Vehicle Lift SafetyVehicle Lift SafetyProper training is the key to safe vehicle lifting.

Technicians need to be trained to safely lift vehicles.

Hoists and jacks are hydraulic devices made to lift vehicles off the ground, so repairs and adjusted can be made easier.

Their hydraulic systems are NOT meant to support the weight of a vehicle in the air, while repairs are being performed.

No body should go under a vehicle lifted in the air that the vehicle’s weight is not supported by a solid safety stand or safety latch mechanism that is incorporated in a hoist.

There are two general types of hoists used in the Automotive Industry:

1. In Ground –cylinder(s) come out of the ground to lift vehicle. More cylinders incorporated in the hoist increases lift capacity.

2. Floor Mounted –hoist is anchored to the floor. This is the most commonly used hoist.

Frame Engaging Lifts: Vehicle is driven, either over or through the frame of the hoist. Swing arms attached to the hoist are swung under the vehicle, lift pads at the end of each swing arm is positioned to contact the lift points of the vehicle. Vehicle is raised to the desired height. Swing arms can be symmetrical, both the same length, or asymmetrical, the rear arm being longer, this allows for more clearance between the door and hoist frame.

Swing arms

Lift pads

In ground & floor mounted lifts can be grouped by the lifting mechanism used to contact and lift the vehicle.

Drive On Hoists – Vehicle is driven up ramps and on to runways. Vehicle is lifted up while sitting on it’s tires. Some hoists will have hydraulic jacks between the runways to lift up vehicle axles to remove wheels.

runways

Floor anchored hoists are the most popular in the industry now a days as they are easier to install and service in most cases.

Floor anchored hoist come in different configurations:

1. Twin post (most popular)

2. Low Rise

3. 4 post (drive on)

4. Mobile Wheel Engaging

5. Parallelogram

6. Scissor

Before operating a vehicle hoist you should be familiar with the controls of the hoist.

Raise Position Lower Position

In Ground Hoist ControlsMost in ground hoists use air/hydraulic controls. The hoist will use a valve similar to the one in the pictures. The shop air pressurizes the cylinder to raise the hoist. The cylinder when pressurized actually raises out of the floor to raise the vehicle. To lower the hoist, release the safety latch, the air must be expelled from the cylinder. This is done by the technician pushing the lever the other way to expel the air. As the cylinder ‘s pressure is decreased the hoist will lower.

Floor Anchored Hoist ControlsHoist is anchored to the floor. An electric motor operates the hydraulic pump to raise and lower the hoist. The technician pushes the green button to raise the hoist. This starts the motor and pressurizes the hydraulic system and raises the hoist. To lower the hoist, the technician must raise hoist off safety latch, by pushing green button. Once hoist is raised off the safety, the red lever must be pulled down along with the black lever and the hoist lowers.

Green Button –raise switch

Black Lever –lowering valve handle

Red Lever –safety latch release lever

General Hoist Safety Precautions• Clear hoist area while driving vehicle on hoist .

• Position vehicle with the centre of gravity centered over lift frame of hoist.

• Avoid excessive rocking or jostling of vehicle on the hoist.

• Do not override self closing or safety features on the lift controls.

• Keep feet, tools and air hoses clear from lift while lowering.

• Hoist should be only be operated by trained personnel.

• Only authorized personnel should be in the hoist area.

• Use vehicle manufacturer’s lift points.

• Always use safety stands when removing or installing heavy components.

• Never lift on the swing arms, use lift pad extenders to ensure good contact.

• Never operate a damaged hoist.

• Never overload lift capacity of hoist.

• Do not allow people to ride in vehicle or on hoist, while raising vehicle.

• Never work under vehicle unless weight supported by safety latch or stands.

Raising a Vehicle on the Hoist

Before driving vehicle in the hoist area, check area is clean. No tools, equipment or air hoses should be on the floor. The Swing Arms for the hoist should be moved all the way out of the way of the vehicle. Never hit or drive vehicle over the Swing Arms as vehicle or hoist damage may occur . Never allow any persons to stand in front of the vehicle while it is being driven into the hoist area. If somebody needs to guide a person on the hoist they should stand to one side.

Drive vehicle in the hoist area. Frame contact hoists usually have a pad on the floor. This pad is for the left front wheel. If the wheel base of the vehicle you are raising on the hoist is 105” – 127” the left front wheel should be on the yellow pad to centre vehicle on the hoist. The wheelbase of 105” – 127” is a general mid size vehicle.

Left Front Wheel Pad

Smaller vehicles with a wheelbase less than 105”, the left front wheel should be positioned on the approach side of the pad.

Vehicles with a wheelbase of 105”-127” the left front wheel should be positioned on the pad.

