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Keep the Bosch 1617. Choose the lift around it.

A model-first route through clamp blocks, Rockler collars and the table you already own.

Documentation-based planning guidance. No hands-on testing claimed.

Start with the motor label

A router kit name can describe several things: the removable motor, a fixed base, a plunge base and the package sold at a retailer. A lift usually holds the motor after the base is removed. Record that motor’s exact label before shopping. This guide covers the Bosch 1617 family named in the source lists; it does not turn every Bosch combination kit into the same fit identity.

In particular, do not substitute MR23EVS. JessEm’s FAQ describes a power arrangement that depends on the base and explicitly excludes that housing type. That is a functional incompatibility a tape measure cannot solve.

Three mounting approaches, different parts lists

Kreg PRS5000 lists Bosch 1617 in its clamp-position table. JessEm lists it for the Mast-R-Lift II. These are documented motor relationships using the lift’s configured clamp blocks. They do not prove that the lift plate will be supported by your table.

For Rockler Pro Lift 52429 and 55803, page 4 of each manual names Bosch 1617 with the separately sold 57022 adapter collar. Include that exact collar in a candidate parts list. A spare insert ring, generic shim or similarly sized sleeve is not interchangeable evidence. The INCRA imperial Mast-R-Lift II also names 1617EVS, but it is a separate lift variant with separate table-support notes.

Let the existing table narrow the decision

If you own an original Kreg PRS1045 or PRS2100, the Kreg lift has a clear manufacturer-supported route, assuming the table’s support hardware is present and intact. If you own a PROMAXRT 25574, Rockler’s small Pro Lift has a specific modification bulletin. That is a materially different project from swapping a plate.

Use the selector with the actual table model. An unknown result means the next useful action is a fit question to the manufacturer, not ordering the most familiar brand. Send the motor label, table model, opening measurements and a photograph of the underside support. Ask whether any adapter, modification or replacement hardware is needed.

Check the whole upgrade before paying

Read the proposed lift’s installation instructions while you still have time to change your choice. Check access to the motor controls, space beneath the table and the condition of the existing support parts. Keep the router disconnected during inspection or setup and follow both manufacturers’ instructions.

A lift may make adjustment more convenient, but this documentation review does not measure cut quality, runout, long-term drift or the condition of your own motor. A confirmed mechanical relationship is the beginning of installation planning, not a substitute for it.

Manufacturer sources