To carry out their work, fleet maintenance engineers have to get below heavy trucks that weigh thousands of pounds. Mobile truck lifts are the modern solution to this problem. This method is becoming more and more popular with fleets of heavy duty vehicles. Some companies still use traditional jacks and get their engineers to crawl below the trucks with creepers. Notwithstanding, the amount of time saved by mobile lifts justifies their expense, particularly with the wireless models.

Prior to the introduction of wireless lifts, all standard models were operated by three stage electrical motors, with the synchronization and power directed to every column through interconnecting leads. Nonetheless, the leads on these models were regarded as a significant design flaw, with regular downtime resulting from damage to these parts, as well as the inherent dangers of power leads strewn across garage floors.

Modern wireless mobile lifts come with full color, touchscreen control interfaces, which provide users with a streamlined operating unit with which to manage and navigate the lifting mechanism. The screen display is in high resolution and shows the time and date, the battery status, the quantity of columns connected, buttons to choose specific lifts, the precise lifting height, a button to regulate lift speed, lift pairs and every lift together, and several other features.

Columns are interconnected and work in sets, which might consist of up to sixteen lift pairs – all operating in sync. The setting up process requires a key fob, which is placed onto a control box sensor. Making sure that only properly trained engineers can access these fobs is a vital, but straightforward way for managers of workshops to stop unauthorized vehicle lift usage.

Manufacturers have given numerous explanations for the increased popularity of mobile truck lifts. As well as their mobility and versatility, they allow engineers to access the whole driveline by raising a vehicle by its’ wheels. A mobile lift enables engineers to pick a vehicle up, put it onto a standing jack, then direct the lift onto other trucks. They are compatible with all wheelbases: smaller trucks, ATVs or semi tractors.

Over the last ten years, there have been considerable advancements in vehicle raising technology. However, the development and design of mobile lifts is constantly evolving, and many more ground breaking features will emerge in the near future. Going forward, the most notable development will be lifts with embedded computers, to complete tasks like ordering components, diagnostics and work orders.