// FAQ

Yes. While Autoquip has an extensive line of standard lifts, we also have an extensive library of custom designs from our 60+ years of designing lifts. If neither of these options is appropriate, our engineering staff will work with you to provide a solution that is tailor-fit to your specific application.

Lowered height is the height from the lift bottom to the top surface of the platform when measured in the fully collapsed position.

Raised height is the height from the lift bottom to the top surface of the platform when the lift is measured in the fully raised position.

Travel is the difference between Lowered Height and Raised Height.

Lifting capacity is the weight of a centered load a lift can safely raise and lower without damage to the lift.

Loads that have a center of gravity (CG) which is located outside the scissors leg set will contribute to excessive wear and shortened life of the lift - the further out from the edge of the legs, the sooner the lift will destroy itself. The load CG should always be located within 6 inches of the center line of the scissors in order to realize the full useful life of the lift. Or, design features must be added to counter-act the effects of the eccentric load (counterweight, stabilizing legs, etc.).

Edge load and side load are static loads (not raised or lowered) that are placed directly on or near the end or side edges of a lift platform. Edge loads are important because lifts will deflect excessively when loaded this way, often resulting in permanent damage.

Rollover is the amount of load being rolled over a lift platform in its fully collapsed position. For in-plant lifts, rollover loads must not exceed the rated capacity of the lift in order to prevent permanent damage. For dock lifts, rollover loads must not exceed twice the rated lifting capacity.

Standard colors include blue, black, gray, brown, and Autoquip Safety Yellow. Special colors are available upon request.

Yes, someone can review your application with you. As the complexity of the application increases, the more important it is to review and discuss your options. Someone from Autoquip can directly visit your facility, discuss via phone, and/or recommend a local Autoquip dealer who, because of their proximity to your operation, may provide better support to you through purchase and installation.  Contact Us

An approval drawing is a representation of your lift based on the specifications we received from you. These drawings are provided to you at the end of the design process and before the manufacturing process begins. The approval drawings purpose is to insure we have designed a lift that meets your requirements and will fit within your space. Approval drawings are generally required for custom lifts but not generally necessary when manufacturing standard products.

Many of Autoquip's standard products can be customized with a cold application option. Your Autoquip representative can discuss your particular cold condition equipment needs and what lift options Autoquip can provide to meet your specific need.

Autoquip lifts have been designed and modified for specific hazardous environments when requested. Inform your Autoquip representative if your Autoquip lift must perform in a hazardous environment. Will can then determine which options work best for you.  Hazardous Environments Application Page

Some specific Autoquip lifts have the CE certification markings. It is possible other lifts can obtain their CE certification if there is demand.  Air Product Page   Mechanical Product Page

Autoquip offers an array of mechanical and air operated lifts.  Air Product Page,  Mechanical Product Page

Yes, Autoquip can customize many of its lifts to be stainless steel construction.

All electrical components needed to make the lift work are included with the lift as standard. These controls can be excluded if controls are provided by others, or if the lift is to be part of a system and controlled elsewhere.

Various hand-operated, foot-operated, and automated controls are available.

Autoquip offers the best warranty in the industry. Each product line offers a slightly different warranty. Please refer to the warranty page on the Autoquip website for a specific answer to your question.  Click here to view

Most Autoquip lifts can either be surface- or pit-mounted. Be aware pit mounting may require modification of the platform and/or added safety options. Consult your specific product family information for details.

Pit mounted lifts allow the platform surface to rest at grade level. The most obvious benefit of having the platform at grade is the ability to roll on and off your lift platform. Consult your specific product family literature for more information on pit mounting.

Most Autoquip lifts require floor anchors. Consult your specific Operations & Maintenance manual for more information.

Autoquip has a nationwide network of dealers and installers that can assist in installing and servicing your equipment. Please  contact Autoquip and we will share the contact information as to our recommendation in your area.

Many Autoquip lifts have different electric specifications. Consult your specific Operations & Maintenance manual for more information.

Yes, Autoquip scissors lifts, dock lifts, and ram lifts are designed to meet the safety requirements of ANSI MH29.1 which does allow a rider on the lift in an industrial setting to accompany material during load transfer, or to use the lift as an adjustable work platform to access work out of reach from ground level. Autoquip lifts are not designed for the sole purpose of transporting riders between fixed elevations or landings, and do not meet the safety requirements of elevators (ASME A17.1), handicap lifts (ASME A18.1), or other commercial people-lifts. 

