT-BCC-WHEEL-10 substitution on the Classic. Read this one carefully: those casters are rated 500 lbs each, which de-rates the Classic from 3,000 lbs to 2,000 lbs assuming even weight distribution, and they have no brakes.
• Four 8 in. x 2 in. heavy duty poly casters, 2 lockable on the Tuxedo BCS-3000 and BCA-3000.

The dollies follow the same logic. The LK4055 box dolly uses 8 in. rubber brake casters specifically so a loaded pickup box rolls in and out of the booth, and the LK4035 semi hood dolly uses large front casters to get a hood over paint booth grates. The axle dolly, carrying far less, runs 3.5 in. casters. The Innovative stands all run four industrial-grade total-lock casters with zero movement when locked. The Door-Fender Single, the Door-Fender Double and the SuperStand 6 specify a 4 in. wheel; the other listings do not state a diameter. The UltraRack listing adds that its locks stop the stem from swiveling side to side as well as stopping the roll.

How the body attaches

Mounting hardware is the second decision. The Auto Twirler Plus uses posts with an angle bracket on top carrying two slots on the top and two on the side, so the body bolts down securely for rolling. The Pro takes a different approach: eight independently adjustable mounting posts, each with a 2 in. x 4 in. pad and a single bolt hole. Six posts have roughly 10 in. of adjustment and two have roughly 19 in., which the listing explains was done to reach the higher rear body mounts on Corvettes. Eight mounting points also means you can remove one to repair a mounting point or frame rail and still have seven intact.

The Classic's mounting pads are designed to hold a frame or frame rails. The Mustang Cart is model-specific: its front posts sit in the lower A-arm socket and its rear posts line up with the front leaf spring perch so you can bolt sideways through the frame rail, for Mustang and Cougar unibodies. Because it fits those unibodies only, width is not a variable you shop by - the listing says the front is adjustable in width but publishes no figure. The AT-MPC-BOX1, BOX2 and BOX3 are the sections of the Auto Twirler Mopar cart, sold separately. The listings describe the assembled Mopar cart, not each box: it bolts directly onto a Mopar body at the K-frame location and the front shackle bracket mount, and its front two wheels are tied together with a piece of tubing for lateral support so the cart can be ratcheted down to a trailer. Check which boxes you need before ordering.

Adapters are sold as pairs and are listed as fitting the Elite, Pro and Plus: bolt-down, straddle pad, leaf spring and perch posts, each pair weighing 11 to 13 lbs. Note the Classic is not named in that compatibility list. Among the complete carts, the Tuxedo BCA-3000 is the only one whose description lists all three adapter styles - straddle pad, bolt-down and leaf spring sets - as included; the BCS-3000 includes four fixed-height straddle pads, and on the Auto Twirler Plus and Pro the straddle pad and leaf spring posts are optional at additional cost.

What your shop needs to run this equipment

Nothing in this category is powered. Across all 31 listings there is no electrical, compressed-air or hydraulic requirement stated, so there is no voltage, phase or CFM to plan for. What you do need to plan is floor space, ceiling clearance and storage.

Ceiling clearance is only a factor for the tall paint stands. The tallest item listed is the OPR Octopus at 70 in. high; the URPS UltraRack is 54 in., the SS-II and SS-6 bumper racks are 53 in., and the door-fender stands are 40 in. The smallest footprint is the Octopus at 24 in. x 24 in.; the Door Fender Single is 32 in. x 22 in., the X-Stand 30 in. x 28 in., the Door Jack 30 in. x 24 in., the UltraRack and Door-Fender Double 32 in. x 32 in., and the two SuperStands 44 in. x 30 in. The SSPC-A parts cart is the widest at 41 in. to 51 in. wide by 31 in. deep.

The Auto Twirler listings each publish a storage size, which is what you need for planning a spot in the shop: 15 in. x 15 in. x 25 in. for the Classic, 12 in. x 48 in. x 22 in. for the Mustang Cart, 18 in. x 48 in. x 27 in. for the Plus, 15 in. x 60 in. x 20 in. for the Elite and 12 in. x 63 in. x 24 in. for the Pro. The listings do not describe how far each cart disassembles, so ask if you plan to store it knocked down. The LK4055 box dolly is the one listing that spells this out: it breaks down in under a minute by loosening four star knobs and removing the two center bars, and can then hang on a wall mount or a Lift King Accessory Rack.

For planning how many stands a booth needs, Innovative Tools publishes its own recommendations in the listings: two Door-Fender Single stands per booth, two or three UltraRacks per booth, two or three SuperStands per booth, one X-Stand per technician, three to four parts carts per technician, and one Door Jack for most shops.

