SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN - PLEASE READ

HI, GUYS,

I PURCHASED AN "AUTO-LIFTER" AUTOLIFTER(?) IN SEPTEMBER OF 1999. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED IT AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IT - - I STILL DO, HOWEVER - - -

LAST WEEK I HAD MY FORD EXPEDITION ON THE LIFT. I COULD ONLY RAISE IT ABOUT 18" DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF MY GARAGE CEILING.
I HAD CHANGED THE OIL AND WAS UNDER THE REAR OF THE CAR CHECKING THE AIR BAG SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WHICH HAD COLAPSED. I WAS LYING ON ONE SIDE HOLDING A FLASHLIGHT IN ONE HAND AND PULLING ON THE SUSPENSION WITH THE OTHER; SEVERAL INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENED IN QUICK SUCESSION:

1. A SOUND LIKE THE DISCHARGE OF A .38 SPECIAL.

2. SOMETHING FLASHED PAST MY NOSE AND HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF MY BASEBALL CAP.

3. SAME "SOMETHING" KNOCKED MY BB CAP UNDER NEATH THE GT-40 IN THE ADJACENT BAY AND CONTINUED ACROSS THE GARAGE AND BURRIED ITSELF IN A CASTROL OIL BOX.

4. THE LIFT "DROPPED" ABOUT 6 INCHES (REMEMBER, IT WAS ONLY 18" UP TO BEGIN WITH).

5. MY LIFE (OR AT LEAST THE BAD PARTS OF IT) PASSED BEFORE MY EYES IN AN INSTANT.

6. I COMPLETELY RUINED A BRAND NEW SET OF "FRUIT-OF-THE-LOOMS" IN THAT SAME INSTANT.

THE PROBLEM HERE WAS ONE OF THE PLASTIC (COMPOSITE) HORIZONTAL LOAD PULLEYS "EXPLODED" INTO THREE PIECES. THE SECOND LARGEST PIECE WAS THE "SOMETHING" THAT 'TIPPED MY HAT'. NOW - - -

** THE AUTO-LIFTER IS "RATED" AT 6000 LBS.

** IT'S TESTED AT 18,000 LBS.

** THE FORD EXPEDITION IS LISTED AY 5340 LBS.

ALL OF THE ABOVE FIGURES ARE FROM AUTO-LIFTER'S OWN BROCHURES.

I CALLED A.L. THE NEXT MORNING, EXPLAINED MY SITUATION AND WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY - IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WOULD HAVE LOOKED GREAT ON MY DAMN TOMBSTONE. I EXPLAINED TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT HE HAD COME WITHIN AN INCH OF MAKING MY THREE SONS VERY WEALTHY. (NOT TO MENTION THEIR ATTORNEYS).

I WAS INFORMED OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. THE COMPOSITE (PLASTIC) PULLEYS WERE FINE FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NO LONGER USING THAT MANUFACTURER BUT A DIFFERENT ONE.

2. THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS "JUST LIKE MINE" WITH THE LATTER COMPOSITE PULLEYS.

3. THEY ARE NOW USING STEEL PULLEYS.

HE SENT ME A COMPLETE SET OF TEN NEW "STEEL" PULLEYS. I ASKED WHY THEY HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE PURCHASERS OF THESE "INTERMEDIATE" PULLEY EQUIPED LIFTS. HIS ANSWER: "I'M NOT SURE". I EXPLAINED THAT MY EDITION OF "BLACKS" LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT PRODUCING (OR USING) A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAUSES INJURY MIGHT WELL BE CONSTRUED AS NEGLIGENCE; CONTINUING TO USE IT MIGHT BE GROSS NEGLIGENCE; DELIBERATLEY NOT INFORMING PREVIOUS PURCHASERS OF A KNOWN SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE MIGHT EVEN BE CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.

NOW - - AS I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET - I'M NOT TICKED -OFF AT AUTO-LIFTERS. I STILL THINK IT'S A GREAT PRODUCT MADE BY VERY NICE PEOPLE.

I SIMPLY WANT TO MAKE ANY A.L. OWNERS AWARE OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT AUTO-LIFTERS AND REQUEST THAT THEY IMMEDIATELY REPLACE YOUR PULLEYS (ALL TEN OF THEM) WITH THE NEW STEEL VERSIONS. I'D THINK TWICE (AT LEAST) ABOUT GETTING UNDER THE LIFT UNTIL THE PULLEYS WERE CHANGED. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT ME. I'LL TRY TO HELP.

MEANWHILE - - STAY SAFE - AND - Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK
 
Thanks for the warning BJ. I don't have the same brand
lift as you but I'll sure be checking those pulleys in the morning.
I'm glad you're OK. And you thought Korea was dangerous.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Blackjack,

I can't belive it,,,,I have the same model of AL that you have. One of the plastic pullies was making a funny noise about 6 months ago. I called and told them about the problem, they said not to worry, they will send me a steel version ASAP/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

2 days later, I get 10 steel pullies!! So, I wonder are they just being nice??? Why 9 more pullies?! Well, I was dumb, I replaced just that one unit and left the other nine in the box /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Well now, after hearing your story, guess what,,,they are all going to be replaced tommorow.

