The History of Car Lifts

Before car lifts were invented, mechanics would often have to deal with cramped and dangerous conditions while working on motor vehicles.  They would often use ramps or jacks to lift vehicles and accidents were common.  Pits offered a safer option for working on vehicles, but very often these pits did not allow a mechanic to stand comfortably while working on a vehicle.

It all changed thanks to the invention of the car lift.  This article will examine the history of the car lift and some of the modern lifts which are now available.

The Power of Hydraulics
Scientific developments in the field of hydraulics were key to the invention of the car lift. In the 17th-Century, French mathematician Blaise Pascal first described how a hydraulic jack might function.  Pascal developed Pascal’s Principle — also known as the principle of transmission of fluid-pressure.  In laymen’s terms, it means that within closed systems, the pressure exerted on an incompressible fluid will result in equal pressure in all directions.

In 1795, a British engineer named Joseph Bramah patented the hydraulic press, which put Pascal’s principles to work.  He was given a patent for the device, which was an important technological breakthrough for industrial machinery.  Hydraulic presses are often used for moulding, blanking, punching, deep drawing, forging, clinching, and metal forming operations.

The next important technological breakthrough occurred when Richard Dudgeon invented the hydraulic jack in 1851.  He received a patent for the device, named the “portable hydraulic press”.  It was a simple device that used “water or another fluid” in a reservoir near the top of the jack.  The jack was often filled with whale oil and other unusual fluids including whisky!

Dudgeon’s hydraulic jack had some design issues, but it was another important discovery that helped power the industrial revolution.  Richard Dudgeon later went on to invent the steam carriage, cementing his position as one of the most important inventors of the 19th-Century.

Hydraulic jacks became a common sight in car garages and eventually reached the consumer market.  Many garages continued to use pits for car repairs, however, hydraulic jacks made it easy to safely lift a car for a quick repair in any location.

The first hydraulic car lift was patented in 1925 by Peter Lunati, US Patent B66F7/18 Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported directly by jacks by one or more hydraulic or pneumatic jacks by a single central jack. 

Mr Lunati went on to form the Rotary Lift company,  which remains in business today with headquarters in Madison, Indiana.

By 1945, there were many companies making hydraulic lifts for the motor vehicle industry.  In the United States, nine lift manufacturers formed the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI).  ALI was created to further improving the quality of automotive lifts and ensure the industry remained profitable. Any Lift sold in the EU must conform to the latest European Harmonised Standards and will have a CE Certificate to ensure compliance.

Since the invention of the first hydraulic car lift, may other lifts have been patented including the scissors type hydraulic car lift in 1989, a 4-post hydraulic platform vehicle lift for multiple cars in 2000, and an above-the-floor hydraulic lift in 1982.

Hydraulic lifts have been installed by many garages because they are easy to install and safer to use compared to a pit, ramps or jacks.  They are much cheaper than digging out a pit for vehicles to drive over. 

Today, hydraulic car lifts are available in the consumer market and are popular with car enthusiasts.  They allow car owners to safely and comfortably work on their car in the comfort of their own home. 

Car lifts are also useful for providing additional vehicle storage in your home.  Many home owners add platform vehicle lifts to their garages so they can store two cars in a one car garage.  These Platform car lifts can also be installed into ground excavation to provide even more space for vehicle storage.

Types of Car Lifts

There are now a wide variety of car lifts available to suit any operating environment.  Most modern lifts use an electric motor to raise a lift directly through the use of hydraulic rams, or on cables driven by the ram. Screw type drives to lift the vehicle are available and provide very accurate control of lift height. 

2-Post Surface Mounted Car Lifts
The most popular type of car lift today, it is comprised of two lift arms which are typically bolted to the floor.  A cross-beam usually joins the posts.  The lift arms are synchronised electronically or mechanically to raise at the same speed, they must be installed on an extremely secure concrete base

Multi-Post Runway Car Lifts
Usually a 4-post surface-mounted lift.  Runway lifts have wide ramps that the vehicle drives on before being lifted.  They are useful for accommodating a wide array of vehicle types, but require more space.

Scissor Car Lifts
Scissor lifts are available as both surface-mounted and in-ground.  Many scissor lifts are mid-rise lifts that don’t reach the same height as an in-ground post lift.

Low or Mid-rise Frame Engaging Car Lifts

Low and Mid-rise car lifts are often surface-mounted and can use external hydraulic systems to function.   While they do not obtain the same height as a post lift, they are still very useful for getting to the bottom of vehicles and ideal for working on a car while seated.  Many low-rise lifts are mobile and useful because they can be moved around a garage.

Wheel Engaging Mobile Units

These lifts feature moveable posts that are placed under the vehicle’s wheels.  They are very useful for situations where you are dealing with a wide range of vehicles which are different sizes.

Strongman Tools are Car Lift experts, who have a vast amount of experience installing car lifts in any operating environment — from residential car lifts through to Professional Garage & Workshop installations.

Some of the car lifts available from Strongman include:

4-Post Lifts

•   Mobile Scissor & Platform Scissor Lifts

•   Parking Lifts

•   Mid-Rise Lifts