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there are manufacturers who do not offer
certified truck adapters, and using those
that are not may void the certification of
the lift.
Non-automotive applications.
Municipal shops, or those that service
landscaping equipment, are typically
responsible for servicing pick-up trucks
and passenger cars, in addition to turf
maintenance and other smaller equipment. Some lift manufacturers offer
two-post lifts with the ability to convert
to a turf maintenance equipment lift/golf
cart lift and back again. This option gives
the shop the flexibility to service cars and
trucks, as well as turf equipment.
Weight gauge. Lift safety is an important factor to keep in mind. Per ALI, technicians should always lower the vehicle
onto the lift's locking system before working underneath. Lift manufacturers offer
different methods of ensuring the vehicle
is resting on the locking system and not
relying on the lift's hydraulics to remain
raised. One manufacturer offers a green
light that illuminates the ceiling when the
vehicle is properly seated, while others
offer a weight gauge. When the weight
gauge reads 0 lbs, the lift is on the locks.
Foam guards. Every technician, tall
or short, has likely hit their head on the
bottom of a swing arm. The swing arm
head guard is an inexpensive option
which can be added to the lift in minutes
and provides an extra layer of protection
for technicians. Similarly, door guards
offer protection from damaging vehicle
body panels. Opening a vehicle door and
hitting the lift's carriage can cause dents
and scratches, necessitating customer
apologies. The addition of a Nerf-like
foam door guard reduces the customer
apologies or ensuing body-shop bills.

MOBILE COLUMN LIFT
CONSIDERATIONS
Mobile column lifts are generally used
for heavier vehicles. While some technicians may assume mobile columns strictly

engage a tire at each corner, that is not
always the case. Mobile column lifts offer
available options to help make shops
more productive, and allow for the ability to service a wider range of vehicles.
Long fork. Most heavy vehicles
have dual tires on the rear, and a good
practice is to lift the vehicle using both
rear tires, not just the outer tires. Several
lift manufacturers offer 22 " lifting forks
to accommodate this need. Some mobile
column lifts decrease in capacity by 1/3
when using longer lifting forks, however,
while others barely decrease
in capacity - so it is
important to research
this ahead of time.
Front-to-rear
adapter. Many mobile column manufacturers offer a frontto-rear lift adapter. This adapter allows
two mobile columns to do the work of
four while leaving all wheels hanging
free. Research shows a large discrepancy
in capacity reduction when using this
option, though. Per Autolift.org, some
manufacturers rate this option at 26,000
lbs, while others are shown only rated at
7,500 lbs.
Forklift adapter. Another common
option for mobile lifts is a forklift adapter. This adapter allows shops to service
forklifts. Again, some lifts are rated at a
high enough capacity to raise a 10-12 ton
capacity fork-truck, while others can only
service 3-ton forklifts.

DRIVE-ON LIFT CONSIDERATIONS
Four post, parallelogram, vertical rise -
basically any platform lift - is also known
as a drive-on lift.
Rolling jack. The most common
option for any drive-on lift is an adequate capacity, wheels-free rolling jack.
Without a rolling jack, a drive-on lift
basically becomes just an oil change
lift. Add a wheels-free jack and the lift
is optimized for tire, brake, and front
end alignment service. It is important to

Photo from Mohawk Lifts

Forklift adapters allow shops to
service forklifts using mobile column lifts.

ensure that when purchasing a truck lift,
the manufacturer offers a wheels-free
jack in capacities high enough to support
the rear end of a work truck, where 60 to
70 percent of the weight is typically held.
For example, do not buy a 30,000-lb lift
that only offers a 15,000-lb rolling jack,
as it would be inadequate to safely lift the
rear end.
Lift accessories. LED lighting is a
common option for illuminating the
undercarriage of a vehicle, and many lift
manufacturers offer drive-through ramps
(if the facility has a drive through bay).
Some even offer air lines routed to the
lift to operate pneumatic tools.
As you can see, various lifting accessories and options exist that can help
make any model lift more usable, more
versatile, or even a bit safer. Review these
possibilities with your lift's manufacturer
and keep more service and repair jobs
rolling through the door.
Steve Perlstein is president of
Mohawk Lifts. The company offers
environmentally safe aboveground lifts ranging from 6,000- to
240,000-lb capacities, along with
many lift accessories.

March 2021 I Vehicle Lift Guide I 11

http://www.Autolift.org

Lift_Guide_2021

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