Like you, I think the lift is great and I am very happy with it. But, I think the managment at the Auto Lifters need to be kicked in the ASS for not being completly honest /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Thanks for sharing your story,,,at the very least it saved me a soiled Fruit-Of-The-Looms /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Hey Blackjack,

It is a pleasure to have you back on the forum and I'm glad you weren't afflicted by some of the usage problems that many others were. It was a pleasure to meet you the other week and I hope to come up for a Grease Up here before it gets cool.

Man, that is a bad scene in your garage, I'm glad that you're okay.

I'll make this post "Sticky" for a few days as I know a buddy that has one of these and I'll let him know ASAP.

Take care,
Ron
 
HEY, HERSH - -
YEAH - AFTER THE LAST TWO YEARS I LONG FOR THE "GOOD OLD DAYS" WHEN THE ONLY THING WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT WAS GETTING SHOT DOWN OVER NORTH KOREA - OR CHINA. (WHO SAID THAT ?????).

RON - -
IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO MEET YOU A FEW WEEKS AGO. I HOPE ALL IS WELL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT A "GREASE-UP" SOON. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE YOU WON'T SOON FORGET. (INDIGESTION, DIARRHEA, AND AN INTERESTING ARRAY OF OTHER GASRTOINTESTINAL DISORDERS). THEY ALL GO AWAY IN A DAY OR THREE, THOUGH.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK
 
[ QUOTE ]
I COULD ONLY RAISE IT ABOUT 18" DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF MY GARAGE CEILING

[/ QUOTE ]

Didn't you have the locks in place and the weight off the pulley system before getting under the lift?

My Autolifters is 10 years old and has steel pulleys.
 

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
Blackjack: I have attended several patients who were caught under lifts. Not all survived, and frankly I do not think it was related to the care I gave them. I am glad you didn't get crushed under it.
For what this is worth...one of my closest friends, Bill Mozingo, has sold and serviced garage lifts and other equipment for more than twenty years. He rates them more or less as follows, in descending order of quality and reliability: Whip, Challenger, Nussbaum, Stendhoi, and then the cheaper ones like Rotary etc. Any of them will malfunction if not installed or treated right, of course, but the ones at the top of the list are much better over the long haul.
And: plastic pulleys have NO place in a machine such as that. Sooner or later someone is going to die or be maimed under one of those lifts.
 
HEY, BART - -

THE HEIGHT OF MY GARAGE DOOR IS SUCH THAT THE EXPEDITION, WHEN ON THE LIFT, CAN ONLY BE RAISED ABOUT 18" - TOPS.

I HAD CHECKED THE LOCKING DOGS IN THE FIRST SLOT AND IT JUST WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH SO I RAISED IT A LITTLE HIGHER - ABOUT HALF WAY TO THE SECOND DOG. THE DESIGN OF THE AUTO-LIFTER IS SUCH THAT IF THERE IS HYDRAULIC SEEPAGE THE DOGS CANNOT FAIL TO TRAP IN THE NEXT LOWER SLOT. I WOULD NEVER GET UNDER ANY LIFT RELYING ONLY ON THE HYDRAULICS.

I HAD TAKEN THE "ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION" THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE PART.

THE "ORIGINAL" (THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN) AUTO-LIFTERS HAD STEEL PULLEYS. AT SOME POINT - I THINK AROUND 1996 OR 97 THEY CHANGED TO PLASTIC / COMPOSITE PULLEYS. ALLEGEDLY, THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRST MANUFACTURERS PLASTIC PULLEYS. AROUND 1998 OR 99 THEY CHANGED MANUFACTURERS (PRICE??) THESE ARE THE UNITS THAT ARE PROVING TO BE DEFECTIVE. SOMETIME IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO THEY WENT BACK TO THE STEEL PULLEYS AGAIN.

MY POINT HERE IS THAT I ADVISE EVERYONE WHO HAS AN AUTOLIFTER TO CHECK THEIR PULLEYS. IF THEY ARE PLASTIC I SUGGEST YOU CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR STEEL REPLACEMENTS.

IN FACT IF I HAD A LIFTER OTHER THAN A.L. I'D CHECK MY PULLEYS ANYWAY. I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT PLASTIC PULLEYS ARE AT ALL SUITABLE FOR A CAR LIFTER.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK
 

Brian Kissel

Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
THANK YOU for the heads up !!!!!
I have installed 9 hoists in our shop in the last year and a half. I will be inspecting each and every one of them this weekend. We have six guys, that work for us, and don't want to have to say " yes, they worked for us before their accident". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Thanks again !!!!!!!

Brian
 
Thanks to Faili F for the heads up to search for this thread!

As you can see in the picture below, I also have an AutoLifters hoist. I'll be calling them ASAP to get my steel pulleys!

Blackjack (and others), did you just raise the lift to a locking point and go about swapping pulleys? I was hoping to avoid dismantling the lift to get at them.

Brad

garagecandy.jpg
 
Hey Brad,

It is real easy, at first I thought I had to dismantle a lot of things, but you don't have to. Raise the lift to a height that is comfortable for you (obviously with no car on it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif),rest it on the lock position and then loosen the cable nut on top of each post one at a time depending on which pulley you are replacing.

Make sure you oil the pulleys in the center before reinstalling the new ones. Once the pulley is replaced you can then re-tighten the nut on top of the post. Once all pulleys are replaced you may have to do some adjustments on all for nuts to make sure all four corners are being lifted at the same time. Good luck /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Great news. I've moved this lift twice now, and didn't look forward to another dismantling.

Thanks again,
Brad
 
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