What motors are you using for your lift?

[MrForbes]

Our tote lifter is powered by a CIM, through a toughbox, and chain sprocket reduction, which powers a cam, that lifts the arm. Kind of complicated sounding, but it works.

Our container lifter also uses a CIM and toughbox, and even more chain sprocket speed reduction, and it's also counterbalanced with a gas spring, and Latex tubing.

Springs of some sort can really help reduce the load on the motor, if you can figure out a way to use them. Our container lifter is balanced so that it needs to be driven down with a little bit of force when not holding a container, and driven up with about the same amount of force when it is holding a container. This cuts the load on the motor by quite a bit.