When you hear funny noises....

[camcojb]

don't ignore them. :confused59: My 4 post lift had started to make a funny popping sound occasionally when being lowered. I decided to check it today and found this...

[camcojb]

As close to breaking as you can get without actually breaking. This is one of the main two pulleys off the ram itself.

[WILWAXU]

Yikes! :confused18:

[raustinss]

go buy a lottery ticket ..holy S#!T

[Ketzer]

Dayum. I'm going over my two post first thing tomorrow!

[camcojb]

When I started looking for replacement parts I noticed the assembly date on the serial number tag... 04/2001. So I've had this lift for 20 years, and I use it a LOT and my friends use it a LOT lol. Been a great unit, did replace the ram a year or two ago for a slight leak that couldn't be fixed locally, other than that it's been flawless. I checked all the pulleys then and either missed this one or it failed after.

[AMSOILGUY]

Whew that's crazy. When I had a 2 post lift installed a couple years ago a friend who owns a repair shop said to check the anchor nuts often. I have on 2 occasions found more then 1 nut loose enough to twist with my fingers. Huge pucker factor. Nice catch!

[BMR Sales]

WOW!

I just had my 4 Post serviced for the 1st time in 15 years a couple of months ago. Had to replace the Ram, Hoses but nothing was broken.

You got lucky on that one

[SSLance]

My 4 post is squeaking when I lower it now... I think it'll be alright but will be sure to keep listening closer... :D

[jarhead]

glad you are OK, that looks bad

[Vegas69]

That right there folks is why you don't disable the safety locks. I recall techs doing that in the shop to save them the hassle on every car. Bad idea!

[Blown353]

I've been looking for one of those bolts, my regular supplier doesn't have that style.

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74195&stc=1&d=1616547653


Seriously, good catch. That would have been ugly if it failed while lowering the car and you had the mechanical safeties disengaged.

Had to rebuild a friend's 2 post lift a couple years ago. A couple of the delrin slider blocks inside the post slipped and bound it up, also stretched the synchronizing cable running between each side.

[BMR Sales]

My 4 post is squeaking when I lower it now... I think it'll be alright but will be sure to keep listening closer... :D

Could be the Ram or the Hose ( Swelling over time )

When I had the Ram replaced, I replaced the Hose as well. When they put the Fluid in, they also put some type of Snake Oil in with it. I squeaked at first, but now is super quiet

[Spiffav8]

don't ignore them. :confused59: My 4 post lift had started to make a funny popping sound occasionally when being lowered. I decided to check it today and found this...

That could have been crazy expensive on so many levels. Glad you found this before it was an issue. Great lesson we can all learn from.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Hydratech®]

Jody, that definitely was as close as you could get to a BAD experience. I am glad that you caught it before it caught you - ZOIKS!

That doesn't look like a bolt of strong metallurgy. I don't know how many of these you have in your arrangement, but I'm sure you are going to check them all. Obviously (?), research some upgrades in vastly stronger bolts, as that thing galled and wore like butter. I'm not sure of exactly what bolt size that is, but hop on https://www.mcmaster.com/ or similar and look up the strongest tensile strength bolt of that size and replace it and anymore like it. It looks like you may have to amputate any extra threaded length from any common bolt sizes available to match the short threaded section on your bolt, but that's not a big deal. Make sure the blank shank length is proper, as the threaded area is not meant to be a load bearing area (for those that may not know this). What I do see is a lack of lubrication. When I service my Rotary asymmetrical two post hoist, I use Redline synthetic chassis grease and also the engine builders red Permatex moly lube (think of the break in goo you put on cams and lifters). When and where possible, I also carefully drill a small hole in place so as to be able to install a Zerk fitting that will allow me to grease any points easily without disassembly, but watch out not to possibly drill any heavy load bearing area to make sure you don't create any stress risers. I like to dress machinations up whenever I can, and would suggest you check with ARP to see it they may have a fancy 12 point cool looking ultra strength fastener in that size. I even put aluminum T grip style B & M shifter handles on my manual safety release lever and also the hydraulic release lever - makes people laugh asking how many gears my hoist has LOL.

