| When purchasing a surface mounted two-post | | | | became apparent that when he had changed the load |
| automotive lift, it is important to decide what type of lift | | | | center of the lift by extending the rear arms, he had |
| you will need to best suit the vehicles you want to pick | | | | caused excessive wear on the load bearings that ride |
| up. An automotive lift is a tool and just as you know | | | | inside the column. Soon, all of Günter's beer drinking |
| that a pneumatic wrench is better than a monkey | | | | buddies (who had copied Gunter's idea) were shaking |
| wrench for changing tires, it is important for you to | | | | their heads and refusing to buy Gunter beer anymore. |
| determine which type of lift is best suited for each | | | | Gunter was not a happy man. |
| type of vehicle. | | | | Thankfully, those smart engineers in the United States |
| Symmetrical Vehicle Lifts | | | | don't drink beer while they are trying to solve a |
| Approximately 30 years ago, when cars were built out | | | | problem. (Most of the time....) They had seen Gunter's |
| of steel, men were strong and women wore | | | | design and saw the problem right away. They also |
| skirts.....The symmetrical lift was designed as an | | | | realized that their solution would have an added benefit |
| alternative to the hydraulic inground lift. The lift wasn't | | | | to the beer belly problem. Rotate the columns to face |
| known as "symmetrical" right off the bat; it was called | | | | the new load center and you automatically get |
| a surface lift because it bolted to the concrete floor, | | | | extended door-opening clearance. Ever wonder why |
| rather than being installed through the floor. At the time | | | | American automotive lift engineers have big beer |
| of its inception, the surface lift was being designed | | | | bellies? Because they CAN! |
| (often times poorly) to pick up rear wheel drive | | | | Enough about Gunter; A TRUE asymmetric lift has |
| vehicles that had a pretty good front to rear balance. | | | | columns that are rotated 30 degrees to point the load |
| The cars were big and heavy and mechanics | | | | center of the lift in the general direction of the load |
| relatively skinny and strong. | | | | center of the car as it is being lifted AND front arms |
| In order to balance these behemoths six feet up in the | | | | that are shorter than the rear. A semi-asymmetric lift |
| air, the columns were placed across from each other | | | | only has the front arms shorter than the rear, without |
| and the arms were all of equal length. Some lifts were | | | | addressing the load bearing issue. |
| connected from side-to-side overhead; a base plate | | | | Very few manufacturers take the time to make this |
| connected others down below. One thing was certain | | | | distinction on their auto lifts. The good majority of |
| about these lifts; if you were a mechanic with a beer | | | | two-post auto lifts that are advertised as "asymmetric" |
| belly trying to get out of the car after it had been | | | | are the exact same as the symmetric auto lift with |
| driven into place, you were going to have a tough time. | | | | different arm lengths. Does this concept work? Of |
| Since the lift was balancing the vehicle between front | | | | course it will for a while. But remember what |
| and back, the column needed to be located somewhat | | | | happened to Gunter and his buddies, you will |
| close to the center of the vehicle. What else is in the | | | | experience severe wear on the bearings (or slider |
| center of the vehicle? We all know the answer to that! | | | | blocks) over time. |
| The doors! What happens when doors meet | | | | We highly recommend purchasing a TRUE |
| columns? Door dings! | | | | asymmetric lift when you purchase this design. A |
| It took the lift manufacturers a while to figure it out, but | | | | quality auto lift manufacturer will also include a |
| eventually they did. Currently, very few lifts are sold as | | | | wheel-spotting dish to help you or your techs spot |
| "symmetrical" lifts. The ones that are sold are usually | | | | vehicles properly when positioning the vehicle. |
| being sold for a particular purpose, such as working on | | | | Sure Fire Ways to Tell a True Asymmetric Lift: |
| vans or trucks. (Vans and trucks have the door in | | | | Columns are rotated 30 degrees from each other, |
| front of the centerline of the vehicle, so a column really | | | | facing the load center of the vehicle. |
| doesn't get in the way.) Some customers will purchase | | | | Front arms of the automotive lift are shorter than the |
| a symmetrical lift because they want a "drive thru" | | | | rear arms. |
| capability, and sure enough, the symmetrical lift usually | | | | You have a beer belly bigger than Gunter's and don't |
