Properly loading car lift

[jkesselr]

Hey guys, my uncle bought a Chinese 2 post lift and I am curious about the best way to leave a car in the air while working on it. Do you:

* Run it up to height and leave it
* Run it up to height and then drop it so the full weight is sitting on the safety stops
* Run it up to height, drop it against the safety stops, and then bump the lift motor again to take a little load off the safety stops

I just want to be sure that the lift stays loaded in the safest way possible. Thanks for the advice!

 

[L.Cheapo]

#2. Safest, IMO.

 

[jkesselr]

Okay, good to know. I have always done #3 where I bumped the lift button until the car just barely started to move - maybe 1/16” to 1/8”. I always figured that rather than things sitting right on the safety mechanism, a little load was taken off, but not so much that the safety locks would be shocked if the seal gave up. I am glad to know now that I have been doing it wrong. Thanks for your insight!

 

[protegeV]

You want the lift resting on the locks. That's what they're for.

 

[Ign]

You want the lift resting on the locks. That's what they're for.

Yeah, this. They're just like jackstands essentially.

If you're worried about a lock failing, the cables should stop one side from dropping catastrophically.

 

[joetech]

Look at your lock design. More than likely they are just like jack stand locks. Leave the whole weight on the locks.

 

[gdudik]

Place I used to work had a safety guy that would come around and tell you to get out from under the car and then pull the lowering lever without releasing the locks. If the vehicle moved down, you got written up.

The hydraulics are not intended for supporting the weight of the vehicle.

 

[seanb02]

The other thing is you can't accidentally pull the locks when the weight is on them.

 

[nicks78camaro]

Rest all weight on the locks. If you leave the vehicle suspended off the locks, the cables tend to stretch/go out of adjustment.

 

[crf_kdx]

Here is a $15 guide showing the lift points for most vehicles. It’s not a bad thing to have around if one is not overly familiar with lifts.

https://www.autolift.org/ali-store/alilp-guide/

Rest the vehicle on the locks.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I don't remember specifically lowering vehicles onto the locks as standard practice... but I do remember forgetting to unlock one side occasionally on the older Rotary which had locks on each carriage assembly.

When we got second [newer] Rotary lift I was surprised by how much slower it lowered a vehicle compared to the older unit. The dealer said it was a safety feature [restriction in cylinder]. Another safety feature was the locking arms [once lifted] on the newer unit as compared to the older model non-locking.

Given the multiple safety redundancies... I'd think more people are hurt by vehicles shifting or falling off the lift... then lift component failure.

 

[Danglerb]

Always on the locks, even for a short task.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

always on the locks and under hoist jack stands front and rear........only takes a second and adds a lot of stability

 

[BroncoAZ]

ALWAYS ON THE LOCKS!!!!

Place I used to work had a safety guy that would come around and tell you to get out from under the car and then pull the lowering lever without releasing the locks. If the vehicle moved down, you got written up.

The hydraulics are not intended for supporting the weight of the vehicle.

I check locks while doing shop inspections. My biggest complaint is when the lift is not on the locks and there is a supplementary stand deployed. If the hydraulics drop the vehicle could/will be pushed off the lift.

 

[countryroad82]

Locks and safety stands for me. Doesn’t matter if I’m changing oil as I would rather use an ounce of prevention over that pound of cure.

 

[RPH]

Down on the locks. No weight on the cables, allows the pump to spool up much easier without having to immediately to carry the load.

 

[Northerndave]

#2 and add some safety hoist stands for anything more ambitious than an oil change. (some will say for oil change too and I will never argue)

also remain aware of how you are effecting the balance of the car with your work. If you are balance at initial lift but you drop out the rear axle, wheels and tires, it just got front heavy. This is where your safety stands are super important.

 

[Robert Haas]

A huge oversight by even us crusty old timers.

CONFIRM ARM LOCKS ARE ENGAGED BEFORE LIFTING


The number one way cars fall off of two post lifts is when the arms can slide and swing while the vehicle is elevated.


I have been under a vehicle and casually glanced over at the little arm locks only to realize it was not engaged. My blood runs cold. It scares the **** out of me.

this is what it looks like when the arms can swing.