Car Lift Noise

Check your pulleys! A friend of mine had a simular noise and it was a pully about to fail. To see what happens when a failure occurs read this.

If your posts aren't lined up correctly the composite piece rubs on the inner channel causing a groaning noise which lessens as you get them lined up correctly. Mine initially made the noise and quieted down when I lined up the posts. Checking the entire lift as suggested by PP won't hurt any though.

First off, the lift that failed was not a ProPark 7. But I'm sure they all have the potential to fail. I wonder if simply adding cross-bars to tie together the tops of the posts (at least on the ends) would eliminate the need to bolt down, essentially helping to close the structure. As long as your car doesn't hang off the ends when you raise it, there should be no interference issues.

quote:

Originally posted by ParaPantera:
Check your pulleys! A friend of mine had a simular noise and it was a pully about to fail. To see what happens when a failure occurs read this.

Thanks ParaPant, those photos made me sleep well . The pully system on the DirectLift that I have is metal and all is pretty tight how they have it set up. I looked at it anyway and all looks ok. Also, on each post the units that raise and lower within each post are very tight too, so I don't see how this could pop out. When I take the cars out again I may run the lift up and down without the car on it and see if it may level/even things out some, if that may be the problem. I don't see how else you can line it all up to ensure it is square, since 1/2 inch off or so would be hard to detect. I have the posts marked on the floor and there doesn't seem to be any change from that mark I had. Usually I get a "hum" when I raise the lift, but this was a pretty big "groan" when raising it this time. I may try calling DirectLift in the week or the place I ordered it from in Temecula to see what they say.

No problem, better safe than sorry. Although as mentioned above I knew the article did not apply to your make, but in all of the cable/pulley 4 post lifts it seems that the pulleys are the weak link. In my friends case, he uses it not for storage but to do R&R on his 7 cars, as well as friends. Since the aircraft grade steel cable network places lateral loads on the aluminum pulleys, this cause the ineer shoulder on two of the pulleys to wear to the point that the groaning noise was the cable trying to "climb off" the pulleys, once noticed they were replaced immediately. So to all of you with these types of lifts, please keep an eye on those pulleys.

I monkeyed with the lift today some, and found one side going lower than the other for some odd reason, so the lift tilts on one post by about 5 inches (Left side in this photo is about 5 inches lower). Service guys will come out in a few days and I will see whats up. Safety latchs are free, so I don't know whats up. Odd that the left side lowers more than the right.

Photo below of the loose cable that goes to the post on the right. All is tight going up, but when lowering, the right side is slow (accounting for that loose cable). May be interesting for those not used to seeing the innards of these lifts...at least it didn't fall on me yet and ruin DOES 200.

Here is one of the front dual pullies at the front (the dual pully that drives the other side of the lift is on the right, not shown). You can see the pully is welded slightly off center, but to me it doesn't seem this would be the issue. But thought I would show, as you can see the pully system on these things are pretty beefy.

Photo showing that loose cable that works the one side of the lift. All these cables are supposed to be real tight, so it is odd to see the loose one.

I found out these lifts can make noice on occasion from the seals in the cylender, so the guys came out and added something they call catipillar juice for lubrication, so no noise now. Also I had tilt because one of the safety/resting latch was not pulling back far enough, so the all 3 posts were lowering except for the one (not good), but that was adjusted somewhat and I need to be sure to pull back fully on the main latch to release all 4 posts. He also said not to bolt down the posts, as a little shifting is needed to even out the posts with movement going up and down. He had seen lifts where the bolts actually broke the pavement without that little ability to flex some at the bottom.

So, your groaning noise was coming from the cylinder and oil additive stopped it? Any idea what it was that they added? I still have some noise, I have to check, maybe its coming from my cylinder too.

I have a direct lift 2post and have had nothing but trouble with it and they finally replaced it and the second one is even worse.

Hope you have better luck

Kev

The Remove and install was at my expense.

I have a couple of the Backyard Buddy lifts and cannot say any thing bad about them -- other than it was no fun grunting and groaning putting them together. They were not the cheapest lifts, but they are made very well. They are also extremely stable with or without a car on them; and I have never had any of the noise issues that others talked about here.

I also know that you do not have to purchase the Backyard Buddy to get this type of lift either. There is another company, that offers the same type of design, but at a much better price. I wish I would have known about it before I bought the Backyard Buddy. Here is the web link:

http://allamericanlifts.com/page5.html

I am sure there are more out there, but this is the only other one that I know about.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by 4NFORD:
So, your groaning noise was coming from the cylinder and oil additive stopped it? Any idea what it was that they added? I still have some noise, I have to check, maybe its coming from my cylinder too.

Hi Dennis. It was a simple fix, just call the place where you got your direct lift and they can get you the lubricating fluid to add. All I know is they referred to it as catipillar juice. Lift works perfect now. It just lubricates the seals of the cylinder.

By the way, I am getting better at backing the wide bodies in the 4 post lift. I now hold a small 4" mirror out to the side while backing in, so that I can see my rear tire on the lift, I also have a baby monitor wireless video on the rear, which helps too.

I was just thinking of mounting mirrors on the front posts so that I can see my rear tires. I already have the rear view camera which helps with the depth but now the placement on the ramps.

quote:

Originally posted by 4NFORD:
I was just thinking of mounting mirrors on the front posts so that I can see my rear tires. I already have the rear view camera which helps with the depth but now the placement on the ramps.

Give it a try mounting mirrors on the posts, but only problem backing in is that you could only see the mirrors when your car is about 1/2 way through by the door area at best. Better than nothin I guess. Holding a little mirror out works pretty good, give it a shot.

Dennis

Mirrors are a great idea. Can you fill us in to which ones work the best? Model and where you got them would help -- even photos of the ones that you use would be great.

Thanks, Mark

quote:

Originally posted by DOES 200:

quote:

Originally posted by 4NFORD:
I was just thinking of mounting mirrors on the front posts so that I can see my rear tires. I already have the rear view camera which helps with the depth but now the placement on the ramps.

Give it a try mounting mirrors on the posts, but only problem backing in is that you could only see the mirrors when your car is about 1/2 way through by the door area at best. Better than nothin I guess. Holding a little mirror out works pretty good, give it a shot.

My initial aim is pretty good as I back onto the ramps. As I get deeper and try to maneuver the front of the car in straight is when I screw up the rear tires. I don't have a wide body car but the 335's fill up the ramps pretty good. I've seen some rectangle mirrors at Walmart which may fill the bill. I'll let you guys know how it works out.