When choosing the right hoist for your business, whether it’s a small-town mechanic shop or dealership chain, there’s a lot to take into consideration, such as load rating, the types of vehicles you’re working on, and space requirements.
What complicates this choice is a market saturated with pesky brands that are solely out for your money, offering subpar equipment that could put you or your staff in danger, and leave you stranded when things go wrong.
So then, how do you make the right choice? In this guide, we’ll walk you through our tried-and-true method of selecting the right hoist and give you a few key pointers to look out for when doing so.
1. Outline your requirements
There are four main requirements you need to clarify before beginning your search for a hoist, including the type of vehicles you deal with, the type of work you will be performing, how much space your garage or workshop has, and your budget.
Determining the types of vehicles you will be lifting is arguably the most important factor when shopping for a hoist, as this will dictate the style and lifting capacity of the model you choose. Types of vehicles to consider include passenger vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), 4WDs, commercial vehicles (such as utes and vans), and heavy vehicles (like trucks). As a general rule, your average modern passenger car can weigh upwards of 2 tonnes, while utes and SUVs can weigh between 2 and 3 tonnes. Heavy-duty commercial vehicles really stack on the pounds, with truck tractor units weighing around 10 tonnes or more.
Another crucial aspect to consider is the type of work that you’ll be doing, as this can influence whether you purchase a two-, four-, scissor, or other type of hoist. Types of work can include general servicing like oil changes, wheel alignments, bodywork, etc.
The amount of space you have in your garage or workshop is another important consideration, especially when it comes to ceiling height. Additionally, the thickness of the concrete floor your hoist will be mounted to needs to be taken into account, as requirements range from about 125mm upwards, depending on the type.
Finally, your budget will determine the type and quality of hoist you purchase, with some models offering more premium features than others.
2. Hoist types
Now that you have outlined your requirements, you can determine what type of hoist to buy.
One of the most common hoists you’ll find in almost every Kiwi workshop is the humble two-post, which is a great all-rounder for mechanic shops that perform work underneath a vehicle or remove and install wheels.
Four-post hoists offer an easy way to load vehicles as they allow them to simply drive on and off the platform. While they take up more space, four-post hoists are essential for businesses that offer wheel alignment services, as certain models feature slip plates that allow for suspension adjustment.
Scissor lifts are another form of hoist that allows for easy drive-on and off ability, but save a significant amount of space compared to a two- and four-post. These can be an ideal choice for workshops that deal with tyre changing or brake servicing, but they generally don’t offer as much lifting height as alternative lift types.
3. Safety Considerations
No one wants a car or truck falling on top of them, which is why a safe hoist is the best kind of hoist money can buy. Ensure the hoist you intend to purchase has the following safety features: Automatic locking mechanisms, overload protection, limit switches, emergency stop buttons, load monitoring systems, and speed limiters.
A good indication that a hoist is safe is if it complies with government-issued standards. In New Zealand, all vehicle hoists must comply with the standards outlined in AS/NZS 1418.9:1996 – Cranes (including hoists and winches), Part 9: Vehicle hoists, and AS/NZS 2550.9:1996 – Cranes – Safe use – Vehicle hoists.
4. Power
Another thing to consider when shopping for a hoist is how much power you have available. While smaller hoists can run on single-phase power (230V or 240V), larger units require three-phase power (400V).
5. What brand of hoist should you buy?
Now, we’re going to sound a little biased here, but for good reason. There are a multitude of hoist brands to choose from, whether they’re manufacturers that build their units in-house, or importers. This is where most people go wrong with their choice, as the more affordable brands may look like an attractive option at first, but prove to be a real pain in the neck in the long run due to things like poor build quality and a lack of post-purchase support.
At George Stock & Company, we offer a range of well-established brands that have proven themselves time and time again as quality and reliable manufacturers, including the long-standing American brand, Hunter Engineering, as well as Italian-based outfit Ravaglioli.
Hunter Engineering Wheel Alignment Lifts
As a proud distributor of Hunter Engineering’s world-leading wheel alignment and tyre changing equipment, Stocks also offers the American brand’s high-tech four-post and scissor alignment lifts.
The Hunter scissor alignment lift is offered in four models, with capacities ranging from 4500kg to 7200kg. Each model supports low-drive on heights and flush-mount configurations while featuring open-front and rear access, built-in slip plates, stainless steel turnplates, and two moveable worksteps as standard. Productivity can be ramped up with convenient optional extras, like quick-access tyre inflation hoses and hoist-mounted lighting that increases visibility while working underneath a vehicle.
For workshops after some extra grunt, there’s no beating Hunter four-post lifts, as they offer the same conveniences and options of their scissor-bodied sibling, but with additional space and an increased lifting capacity of 8000kg. Two models are available locally — the L451L and L454L — capable of supporting vehicles with wheelbases of 4496mm and 5360mm, respectively. Two 4083kg capacity swing-air jacks come standard, allowing users to raise vehicles while on the hoist with ease, while the extra-wide runways accommodate vehicles up to 2337mm wide.
The Hunter HD Four-Post Lift (L494HD) is the ultimate solution for workshops servicing heavy-duty and commercial vehicles. With an impressive lifting capacity of up to 15,000kg and the ability to accommodate vehicles with wheelbases up to 8.1 metres, the L494HD is built for maximum performance and versatility. Optional features like the powerful 9000kg jacks and LED AlignLights make servicing easier and safer.
Ravaglioli: Premium Two-, Four-post, and Scissor Lifts
Since its inception in 1958, Ravaglioli’s vast range of lifting equipment has proven its worth in gold in workshops across the globe, thanks to quality components and versatile designs packed with premium features.
Stocks distributes a majority of the Italian brand’s range locally, including the two-post Legend Series, which is made up of nine models ranging from 3200kg to 7000kg lifting capacity. Each lift can accommodate a variety of vehicle sizes, from small cars to those with long wheelbases, while being quick and easy to operate thanks to a working area free of obstacles. Quality components like an aluminium pulley with a cooling function, long-lasting bearings, and solid automatic locking arms ensure safety and reliability. Select models also come with an integrated TEq-Link module, which enables users to monitor work cycles and receive alerts for scheduled maintenance.
The 4000 Series four-post lifts combine the same robust construction and versatility Ravaglioli is known for in an easy-to-use, drive-on package, with the benefits of wheel alignment-ready features like built-in turn and slip plates. Lifting capacities span 4000kg to 8000kg across the model range locally, suiting passenger and light commercial vehicles, as well as trucks. Safety features include high-resistant, galvanised and pre-stretched metal cables, automatic mechanical back-up safety devices (every 100mm), and mechanical, electrical and hydraulic safety devices that comply with CE certification standards.
For workshops with limited space, Ravaglioli Mid Rise and Double Scissor lifts offer a powerful lifting solution in a petite package — perfect for servicing tyres, brakes, suspension and doing bodywork.