Car Lift: Gear For Gear Heads
Car Lift
Hello, and welcome! For anyone who has ever looked at a project
that required a jack and a creeper and felt a certain sense of dread,
this site may be of some help. A Car Lift is a tool that can make
most any maintenance or repair job not only faster, but safer and much
more enjoyable.
That's why we've created this special page within the site to provide a bit of information for those who are not as familiar with these tools. Read on to find out more....
We love our cars! Beyond basic transportation, the love affair with the internal combustion engine has never been stronger. No matter what the flavor, we will argue that our ride is good, better, best,... of all the rest. With all the interest in automobiles of every make, model, and age comes the need to protect and maintain them. Some basic tools and a place to store them is usually near the top of any gear heads wish list.
Along with the usual array of hand tools, the well equipped garage will often stock many of the "must have" items that speed up all those little projects. The lists are long, and as varied as the folks who make them. Of all these items there will often be a number of things that that are considered mainstays for those willing to tackle some of the bigger repair jobs.
Some of these tools are required for the type of jobs that few really relish. There is something about a jack, an axle stand, and a creeper that can make even the most dedicated resent the fact that if they are going to do this work themselves, it means laying under the vehicle.
For those who have a bit of room in their garage, there is an option that many of the more serious automotive enthusiasts are taking advantage of. It is the car lift, and it can make many of the jobs we do not only faster, but safer and more enjoyable at the same time. If you do repairs that require you to lift cars, you know what a pain in the @$$ it can be to have to climb under them. Not only is there usually very little room to work, it can wear you out just climbing back out from under it each time you need to grab another tool.
There are a number of different styles and manufacturers to choose from, and of course, price ranges. It is worth taking the time to explore these options, and to consider how you may intend to use it. Some are only interested in using a car hoist as a tool to lift cars for repairs, others will see it as a storage device as well as a tool for doing repairs.
The fact that there so many models to choose from can be a help in doing the research required to be certain you end up with the right product for the intended use. The key is to do your homework first, which is why we're here. No point in getting something that is too large for the shop, or worse yet, can't do the job because it its simply not large enough do the lift.
The garage is a good place to begin if you are not really familiar with this whole automotive lift concept. The building needs to be big enough to handle the lift. This will require not only sufficient length and width, but also height. Be sure to allow for the height of the vehicle when it is raised, keeping in mind that light fixtures, overhead doors, and heating components can interfere with the load when the car lift is in the upper position.
Once you have determined that the building is large enough to handle the dimensions of the lift and load, consider what the weight of the combined units will be. All that weight is going to be concentrated on a few relatively small points of the floor, and in the perhaps unlikely case of an unfinished earth floor, the feet of the lift will probably require some form of support. A concrete floor, while much better, should still be checked to make sure it can take this level of loading. If you are not certain of the thickness and amount of reinforcement, you may want to drill a few small (@3/8" diameter) holes to be sure the floor can take the weight. These holes allow you to probe around and determine the thickness of the slab, and they can be filled once you have done this.
With the information you have gathered to this point, you can now begin to look at which models will work best for your given situation. There are many configurations that might work well, or not, for what you want to do. Considering the cost and life expectancy of these units, it is well worth the time spent.
There is a lot of great technical data available from some of the manufactures of these car lifts. Take a moment to check out some of the suppliers and their online stores to speed up the process and save a lot of legwork.
While certainly not designed for large lifts, the one post on floor car lift does have a place in the line up for those who have small spaces and loads. These lifts are often used for garden tractors, golf carts, ATVs/UTVs, and motorcycles. While they are fine when used with loads they are designed for, their capacities and stability can be easily compromised when not used properly.
When it comes to selecting a car lift today, it seems the more popular sizes for the small car hobbyist are the 2 post lift, and if you have the room, the four post lift. These units each have their pros and cons. The 2 post lift is great for smaller spaces and those with moderate sized vehicles. The fact that it has only two posts means that the weight of the unit and the load are only distributed over the bases of the two posts, and this loads the floor in these areas only. This means that the floor would need to be constructed heavily enough to support this weight without failing. A six inch floor with reinforcing could be required, depending on the load.
For those who need to lift cars or trucks that are mid to full size, and if they have a bit more room, the 4 post lift may be the way to go. While the unit will require more room than the 2 post car hoist, they spread out the load over twice as many points, and therefore can often be installed on floors that are not as heavily constructed as those required for the smaller automotive lift mentioned earlier.
These units are also generally able to handle larger loads, but as always it is best to check with the manufacturer regarding the capabilities of any unit you may be considering. While they may be similar in appearance, not all lifts are created equal. It is of the utmost importance to be sure you are comparing apples to apples when shopping for any car lift.
There are of course also units designed for those doing large lifts. These are typically built with an eye to commercial standards, and can be found in many of the bigger RV and truck shops. While it would be great to have this kind of capacity, the average garage or back yard shop simply is not large enough to house them.
As with any object that you would trust your life to, the car lift is an item that requires a bit of attention to detail when operated. There are documented instances where the lift has failed and collapsed. This is of course less than desirable, particularly if you happen to be under it. Paying attention to how the lift is loaded and operating can make the difference between going home or to the hospital, or worse.
While it probably goes without saying for most experienced in the ways of things mechanical, safely using these lifts is something that should not be left to chance. While the law of averages may allow one to get away with a bit of carelessness in some areas, the law of gravity suggests that this should not be one of them.
Be sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations regarding the load limits of the unit you are working with. Though these lifts generally have a safety factor built into the design and construction of them, ignoring the load limits is one of the surest ways to invite an accident. Load placement should also be considered when setting up for the repair. Once the load has been lifted and the locking mechanisms are in place, the repair and / or maintenance project can be safely started.
The unit should also have periodic maintenance done as per the manufacturers recommendations. It can be easy to overlook this as a person goes about the day to day routine. Depending on the model, simply checking the integrity of the welds, cables, hydraulic hoses and locking mechanisms from time to time will catch most small problems. Dedicating a set amount of time to go over the unit thoroughly, as per manufacturer's recommendations, should be done on a regular basis. Use properly specified replacement parts and avoid unnecessary welding of the structure.
The car lift is a tool that just about anyone who works on or under vehicles will truly appreciate. They save time as well wear and tear on the body. It takes a bit of room and budget, but for those inclined to work on vehicles as a hobby or vocation, it is a great tool. They also offer some flexibility in storage options, and often can be used to double the effective floor space they cover. Considering all of the above it is easy to see why the automotive lift has become the must have dream tool for the equipped garage or shop.