Scissor Lifts with Riders: White Papers. 

Autoquip Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors are not designed or intended for riders. By code, AMSE B20.1, VRC's are for material usage only. No riders or passengers.

All operators and maintenance personnel should be familiar with the equipment features and operations that are outlined in the Operations & Maintenance manual provided.

Handrails or other means of guarding are required anytime people access the lift platform and the platform is more than 48 inches above the floor.

According to ANSI MH29-1, "A toe guard plate not less than 8 inches (20.3 cm) in width shall be provided on all unprotected sides as a physical alert. It shall be made of steel, not less than No. 11 gauge (3 mm) in thickness, or other material of equal rigidity, attached flush with the vertical edge of the platform, and slanted inwardly at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from vertical."

No, the lift should be completely unloaded prior to positioning the maintenance device. Consult your specific Operations & Maintenance manual for more information.

All Autoquip lifts are equipped with fall-arresting features to prevent an uncontrolled descent.

All Autoquip lifts are equipped with fall-arresting features to prevent an uncontrolled descent.

In most cases, yes. Please consult your Autoquip representative to discuss your application and the particular equipment requirements.  Contact Us

Constant pressure push buttons are "press and hold" to carry out a function. Momentary contact push buttons are "press and release" to carry out a function.

Generally, a remote power unit can be located less than 12 feet above the lift or less than 25 feet from the lift.

UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories, which is a recognized independent source for product safety certification and compliance.

Dock Lifts are used for moving wheeled or palletized loads onto or from delivery trucks of various heights onto or from your dock or grade level. Regardless of lift design, each Autoquip dock lift shares common features that are required for rugged, outdoor use: anti-skid deck plate, beveled toe-guard protection, and extra structural steel support to withstand impact loading, concentrated wheel loading, off-centered loading, and high rollover loads when lowered in to a recessed pit. Most dock lifts are permanently installed in concrete pits, but some scissors-style lifts are portable for use with multiple dock positions, truck delivery areas that have no elevated dock, or where recessed pits are not feasible. Dock Lifts

A larger platform is required to accommodate the Bevel Toe Guard safety feature that is standard with pit-mounted lifts.

The operator controls (typically a pushbutton) are weatherproof. The motor controls are typically mounted indoors.

The ramp should have 1 foot of run for every inch of rise. Example, a 6-inch lowered height lift should have a 6-foot-long ramp.

Autoquip Dock Products are designed to accommodate wheeled loads that do not exceed the rated capacity of the lift. Consult your specific product family literature for more information.

A split bridge is used to lessen the lifting force required to raise and lower the bridge.

Yes.

Autoquip uses 5w30 motor oil as standard.

Scissors lifts provide the most stable, dependable, and versatile method of lifting heavy loads. Because of their simplicity and few moving parts, maintenance-free bushings, and wide acceptance by customers, scissors tables provide many years of trouble free operation for relatively small capital investment. Scissors lift mechanisms are easily modified by narrowing, widening, combining or stacking to achieve an extremely wide array of configurations to effectively move loads of virtually any size or capacity to heights of 20 feet or more. Hydraulic scissor lifts are the most popular, versatile, and economical of all actuation styles, but completely pneumatic or mechanical scissors tables are also available - depending on the demands of the application. Autoquip scissor lifts are designed and manufactured to meet the industry safety requirements set forth in ANSI MH29.1.  Scissor Lifts

Conveyors can often be added to the platform of the scissor lift. Autoquip can add conveyor or ship with pre-drilled holes for fitting at time of shipment. However, when adding conveyor, a higher capacity lift may be required for the application. Particular attention should be paid to a stick of conveyor that is longer or wider than the platform of the lift. Consult your Autoquip representative for more information.  Contact Us

No, Autoquip does not. It is our experience that pre-loaded air or mechanical springs perform poorly when attempting to automatically raise or lower a lift and keep the work at an optimum ergonomic height. Instead, we prefer to supply a powered lift with simple operator controls in order to guarantee that the work will always be at the optimum ergonomic height.

