According to the experts at Rotary Lift, when remodeling or building a new heavy-duty maintenance shop, a major factor to consider is which style of lifts to install. Inground lifts have been the top choice for heavy-duty vehicle maintenance for more than 80 years, but surface lifts are growing in popularity.
For maximum productivity, inground lifts provide the best access to the various maintenance items on a vehicle and do so in the most ergonomic, space-efficient way. Inground lifts are available with two or three posts (so they can be used to lift two-, three- and tandem-axle vehicles) and can raise up to 90,000 lbs.
That doesn’t mean that heavy-duty shops should automatically order only inground lifts, however. Shops may want to consider surface lifts under the following circumstances:
• Portability: Some surface lifts, like mobile column lifts, can be moved out of the way when not in use or used outside, making them a good choice for shops that have limited bay space.
• Wash bays: Inground lifts are a poor choice for steam cleaning. Parallelogram lifts, four-post lifts or water-resistant mobile column lifts work better in these applications.
• Quick-service bays: Because inground lifts engage a vehicle by its axles, they take longer to set up than a surface four-post or parallelogram lift.
• Alignments: Four-post and parallelogram lifts are usually a better choice for performing alignments.
• Leased facility: When the customer leases the building, a surface lift that can be relocated if necessary may be more practical than a more permanent inground lift.
• Budget limitations: The upfront investment in an inground lift is greater than that required for most surface lifts (although the total cost of ownership is often lower due to the inground lift’s long useful life).
Commercial truck fleets that have never used lifts in the past may want to start out with a set or two of mobile columns for maximum flexibility with minimal investment.
Most maintenance facilities will be best served by having a mix of lift styles installed, since not every lift is appropriate for every application.
Proper alignment saves tires
When a truck runs straight down the road, the chances of fast or irregular tire wear are minimized. A traditional front-end alignment is insufficient, says Goodyear Commercial Tire Marketing Manager, Tim Miller.
Drive axles must be inspected to ensure that they are perpendicular to the chassis, and for tandem axles, parallel to each other. If drive axles are out of alignment, fast steer-tire wear results because drivers must constantly turn the steer tires right and left to keep the truck tracking straight down the road. Out-of-alignment trailer axles similarly can wear tractor steer and drive tires as well as trail tires.
To make the most of a realignment, technicians should check for worn king pins, bearings and steering components. Tolerances for each component must be in spec’. Excessive movement in any component helps lead to fast and irregular tire wear.
In addition, shock absorbers should be inspected for wear. A worn shock is an open invitation for irregular wear patterns. Air-ride suspensions make it paramount that the shocks are adequate for the job, and replace them when worn.