Finish, freight and compliance

Eleven of the sixteen Auto Twirler listings state that the item ships bare steel, with powder coating in red or blue available at additional cost - the Plus, Elite, Pro, Classic, Mustang Cart, the connector kit, the four post pairs and Mopar Cart Box 1. The listings that publish a finish row give three options: bare steel, powdercoat red and powdercoat blue. Plan on painting or coating the cart yourself if you buy one of those and want it finished. The Mopar Cart Box 2 and Box 3 listings do not state a finish, neither do the two caster sets, and the axle dolly is listed as Axle Dolly (Red). Confirm the finish for those items before you order. Both Tuxedo carts list a durable powder coat finish, and eight of the ten Innovative items list a durable powder-coat finish: the I-DFS, I-DFD, OPR, I-XS, I-DJ, SSPC-A, I-XS-SA and SS-6. The URPS UltraRack listing does not state a finish, and the SS-II describes a heavy duty finish without naming powder coat. The Auto Twirler Plus, Elite, Pro and Mustang Cart are all listed as manufactured in Utah.

On shipping, both Tuxedo body carts list freight at $200 per unit to any address in the contiguous 48 states, with Alaska, Hawaii and remote or limited-access locations excluded and possibly subject to an additional charge; for more than two units the listings ask you to contact us for a freight quote. Twelve items in this category are flagged for free shipping: the ten Innovative Tools stands and carts, plus the two Lift King dollies. Tuxedo also notes that it collects sales tax on all orders shipped to California.

On certification: none of the 31 listings declares ALI, ETL, ASME or OSHA certification, which is consistent with the fact that none of this equipment is a powered lift. The only regulatory notice in the category is the California Prop 65 warning on the Dent Fix DF-SPRFD die set. If your shop's compliance program requires third-party certification documentation for a specific item, ask before ordering.

Comparison of the main models

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a body cart and a body dolly?

In this category, a body cart carries the whole shell or frame and is rated 3,000 lbs, while a dolly carries one component. The Lift King LK4055 handles pickup boxes, the LK4035 handles semi hoods, and the AT-AXLE-DOLLY handles an axle at 400 lbs. If you need to move a complete body from the blaster to the booth, you want a body cart, not a dolly.

Should I buy a fixed-height cart or an adjustable one?

A fixed-height cart is cheaper and simpler, and the Classic and the Tuxedo BCS-3000 at 22 in. and the Mustang Cart at 24 in. work when the mounting points on your bodies are consistent. Note that of the two Tuxedo carts only the BCA-3000 adjusts in height; the BCS-3000 adjusts length and width only. Adjustable carts earn their cost when you handle different vehicles: the Plus covers 27 in. to 41 in., the Elite and BCA-3000 cover 28 in. to 38 in., and the Pro covers 25 in. to 33 in. with eight independently adjustable posts.

Do these carts arrive painted?

Eleven of the sixteen Auto Twirler listings state that the item ships bare steel, with powder coating in red or blue available at additional cost - the Plus, Elite, Pro, Classic, Mustang Cart, the connector kit, the four post pairs and Mopar Cart Box 1. The Mopar Cart Box 2 and Box 3 listings do not state a finish, and the axle dolly is listed as red, so confirm the finish for those items before you order. Both Tuxedo carts list a durable powder coat finish, and eight of the ten Innovative items list a durable powder-coat finish; the URPS UltraRack does not state a finish and the SS-II describes a heavy duty finish without naming powder coat.

Can I put a loaded body cart on a trailer?

The Elite listing describes rolling up onto a trailer as one of its design goals, which is what the 8 in. wheels are for. The Mopar cart listings describe front wheels tied together with a piece of tubing to add lateral support so the cart can be ratcheted down during transport. If trailering is part of your workflow, favor the larger wheel packages and note that the optional 10 in. solid rubber casters on the Classic have no brakes.

Do the posts and casters swap between models?

Partly. The bolt-down, straddle pad, leaf spring and perch post pairs are listed for the Elite, Pro and Plus. The AT-BCC-WHEEL 8 in. and AT-BCC-WHEEL-10 10 in. caster sets are listed as accessories for the Classic Body Cart specifically. The AT-BC-PRO-CONNECT kit is the connecting arms and brackets that attach to the AT-BC-PRO-ASSY so it can mount to Auto Twirler rotisseries, and the Pro listing notes it is not included.

What does the Body Cart Pro not include?

The 3 in. square, 3/16 in. thick center tube is not supplied, because its length depends on the car and it is costly to ship. The listing also suggests making that tube 30 in. longer than your body so it can double as a subframe system. The AT-BC-PRO-CONNECT connector kit is likewise not included.