Harkness Career Center Lifting Equipment Harkness Career Center

Lift Types Frame-contact lift Wheel-contact (drive-on) lift

Frame-Contact Lifts “Two post lift” Uses air or hydraulic pressure to raise vehicle Mechanical locks protect against hydraulic failure Adapters at the end of adjustable lift arms

Lift adapters contact vehicle frame at specified lift points Unitized body -pads contact the pinch welds and the torque boxes Straight frame -Pads contact the frame directly

Some adapters adjust to several positions Lift Pads should Be apposing each other

Frame-Contact Lifts Symmetrical Lift – the arms on the lift are the same length. Asymmetrical Lift - the arms on the lift are two different lengths.

Wheel-contact Lifts Types scissor types four post

Wheel-contact Lifts All four wheels supported Also has mechanical locks Works well for hard to lift vehicles

Wheel-Free Jacks Are located in the middle of the drive on lift Are used to raise vehicles off there wheels Have mechanical safety locks Operate on air and/or Hydraulic pressure

Wheel-Free Jacks Picks up one end or both ends of the vehicle Advantages of wheel contact lifts Picks up off balanced vehicles safely Center of underside is accessible Adjusts to pick up different undercarriage designs Can be rolled along drive-on ramps

In-Ground Lifts Two-posts provide better vehicle access In-ground, frame-contact lifts are either single post or two post Two-posts provide better vehicle access Has safety locks Are getting more popular Do not pollute like they used to (hydraulic fluid leakage) No posts in the way Easier to get in and out of the car

Lift Safety When a vehicle falls off a lift, usually due to carelessness, misuse, neglected maintenance

Lift Safety cont. Pinch Points Between the lift and the vehicle Inside the lift posts Hands must be on the operating handles when operating NO ONE should be touching the lift when in use

Lift safety cont. Rear-wheel-drive cars center of gravity is below the drivers seat Front-wheel-drive cars center of gravity beneath the steering wheel One- or two-post lifts, position vehicle’s center of gravity over the posts Four-post models, position car between front and rear

Lift safety cont. Rear-wheel-drive cars center of gravity is below the drivers seat Front-wheel-drive cars center of gravity beneath the steering wheel One- or two-post lifts, position vehicle’s center of gravity over the posts Four-post models, position car between front and rear

Never exceed the manufacturers “Maximum Capacity” posted on the lift. Lift safety cont. Never exceed the manufacturers “Maximum Capacity” posted on the lift.