When you hear funny noises.... - Lateral-g Forums

**camcojb** · #1 03-22-2021, 02:37 PM

don't ignore them.

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** · #2 03-22-2021, 02:39 PM

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

WILWAXU · #3 03-22-2021, 03:38 PM

Yikes!

raustinss · #4 03-22-2021, 03:51 PM

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

**Ketzer** · #5 03-22-2021, 07:34 PM

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

**camcojb** · #6 03-22-2021, 08:20 PM

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.

**Spiffav8** · #7 03-24-2021, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camcojb

don't ignore them.

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.

**Hydratech®** · #8 03-24-2021, 10:10 PM

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 · #9 03-25-2021, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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®** · #10 03-25-2021, 08:24 AM

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.

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"...