2 Post Lift Archives : Eagle Equipment

LIFTING IT RIGHT: Vehicle weight and determining the right two-post car lift for you.

At Eagle Equipment, we feel that one of the most important parts of our job is helping customers make the most informed purchase they can. We often find ourselves as educators; correcting many assumptions in the industry.

“If my vehicle weighs under 9,000 lbs., and I buy a 9K lift; I should be able to lift my vehicle all day long.”

People often try this with their full-size pickup trucks; then wonder why we suggest something more stout.

The first thing you need to know is what you’re lifting. Look at the sticker on the door jam for the weight and distribution. Then, take a glance to see what’s inside and where the weight is. Some trucks have toolboxes or other things that add a significant amount of weight to the vehicle.

According to the Editor of BRAKE & FRONT END Magazine, “Knowing the weight is essential in determining the center of gravity behind the front wheels. To find center of gravity, divide the rear wheel weight by the overall weight and multiply by the wheelbase (The wheelbase is the measurement from the wheel center not the overall length). Check in the lift manual where the center of gravity of the vehicle should be placed. The placement of the center of gravity will differ on asymmetrical lifts. A number of lift accidents can be traced to vehicles with unique loads like plumber trucks and vehicles with water or fluid tanks. If in doubt, weigh the vehicle. If you can’t weigh a questionable vehicle, don’t attempt to lift it, or get under it.”

Continue reading LIFTING IT RIGHT: Vehicle weight and determining the right two-post car lift for you.

Car Lift Weights: A 9K lift doesn’t always lift 9,000 pounds

Car Lift Weight Rating and Vehicle Weight

As leading experts in the field of Automotive Lifts, we here at Eagle Equipment feel that one of the most important parts of our job is helping customers make the most informed purchase they can. We often find ourselves as educators; dealing with many assumption of the industry

A common assumption: “If my vehicle weighs 9,000lbs., and I buy a 9K lift; I should be able to lift my vehicle all day long.”

In fact, people often try this with their 1-ton trucks; then wonder why we suggest something more stout.

The thinking may be: “What’s the problem? The lift is rated for 9,000lbs, right?” But, it’s not so simple as that. There are several factors to consider. Car lift weight ratings are a common industry designation. Lifts designated as “9K” are often close approximations to their corresponding kg (kilogram) rating. They may be 8800lbs, or they may be 9200lbs. Further, the 9K may denote the lift’s maximum lifting weight. You may be able to bench-press 350lbs., but this doesn’t mean you can do it all day long!

However, on a more serious note, the greater consideration for car lift weight limits is the weight distribution. Every 2-post lift has four (4) telescoping swing arms for lifting; and these arms actually support the weight of the vehicle. Each arm has its own lifting capacity; for example 9,000 lbs. divided by four is 2,250lbs. per arm.

A 1-ton truck may weigh-in right at 9,000lbs.; but 6,000lbs. of this will be on the rear axle; or 3,000lbs. per arm! Add tool-boxes and such, and you start seeing a real imbalance; this puts a lot of twist on the whole lift. Such a load would be too much for any standard 10,000 lbs. capacity lift, let alone a 9K model.

To safely lift a 1-ton truck, you need to start in the 12,000lbs. capacity range of automotive lifts. And if you’re looking at larger utility vehicles, the range gets even more extreme. The distribution of the weight of any vehicle always needs to be taken into account.

It isn’t that we’re just looking to sell the more expensive product.
It’s what’s best for our customer.

Car Lifts in In Stock – Buy NOW before Prices Increase

Eagle Equipment has 2 post car lifts, 4 post car lifts, heavy duty auto lifts, and storage/service auto lifts IN STOCK in our North Carolina warehouse. These car lifts are ready to be shipped to you and will arrive at your auto body repair shop in just a few days.

Steel and freight prices are increasing in the very near future and, as such, we, along with our competitors, will be forced to increase prices.

We want you to get the best deal for your money.
Buy our “In Stock and Ready to Ship” automotive lifts today!

Call 1-800-336-2776 or visit our website www.EagleEquip.com

Guidelines for Receiving Freight

Eagle Equipment’s products are designed to be shipped via common carrier freight lines and we recommend that customers pick up their products at a freight terminal. Having a product shipped to a business address or freight terminal is also less expensive than shipping to a residential address because of carrier restrictions on residential delivery. Freight companies have terminals located throughout the USA and our sales team will help find the one closest to you. Eagle does everything possible to ensure the timely arrival of your automotive shop equipment. Customer service will call you after your order has shipped with an estimate as to when you should receive your equipment, but we cannot guarantee it will be delivered on this date. After a product leaves the warehouse, the delivery process becomes the responsibility of the freight carrier.