[BMR Sales]

Jody, that definitely was as close as you could get to a BAD experience. I am glad that you caught it before it caught you - ZOIKS!

That doesn't look like a bolt of strong metallurgy. I don't know how many of these you have in your arrangement, but I'm sure you are going to check them all. Obviously (?), research some upgrades in vastly stronger bolts, as that thing galled and wore like butter. I'm not sure of exactly what bolt size that is, but hop on https://www.mcmaster.com/ or similar and look up the strongest tensile strength bolt of that size and replace it and anymore like it. It looks like you may have to amputate any extra threaded length from any common bolt sizes available to match the short threaded section on your bolt, but that's not a big deal. Make sure the blank shank length is proper, as the threaded area is not meant to be a load bearing area (for those that may not know this). What I do see is a lack of lubrication. When I service my Rotary asymmetrical two post hoist, I use Redline synthetic chassis grease and also the engine builders red Permatex moly lube (think of the break in goo you put on cams and lifters). When and where possible, I also carefully drill a small hole in place so as to be able to install a Zerk fitting that will allow me to grease any points easily without disassembly, but watch out not to possibly drill any heavy load bearing area to make sure you don't create any stress risers. I like to dress machinations up whenever I can, and would suggest you check with ARP to see it they may have a fancy 12 point cool looking ultra strength fastener in that size. I even put aluminum T grip style B & M shifter handles on my manual safety release lever and also the hydraulic release lever - makes people laugh asking how many gears my hoist has LOL.

on my Rotary 4 Post, there are stickers on all for corners saying not to lubricate. I still give some points a shot of White Lithium

[Hydratech®]

I have experience with just about every hoist out there, and yes, there are some points that are indicated not to lubricate because the lube acts like a dirt magnet. Once the dirt is in the lube, it becomes almost as bad as valve lapping compound (!). On those points, I have become a HUGE fan of WD40's Specialist Dry Lubricant - awesome stuff, as it puts down a dry film of PTFE that doesn't pick up any dust and dirt.

http://www.hydratechbraking.com/images/WD40SPECIALIST.JPG

The cool part is that you can just about firehose a point to let it really soak in and penetrate, yet it then dries to the touch. Phenomenal on garage doors too.

I saw one dummy I knew back in the day drop his car right off his two post hoist because he greased the heck out of the swing arm pivot points but had previously removed the ratcheting safety locks off of the arms. If he hadn't have greased the swing arms, friction would have kept them locked under weight. He used a tall screw stand to jack up his rear diff to connect up some new rear shocks, upset the weight balance on the hoist, and the well lubricated swing arms moved and down went the car. I was there to witness it - he jumped back right in the knick of time to save his hide (thank God), but his car landed on it's driver's side wrecked beyond any chance of repair. THAT was scary as hell. We looked at each other in disbelief that it just happened, and I wasn't going to say it, but he did: "Shoulda never removed those pesky safety locks"...

:brix:

[camcojb]

I have that same type lube. :thumbsup:

[camcojb]

Jody, that definitely was as close as you could get to a BAD experience. I am glad that you caught it before it caught you - ZOIKS!