Vehicles with a wheelbase longer than 127” position the left front wheel just past the pad.

Check the load capacity of the hoist . The hoist will have a manufacturer’s tag attached showing model and capacity. Some manufacturers place a separate decal on the hoist in clear view showing the lift capacity of the hoist. You should know the limits of the hoist you are working with.

Never Overload a Hoist !!!!!!!!

What does the vehicle way?

If you look at the driver’s door or post the Date of Manufacture tag will tell you the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). That is the weight of vehicle and how much cargo it can carry. You need to know the curb weight of the vehicle. General rule for vehicle weight is: Small compacts = 3,000 – 4,500 lbs.

Mid size cars and sedans = 4,500 – 5,500 lbs. Light trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles = 5,500 – 7,000lbs Large pick up trucks = 7,500 – 12,000lbs.

Check the trunk, box of pick up truck and back of a van and sports utility vehicle for any heavy items. Any heavy items will change the centre of gravity of the vehicle.

Vehicle Lift Points

What type of vehicle is being raised on the hoist?

What type of frame does it have? Unibody-PerimeterFrame

Front Wheel Drive Rear Wheel Drive Four Wheel Drive

Unibody Perimeter Frame

F F

Check where the Manufacturers Lift Points are for the vehicle to be raised on the hoist. The manufacturers lift points are usually found in the vehicle’s manual or check on line. The vehicle can be lifted using the same lift points as when a flat tire is changed. Check the illustration with the spare tire for lift point location.

The lift pads on the swing arms can be left flat for lifting most vehicles.

On some vehicle there may obstructions in the way and more distance required between swing arm and vehicle, the lift pads may be flipped up to give more clearance.

When the lift pad is raised to make contact with the frame, never have the lift pad resting on the swing as shown in the picture. This could result in breaking the lift pad and causing vehicle damaged or moving on hoist.

Never lift on vehicle suspension, this may result in the suspension unloading while work is performed on vehicle and cause it to shift or fall off hoist.. The swing arms must also be checked to make sure that they clear the vehicle and do not make contact with the vehicle in any way. There must be clearance from running boards and body flares of vehicles.

When lift points are located, they must be inspected, checking for damage and deterioration. Lift points must be solid for lifting the vehicle. If vehicle has damaged or deteriorated lift points, the vehicle should not be raised on the hoist using these lift points. If other safe lift points can not be located, do not raise vehicle on the hoist. Vehicle suspension components are not good lift points and should not be used.

Generally the following lift points can used to raise a vehicle on the hoist.

Unibody

On front wheel drive Unibody vehicles the lift pads are usually placed about 200mm in front of the rear wheels and about 200mm behind the front wheels. The pads are placed on the lip under the rocker panel of the vehicle. There

is usually an indent or mark for the manufacturers jack. The pad should lift on the lip in the marked area under the rocker panel.

Rocker Panel

Lift PadSwing Arm

Lip

On a vehicle with a frame, the lift points are in front of the rear wheels on the frame and behind the front wheels on the frame, as shown in the picture.

The lift pads may be stood up as shown to contact the frame to avoid any obstructions. When raised to clear an obstruction, check that the top of the raised pad makes full contact with the frame.

Check and make sure the lift pads are in opposite directions on the front and back of lift arms.

Once swing arms and lift pads are positioned on the hoist for the vehicle, raise vehicle on the hoist, about 6 inches off the floor. Check that vehicle is level. Look under the vehicle to check that lift pads are in good contact with all lift points. Check that no damage is occurring to vehicle. Brake hoses, cables and fuel are out of the way of lift pads.

After checking vehicle and lift pads raise the vehicle up to the desired working height.

On floor anchored hoists you will hear a clicking noise when the vehicle is raised every 6 inches or so, that is the safety latch clicking in place. You usually can not easily see the safety latch. Never leave the vehicle raised between safety latches. Always raise the vehicle higher than you need and lower the vehicle on to the safety latch. If the hoist hydraulics malfunctions while vehicle raised on hoist, with out safety latch engaged, it will fall and the safety latch will NOT engage. Never work under a vehicle on a hoist, that the safety latch is not engaged.

On older style in ground hoists there is usually only one safety latch. The safety latch is a lever weighted eccentric that rotates when hoist is raised all the way up. The safety latch on these hoists only work when the hoist is all the way up. There are NO safety latches in between, the ground and all the way up. NEVER GET UNDER A VEHICLE ON A HOIST , THAT IS NOT ON THE SAFETY LATCH, IF HYDRAULIC FAILS, HOIST WILL LOWER VEHICLE SUDDENLY.