Accordion skirting is a flexible skirting that extends approximately 3" out from a minimum-sized lift platform to conceal the base and internal components of the lift, and is often used to prevent inadvertent contact with the scissors mechanism by the operator and/or to keep debris out from under the lift. However, it is  not an acceptable form of toe protection according to ANSI MH29.1.

A small amount of coast is normal. The amount of coast depends on the specific lift model and application.

Yes, as long as the air bag lift is fully extended during load transfer.

Yes, typically the rated capacity of the lift must be de-rated by the amount of extra "dead" (non-transferred) weight added to the top of the lift. Care must also be taken that the size and placement of any added equipment will not cause excessive deflection of the lift scissors.

The specific lift travel and application may demand that some form of guarding is required. Consult your Autoquip representative for more information.

If an application causes the motor to regularly start more than 200 times per hour, Autoquip recommends the use of continuous running power unit.

Autoquip's Freightlift brand of vertical reciprocating conveyors (VRCs) has been designed and manufactured in America's heartland since 1991 and has grown to become the industry standard for customers who demand the best for their industrial or commercial vertical lift needs. Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors, VRC, Material Lifts, or Freightlift provide the most economical, dependable, and safe method of high capacity freight movement between multiple levels with the smallest platform size or footprint possible. An economical alternative to expensive freight elevators or fork trucks, Autoquip VRC Material Lifts can be customized to improve freight and goods transfer and storage in any application: industrial mezzanines, retail stores, restaurants, warehouses, conveyor systems, and much more. Hydraulic designs are limited to travels of 28 feet, where mechanical VRC lifts can travel up to 100 feet. Each Autoquip Freightlift is designed and manufactured to meet or exceed the requirements of ASME B20.1 - Safety Requirements for Conveyors and Related Equipment. A VRC is a material lift only. People may not ride a VRC.  VRC Family

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors offer safe, easy and fast vertical transportation of materials or goods of various sizes and weights, increased productivity and safety, and are more cost effective to install and maintain than elevators.

Autoquip manufactures and designs three types of VRC's. They are:

Straddle: The platform and load are supported from the middle of the platform. This design allows for greater capacity and lesser platform deflection, but reduces the loading options.

Cantilever: The platform and load are supported from the edge of the platform. This design allows for the greatest number of loading options, but reduces the highest capacity and increases potential platform deflection.

4-post designs: The platform and load are supported from each corner. This design provides the greatest capacity, travel, deflection, and loading options. 4-post designs also the most costly.

Autoquip manufactures both Hydraulic and Mechanical units in straddle and cantilever designs and a mechanical 4 post lift.  VRC Family

A hydraulic lift is the less expensive of the two to purchase and install. It can be used with loads from 1000 to 6000 pounds. It has a maximum carriage size of 8ft. x 10 ft., a maximum vertical lift of 28 ft., and the capacity to stop at two levels.

A mechanical lift is used where larger carriages are needed, where a vertical rise greater than 28 ft. is required, or where the capacity to stop at three or more levels is required.

Yes, as required per  ASME B 20.1 [LINK TO PDF] code.

Yes, a forklift can be used to load the VRC. However, anytime the fork truck could roll onto the platform, special platform options are required. Consult your Autoquip representative for more information.

Yes, if the VRC was ordered in a capacity that meets or exceeds the weight of the forklift and load. Autoquip lifts are designed to accommodate wheeled loads that do not exceed the rated capacity of the lift. Consult your specific product family literature for more information.

Yes, as long as those doors have interlocks that conform to ASME B20.1.

Yes. But a Freightlift to be located outside will require additional features for this application.

Yes.

A cycle counter is located inside the motor control panel.

An interlock prevents a gate from being opened unless the lift is at a certain level. The interlock and status switch also prevents the lift from running should the gate not be closed.

Some states require a certified elevator installer. Please check your local code requirements.

Hydraulic Freightlifts do. Mechanical Freightlifts do not.

There may be a minimal amount of deflection in some cases.

It is never permissible for a person to ride a VRC.

Shipment is typically by a Flatbed carrier to prevent damage and handling, which can occur with common carrier shipments.

A mezzanine backstop safety panel is used on applications where there is a snap chain but no railing on the backside of the carriage at the upper level.