That doesn't look like a bolt of strong metallurgy. I don't know how many of these you have in your arrangement, but I'm sure you are going to check them all. Obviously (?), research some upgrades in vastly stronger bolts, as that thing galled and wore like butter. I'm not sure of exactly what bolt size that is, but hop on https://www.mcmaster.com/ or similar and look up the strongest tensile strength bolt of that size and replace it and anymore like it. It looks like you may have to amputate any extra threaded length from any common bolt sizes available to match the short threaded section on your bolt, but that's not a big deal. Make sure the blank shank length is proper, as the threaded area is not meant to be a load bearing area (for those that may not know this). What I do see is a lack of lubrication. When I service my Rotary asymmetrical two post hoist, I use Redline synthetic chassis grease and also the engine builders red Permatex moly lube (think of the break in goo you put on cams and lifters). When and where possible, I also carefully drill a small hole in place so as to be able to install a Zerk fitting that will allow me to grease any points easily without disassembly, but watch out not to possibly drill any heavy load bearing area to make sure you don't create any stress risers. I like to dress machinations up whenever I can, and would suggest you check with ARP to see it they may have a fancy 12 point cool looking ultra strength fastener in that size. I even put aluminum T grip style B & M shifter handles on my manual safety release lever and also the hydraulic release lever - makes people laugh asking how many gears my hoist has LOL.
I'm a fan of McMaster Carr for sure. In the size I needed I had to order longer and cut down to get the thread length and overall length correct. Grade 8 is what's needed according to the lift manufacturer, think that's as high as I found with the specs needed.

There are 10 total pulley/bolts and all the others look great. And no evidence of grease used on them either, so I'll be spraying with the dry lube.

[Vegas69]

It may be overkill, but I try to stay away from PTFE or Teflon as much as possible. Factory workers around that stuff in the 80's had a huge cancer spike and women had terrible birth defects. Gloves and ventilation are probably fine, I just wanted to share.

[camcojb]

It may be overkill, but I try to stay away from PTFE or Teflon as much as possible. Factory workers around that stuff in the 80's had a huge cancer spike and women had terrible birth defects. Gloves and ventilation are probably fine, I just wanted to share.

Probably too late for me with the amount of brake cleaner and other chemicals I've had on my skin over the years... :peepwall:

[Blown353]

It may be overkill, but I try to stay away from PTFE or Teflon as much as possible. Factory workers around that stuff in the 80's had a huge cancer spike and women had terrible birth defects. Gloves and ventilation are probably fine, I just wanted to share.

We're in California, *everything* here causes cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm-- and by law has a Prop 65 sticker on it to prove it.

I bet the replacement bolts he ordered from McMaster will have a Prop 65 sticker on the box. :)

[Hydratech®]

Probably too late for me with the amount of brake cleaner and other chemicals I've had on my skin over the years..

I have been bitched at for bringing my personal problems into light by certain other people here, but I am going to do it yet again for the sake of anybody else possibly reading this. I was always the guy with the extended warranty in my younger days. No gloves, improper ventilation and masks, exposure to all kinds of solvents in liquid and atomized form, and on and on. Typical car guy, occasionally even washing my hands with gasoline - breathing in Turbo Blue, you know the type.

Well, it has finally caught up to me big time, and it isn't funny. I laughed at age 40, still invincible. 45? still invincible, strong as an ox, nothing is going to stop me, right? 50? BAM - SCREWED - WARRANTY EXPIRED. I wasn't much for seeing a doctor unless I needed stitches (doh!). I started feeling funky, kept denying it and waiting for it, whatever it was to pass. After months of not feeling so hot, I'm sitting down in the dentist's chair ready to be serviced, and they cuffed me to check my blood pressure prior to starting in (which is now becoming standard operating procedure in dentistry). They thought their equipment was faulty, so they tested a couple of themselves to baseline the readings, then cuffed me again. They took on a serious look in their eyes stating that they had to abort mission and that I needed to go straight to the emergency room as my blood pressure readings were in the stroke zone. WTF?!? I asked them to grab a different style of machine present and rerun the test - same result. Uh boy... I went into denial until the weekend, checking myself into the hospital Saturday morning to see what we may be dealing with. They panicked when they ran my blood pressure, dragged me off into a room, a bunch of nurses and doctors came rolling in, setting me up for ECG / EKG testing. I'm looking at the worry in everybody's eyes scrambling around, envisioning them having to crack me open based upon their demeanors. Thankfully the EKG testing showed everything flowing properly, with the mood calming down in the people attending to me. Hell, I chugged a beer before walking in (!) to help calm myself down (LOL?).

