MaxJax Arm Restraints - Difficult to Engage

[danieldd]

Anybody having problems getting the arm restraints to engage properly. When I set my lift up a couple of months ago, I followed the directions in the installation manual on adjusting the arm restraints:

5. Raise the lift half way until the lift arms are approximately 24” off the floor.
6. Loosen the bolts on the Arm Restraints. Adjust the Arm Restraints so the gears mesh firmly and smoothly. Tighten the Arm Restraint Bolts. Apply a small amount of grease to the gears.

However, when I lift the car, I sometimes find the teeth on the lift arms and the arm restraints don't always mesh and I have to either move the lift arm or jiggle the restraints to get it to engage.

Any tips on how to properly do this?

 

[DonnyT]

When you loosened the bolts did you push the gears toward the other column to make contact with the yellow arm gears ?? After loosening, the silver gears move in or out. Also the silver gears are spring activated. You pull up to adjust the arms if need be.

 

[danieldd]

Yup, I did all that. Loosened the 4 bolts, made sure it meshed correctly and tightened down all 4 bolts. Maybe I just need to do it again..

 

[DonnyT]

I would, I'm not sure mine mesh 100% either but close I think. I'll have to double check. Also if you can swing the arms without pulling up on the spring, they are not set correctly. Of course this is with the arms raised as suggested to 2 feet in the manual. When completely lowered to the ground the arms force the spring up and the arms are free to move.

 

[danieldd]

I think the issue is setting the lift arms in a postion under the car that does not line up with the arm restraints. However, I don't know this until I start to raise the car. I figured there would be enough "give" in the restraints to accomodate "any" position of the lift arms.

 

[DonnyT]

I think the issue is setting the lift arms in a postion under the car that does not line up with the arm restraints. However, I don't know this until I start to raise the car. I figured there would be enough "give" in the restraints to accomodate "any" position of the lift arms.

I think this is because the arms must be raised off the ground (No car on the arms) to adjust them. The restraints (Gears) will be raised when the arms are on the ground at full rest. Having said this, there is no way to know if they are lined up until they are raised. This is why the manual states to raise approximately 24 inches or so to adjust. Know what I mean??