When we are operating any vehicle lift, the garage owner and lift operator should consider safety first. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single post lift, 2 post lift, or a 4 post lift, each and every lift operator must be necessarily trained and aware of the potential risks while operating a vehicle lift.
Two post lifts require accurate positioning of the vehicle, unlike the platform lifts, to make sure that it works safely from beneath.
This article mostly concerns the measures regarding the safe operation of two post lifts only.
Inspection of two post lifts regularly
Every vehicle must be installed perfectly by a skilled and experienced engineer. Once done, the inspection of lifts should be done daily before the operation. A better and thorough inspection should be done once every month.
The inspection of two-post vehicle lifts should include the following :
- Make sure there’s no lack of adjustment to chains or wire ropes.
- Verification should be performed to assure that there are no leaks on the hydraulic equipment and hoses.
- Inspection should be done of the level of wear and tear to support pads and make sure the rubber surfaces are clean.
- All arm locking mechanisms should be correctly operated.
The monthly inspection of two-post vehicle lifts should include :
- Make sure that all ropes, chains, rollers and carriage pins are lubricated.
- All floor anchor bolts should be necessarily tightened.
- Verification should be done to check that all of the screw and nut lubrication systems are topped up with accurate specified lubricant.
Moreover, all lifting equipments should be thoroughly examined by a competent person every six months.
The correct vehicle positioning using a Twin Column Lift
Correct positioning of a Twin Column Lift is important for safety; It is essential to make sure that the vehicle is well-balanced and the weight is equally distributed. The primary thing a twin column lift operator must do is identify the centre of gravity of the vehicle, as the position varies with the change in vehicles. Mostly for the rear-wheel drive vehicles, it is roughly situated around the front seats and for the front-wheel-drive vehicles, the center of gravity is usually slightly forward.
The operator probably should extend or shorten the lifting arms on each of the carriages so if the vehicle can be lifted from the manufacturers offer a range of adjustable or vehicle-specific adapters for enabling the correct vehicle lifting.
Dual Post Lift’s Arm Locking Mechanisms
This is also one of the important safety area while operating dual post lifts. Lifting arms can be freely adjusted when they are less than 100mm from the ground, but once they get higher than that, they should automatically lock in place to prevent the sideways movement of the arms. For making sure the arms are correctly locked, the vehicles should be lifted a small distance above 100mm locking point and then some force should be applied to them. It is important to check the positioning of the pads before fully elevating the vehicle.
Maintenance and checking of the balance point
When the vehicle is raised enough for the weight to be removed from suspension, bounce the vehicle from the heaviest end (usually it’s engine’s end). Make note that the vehicle is supported by the lift and make sure it is well balanced before continuing to lift further.
Once the vehicle is raised, it is very important to maintain the vehicles balance point. This is usually overlooked when repairs are being made that call for large components to be removed, thus shifting the vehicle’s centre of gravity and making it unsteady to lift. The removal of transmission from the front wheel drive is why the vehicles mostly fall off.
Ignore exceeding of the car lift’s lifting weight
Earlier, when the car lifts were designed, the vehicles weighed far less than they do today. It’s vital to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the total load capacity and maximum weight limits, and to check if the two post lifts are suitable for the type and size of the vehicle which is to be lifted. The lift regulations state that the lifts must have a Safe Working Load sticker attached to it that would be clearly visible to the operator at all times.