Lift_Guide_2021 - 4

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

Lifting line-up

Choosing the right lift can help to speed service and maximize ROI.
by Sara Scullin, Editor

F

or any facility tasked with
maintaining and repairing
vehicles, it is essential to select
the proper lifting equipment for
maximum efficiency. This is true for
small, two-bay light duty repair shops
all the way up to large trucking and
heavy duty equipment facilities.
" When selecting a lift, a shop must
first consider the type of service being
provided, " says Peter Bowers, technical
sales support manager at Stertil-Koni.
" For example, if quick preventative
maintenance services are paramount and
turnaround time is vital, platform lifts are
ideal [because] they deliver speedy, easy
access to vehicles. "
He adds, if a shop is more likely
to book heavy repairs such as engine
and transmission removals, they might
benefit more from inground lifts with
wheels-free lifting and unrestricted
undercarriage access.
" The size and weight of the vehicles
being serviced must be carefully considered, " Bowers says. " A platform lift must
be of suitable length with adequate capacity. When opting for an inground lift, axle
loads and weight distribution front/rear
must be considered to ensure lifting
capacities are sufficient. That's why heavy
duty vehicle lifts with automatic synchronization systems to ensure smooth lifting
and lowering are vital.
" Finally, don't forget to measure overhead clearance, " Bowers adds. The lift
should be able to lift the tallest vehicle in
your fleet to full height without concern. "
The Automotive Lift Institute (ALI)
is an independent certification organization that provides safety and testing for
the automotive lift industry in the U.S.
and North America. On its website, ALI

4 I Vehicle Lift Guide I March 2021

reminds shop owners that no lift is onesize-fits-all, which is why most general
shops need to install more than one of
these seven lift types:
1.	 Two-post surface mounted lifts
2.	 Multi-post runway lifts
3.	 Drive-on parallelogram lifts
4.	 Scissor lifts
5.	 In-ground lifts
6.	 Wheel engaging mobile units
(mobile columns)
7.	 Low/mid-rise frame engaging lifts

TWO-POST SURFACE
MOUNTED LIFTS
Two-post surface mounted lifts are a
common sight in automotive repair shops.
The versatile option can handle nearly all
vehicle lifting applications and allows for
full access underneath light and medium
duty vehicles, which is a great help to
technicians preforming general maintenance work.
Two-post lifts are usually frameengaging and have swing arms which
travel up the two columns. Two-post
lifts are synchronized mechanically,
hydraulically, or electronically. A variety
of accessories and adapters allow for different functions, such as wheel-engaging
operation. ALI offers this safety tip for
two-post surface mounted lifts: " To provide support, always lower the lift onto
the load-holding devices. Some two-post
lifts are equipped with an overhead shutoff bar. "

MULTI-POST RUNWAY LIFTS
Multi-post runway lifts allow vehicles
to be driven onto two runways and lifted
by the tires, providing technicians with
full access to the underside of a vehicle. These lifts can also be configured

for wheels-free service, if needed. It's
another versatile option for many shops,
including those that maintain heavy duty
vehicles and fleets.
Multi-post runway lifts are commonly configured as four-post surface
mounted lifts, according to ALI.

DRIVE-ON PARALLELOGRAM LIFTS
This type of lift can be used to service
medium to heavy duty, off-highway
equipment. Some drive-on parallelogram
lifts can be configured to perform wheelsfree services.
According to ALI, " Traditional parallelogram lifting mechanisms move the
vehicle a short distance fore or aft when
lifting or lowering. Most parallelogram
lifts are drive-on lifts with two runways.
Some hybrid versions of this lift type
move straight up and down. "
Parallelogram lifts are powered by an
electro-hydraulic power unit. Synchronization of the two parallel runways is
usually accomplished by hydraulic or
electronic means. Sometimes a torsion bar
connected to opposing parallelogram legs
is employed to assist in synchronization.

SCISSOR LIFTS
Scissor lifts may be equipped as a driveon style with runways, or as a lift that is
frame- or body-engaging. " The scissor
lift has a lifting mechanism similar to a
traditional parallelogram lift, however,
it lifts and lowers a vehicle in a straight
vertical path, rather than fore or aft of its
original position, " ALI says. Scissor lifts
are often found in low-ceiling garages, as
they offer ample space to work.
Many scissor lifts permit full access
beneath vehicles, while others are primarily designed to assist in wheel
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