2 post lift arm restraints not engaging

[steve88]

I recently installed a 2 post Bendpak Grand Prix lift, and the arm restraints don't always engage correctly. When they don't engage, I need to lower the car back down enough so that I can slightly push each arm (that didn't engage) in one direction, and then it locks.

Here's a video of someone explaining the same exact problem:

My question is: Do I actually need to make sure all 4 arm restraints are engaged correctly? If the arms did actually manage to move the slightest bit with the car in the air, then I would assume the gears would mesh immediately and the arm would then be in the locked position.

Also, I found this quote from autolift.org: "Do not rely on swing arm restraints to stop a vehicle from sliding off a lift. Their purpose is merely to maintain the position of unloaded swing arms." So if that's the case, then I guess I shouldn't worry about the arm restraints not engaging?

 

[BillK]

Interesting. The Challenger lift that I had at my last location did not have anything like that. You could move the arms wherever you wanted them even if you lifted them up all the way. Must be a newer "innovation"

 

[lakeroadster]

I always grab the lift arm and push/pull it before it engages the frame, just to be sure it is locked.

I'd be concerned if they didn't lock.

 

[bigdav160]

Interesting. The Challenger lift that I had at my last location did not have anything like that. You could move the arms wherever you wanted them even if you lifted them up all the way. Must be a newer "innovation"

Pretty sure it's an OHSA thing. My Rotary lift didn't have the restraints but they later offered a retrofit kit.

OP, it bother me a bit if they are not completely engaged when in the air. Like you said, they will engage if moved far enough.

 

[carnutdallas]

Seen it several times. The pins/shafts that the gears are on slide up and down as the car lifts up, but bind and do not allow engagement. The pins/shafts get stuck from the paint/powder coat and do not slide down well and engage. The arms may deflect every so slightly and bind the pins/shafts and prevent engagement.

Pull apart and sand down the holes in the arm as well a lubricate. I had to remove quite a bit of material, pretty much remove all the paint. That has been my experience.


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[pattenp]

The arm locks on my Challenger sometimes all engage and other times they don't. The main thing I make sure of is the lift pads are positioned correctly. I don't worry about the arm locks because making them lock most of the time puts the lift pad in a wrong place.