To lower this type of hoist a technician needs to raise the hoist all the way up, reach down and manually lifted up the safety latch, to lower hoist.

Safety Latch

Once the vehicle has been repaired, release the safety mechanism and slowly lower the vehicle to the ground. Once the vehicle is on the ground move the swing arms out from under the vehicle. Never drive vehicle off the hoist with the swing arms in the vehicle’s path. This can result in vehicle damage (usually tire damage) or hoist damage. It is not recommended to have the vehicle owner drive vehicle off the hoist, as this is an unfamiliar operation for them. They may over react and cause damage to vehicle or surroundings.

Some vehicle repairs can not be performed on a hoist for different reasons, such as vehicle is too large (limousine) (camper) or there are no free hoists. The technician may still need to raise the vehicle. This is when a hydraulic floor jack is used to raise the vehicle.

Before using a hydraulic floor jack make sure you are familiar with it’s operation. Most hydraulic floor jacks are similar to the one pictured here. Most floor jacks are to heavy to carry so they have wheels to move them around the shop floor easily. They have a T-handle with a round knob in the middle of the T that is used to close the valve. The handle is pumped up and down to raise the jack. To lower the jack the centre knob must be turned counter clockwise slowly.

T-handle

Control valve knob

saddle

When using a floor jack there are several things that need to be adhered to before lifting vehicle with floor jack: 1. Floor jack lifting capacity should be at least ½ the weight of the vehicle. With the floor jack you have the capability of lifting the whole front or back axle off the ground at one time. The jack must be able to lift ½ of the vehicle’s weight.

Floor jack lifting capacity

2. Vehicle should be on level solid ground. If not on level ground the vehicle may start to move and roll down the incline as you jack it up.

3. Place transmission in Park (automatic) and 1st or Reverse (manual) and set the Parking Brake.

4. Chock the front and back of the wheels of the vehicle that are not going to be lifted off the ground. If you are lifting the whole back axle off the ground put chocks in front and back of both front wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving. The wheels do not have to be chocked or blocked with tapered wheel chocks as shown in picture, 4” X 4” lumber stock will work as well. Some mechanics and garages make their own from scrap lumber and keep them in a specific area of the shop.

Wheel chocks

5. Check for manufacturer’s lift points where to jack up vehicle. Some have specific locations for jacks. Check where the spare tire is located as it will show the location to jack up the vehicle in case of a flat tire. Inspect the lift points, if they are rusted and damage use another solid location. When placing the jack, DO NOT for fuel, brake lines or parking brake cables. Some rear wheel drive vehicles can be lifted using the differential housing if lifting the rear axle off the ground.

DO NOT USE LIFT POINT IN THIS CONDITION

6. Check there are no obstructions for the jack wheels to hit. The jack wheels move as the vehicle is lifted. If the jack wheels hit a stone or divot in the ground and do not move, the vehicle can then slip on the saddle of the jack. This can cause serious damage to vehicle components, depending on where the saddle was placed.

No obstructions in front of wheels.

Now you have checked all the steps and have necessary equipment and are ready to jack up the vehicle.

jack

Safety stands

Wheel chocks

Once the vehicle is lifted to the desired height, place safety stands under vehicle. Slowly lower vehicle on to the safety stands, NEVER GET UNDER A VEHICLE THAT IT’S WEIGHT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY SAFETY STANDS.

Once the vehicle is lifted to the desired height, place safety stands under vehicle. Slowly lower vehicle on to the safety stands, NEVER GET UNDER A VEHICLE THAT IT’S WEIGHT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY SAFETY STANDS. The jack can be left under vehicle or removed to allow more access to under vehicle components.

wheel chocks

safety stand

safety stand

This vehicle is ready for a technician to go under the vehicle and make necessary repairs.

Once repairs have been performed on the vehicle, the technician will lift the vehicle using the jack and remove the safety stands. Safety stands should moved away from the vehicle. The technician will slowly turn the release valve lowering the vehicle to the ground. Floor jack, safety stands and wheel chocks are returned to their proper place of storage. Once area is clear vehicle ready to return to customer.

Is There An Average Weight For Cars?

If you’re wondering if there is an average car weight, the answer is yes. Compact cars range in weight from 3,000 to 4,500 pounds. Mid-size cars and sedans have a weight range of 4,500 pounds to 5,500 pounds depending on model. Light trucks, minivans and sport utility vehicles or SUVs can weigh between 5,000 pounds to 7,000 pounds. The larger pick-up trucks range from 7,500 to 12,000 pounds. Keep in mind that these are not gross vehicle weight ratings but gross vehicle weights.http://cars.lovetoknow.com/How_Much_Does_My_Car_Weigh