Magazine for the auto service professional
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Courtesy of Rotary 50 | September/October 2014 the lift. A routine foor cleaning will help prevent lift contamination and will reduce the chances of a technician tripping or slipping on a cluttered or slippery foor. Keeping the foor clean will also help to spot various potential vehicle fuid leaks. – If a lift is installed outdoors (not the best choice but sometimes a necessary location for some shop owners), it should be protected from rain/snow by a rigid shelter to minimize corrosion and contami- nation of airborne contaminants. Any lift installed outdoors will require more fre- quent inspection and maintenance. – Never rely on hydraulic pressure alone to secure a raised vehicle. Once raised to working height, the lift should be lowered onto its locking blocks so that the vehicle is mechanically sup- ported by the lift blocks, and not rely- ing on the hydraulic system. – When washing the shop foor, remem- ber to raise the lift arms up and away to prevent excessive water contamination. This will reduce the chances of rust on the arms, arm pad extensions, etc. This is especially important in areas where winter road salt contamination is present. – As mentioned earlier, pay attention to weight limits. Especially when dealing with rear-heavy utility trucks such as a plumber's truck, it's easy to overload the rear swing arms of your lift if you only consider the overall vehicle weight. This is a very common problem that many shops face. Improper distribution of weight can overload even the best lifts if the lift isn't rated for the type of weight distribution that some utility trucks feature. When purchasing a lift, consider moving to a heavier-rated (higher capacity) lift to deal with these vehicles. – When working under a vehicle, the use of a light is a routine requirement. To avoid tripping over an extension cord, the use of a cordless (rechargeable) light may be the best choice, or the use of an overhead- mounted extension cord that doesn't lie on the shop foor. Shop foor requirements Reinforced concrete foors must be able to safely accommodate the weight of the lift in addition to the loaded weight. Before purchasing any lift, check with the manu- facturer for their recommendation regarding foor thickness. In general, a concrete foor must feature a thickness of at least 4.250 inches to as much as 8 inches, depending on the specifc lift and its intended use. If the shop was purchased from a previous owner and you're unsure of foor thickness, drill a few test holes in order to determine thickness. Don't rely on only one test hole, as a poorly prepared base may feature irregu- lar high/low areas, resulting in a variation of concrete thickness. A local excavator may be able to determine thickness using a sonar gauge. If the intended location of the lift is not adequate in terms of foor thickness, you'll have no choice but to have the area cut out, dug deeper, reinforced (screen/rebar) and re-poured to obtain the required thickness. Time-saving and safety add-ons to consider Speedlane ramps: Double-ended ramps can be easily added to twin-post lift arms. This creates a drive-on situation, eliminat- ing the need for laying down on the foor to position the lift pads, allowing the vehicle to be raised under suspension load. They can also be positioned for frame contact by adding rubber stanchions. This option can save time and increase worker safety by reducing knee and back strain. Head guards: Offered by most lift makers, The Tech Bench DC battery powered lifts are an option as opposed to wiring for 220V. One distinct advantage is that the lift remains opera- tional in the event of a power outage.