Magazine for the auto service professional
Issue link: http://asp.epubxp.com/i/392413
Courtesy of Mohawk 52 | September/October 2014 Tire grabbers: Instead of lifting the vehicle from its frame/belly, with the simple bolt-on addition of tire adapters, the vehicle can be lifted by its suspen- sion without contact to the undercarriage. This provides several advantages, including avoiding scratches on a restored vehicle's undercarriage, easier location of the arms, and it reduces arm obstructions, gaining easier access to undercar areas. Door guards: Accidentally banging a customer's door into a lift post is always embarrassing. The placement of a simple foam pad onto the posts safeguards against door dings. Laser spotters: When aligning a vehicle with a single technician, it's sometimes a challenge to properly center the vehicle left/right on the frst attempt. A laser spotting guide is an option offered by some makers (citing Rotary as an example) that projects a green laser line in the middle of the bay. The driver/technician drives between the posts, aligning the center of the hood or dash to the laser line. Another fairly new innovation is the battery-powered twin-post lift. While it's not the purpose of this article to tout specifc brands, Rotary Lift's Shockwave is an example, operating on DC power with a built-in charger, eliminating the need for 220V wiring. Advantages include use of the lift in the event of a power outage, and reportedly faster up/down speeds. LIFT MANUFACTURERS Bend Pak/Ranger 1645 Lemonwood Dr. Santa Paula, CA 93060 800-253-2363 www.bendpak.com Challenger Lifts 200 Cabel St. Louisville, KY 40206 (800) 648-5438 www.challengerlifts.com Maha USA LLC 2404 East Highway 134 Pinckard, AL 36371 (866) 624-2872 www.maha-usa.com Mohawk Resources Ltd. 65 Vrooman Ave. Amsterdam, NY 12010 (800) 833-2006 www.mohawklifts.com Rotary Lifts 2700 Lanier Dr. Madison, IN 47250 (800) 640-5438 www.rotarylift.com Stertil-Koni USA 200 Log Canoe Circle Stevensville, MD 21666 (800) 336-6637 www.stertil-koni.com American Lift Institute (ALI) PO Box 85 Cortland, NY 13045 (607) 756-7775 www.autolift.org ● The Tech Bench Speed ramps are easily added to a twin-post lift's arms. This can ease lift arm placement, often eliminating the need for a technician to get on his knees or back to place the lift pads.