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When you own an auto repair shop, you must keep your equipment in tip-top shape. After all, it’s how you make your money. Mechanics and shop owners must be mindful of equipment repairs and fixes like the hydraulic car lift, a piece of vital equipment in auto repair.
Hydraulic lifts can help with wheel alignment, general car tunings, and under-the-car repairs. One issue that may occur is the hydraulic car lift gets stuck in the up position. Performing regular lift inspections and maintenance and knowing how to fix small issues can eliminate the need for more repairs, keep your shop fully functioning, and save money in the long run.
Importance of Lift Inspection and Maintenance
Having routine lift inspections and maintenance can significantly improve your business by increasing safety for your team, preventing expensive repair costs for the shop, and avoiding employee downtime. These are a few of the reasons lift inspection and maintenance is essential.
Improves Safety
Your customer and employee safety is a high priority, whether on the road or in the shop. Regular lift inspections and maintenance can reduce risks, improve staff safety, and protect customers’ vehicles from damage.
Prevents Expensive Repairs
Repairs on hydraulic lifts can be rather expensive. By taking preventative measures and thinking ahead, shop owners can reduce the costs long-term. Whether you’re checking the oil levels or clearing any blockages, you’re caring for your equipment and minimizing future expenses.
Avoids Downtime
Not being able to use a lift means you can’t accommodate the same traffic flow in your shop. You don’t want to turn customers away or have employees waiting to use other available lifts. Time is money, so avoiding downtime is critical.
Signs That Your Car Lift Needs Repair
Before calling a lift mechanic, shop owners and employees can do minor inspections to help identify any issues. By doing so, you can help describe exactly what they noted to the lift mechanic and narrow down the potential risks.
Be aware of these signs that your lift needs repairs:
- Fluid Leaks. Look around the lift for any fresh puddles that could indicate a fluid leak.
- Air Leaks. Listen for any air leaks around the hoses. A loud hissing noise could be an air leak from a loose connection or a damaged hose.
- Lock Malfunction. The locks that hold the car in place or that hold the vehicle in the correct position don’t work accurately and create severe risks for employees.
- Latches Won’t Disengage. Auto lift latches prevent accidental lowering of raised vehicles. When those don’t disengage, it could suddenly trigger and injure one of your mechanics.
- Worn or Damaged Parts. Tell your mechanics to note any worn, used, or damaged parts, as these may create more issues and need to be replaced.
- Unusual Noise. Does the hydraulic car lift put off any unusual or new noises? The noise could signal that something is already broken or about to break.
Why is My Car Lift Stuck in Up Position?
A hydraulic car lift stuck in the up position could result from multiple issues. Whether the shop has a two-posts lift or a four-posts lift, these are the most common issues for a hydraulic lift to get stuck.
Faulty Air Compressor
A knocking or cracking sound may occur when air cavities or fluid vapor bust due to exerted force. An improper air balance or faulty air compressor can lead to severe contamination in the hydraulic fluid. Mechanics can open the air valves and regulate it back to uniform circulation or replace or fix faulty equipment.
Low Oil Level
Low oil levels can affect performance both mechanically and electrically. Checking oil levels is a significant part of mechanical work. Having them checked often and regulated can help with future preventative measures.
Blocked Hydraulic Fluid Flow
The fluids won’t run properly if the hoses are damaged, broken, or blocked. Checking for any blockage in the hydraulic system can prevent a total replacement job. Look out for clogged or damaged hoses that make hissing or cackling noises.
Damaged Hydraulic Pump
Pumps create the motion of the hydraulic system, and when they are damaged or faulty, they can cause issues like the hydraulic car lift stuck in up position. The continuous pumping motion creates friction and can wear down the hydraulic pump. Having the proper maintenance can significantly impact the pump.
Electrical Damage
An electrical fault can be expected if the hydraulic lift runs on an electrical pump. Cackling noises or electric sparks indicate electrical damage. The malfunction of the whole system may not allow the hydraulic lift to lower.
How to Repair Your Hydraulic Car Lift Stuck in Up Position
It may be the first time you’ve had an issue with a lift getting stuck. If so, there are certain steps you can take to see if you can repair it. When approaching routine inspections, repairs, and maintenance, it’s crucial for shop owners to remember these steps.
Steps needed for repair:
- Inspect the hoses and replace any that are broken or damaged
- Check the fluid level and refill if necessary
- Clear any blockages
- Install replacement parts, if necessary
- Replace the hydraulic unit
Your goal is to recognize and repair the issue without replacing the entire unit or major parts. Chances are the repair or part needed is small, but it’s a process of elimination to determine what the issue is. Regular inspection and maintenance can prevent most major lift issues.
How Allpart Supply Can Help
Allpart Supply leads the distribution, manufacturing, and custom design building of automotive lift replacement parts, heavy-duty alignment systems, and wheel balancer accessories. When repairing a hydraulic car lift stuck in up position, Allpart Supply can help with mechanical advice, replacement parts, and troubleshooting issues like affecting lift operation and safety.
If you spot the issues above and need to repair a hydraulic car lift, contact Allpart Supply for the necessary parts for a properly functioning and secure hydraulic automotive lift.
