Automotive Excellence SUMMER 2025_01_09-22-2025_DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 30
PRODUCT
REVIEW
CHALLENGER
Vehicle LIFTS
If one equipment choice drives safety, bay throughput, technician morale, and revenue in an independent
shop, it’s your vehicle lifts. Every RO that requires under-car access lives or dies on lift uptime and usability. Challenger Lifts—engineered in Louisville, KY—has earned a strong following in ATI member shops for
productivity-oriented design, ALI Gold Certified safety, and options that flex across today’s mix of ICE, EV,
lifted truck, and light-medium fleet traffic. Their two-post lineup (roughly 9K–20K lbs.) centers on technician
reach, vehicle clearance, and install flexibility in real-world buildings. This review distills the decision points
around three sweet-spot capacities: 10K, 12K, and 16K.
WHY LIFT CHOICE MATTERS
• Safety & Liability: In a claim, documentation that your lift
carries the ALI Gold Certification label—and that you’re
using approved adapters—matters. Marketing phrases like “meets” or “built to” are not the same as certified. Train techs to spot, raise a few inches, re-check
pad contact, and set on mechanical locks every time.
• Concrete & Bay Fit: No lift outperforms bad slab prep.
10K-class installs typically call for ~4 in. of 3,000-PSI
concrete; heavier capacities often need ~6 in.+ or engineered pads. Plan ~12 ft. clear bay width and confirm
ceiling obstructions (sprinklers, HVAC, doors).
• Vehicle Mix & Weight Bias: Spec above your routine
heaviest vehicle. A 10K lift effectively loads ~2,500 lbs.
per arm; extreme front/rear bias can overload even
inside rating. Rising EV curb weights and up-fitted service trucks are pushing many shops into 12K+.
• EV Readiness: Wider tracks, battery trays, and alternative lift points demand arm reach and adapter variety. Allow lateral clearance now; moving posts later
is expensive.
10K VERSYMMETRIC® (CL10AV3 / VLE10)
FLEXIBLE MIXED-TRAFFIC WORKHORSE
Challenger’s signature Versymmetric® design lets techs position arms
symmetrically for trucks or asymmetrically for door access on passenger
cars without changing bays. directSPOT™ geometry helps hit OEM lift points
faster—less “shuffle spotting.” Adjustable column spacing (~11'6.5"–12'6.5")
and ceiling extension kits ease retrofits in older buildings. Budget-minded
shops can step into the VLE10 economy variant (still Versymmetric; ~12
ft. overall height; padded overhead shutoff; door guards). Independent
equipment dealers report reduced re-spotting time and good durability in
high-cycle light-duty bays.
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