So I spent the whole day getting poked, prodded, and injected while waiting for all of the labs to come through. A doctor with a good bedside manner comes in, carefully preparing me for the news. Mr. Clark, our testing is showing that you have Diabetes Type II, as your glucose levels tested at 850. Your response to the insulin we administered to you earlier has shown that you are in a manageable state. Unfortunately, we have also discovered that your EGFR is in a trouble zone. She proceeds to ask me if I have been exposed to any harsh chemicals at the workplace. Um, yep. She continues on to say that it appears that I have Stage II kidney failure, likely caused by harsh chemicals and solvents, and that I need to address this with my employer. Um, where is a mirror so that I can have that discussion with my boss?

Sooooo..... after a few follow up visits, the Nephrologist had me bouncing around with a few different prescriptions to clarify what was going to be the most effective. I never knew that your kidneys regulate your blood pressure. Most people I have spoken with didn't know that either. The doctor is now pleased that she managed to get control of my blood pressure back down to almost normal levels with the meds, and I have improved to "only" having Stage 1 kidney issues now with the fistful of pills I now take on a regimented basis. She is comfortable enough now that she only brings me back in every six months now, as I have stabilized.

Summary? No more drinking of any sort - PERIOD. Damn I miss my Long Island Tea... Now it is gloves on anytime a chemical is present, as I now know that your skin absorbs all kinds of chemicals. I had always thought it was smart enough not to do that, but I was wrong - very wrong. Anytime anything is atomized or even generally sprayed, I put on my HazMat charcoal filtered NIOSH mask. She explained that if you can smell it, it is entering your blood stream, so it's gloves and masks for everybody here with a vigilance now, ventilation upgrades - no messing around.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not kid yourselves into thinking it is ok. IT IS NOT. Wear gloves, mask up, ventilate, and drink plenty of water. The things we work with as car guys is downplayed because it is so common. Now that I know, I can't go back in time, but will stand on my soap box and use my megaphone to preach that MSDS (material data sheets) are serious business. Even lawn care and pest control are viewed in a whole new light, as even these pedestrian common items are very very bad for you. Heck, ok, everything is bad for you. Remember the posts about brake cleaner and welding?

Let's all take a step back and look at these things a bit more seriously now!

:underchair::confused59:

[Vegas69]

Thank you for sharing Paul and I'm happy to hear you have things under control. We all carry a toxic load depending on our environment. The air, water, food, and misc. chemicals. Some we can avoid consciously, others not so much. Frankly, I don't trust the government to look out for me. There are well over 100,000 chemicals in circulation today. How many do you think have really been thoroughly tested? It's an impossible task. A big corporation putting a square peg through a round hole is more like it. They push it through and to market. Think about all the household cleaners, bug spray, food additives, weed spray and the list goes on and on to maintain society and our lifestyles. There are countless cancers that the medical field has no idea of the origination. My old man has Multiple Myeloma and it has become very common. Where did it come from? It's hard to say. The human body is very resilient, but it can only take so much. I think it's just common sense to reduce our toxic load by controlling what we can within our own environments. Consider organic foods, natural bug sprays and with less frequency, weeding by hand, natural deodorants, water filtration, gloves, and the list goes on and on. While none of us will make it out of this life alive, many live a fairly long duration, but with very poor health due to modern medicine extending their lives. It's the vitality we can invest in the years we are alive that really matters. I'm not a doctor, but I've studied health extensively for nearly a decade and I believe toxic load matters.

[Hydratech®]

It's always in the fine print, somewhere, sometimes even not... Have you seen the TV commercials about weed killer lawsuits? Again, if you can smell it or taste it - even if you can't, be wary of what you expose yourself to. You build awesome machines, tweak and polish them with pride, but don't forget to take care of yourself too. Your body knows how to flush most of itself out, but overloads and constant exposure will get you.

Just like Jody's hoist scenario, LISTEN to the warning signs, and then MAINTAIN appropriately. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - it helps to flush out the bad stuff.

OK, 'nuff said - thank you for reading (really).

:lateral: