The number and types of vehicle hoists on the market has ballooned in recent years, so it has become highly important for buyers to make the right choice for their workshop.
The wrong decision may prove to be costly in the future, says William Singleton, general manager of Stocks Equipment, New Zealand’s leading workshop equipment specialist.
“Making a purchase based on price is tempting, but it may prove to be false economy if the hoist doesn’t perform to expectations,” he says.
“It may be too slow, not able to lift to its suggested weight, or may be prone to breakdowns – any of these can weigh on profitability.”
Cheap hoists are not designed to last as long as a quality product and may need to be replaced much sooner than expected or require more expensive maintenance. There is an old saying that you get what you pay for and with hoists it is particularly true.
Even selecting the wrong type of hoist can affect the flow of the workshop and reduce its efficiency; a bulky hoist can take up significantly more space than compact designs.
Hoists are the workhorse of the workshop and that is why it is extremely important to seek out the right advice to match the needs of the business.
The Stocks Equipment team has decades of experience and technical knowledge to be able to assist customers in designing and equipping their workshops to maximise space and make the best use of latest advances through its four brands Rotary, Revolution, AutopStenhoj and RAV (Ravaglioli).
“Workshop space is at a premium, as the size of premises becomes smaller, but the work demands haven’t shrunk and it can be difficult to fit in the required number of hoists,” says William.
“In these circumstances we can offer a range of scissor lifts that take up less space including double scissor lifts that retract into the floor when not in use for a flat drive-over surface, thus creating more workshop space. There are differences between each scissor lift, so it is important to match them to the customer’s requirements.”
Lifting capacity is just one of the criteria that needs to be taken into account when selecting a hoist, particularly as the move towards more SUV’s and utility vehicles on the roads means increased vehicle weights.
Hoists that continuously lift heavier weights are subjected to increased wear and tear, which could reduce the service life of some cheaper makes. Typically, quality hoist manufacturers such as Rotary of the United States, RAV of Italy and AutopStenhoj of Denmark, build their products to surpass the standards set by Original Equipment Manufacturers.
To illustrate the lengths quality hoist manufacturers will go to in demonstrating the performance of their products, the Rotary team in the factory loaded up a Rotary two-post hoist with just under 7 tonnes of weight and it performed without a hitch and showed no sign of bending or damage. The Rotary SPOA10 is actually rated at 4.5 tonnes (lifting to 6.75 tonnes) and this test highlighted the tough standards to which Rotary products are built.
In fact, Rotary tests all its hoists to 20,000 lifting cycles with a 50% overload above the rated capacity. AutopStenhoj and RAV perform similar tests, says Mr Singleton.
To answer the demand for higher-performing hoists, Stocks Equipment is now able to provide a 5-tonne or 6 Tonne RAV scissor lift model that can take heavier vehicles, such as the VW Crafter light commercial vans.
Also recently added to the range is the Revolution 4-tonne wheel alignment scissor lift with a 4.8-metre platform for larger vehicles. This model (No NBS40A-48) sells for only $14,495 plus GST installed and can be optioned with the Revolution two-tonne jacking beams for only $1,995 plus GST. This lift can be paired with a new Hunter wheel aligner and any wheel service products from the Hunter range, including tyre changers, wheel balancers sold by Stocks Equipment.
For workshops that require a more compact drive-over type scissor lift that is still able to raise larger passenger vehicles, the new Rotary DS35EX Extension Arm Length model can take 3.6 tonnes and its very competitively priced sister product, the Revolution LDS32 can accommodate 3.2 tonnes.
Additionally, Stocks Equipment can supply five or six-tonne four-post hoists that are also wheel alignment capable as well as heavier lifting two-post hoists (with OEM approvals), whereas cheaper Asian hoists often cannot lift above their rated capacity.
Furthermore, Rotary extra length four-post hoists can be purchased as a modular system, allowing customers to use it as a service hoist first and then an alignment platform can be added at later date to do wheel alignments, with optional jacking beams
From the top car franchise dealers to the smallest workshop, Stocks Equipment covers the complete hoist range including two-post hoists, four-post hoists, belly lifters, wheel alignment scissor lifts and non-wheel alignment double scissor lifts.
For more information on AutopStenhoj, Rotary, Revolution and RAV hoists in New Zealand, go online to www.georgestock.co.nz or contact Stocks Equipment toll-free on 0800 863 784 or email: equipment@georgestock.co.nz.
