Popular design choice for car lifts for garages -

Steel, a strong but common material, is a popular design choice for car lifts because it keeps the structures affordable and accessible to most garage owners. Designs constructed of galvanized steel make it possible to include features such as dual hydraulic lifting cylinders and steel-on-steel locks, which make such hydraulic auto lifts attractive, safe and easy use to use.

Most car lifts for garages can be installed without any site preparation, so consumers in need of a hassle-free solution turn to them for car and SUV parking problems in residential garages. With little to no preparation, the perfect answer arrives and is ready to hold the car and start saving valuable space.

While choosing a hydraulic lift automotive system, garage designers and owners should look for flexibility of design in the event they change their garage configuration or purchase a new car one day. Useful and flexible features include a lifting capacity of at least 6,000 pounds, and the ability for a car lift to function without complicated chains and cables. Car lifts for garages come in a variety of sizes such as tall, low, narrow, and wide to accommodate the range of automobiles found in private home garages. In a typical car lift set-up, all cars and smaller SUVs fit on the lower level, while the upper level fits larger SUVs and minivans.

In the high-traffic family space of the garage like in office areas and shopping malls, safety is the most important aspect of car lifts for many garage owners. Specific safety features to look for, while investing in hydraulic auto lifts, include:

• steel-on-steel locks that relieve hydraulic pressure in the raised position;
• a manually operated lock release;
• hydraulic safety valves (velocity fuses);
• and key operator user controls with positive pressure up/down buttons.

It is also advisable to look for car lifts for garages that offer warranties to cover the electrical, mechanical and structural functions of the lift. Although the structures are well built, garage owners want to be prepared for accidents and unexpected events.

In terms of sizes, as with almost everything in this world, there are three varieties of suspension lift size: small, medium and large. Small suspension lift kits usually comprises of 1.5 inches or fewer. It will grant some clearance and room for vehicles with somewhat larger tires.

Commonly, the proper way in gaining a small suspension lift can be done by means of coil spacers in front and long shackles on the rear. They are relatively inexpensive as well as very easy to install because less complications is involve in attaching them to the car.

Small lifts are great for those who need to watch their budget and it is also the easiest to install. Users of this size also have little to complain regarding complications.

As for the medium suspension lifts, it is capable of almost 2 inches of lift. This size is the best choice for vehicle owners who are looking to gain tire clearance but are not exactly planning to do any off-road riding. Spacer and add-a-leaf lifts is commonly used for this size. Sometimes, their package may also come with the latest shocks.

Most users of medium suspension lifts may notice several changes in the performance and handling of their vehicles upon its installation. Some changes would be good and some could be bad. Users must have strong, even new and tough rear springs. For those planning later modifications on their vehicle, more lift could become difficult to achieve especially if an add-a-leaf kit is preferred since this kind is designed for lifting stock springs.

Now, for large sized suspension lifts, which consists of about 3 – 4 inches of ground clearance, for a much more aggressive vehicle and assurance of great off-road adventures? Commonly, large suspension lift setup comprises of new add-a-leafs, placed in the rear, front coils and even additional new rear springs and front coils. A set of shocks to match are also included in this large kit package.

Obviously, this setup is quite pricey and users have to expect more complications with their vehicles than those with the smaller sizes of lifts. There may also be a dramatic effect on the performance of the vehicle on on-road rides. For off road riding enthusiasts, this size is the best as it transforms their rigs into intimidating machines to take to the wilds and still stand out.

If you are looking into the different types of suspension lift kits, we can give you an introduction of them also in this article. You should be aware of these various types.

They are the following:

• Spring Over Axle (SPOA) – very popular among rock crawlers looking for the best articulation, the term for up and down wheel travel

• Shackle Reverse (S/R) – truck lift kits which main purpose of use is to provide smooth rides on mild terrains like deserts, forests, and scenic trails.

• Coil Suspension – the best match for the world’s best4 wheel drive or 4WD vehicles

• Lifted Spring – the most common kind of truck lift kit and is used all over the world since the suspension system of the Lifted Spring is easy to install. It is the best choice to use by newbie lifters in the off-road world.

• Shackle – considered the most affordable among all the other types. This type primarily serves for truck enthusiasts who are interested in replacing their rig with bigger tires but have no intention of doing hardcore off-road driving. This type has been known to have effect on the vehicle’s sway control and steering system.

Every make or model of vehicle can be paired with corresponding lift kits that will support their specifications. Well-known manufacturers are now mass-producing Ford lifts and Dodge Lifts because these are in demand among enthusiasts of said vehicle makes.

About the Author:

Kay Zetkin writes information about everything on wheels. Get help in installing lift kits for your vehicle.