Once the product arrives at the freight terminal, the dispatcher will contact you to arrange a pick up time. Any and all products should be picked up within 48 hours of this notice. One of the benefits of receiving freight at a terminal is having their staff to load the product onto your trailer or truck. When freight is received at a business or residential address it is always the customer’s responsibility to unload the product from the back of the truck. Sometimes two people can unload the equipment by themselves. However, lift gates, forklifts, roll back trucks, or similar equipment will often be needed in order to complete this task. Lift gates can be used for unloading products such as tire equipment and motorcycle lifts. Larger equipment such as two post and four post car lifts require a forklift to offload from the truck. Lifts will also require a trailer to be transported to their final destination.

For convenience, we will allow customers to pick up their equipment from our warehouse within the following guidelines.

Customer Pick-Up Guide Lines

All orders picked up will be subject to applicable North Carolina sales tax unless buyer has provided a NC Sales Tax Exemption Certificate.
Customers are not allowed in the warehouse area without a salesperson. Customers may not assist or interfere with the loading of the equipment.
Customer is responsible for any damages to the equipment and/or their vehicle resulting from the loading and transporting of the equipment.
Vehicle weight restrictions will be strictly observed. Customers may be asked to provide weight restriction information on trailers.
Eagle recommends side loading of lifts onto vehicles. When this is not possible, the equipment will be rear loaded. Eagle will make its best effort to center the load weight. However, customers will be responsible for any shifting or falling of equipment or off-centered load that results in damage.
Equipment will only be loaded right side up.
Customers are responsible for strapping down their equipment on the vehicle. No load will be allowed to leave the premises without being strapped down.
Pick up vehicles must have sufficient width and length to insure that the equipment does not protrude illegally from the vehicle. Trucks with tailgates must be able to fully close the tailgate with the equipment inside.
Lifts will not be loaded onto pick-up trucks.
Equipment will not be loaded onto vehicles that appear to be unsafe or lack proper equipment. This will be determined at the sole discretion of the Eagle warehouse supervisor.

These requirements have been established to help insure the safety of you, your vehicle, and your equipment. If your vehicle does not meet the above requirements, we suggest that you let our logistics department obtain the best shipping quote possible for your equipment.

Please call Eagle Equipment at 1-800-336-2776 for more information on receiving freight.

Lift Selection for Load Capacity

The maximum load limit of a lift is one of the primary considerations in the buying process. Automotive lifts are available in several weight limit ratings from as low as 7,000 pounds up to 18,000 pounds.

When purchasing a non-ETL certified lift it is important to know that the weight limit of the lift is the maximum load based on the strength of the steel in the lift and the stress placed upon the lift. For this reason, Eagle recommends that the gross vehicle weight (GVW) of the vehicle being lifted be no more than 80 to 85% of the maximum lift load. This allows a safety factor for cargo, fuel, and any other weight impacting factors. The table below shows recommended maximum GVW for non-ETL certified lifts.

– 7,000 lb. lift 5,600 to 6,000 GVW
– 8,000 lb. lift 6,400 to 6,800 GVW
– 9,000 lb. lift 7,200 to 7,700 GVW
-10,000 lb. lift 8,000 to 8,500 GVW
-11,000 lb. lift 8,800 to 9,400 GVW
-12,000 lb. lift 9,600 to 10,300 GVW
-14,000 lb. lift 11,200 to 12,000 GVW
-15,000 lb. lift 12,000 to 12,800 GVW
-18,000 lb. lift 14,400 to 15,300 GVW

To earn an ETL certification, a lift must be capable of lifting a load above the weight limit of the lift. Therefore, an ETL certified 10,000 pound lift can safely lift a vehicle with a GVW of 10,000 pounds. The safety factor for cargo, fuel, etc. has been accounted for by the ETL testing process.

Determine the lift weight rating needed by evaluating the types of vehicles that will be lifted. GVW’s are available over the internet. One rule of thumb is to over estimate your needs to insure that the lift purchased will do the job.

Proper Lift Installation—Floor Requirements and Preparation

At Eagle Equipment, ensuring our customers’ safety is our primary concern. Your car lift was designed and built with safety in mind. However, safety relies on proper installation and training. Prepare for a successful installation by making sure your floor meets specific requirements. We would like to emphasize the following floor requirements for installing 2-Post and 4 post car lifts.

Site Selection
Before installing your car lift, check the following:
• Lift Location: Always use architect’s plans when available. Check layout dimension against floor plan requirements making sure adequate space is available. Your lift
requires a 220v, 30amp, single phase, grounded electrical source. There should be room enough to operate the lift in a safe manner and without restrictions.
• Overhead Area: The area where the lift will be located should be free of overhead obstructions such as heaters, building supports, electrical lines, doors, lights, etc.
• Floor Area: Visually inspect the site where the lift is to be installed and check for cracked or defective concrete.

Floor Requirements
• A level floor is suggested for proper installation and level lifting. Small differences in floor slopes may be compensated for by proper shimming. If a floor is of questionable slope, consider a survey of the site and/or the possibility of pouring a new level concrete slab.
• New concrete must be adequately cured for at least 30 days.

