OX1
Well-known member
Just another data point. Was pretty happy with the lift for the past 3 years until a couple months ago, it started raising much slower than it had been. Max I've ever had on it was a Grand Marq, maybe 4300 lbs. I've lifted it up/down maybe 80 times in 3 years, what I would consider moderate use for a homeowner enthusiast.
I had thought the towers may need to be greased, and/or it was just colder out and the fluid was a bit thicker. Well temps are back up, and it was taking at least twice as long just to raise up a kia rio a friend needed work on (2600 lbs, maybe). I then raised it about an inch above the highest lock and heard a "crack", followed by a decent amount of fluid rushing out the vent tube on the forward end of cyl.
Tore down the cyl and could not find anything really wrong with the seals. Ordered seal kit ($80 plus shipping for reference), and can find no good way to get the new U-seal on. Direct-Lift suggested heating the seal in water to just below boiling, which I did, but seal ID is 2" and "flange" on edge of piston is 2.5". This seal seems to almost have to go on like a tire machine operates. I thought about using an exh pipe expander (or some type of custom made aluminum cone), but not sure if that will damage seal by stretching it too much. Searching for a special tool, the only one's that turn up are for installing that type seal in a bore (ID) type situation. Have a Rotary service rep coming out to re-assemble cyl, since they bought out Direct-Lift not that long ago.
Have to say I am a bit dissapointed, especially since I can find no reason for the fluid loss (let alone the power pack slowly crapping out). The only thing I can think of is the end of cyl has internal corrosion, and when the seal hit that area, it forced some leakage. I do rarely take the lift ALL the way up, but that would seem odd due to the age and usage to me though.
I had thought the towers may need to be greased, and/or it was just colder out and the fluid was a bit thicker. Well temps are back up, and it was taking at least twice as long just to raise up a kia rio a friend needed work on (2600 lbs, maybe). I then raised it about an inch above the highest lock and heard a "crack", followed by a decent amount of fluid rushing out the vent tube on the forward end of cyl.
Tore down the cyl and could not find anything really wrong with the seals. Ordered seal kit ($80 plus shipping for reference), and can find no good way to get the new U-seal on. Direct-Lift suggested heating the seal in water to just below boiling, which I did, but seal ID is 2" and "flange" on edge of piston is 2.5". This seal seems to almost have to go on like a tire machine operates. I thought about using an exh pipe expander (or some type of custom made aluminum cone), but not sure if that will damage seal by stretching it too much. Searching for a special tool, the only one's that turn up are for installing that type seal in a bore (ID) type situation. Have a Rotary service rep coming out to re-assemble cyl, since they bought out Direct-Lift not that long ago.
Have to say I am a bit dissapointed, especially since I can find no reason for the fluid loss (let alone the power pack slowly crapping out). The only thing I can think of is the end of cyl has internal corrosion, and when the seal hit that area, it forced some leakage. I do rarely take the lift ALL the way up, but that would seem odd due to the age and usage to me though.
Last edited:
