Responsible car owners have to invest in a car hoist for their home garage. It’s the same for commercial garage owners who handle a variety of cars. However, careful consideration is required to ensure you get value for your investment. Being stingy with your purchase might come with grave consequences. A 4,000-pound car lifted by a low quality hoist looks forward to getting back down to the ground at any time. This puts the life of the operator at risk and serious damage to the car. Since car hoists aren’t created equal, here’re 4 features to tell a safe car hoist.
Image credit: classiclift.com.au
Slack safety device
Only invest in a hoist with a safety latch or slack safety device. Hoists have a mechanical locking pawl, which is a beefy metal tongue with a spring for sliding into holes as the lift deck rises. This lessens chances of the hoist from suddenly dropping when setting in raised position. Releasing the pawls is done by holding the lever when lowering the lift. Since you’re holding the lever, it’s only the hydraulic piston and cables preventing the car from slamming to the floor. Luckily, the slack cable safety prevents disaster with automatically locking of the cables from slacking or the sheave breaks.
Self-lubricating sheaves
A car hoist with external lubrication or self-lubricating sheave is safe. This has a cable running through the sheaves that take a tremendous load. Opting to invest in cheap models is not a good idea. These have no bushings or bearings in their sheaves. Therefore, they easily wear out, premature galling, and eventual failure. Safe hoists have large sheaves that turn more slowly with fewer chances of wear. In addition, these run on bearings or bushings for self-lubrication.
Buy from a reputable brand
When looking for car hoists for sale buy from a reputable brand with affordable products. These products offer the best value for money and quality resulting from years of research. Moreover, these brands offer a range of products to suit everyone’s needs and budget. All the products come with a guarantee to eliminate worries about quality. Additionally, the company should be in a position to offer accessories and parts for their products.
Adjustable safety locks
Ensure to invest in a hoist with adjusting safety locks. All hoists have a locking pawl to bear the weight of the car when hoisted. Its hydraulic cylinder moves the car up and down. However, the pawls automatically slide into holes and bear the car weight at the desired height. Residential garages usually have a slope into the slab drainage with a 3 to 4- inch drop from the back wall to the door.
Therefore, 4 post hoists must be installed with even post holes for the locking pawls. It prevents one side of the pawl from engaging before others with fewer chances of the deck sagging at one end. The car might roll unless parked with emergency brakes on or choked in place. Therefore, it’s very important to align the lock holes to prevent negative consequences. Products with seamless adjustment come with shims or screw adjusters.
Bottom line
A car hoist is a handy accessory for checking underneath your vehicle. To ensure you make a great buy, the above tips should be at the back of your mind.