What happens when a vehicle falls off a Car Lift ?
It can get ugly. From damaged to destroyed cars. Damaged car lifts. And worst case scenario, injured, or even fatally injured people. Unfortunately, it happens more frequently than you would expect.
Why? There are a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s a failure of the auto lift. Particularly with many of those “bargain” lifts out there. You can find all kinds of lift failures out there on the Internet. Usually, you will see a two post lift fail at the arms, or lift carriage. You will frequently find a four post lift fails at the area where the cross-member that supports the runways meets the column at the safety locks.
Another potential reason for automotive lift failure is improper installation. Frequently, the customer chose to install the lift themselves instead of having a professional install it, and perhaps didn’t follow the instructions properly, or failed to call the tech support line when they had questions.
Sometimes, it’s a case of the concrete floor not being adequate. Either it’s older, cracked or soft. Sometimes it just not thick enough, or a strong enough psi (hardness).
Probably the most common is user error. Many times, the user does not position the lift arms to meet the automobile’s jacking points properly. That appears to be the case with the video shown below, although we can’t be sure of the reason. It’s an in-ground lift, not the type of lift that we carry. It’s not clear on the video why the vehicle falls off, and the video does not indicate the reason.
The lesson is, always make sure to follow proper procedures when it comes to installation of the lift, and using the lift. Always read the owner’s manual that comes with the lift and follow it precisely when it comes to installation, use and maintenance. And when in doubt, call the tech support line. They will always be willing to spend as much time on the phone with you as necessary.