Any Problem with Leaving Car on Hoist?

[Winmon]

Does anyone know if it is alright or not to leave a car on a hoist (Rotary
SPO10) for a extended peroid of time, like a week? I looked in the manual and did not see it mentioned unless I missed it. The car is only lifted less then a foot off the ground right now and it would be nice to be able to leave it till I can get back to my project. Thanks!

 

[trovato]

I can't give you an authoritative answer, but if a lift can't hold a car for an extended period of time, I'm not getting under it.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Have you thought about just using a couple of cheap jack stands? They never leak down.

 

[Ed and Sandra]

We don't know about your particular unit, but we have a BendPak PL-7 designed for parking use and leave our XLR on it in a fully raised position for weeks at a time with no problem whatsoever. Even though it's made for parking, we can't see anything unique about its construction that would have anything to do with how long a vehicle could remain in a lifted position.

We guess on some lifts it might be possible for the hydraulic pressure to bleed down over an extended period of time and that might be a problem if the lift is not above at least the first mechanical safety latch. However, with a name brand unit we would think such a problem would be unlikely.

We'll be interested to see what others have to say on the subject.

Best regards,
Ed and Sandra

 

[tonyvlx]

Should be no problem just as long as its resting on a lock and not on the hydrolics alone.

 

[Steve_S]

The lift in question is not a parking lift, but a two-post working lift. The lift itself will be perfectly fine so long as it is resting on a safety catch and not simply on the hydraulic pressure. However there are conflicting opinions on whether or not it's a good idea to let the suspension of the vehicle hang down for long periods of time. On a modern vehicle I would suspect it's ok but I can't be sure. On an older vehicle I would not do it. Especially with leaf springs.

 

[bmwpower]

I have the same lift (SP010) and have left my F250 on it for a couple weeks, without the engine. My truck has leaf springs. If it did anything detrimental to it I sure can't tell.

 

[mikeyr]

its not a good idea to unload the suspension for any length of time...but we are talking months to many months before it does anything bad. Most likely near a year...

 

[toms73novass]

its not a good idea to unload the suspension for any length of time...but we are talking months to many months before it does anything bad. Most likely near a year...

And what would these bad things be?

 

[KingPerformance]

Not good for vehicles with active air suspension unless you turn the air suspension off. Keep the lift on the locks, and everything will be just fine.

 

[Winmon]

Thanks guys! I did raise it up a bit more to get it to catch on a lock. I just wanted to be sure...........

 

[bmwpower]

And what would these bad things be?

I'm guessing the bad things might be, but I'm just guessing:

- CV joint issues if the joint is extended beyond it's capable limits for too long.
- torn CV joint boots.
- shock/strut seals may be compromised.
- bushings may be compromised if stretched for too long.

etc.

 

[mikeceli]

When I was in the trade, we left cars on two post lifts, ON THE SAFTIES, for days at a time. Never a problem.

 

[Notch1988]

Reminds me of when I worked at a Honda dealership. We had a used car on the two post and left it up over night and brought a courtesy car in and parked under it. The safety was off and when we came in the next morning the courtesy car was a lowrider.

 

[z28toz06]

I would be more worried about the frame of the car. It wasn't designed to have the weighting behind the suspension where the lift contacts the frame.

I have a corvette and I am wrestling with this myself as I would like leave my car up out of the way in the winter. I'm sure I would use the lift from time to time but I would leave it up there possibly all winter as a worst case scenario.

That said my friend has a 2 post and he leaves either his 69 chevelle, or his 56 belair or 56 tbird up there for months at a time, and has not had any issues.

 

[Notch1988]

Your buddies cars are all full frame cars though... no unibody there. Do the doors on your Vette open/close normally while on the lift? If so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[brownbagg]

the only problem would be , if the car wasnt sitting on the lift correctly to begin with

 

[kartracer55]

I doubt it. I know of a car that has been on a lift for almost 2 months and counting. It is being parted out... No problems with the lift, still functions ok

Jim

 

[914forme]

I don't see a problem, I have cars that stay on stands for years, and no suspension problems.

 

[wilbilt]

We were always cautioned to "pop" the doors on Corvettes before lifting them. (frame contact lift). Since they do "spread", this seemed like a good idea to avoid the possibility of tweaking a door striker.

Personally, I would have no problem hanging a full-framed car for years. If a unibody, I would go for a drive-on lift such as a four post or one like Ed and Sandra have.

 

[Junkman]

There is less flex in a unibody car than there is in a frame car. Allowing the suspension to hand causes the springs into an unnatural position, and given time, the metallurgy of the springs will be effected. You might not notice the change in the ride, but they will eventually fail. This is why the car manufacturers always said it is best to store a car on jackstands under the suspension, but with the tires off the ground. I doubt that many of you are old enough to remember when people would store the car for the winter, because the roads were not very good, nor were the tires. The practice ended after the Second World War, when the country started to come to life and modernize. Those were the days when every little town had at least one car dealer.

 

[Alex]

I know you have a Rotary. This tag is from my Bend-Pak 10 ACX. It basically says To extend cylinder and seal life. Raise the lift to full height at least once a day.
I guess the question I have, is it OK if you leave the lift in the full "up" position, or do you have to let the lift go through a full cycle of down then up (if your storing a car on it).
A second question I have. There is another tag that states you must lube the cable at intervals not to exceed three months with a AMSOIL synthetic open gear and wire rope compound.
What's that?? Where do you get it.

I'll try to post pics of each tag, I hope they are readable.
Any answer's greatly appreciated.......Al

 

[Junkman]

I asked the tech guy at Bend Pak about lubing the cables on my HD9 4 post lift, and he said that they should be left dry. Any lube will cause dirt to accumulate on them and cause them to deterioate.....

 

[Alex]

Thanks Junkman,
Has anyone had a problem with the cylinder seals just leaving the lift in the full up or down position for extended periods.
And dose anyone use any kind of lube on the lift cables. I can see it being a dirt magnet with grease

 

[rich1956]

i work on cranes and there wire ropes are the weakest link,cables are prelubed when they manufacture them.....BUT,if you are in a humid enviro or if they are subject to getting wet or rust is forming they have special wire rope lube that is designed to get into the middle of the rope.....so yes they have to be lubed,no you dont want to lube them if you dont have too..make sense???

 

[Alex]

Rich, makes sense to me, no rust no lube
Thank you , Al.....
anyone else have an opinion on weather leaving the lift up or down for extended periods of time will damage the seals in the cylinders.

 

[PxTx]

From seeing hydraulic rams on plow trucks, I think the idea behind fully exgtending and lowering a unit it to lubricate the ram. If rams are left extended, there is greater chance of them drying out, pitting and rusting causing them top snag or rip the seal. Excercising them keeps things lubricated and working well. I think leaving a car up with the rams extended would be okay provided the ram doesn't begin to rust from environmental conditions.