Heavier and wider vehicles outpacing workshop equipment
Independent repairers and bodyshops could find that essential equipment is not suited to heavier and wider vehicles.
According to A1 ADAS Group, heavy electric vehicles plus the trend to develop larger models could force independents to re-evaluate key workshop equipment such as four-post lifts.
It has found that many ramps installed in the 1980s and 1990s are still operational but not ideally suited to the dimensions and weight of modern vehicles.
A decade ago, a typical family hatchback weighed around 1.3 to 1.4 tonnes. Today’s electric equivalent can be several hundred kilograms heavier. Meanwhile, wider tracks and longer platforms is testing the design limits of older lifting equipment.
One business that has had to adapt is Kent-based Coachwork Renovations, which worked with A1 ADAS Group to select and install a EAE 6435B four-post alignment lift specifically designed for wider, heavier vehicles with longer wheelbases.
Improved efficiency
Managing director Ben Smith said: “Our old lift had been reliable for years, but it was narrow and the platforms were short. Modern cars were a squeeze, and vans were out of the question. Add EV weight into the mix, and it became clear it just wasn’t fit for purpose.
“We’re now able to take on longer vehicles, including vans, and expand the work we accept from insurers. It’s improved efficiency and profitability.”
Restricted workflow
Matt Hume, UK national sales manager at A1 ADAS Group, said: “Ramps were built to last and many older lifts are still mechanically sound. But vehicles are wider, wheelbases are longer and electrification has added significant weight. We’re seeing more workshops realise that older lifts are starting to limit what they can safely and efficiently take on.
“One of the biggest risks is that workshops don’t always appreciate how close to the threshold some equipment is operating. If a lift can technically raise a vehicle, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s doing so with the safety margin you would want.”
Hume concluded:
“Workshops are rightly investing in ADAS and diagnostics, but the lift is the foundation everything else sits on. If that foundation isn’t suited to modern vehicles, it can restrict workflow, limit the work you can take on, and introduce unnecessary risk.”
