In recent years, there has been a trend towards vehicle lifts with higher lifting capacities. Go back 20 years, and 2-post lifts generally had a capacity of 2 to 2.5 tonnes, while 4-post lifts mainly were 3 to 3.5 tonnes. And this made sense, as, for almost 30 years, new drivers had been restricted to cars with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 3.5t or 3,500kg. Given that five adults and their luggage can easily account for 500kg, the vehicle manufacturers tended to keep the kerb weight of their cars below 3,000kg.
One of the heaviest cars around today is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which has a kerb weight of 2,810kg. This luxury, heavyweight EV weighs three times as much as a Suzuki Swift. However, it’s not just electric cars that come with big kerb weights, nor is it restricted to SUVs. The prestigious Rolls-Royce Phantom luxury saloon weighs in at 2,745kg, with much of that mass attributable to its smooth V12 petrol engine under the bonnet. For comparison, the Hyundai i800 people carrier tops out at 2,305kg.
This also ties in with the manufacturers’ pursuit of fuel efficiency and meeting stricter emissions standards; lighter cars generally have better emissions because they require less energy to move, resulting in lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. The lightweight philosophy has been applied to the development of EVs, where lighter vehicles have longer ranges. So, even though the GVW for driving fully electric vehicles was upped to 4,250kg, the vehicle manufacturers are still keeping the kerb weights as low as possible.
So, do you truly require lifts that can handle over 3 tonnes?
The short answer is that yes, you do need them. A 3.0t (3,000kg) lift is no longer sufficient for a professional workshop that wants to service the full range of common vehicles. A lift’s capacity is its ‘Safe Working Load’ (SWL), a limit that should never be exceeded, but you also need to consider your safety margin. It is extremely poor practice to regularly operate any lifting equipment at, or close to, 100% of its SWL.
As a professional, you always want a significant safety buffer. Lifting a 2,800kg vehicle on a 3,000kg lift is deemed by many to be risky. In comparison, a 4,000kg (4.0t) lift provides a comfortable and safe 1,200kg margin. Distributors widely promote 4.0t lifts as ideal for lifting cars, 4x4s, and light commercial vehicles. And it’s easy to see why, as this capacity provides a safety margin of 14% over the 3,500kg GVW limit and safely accommodates the growing kerb weight of EVs.
Another factor to consider is weight distribution. Most vehicles’ weight isn’t evenly spread out. The centre of gravity can shift, particularly when a heavy component, such as an engine or transmission, is removed while the vehicle is on a lift. These higher-capacity lifts are typically built more robustly and are better equipped to handle these uneven loads.
To sum up, 3.0t lifts now only suit some passenger cars and small vans, but they can’t handle an increasing number of vehicles on the road. A 4.0t (4,000kg) lift is now the suggested standard for a workshop because it provides a comfortable safety margin, with an increased SWL, as per health and safety regulations. Plus, they are better suited for handling the heaviest SUVs and all-electric vehicles safely.
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