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Where do you get your lift point information? When you need to go under a vehicle to diagnose or perform required vehicle service, where do you obtain information for the placement of the lift adapter pads? Are you confident your sources are reliable?
If you believe you haven't seen a vehicle you don't know how to lift or that everything is just common sense, you're destined for an accident. Don't assume that lifting is the same from vehicle to vehicle. Unfortunately, this is often the statement heard from experienced service technicians: "It doesn't matter if it's a roadster, an SUV, a 4x4 with duals, a two-door or four-door family sedan, or even a truck. All you have to do is find a hard spot like the frame or the jack points on a unibody car. Sure, it's important if the hard spot is flat and level but, in a pinch, it's okay to use the spring hangers. They're connected to the frame aren't they? Some vehicle manufacturers even tell you to lift on the spring hangers."
This is a risky assumption and one likely to lead to an accident.
There's quite a bit of information out there, so how do you know what to follow? Bottom line, if one source doesn't seem quite right, seek out another source and always use good old common sense! If something doesn't jibe with what you're reading, always question it. You are your best safety source; don't ignore your own sensibilities.
The first step in making a proper lift is to find the vehicle manufacturer recommended lifting points for that vehicle. Here are a few common sources of reliable lift point information:
* If you work in an automobile dealership, you can go to the internal vehicle manufacturer web site to find lifting and jacking information. You can also go to the vehicle service manuals found in dealerships where the same make of vehicles are serviced every day.
* If you work in an independent shop, franchise store, or fleet maintenance operation, maybe you have the service manuals for the vehicle at issue and maybe you don't. Check to see if your employer subscribes to one of the independent, on-line vehicle information services. Some of these services cover...