Sleek New SmartLift Trio Superstructure Raises Technician Productivity -

Sleek New SmartLift Trio Superstructure Raises Technician Productivity

The world's best-selling inground lift has a sleek new superstructure that increases technician productivity with three key developments: greater drive-through clearance, improved lift-to-vehicle clearance, and extended arm reach. Rotary Lift recently unveiled the patent-pending SmartLift Trio superstructure at the NADA Expo.

The world’s best-selling inground lift has a sleek new superstructure that increases technician productivity with three key developments: greater drive-through clearance, improved lift-to-vehicle clearance, and extended arm reach. Rotary Lift recently unveiled the patent-pending SmartLift Trio superstructure at the NADA Expo.

More than 50,000 SmartLift environmentally friendly inground lifts have been sold since the lift’s 1995 debut. In response to changing vehicle designs and customer needs, Rotary Lift has continuously improved the lift’s productivity features. The SmartLift’s proven underground environmental protection and power systems remain unchanged.

“As vehicle designs evolve, it’s critical that lift designs evolve with them,” explains John Rylee, director of marketing. “Many of today’s cars are low-slung, with ground effects, low-profile tires and other design elements that can make picking them with a traditional lift challenging and time-consuming. Since time truly is money in the shop, we’ve worked closely with customers to redesign the SmartLift’s superstructure to provide even greater vehicle access and increased technician productivity.”

The new Trio superstructure features a slimmer, tapered yoke that expands drive-through clearance to 88 inches — the widest in the industry. Not only does this ease vehicle positioning, it also results in fewer pinched tires. The contoured drive-over pad also reduces the space that the lift occupies under the vehicle, giving technicians greater undercar access and making it much easier to remove undercarriage shields.

The Trio also introduces a patent-pending update to Rotary Lift’s popular three-stage arms. The new lower-profile arms can reach an even wider range of vehicle pick-up points than their predecessors, while at the same time providing greater clearance between the lift and the vehicle. They are also easier for technicians to adjust quickly.

The benefits come from shortening each arm and replacing its innermost extension with a “third stage” integrated sliding adapter. Technicians simply slide the patent-pending, multi-position adapter to the desired position for pinpoint accuracy. Adapters are interchangeable, so technicians can choose the best set for each vehicle. Three-position flip-up adapters allow quick positioning on a variety of pick up points. Polymer RA adapters screw into position and are ideal for unibody vehicles.

In response to technician input, the SmartLift Trio superstructure also features a built-in storage compartment to provide technicians with easy access to small parts and tools.

The SmartLift Trio superstructure is available on the SmartLift SL210 model, which has a lifting capacity of 10,000 lbs. The Trio superstructure also can be retrofitted to previously installed SmartLift SL210 units. All SmartLift inground lifts are third-party tested by ETL and ALI certified to meet ANSI standards. SmartLift inground lifts are made in the U.S.A.

SmartLift is the original environmentally friendly inground lift. Its self-contained polymer composite housing protects the environment from the lift while at the same time protecting the lift from the environment. SmartLift uses less than five gallons of hydraulic fluid, and can operate on bio-fluid instead of petroleum-based fluid. SmartLift also has a smaller footprint than surface lifts, so 12 SmartLift inground lifts can be installed in the same amount of space as 11 two-post surface lifts. Alternatively, shop size can be reduced by 15 percent without decreasing the number of bays. SmartLift inground lifts do not rely on expensive and inefficient air compressors to operate. Their small, economical motor runs only when the lift is being raised. The lifts’ air locks use a minimal amount of air from a shop’s standard air system.

Lift service times are also slashed with SmartLift. All SmartLift maintenance can be performed at ground level without removing the lift. Rotary Lift’s patented EasyAccess cylinder does not require bleeding and can be serviced in just two hours —  that’s 75 percent less time than required for competitive cylinders, providing a significant savings in downtime.

For more information about the new Rotary Lift SmartLift Trio superstructure, contact your local Rotary Lift distributor, log on to www.rotarylift.com or call (800) 640-5438. You can also find Rotary Lift on Facebook, www.facebook.com/RotaryLift; Twitter, http://twitter.com/RotaryLift; and YouTube, www.youtube.com/RotaryLiftMedia.

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The True Cost Of Comebacks

Comebacks are a hot topic today. You need to track all comebacks, determine the reason (tech error, part error, training issue, other) and then calculate the true cost of the comeback.

By Joe Marconi of Elite
Comebacks are a hot topic today. You need to track
all comebacks, determine the reason (tech error, part error, training issue,
other) and then calculate the true cost of the comeback.
Here are a few things to consider:
• The loss of time when performing the comeback; time that the tech can use to
perform other work and generate profit;
• The misc costs, such as overhead costs, supplies, cleaners, etc.;
• Towing costs, rental, etc.;
• Cost to morale;
• Reputation damage; and
• Reduction to your profit margin.
For every part issue, you need to
inform your supplier. Sit down with suppliers on a regular basis. Don’t return defective
parts until you have listed the parts, and maintain a report. Document
everything.
Part issues are increasing. Every shop
owner I speak to is frustrated over this.
Remember, comebacks kill your bottom
line. The more comebacks you have, the more they’re killing your profits.
This article was contributed by Joe Marconi.
Joe is one of the 1-on-1 business coaches who helps shop owners through
the Elite Coaching Program, and is the
co-founder of autoshopowner.com.

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