Where do you go for Pittsburgh custom lifts? In addition to selling and purchasing used vehicles, Blue Knob Auto Sales can handle all your other automotive needs. Auto mechanics use car lifts to raise the cars and trucks that they are working on. This allows easier access to the parts from underneath. There are many different types of lifts that are available from most equipment supply dealers that deal with garage supplies. The two most common lift types are in ground lifts and above ground or surface mounted lifts. In-ground lifts were the main type of lift up until the 1980s. Above ground surface mounted lifts first emerged in the 1970s and grew in popularity to the present day.
In ground car lifts are put together below the ground floor of a garage. One, two, or more pistons are used for this type of lift depending on the weight capacity needed. One and/or two pistons are used for raising compact, mid-sized cars, and full-sized cars. A lift with three or more pistons is used for large vehicles such as RV’s and buses. For automotive shops with limited space, in-ground lifts make a good solution. They have a smaller footprint which can allow for more lift bays to be added in the establishment. Most lifts used to be the in-ground type in years gone by.
The most widespread auto lift used today is the Two Post Surface-Mounted Lift. These lifts are normally bolted to the floor of the garage, and the power to operate the lift comes from an electric motor. This motor may operate a hydraulic pump with cylinders or it may operate a screw kind of drive. On each post or column, you will find the lift arms. These arms are controlled hydraulically, mechanically, or electronically.
The Scissors Auto Lift may be a fixed pad type or a roll on underbody type. The portable mid-rise lift is popular with professional mechanics as well as with home hobbyists or shade tree mechanics. Auto shop owners prefer the full rise scissor lifts for total under car access. Scissors lifts take up less floor space in shops where space is at a premium. Be sure to check out the other Pittsburgh custom lifts at a location near you.