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Lifting Vehicles Safely

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What you need to know before lifting a vehicle…

1) What type of body construction the vehicle employs

2) The arrangement of the

Engine

Drivetrain

Drive wheels

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Body Construction

1) Body-on-frame

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Body Construction…2) Unibody

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Drivetrain Layout

• 3 ways that the engine, transmission and drive wheels are arranged…

6front wheel drive all wheel drive

rear wheel drive

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Four Wheel Drive

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Using a Floor Jack

• A floor jack is used to LIFT a vehicle ONLY

• Jack stands keep the vehicle supported

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Lifting a vehicle with a Hydraulic Floor Jack

1. Secure the vehicle

• apply the parking brake

• place transmission in park (automatic) or neutral (manual)

• place wheel chocks

on each side one of the wheels which will remain on the floor

(if on the 4 post place the wheel chocks on the front left tire)

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Lifting Convertibles

Is the car you are about to lift a convertible?

If so, unlatch the top before you jack up the car!

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Jack Placement - Unibody

2. On a unibody vehicle, the jack can be placed under the crossmember…

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Jack Placement - Unibody

2. On a unibody vehicle, the jack can also be placed under the…

• tow hooks/eyes

• rear axle beam

• if equipped

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DO NOT place the jack under the…

• oil pan

• floor

• muffler

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DO NOT place the jack under the…

• steering or suspension parts

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Placing Jack Stands

3. On unibody cars, jack stands can be placed under the rocker panel lips (pinch seems)…

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Lowering the car onto the jack stands…

4. Lower the jack slowly & carefully!

• are the rocker lips rusty? – if so, find an alternate spot to place the jack stands

• listen for strange noises!

• shake the car once it is on the jack stands

• check the jack stands again to ensure they are supporting the vehicle in the appropriate spot

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Lifting Body-on-Frame Vehicles

Jacking up the front…

Place the jack under the crossmember

Jacking up the back…

Place the jack under the differential

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Body-on-frame jack stand placement

DO NOT place jack stands under the rocker lips!

Jack stands should be placed under the frame & they can also be placed on the axle tubes…

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Lower the jack slowly & carefully!

• is the frame rusty? – if so, find an alternate spot to place the jack stands

• listen for strange noises!

• shake the car once it is on the jack stands

• check the jack stands again to ensure they are supporting the vehicle in the appropriate spot

Questions?

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Using Automotive Hoists

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Types of HOISTS

In Ground

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Types of HOISTS

Surface mounted

Symmetrical

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Types of HOISTS

Surface mounted

A-Symmetrical

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Types of HOISTS

Surface mounted

4 post drive-on

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Generic 2 Post Hoist Usage Guidelines…

ensure hoist’s capacity is higher than vehicle weight

be sure the vehicle is centered (front-to-back & left-to-right)

automatic in park or standard in neutral

adjust hoist to contact appropriate lift points

refer to ALI Lifting Guide

lift hoist until it just makes contact with vehicle

verify hoist will contact correct lift points & re-adjust if needed

raise vehicle 2-3 inches off the ground

shake vehicle – ensure it is stable!

verify vehicle has not shifted on the hoist arms

lift hoist to desired height

lower vehicle onto mechanical safety locks

begin working on the vehicle!

when lowering vehicle: Yell “coming down!”

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Examples of Contact Pads & Adapters…

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Body-on-Frame Contact Point

• note the use of pad extensions…

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Two-post Hoist Operation (Raising)

Center vehicle front to back & left to right, once the vehicle is centered apply the emergency brake and follow these 8 steps to raise it:

1. Align contact pads with vehicle

2. Raise arms to first contact of vehicle

3. Verify placement of arms

4. Lift vehicle 10cm off the ground

5. Shake vehicle

6. Double check hoist arm placement

7. Raise to desired height

8. Lower onto locks

Yell “Hoist going Up” every time you lift the hoist.

Push this button to raise the hoist

Push this lever to lower

the hoist

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Lowering the Two-Post Hoist

1) Make sure all people and equipment are clear and Yell

“Hoist going UP”

2) Raise the hoist to clear the safety mechanism

3) Ensure the area under the hoist is clear of people, parts &

tools and Yell “Hoist Coming Down”

4) Dis-engage safety lever

5) Push the lowering lever to lower the vehicle

6) Remove and place hoist arms in proper positions

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Safety Stands

• Safety stands should be used when removing engine mounts, transmissions etc.

• they can also be used to stabilize the vehicle when loosening tight fasteners – or when applying torque to parts during repair

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Four-post Hoist Operation (Raising)

1. Center vehicle front to back & left to right on the ramps

2. Once the vehicle is centered apply the emergency brake

3. Place wheel chocks on the front left tire to make sure the vehicle will not roll

4. Yell “Hoist going up”

5. Raise hoist to desired height allowing all 4 locks to click

6. Lower hoist onto safety locks

Push this button to raise the hoist

Push this lever to lower

the hoist

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Lowering the Four-post Hoist

1. Yell “Hoist going up”

2. Raise hoist off all 4 safety locks

3. Yell “Hoist Coming Down”

3. Hold the lever on the right to dis-engage the safety locks

4. Push down on the lowering lever to lower the hoist to desired height

(If you are not lowering it all the way to the floor you must place it on another set of safety locks)

Push this button to raise the hoist

Push this lever to lower

the hoist

Hold this

lever to release

the safety locks while

lowering the hoist

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That’s itGot all that?