A Guide to Proper Car Lift Maintenance

Most car owners are auto fanatics that find joy in taking care of their vehicles. According to a 2021 survey, out of 1,200 car owners, 74.7% are satisfied with their car maintenance habits.

However, just like cars need maintenance, so do certain automotive tools and equipment, which is where most car owners fall short.

So, whether you have a 4-post car lift or a simple socket wrench set, you must show your tools the care they deserve. Scroll down to discover all about car lift upkeep and how to prolong its lifespan.

Inspections

Regular inspections are the key to maintaining a car lift, or any other type of equipment for that matter. Checking cable connections, anchor bolts, cable tension, and posts can help you identify issues early on before they evolve into something more complex and hurt you or your car.

Do visual inspections but also run tests from time to time. Some of the essential car lift inspections to add to your to-do list are:

•Wiring and electrical components

•Lift controls and speed

•Structural components

•Fastening gadgets

•Lubrication points.

Daily and Weekly Maintenance

Besides visual inspections, a car lifter also needs daily and weekly care.

We suggest you test the controls, emergency stops, lift arm movement, and power cord for daily maintenance. You can also inspect the safety lock, hose leakage, and hydraulic and cable connections.

For weekly maintenance, clean your lift from grease and debris. Other things you should do are:

•Lubrication of pivot points and rollers

•Inspections of anchor bolt torque, floor, bolts, screws, nuts, and hydraulic oil level

•Test car lift range and mechanism in general.

Monthly Maintenance

Daily and weekly maintenance take less time than monthly care. Why? Because monthly care involves more complicated tasks.

If your weekly routine lasts 15 to 20 minutes, expect your monthly one to last around 45 minutes. However, the time spent will pay off in the long run as this type of extensive care routine eliminates all worries.

Some of the things you should include in your monthly car lift car routine are:

•Adjust cable length and tension

•Check bolt torque, pivot pins, and safeties

•Clear the lift from dirt

•Adjust floor anchor bolt

•Lubricate everything - drive screws, columns, cables, etc.

In addition, you should repaint and sand down damaged areas of your car lift. However, this should be done once every few months and is not part of a regular monthly routine. Also, be careful when repainting as you don’t want to damage the mechanism with too much paint.

Annual Maintenance

Annual car lift care is equally important. It’s an opportunity to give your car lift the makeover it deserves.

This can include a simple check or repair and replacement depending on its condition. In any case, here is what you should focus on during your annual car lift maintenance routine:

•Switch hydraulic fluid and hoses

•Switch rollers, chains, cables, and sheaves

•Replace motors if necessary

•Replace hydraulic cylinders if necessary

•Inspect air cylinder rod and mount.