DO NOT install auto lift on any asphalt surface or any surface other than concrete.
DO NOT install auto lift on expansion seams or on cracked or defective concrete.
DO NOT install auto lift on a second/elevated floor without first consulting building architect.
DO NOT install auto lift outdoors unless special consideration has been made to protect the power unit from inclement weather conditions.

Concrete Specifications
All models MUST be installed on 3,000 PSI reinforced concrete only. Additional concrete requirements will vary by lift.

8,500 lbs – 10,000 lbs lifts: 4″ Minimum Thickness
11,000 lbs – 15,000 lbs lifts: 6″ Minimum Thickness

Specifications of concrete must be adhered to. Failure to do so could cause auto lift failure resulting in personal injury or death. All of our automobile lifts include a manual with floor and concrete specifications . Adhering to these specifications will ensure a safe and successful installation.

Please visit the Eagle Equipment site for more information and online product manuals.

Free Freight Misconception

The old saying, “There is no such thing as a free lunch”, supports the concept that you cannot get “something for nothing.” Many online businesses advertise “free freight” so consumers will believe they are getting a great deal. Merchants are actually just hiding shipping and freight charges by marking up the price of the product. Shipping and freight providers expect to be paid for their services which include palletizing, packing, loading, transporting, documentation, insurance, and unloading. These services can account for up to 50% of a product’s cost and it is you, the consumer, who pays for this whether it is added separately or included in the product price.

Eagle Equipment chooses to itemize these charges to be upfront with our customers. We will do everything we can to offer the best freight pricing without lowering our standards. Our shipping department makes every effort to ship your car lift or tire equipment in a manner that allows for easy offloading, which includes arranging a carrier and extending the discounts provided to us by our shipping partners. When possible, a flatbed is used to transport larger automotive repair equipment.

We also take pride in offering “great customer service” which includes accessibility, product knowledge, support, and innovation. So, when you are shopping for a car lift, wheel balancer, tire changer, or auto repair tools and equipment, make sure you do your research. Free freight may seem like a bargain at first, but in the end products with free freight may not provide the value anticipated by consumers.

Shop Eagle Equipment

Eagle Equipment at the Good Guys Car Show

Come by and visit Eagle Equipment at the 16th annual Good Guys Southeast National Car Show. The show will be held from Oct 30th through Nov 1st at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC.

Eagle Equipment will be in Booth #40 so come by for show specials. Ask for Andy!

Tips for Buying an Automotive Car Lift

Here are some tips to help you have a good experience when buying a car lift.

Be sure when you call the auto lift company that a person answers the phone.
Call Customer Service which might be a different line from the sales line. Look for Customer Services’ phone number in the car lift manual which should be emailed to you or found on the vendor’s website. Be sure you can get in touch with someone if you have questions or problems prior to buying the product. Does the supplier have a customer service department as a part of their company or are they sending you to a 3^rd party company?
Ask the lift company for a total price including exact (not estimated) freight. Compare total prices between vendors not just the lift price.
Ask for an exact ship date and a delivery date (not estimated dates). Lift companies should be able to provide you this information.
Check https://www.ripoffreport.com to check on the company.

Eagle Equipment has 7 product specialists to answer the phones so call us and you can talk to a person. We can provide you with exact shipping costs and the total price for the product.

We have our own customer service department to handle post sale questions.

AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT PICK-UP GUIDELINES

Our products are designed to be shipped via common carrier freight lines and this is the shipping method that we recommend. However, for convenience, we will allow customers to pick up their automotive equipment within the following guidelines:

1. All orders picked up will be subject to applicable North Carolina sales tax unless buyer has provided a NC Sales Tax Exemption Certificate.

2. Customers are not allowed in the warehouse area without a salesperson. Customers may not assist or interfere with the loading of the auto equipment.

3. Customer is responsible for any damages to the equipment and/or their vehicle resulting from the loading and transporting of the equipment.

4. Vehicle weight restrictions will be strictly observed. Customer may be asked to provide weight restriction information on trailers.

5. Eagle recommends side loading of car lifts onto vehicles. When this is not possible, the automotive equipment will be rear loaded. Eagle will make its best effort to center the load weight. However, customer will be responsible for any shifting or falling of equipment or off-centered load that results in damage.

6. Equipment will only be loaded right side up.

7. Customers are responsible for strapping down their equipment on the vehicle. No load will be allowed to leave the premises without being strapped down.

8. Pick up vehicles must have sufficient width and length to insure that the equipment does not protrude illegally from the vehicle. Trucks with tailgates must be able to fully close the tailgate with the equipment inside.

9. Car lifts will not be loaded onto pick-up trucks.

10. Automotive equipment will not be loaded onto vehicles that appear to be unsafe or lack proper equipment. This will be determined at the sole discretion of the Eagle warehouse supervisor.

I have read, understand, and agree to the requirements above:

Signature: __________________________________________ Date: ________________________

Customer vehicle inspected and loaded by: ____________________________________

Shopping Cart

Your cart is currently empty.

Tag: 2 Post Lift