Came to this randomly but at 9:15 it shows a single post lift. Haven't seen one in decades. Are these still used? Are parts available? Are they even made new these days? How were they installed? Seems like you would have to excavate 10 feet down to install the hydraulic cylinder and parts, and then how is it serviced? Break up the concrete floor to get to it?
Late 50s' service station video
- Thread starter atikovi
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Came to this randomly but at 9:15 it shows a single post lift. Haven't seen one in decades. Are these still used? Are parts available? Are they even made new these days? How were they installed? Seems like you would have to excavate 10 feet down to install the hydraulic cylinder and parts, and then how is it serviced? Break up the concrete floor to get to it?
Owen Lucas
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I've seen 1 or 2 in the past few years, was always afraid to go under them when inspecting a car. I thought they were no longer legal due to the hazards of having the hydraulic equipment in the ground regarding contamination. One shop owner I knew told me he had to pull his out because the state wouldn't allow them anymore, he had an old shop like the one in this video. An old corner gas station that had 2 pumps in the front and a 3 bay garage. This was over 20 years ago, but maybe it varies by state.
Zee09
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Always loved that narrator
My local gas station had those lifts in the day. Long ago..gas was 29 cents when I took notice of them but never really thought about them or how they worked.
My local gas station had those lifts in the day. Long ago..gas was 29 cents when I took notice of them but never really thought about them or how they worked.
One of the worst "rookie" jobs as a pump jockey was being the one who had to clean out "the pit" under the lift. I paid my dues.
Owen Lucas
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Was it all of the dirt that would mix with the grease on the cylinder and end up below the unit?
Glen Glenn Sound!
The old car shown has an actual dashboard.
Junior had to earn his ride by providing child labor.
The old car shown has an actual dashboard.
Junior had to earn his ride by providing child labor.
reminds me of the Chuck Berry tune, "Too Much Monkey Business"
Workin' in the fillin' station, too many tasks
Wipe the windows, check the tires, check the oil, dollar gas
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Don't want your botheration, get away, leave me
Too much monkey business for me
Workin' in the fillin' station, too many tasks
Wipe the windows, check the tires, check the oil, dollar gas
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Don't want your botheration, get away, leave me
Too much monkey business for me
It was mostly just everything that washed down the floor drain. Same principle as a septic tank, the solids would go to the bottom and needed cleaning out about once a month. So it wasn't directly tied to the single post lift but it was either below it or in between two of them.
We have had a variety of 1950 and earlier “filling stations “ converted into something else
Like the “Filling Station” Restaurant downtown Wausau
Like the “Filling Station” Restaurant downtown Wausau
My shop has 2 in ground single post lifts, one installed in the mid 70s the other in the mid 80s. Parts are still available. I quite frankly dont feel safe working under an above ground lift.
In a way, they are in common use today. In elevators for low rise structures.
You can still buy in-ground lifts. Really depends on the make/model & how it was installed on how you repair it.
Center post in-grounds limit what you can do to a vehicle & that's why they fell out of favor.
Every Cadillac dealership I worked at had twin cylinder in-ground Rotary's, Nicest lifts money can buy.