| gives a few more inches in that regard. | | | | have a problem. |
| Sure Fire Ways to Tell a Symmetrical Lift: | | | | A Rotary Lift engineer tells you it's a True Asymmetric |
| The columns face each other. | | | | Lift. |
| Front arm length is the same as rear arm length. | | | | Reduction in bill from the body shop allows for a bigger |
| The lift states "symmetrical". | | | | beer belly. |
| You have a difficult time getting out of the car when | | | | Sure Fire Ways to Tell a "Semi-Asymmetric" Lift: |
| you drive in. | | | | The columns face each other, rather than the load |
| You don't have a difficult time getting out of the truck | | | | center of the car. |
| when you drive in. | | | | The front arms of the vehicle lift are shorter than the |
| You have an account with a body shop to repair door | | | | rear arms. |
| dings. | | | | The lift squeals, shakes and whines when lifting a load. |
| Asymmetric Vehicle Lifts | | | | You have metal shavings on the floor near the column. |
| Sometimes Europeans are smarter than Americans. I | | | | You bought the lift so you wouldn't bang the door on |
| don't like to admit it, but it's true. It turns out, some guy | | | | the column, but continue to bang the door on the |
| named Günter was using his symmetrical lift (not a | | | | column. |
| Rotary Lift, mind you), when he realized that those last | | | | You pay a company like mine to replace slider blocks |
| two lagers had pushed his belly past the point of no | | | | every few years. |
| return. That's right, he was stuck in the car and couldn't | | | | "Versymmetric" Design Auto Lift |
| get out. Since he had some time to sit and think, he did | | | | If you have been really doing your research, you will |
| what most mechanics do with their free time; he tried | | | | have probably heard the term "Versymmetric" thrown |
| to design a better lift so that he wouldn't have to lose | | | | out there from a few manufacturers. The theory |
| his bought and paid for beer belly. | | | | behind this term is that they have designed an |
| What Gunter came up with seemed to be a pretty | | | | automotive lift that is capable of being both |
| good design. By making the rear arms of the lift longer | | | | symmetrical and asymmetric at the same time. |
| than the front arms, the vehicle would theoretically sit | | | | One opinion is that this design takes the worst |
| far enough back to allow him to open the doors. Not | | | | situations of two different types of lifts and combines |
| only that, since most of the cars being manufactured in | | | | them to really confuse a technician. |
| Gunter's day were front wheel drive, the balance of | | | | First off, a symmetrical auto lift will cause door dings |
| the vehicle on the car lift would be better. (Gunter had | | | | and clearance problems with cars, no question. |
| never forgotten the time that he had pulled the engine | | | | Second, an "asymmetric" lift that doesn't have columns |
| out of a car, only to have the car flip backwards off | | | | rotated will still cause door dings. Third, if the technician |
| the lift due to the newly created weight distribution | | | | isn't properly trained on how to set up each and every |
| imbalance). It would also help to reduce the number of | | | | vehicle properly, the lift will be used improperly. The end |
| times he had to have a customer's door fixed after | | | | result will be an unsafe lifting situation with the vehicle, |
| dinging the door on the column. | | | | door dings and excessive bearing wear. |
| Gunter's design worked for about two years. He still | | | | Some of these lifts are listed with the ALI and pass |
| dinged a door occasionally, but he was able to | | | | 3rd party testing. They can be constructed well and |
| continue growing his belly and was always able to get | | | | the sales people selling the concept really have their |
| out of the vehicle. One day however, Gunter raised a | | | | pitch down. Having seen the products used improperly |
| car with his vehicle lift and heard a horrendous | | | | in the shops and having serviced numerous |
| squealing noise, metal on metal. He also noticed that | | | | "Versymmetric" lifts that have had failed bearings |
| the arms of his lift were shaking and rocking and he | | | | (slider blocks), our opinion isn't very positive. |
| stopped to make sure that the vehicle didn't bounce | | | | We here at Standard Industrial & Automotive |
| off the lifting pads. | | | | Equipment are happy to discuss various issues |
| After some serious investigative work (and several | | | | regarding automotive lifts, quality and what is best |
| snaps of his suspenders), he noticed that there were | | | | suited for your shop. Feel free to contact us if we can |
| metal shavings on the floor near the columns. It soon | | | | be of any assistance. |