2-Post Lift Concrete Failure: How to Prevent and Fix the Issue

Installing a 2-Post Automotive Lift in your repair shop or home garage can help free up extra valuable space, give you easy access to the complete vehicles' underbodies for a quick diagnosis and repairs, and even massively boost the workshop's efficiency and productivity.

However, automotive lift failure can be costly due to repairs and property damage. Car lift failure can also be dangerous to the point of causing a fatal accident or even death. This article will cover what a 2 Post Lift is and how to prevent and fix a 2-Post Lift concrete failure.

What is a 2-Post Automotive Lift?

A 2-Post Lift is an automotive hydraulic or hydraulic electric lift that raises heavy car parts or vehicles above the ground to allow mechanics or DIYers to work conveniently on the underside of vehicles. The automotive lift is made up of two upright columns that have four adjustable arms that are attached to two hydraulic cylinders and a carriage assembly. 

As opposed to the 4-Post lift, which is wheel engaging, the 2-Post lift is frame engaging. The 2-Post automotive lifts have two parts in the market: symmetric or asymmetric. It functions by using the hydraulic fluid that pushes the piston up to allow the platform to move up. For the platform to move downwards, the valves in the lift have to open to allow the fluid to flow back to the reservoir through the gravitational force of the lift. 

Apart from two-post and four-post automotive lifts, other types of lifts are: 

• Portable auto lifts.
• Inground automotive lifts.
• Automotive scissor lifts.
• Parking lifts.
• Mobile column auto lifts
• Alignment auto lifts.

How to Prevent a 2-Post Lift Concrete Failure

To prevent a 2-Post Lift concrete, you need to have the set standard floor requirements before installing the lift. After setting up the two-post lift, it also needs proper maintenance to prevent failure. Let's look at the requirements before installing the 2-post lift.

Requirements Before Installing the 2-Post lift

The following is a set of requirements needed before installing the 2-Post lift.

• Automotive 2-post lifts with large or wide base plates are better than those with narrow base plates since they spread the load out over a large surface area to prevent the concrete from busting under a load.
• The lift shouldn't be installed over surfaces other than concrete, such as asphalt surfaces. The concrete should also pass the minimum compressive strength, thickness, reinforcement, and age. It's also not safe to put the lift over hand-mixed concrete.
• The concrete floor that you put your lift on should be level. Some 2-Post lift manufacturers recommend a minimum floor concrete thickness of 4 inches. However, to be on the safe side, the floor thickness ought to be 6-12". The weight of the car lift should be a determining factor of how thick the floor should be. An 8500-10000lb 2-Post Lift requires a 4" concrete floor minimum thickness while a 12000-18000 lb requires a 6"concrete floor thickness. You can use a hammer drill to confirm the concrete thickness of the floor if you aren't conversant with its thickness. The floor concrete must also be mixed according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
• It should also have a 3000psi tensile strength reinforced with fiber mesh or steel.
• The car lift's anchors shouldn't be put on or near cracks, control joints, or expansion seams. This is because those areas are prone to damage concrete damage when the lift is put over them. Check with the installation engineer or architect to also ensure that the soil under the concrete is stable and doesn't shift to prevent concrete damage due to the weight of the lift.
• New concrete should have cured for 28 days before you put the 2-Post lift on it to ensure that it has reached maximum strength and has fully cured to avoid cracking or busting.
• If you don't have any information on the concrete floor specifications, it would be best to drill a series of test holes before installing the 2-Post lift to check the concrete floor condition.
• After installation of the car lift, ensure you regularly check and inspect the concrete floor to quickly address any cracks and deformities that may arise to ensure that it lasts long.
• If your pre-existing floor doesn't meet the minimum requirements, it would be best to improvise by constructing a slab on the location meant for the car lift to secure it. Reinforce the slab with temperature bars to prevent cracking. The slab's holes should be 2x2 ft and 10-12 inches deep.

How to Fix a 2-Post Lift Concrete Failure

In the event that your 2-post lift concrete fails, there are steps you can take to fix the car lift for it to return to its original state or make it stronger and more stable to avoid another failure. Below are the steps to take to fix the concrete failure:

• Try to determine the reason for the damage. The damage caused by concrete failure can be due to the floor surface the automotive lift is on, which doesn't meet the minimum requirements for automotive lift installation. Another reason that might cause the 2-Post Lift Concrete to fail is its poor installation or maintenance. If the reason for the damage is poor installation, you'll need the services of an installation expert to prevent another concrete damage.
• Check and assess the automotive lift's concrete damage to evaluate if it's widespread or has occurred in a small area to determine the type of repair needed. If the damage is widespread, it is best to first remove the 2-Post lift for easy repair. The removal needs the use of specialized tools and proper planning.
• Repair the concrete floor based on the damage extent. For a small hole, you can patch up the damaged floor area while a widespread damaged area will require repair with new concrete.
• After repairing, you can reinstall the 2-post lift with the help of an installation expert. You can also use a slab to secure the automotive lift and enhance its support and stability.
• The final step of the car lift repair is the testing phase, where you ensure the lift meets safety standards. You can do that by checking the anchor bolt, the lift's alignment, and other parts to ensure it functions correctly and safely.

What You Need to Avoid 2-Post Car Lift Failure

Apart from the car lift's failure due to the concrete floor, other reasons can cause the automotive lift to fail. Some of those reasons are:

• A design flaw that causes failure.
• An incorrect installation of the car lift.
• Not securing the vehicle properly using the adjustable arms of the lift.
• Substandard cheaper alternatives that need to be fixed.

These errors can result in serious injuries, leading to fatal accidents, death, and even cause property damage. To avoid that, here are some precautions to take to prevent the failure of the 2-post automotive lift's failure.

• The car lift operating procedures, safety materials, and safety tips should be readily accessible and visible.
• Slowly raise the lift that contains the secured vehicle or machinery to lower the risk of accidents.
• Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for putting the adaptors or pads under the automotive lift's contact points.
• Before raising your car with the car lift, you should switch off the ignition and shift the transmission to a neutral position to prevent any accidents.
• Mentally assess the car's center of gravity when it is secured and raised by the automotive lift to determine whether it will shift its center of gravity to one side, which can be risky.
• Follow the automotive lift's instruction manual if it requires removing heavy vehicle parts such as the axle or the engine before it's raised above the ground.
• the lift's chock devices before and during lifting to ensure they are in good condition and functioning properly to avoid accidents.
• Lower the car lift once you identify that the car is not well secured on the car lift or is about to slide off.
• Check for signs of corrosion on the adapters and lifting points. Oily or wet surfaces can also cause accidents due to slippage.
• Ensure you don't overload the lift by not exceeding the maximum lifting capacity.
• Clear equipment and people when lowering the automotive lift.
• Properly choke the wheels on drive-on lifts.
• Ensure you don't modify the automotive lift and repair only with rotary points.
• Train workers on the proper use of the lift.
• The lift accessories such as the lift adapters are manufactured in compliance with the standards for automotive lifts.
• Don't override the safety mechanisms.
• Ensure you review the recommended lifting points which are appropriate places for the automotive lift to contact the vehicle. This is a visual check to ensure the lifted vehicle will be stable enough.

Bottom Line

There you have it-how to prevent and fix a 2-post lift concrete failure. Following the right floor requirements before installation and proper maintenance after maintenance plays a big role in preventing the 2-post lift concrete failure.