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Tire Changers: Breaking it Down

At the top of the list, with oil changes and brakes, changing and repairing tires is one of the most common jobs at your local repair shop. A good tire changer will, with regular maintenance and some repairs, last for many years.

Times are a changing in the tire-changing world! The days of easy steel rims and regular valve stems are fast disappearing. These days there are “soft” aluminum rims, tires with stiff sidewalls and TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) valve stems that, if serviced improperly, can break. Click here to see how we change tires with TPMS. Keep this in mind when shopping for a new tire changer.

When you’re in the market for a tire changer, it’s hard to differentiate between all of the different brands out there, each company trying to put their best foot forward in a bid to win over your trust and loyalty. Each brand then has a variety of tire changer models, fashioned to meet the needs of specific niches. Here’s how you can easily select the right changer for you from Eagle Equipment.

Size Matters! What type and size of wheels do you want to work on?

The size of the wheel: Before you shop for a tire changer, you need to know what size tires you will be changing. Look at the rim diameter of the tires to be changed; 20 to 24 inch diameter is the common measurement of most wheels. If you want to go smaller, like motorcycles …. Or larger, like truck tires … that will determine if a different changer is needed.

The type of wheel: Light trucks will utilize a different tire changer from heavy-duty trucks. There are also shops that specialize in run flat tires or low profile wheels. Such tires require special tire changers because the ordinary models may not be able to handle too well.

The style tire shop that you are: Do you do a lot of tires? Are you just getting started? Do you want to be able to work on specialty tires or large truck-tires? The tire changer you choose will determine the style of shop you are.

With these factors in mind, we now need to look at the different types of tire changers available from Eagle. Each style has been designed for specific needs. Now that you know what type of tires you want to work on, here is how to easily find the one that fits. Continue reading Tire Changers: Breaking it Down

Moving Your Eagle 4-Post Storage Lift

I received an email from one of our customers who purchased an Eagle 7k four-post storage lift a few years back. He needed to move this lift closer to the front of his garage, about 3′. All Eagle 4-post storage lifts that range from 6k to 8k capacity have the ability to be moved because they are not anchored to the floor.

Our current storage lift models include a set of casters, but the older models do not. The casters hook to each post and allow the user to move the lift freely about his shop, as needed. The lift would lower and cause the forks on each caster to raise each post off the ground 1”-2”. See diagram below.

4-post lift move diagram
Customers who have the older models do have the option of purchasing casters from our parts department. If the lift is going to be moved frequently, then this is what we suggest. This buyer did not have the caster set, and really did not want to purchase a new set for $299 just to move the lift 3′, understandably. It was time for us to do some brainstorming together to solve this problem.

After thinking about how to make this work without the casters, I came up with 2 viable solutions for him to consider. Both solutions are only for short moves within your shop.

The first solution was to use a couple of floor jacks and some wood wedges. The user would need to lower the lift until it rested on top of the floor jacks. Once the lift is on the jacks, you would then need to put the wood wedges inside each post, on top of the cross member. These wedges would not allow the cross member to raise up when you begin to raise each jack.  Once the lift is off the ground just enough for the lift to roll on the jacks, you begin to push the lift in the direction you wish the lift to go.

The 2nd solution requires a couple ratchet straps and 2 floor jacks. You would first lower the lift down onto the jacks, same as the first solution. Now with the ratchet straps, you would secure them from post to post sideways and on top of each cross member at the post. Once you tighten the straps, it will put the pressure needed on each cross member and not allow it to move once the jacks begin to rise. At this point you would raise the jacks until each post is off the ground enough to move the lift the short distance you need.

We recommend that if you are going to try and move your lift, that you do so carefully and safely.

I relayed both ideas to the customer and allowed him to make the decision which best suited him. This is what I heard back:

I wanted to thank you for your advice and counsel regarding moving my SS7000.  I really appreciate Eagle’s customer focus.

Last night, a friend and I moved the lift forward 3’ and toward the garage door 6” with two floor jacks.  The move took 5-7 minutes.

Figuring out how to lock the cross rail to the posts, so we could lift the entire assembly, took us about 20 minutes planning time.  We wedged the post and side rail assembly with wooden wedges.  Once the two were locked together, we lifted the entire assembly about 1”, as you suggested, and carefully pulled the lift forward and to the side slightly in gentle bursts.  I have attached the “after” photo of our successful move.

Thanks, once again, for being supportive and helpful.  Let me know what I can do to support Eagles’ business.

Sincerely,
Sean J. Rogers, Esq.

fourpost lift move

We’re so glad that we were able to assist in this “move”. This turned out great for the user and his desire to move his lift just a short distance. These applications are safe and easy to perform, but I would still recommend investing in the set of casters for any type of move. But remember, if you purchase our current 4-post storage lift models, the casters are included with every purchase … making these moves easy!

 

 

RUB BLOCKS ON YOUR CAR LIFT: 2-Post and 4-Post lifts

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In the past few months, we have had some customers who own older Eagle Lifts (at least 10 years old) order new Rub Blocks for their lifts. Most lift operators are unsure exactly what a rub block is, why we use them in our lifts an how they are replaced.

IMG_27
9,000 lb two-post lift rub block

Rub blocks are an important part of each lift and have a major role in making sure the lift performs the way it should. Eagle uses a nylon rub block for each of our 2-post and 4-post lifts. Rub blocks are installed on the carriages of the 2-post car lift, at the top and bottom of each carriage – 8 total per side.  On the 4-post lift, a 10”x 3” rub block, 2 per post (8 for each lift) are bolted on to the end of each cross member on the four corners of each carriage, top and bottom.

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Rub Blocks from Left to Right: 12K 4-post, 9K 2-Post, 10K 2-post and 12K 2-post

Once installed, the rub blocks become a stabilizer for the lift while going up and down. These rub blocks are the bridge between the actual lift post and carriage, or cross member.  The rub blocks are designed to secure the carriage or cross member inside each lift post and not allow any movement during use. The nylon creates a steady and smooth lift. We recommend a lubricant in each post to reduce the friction of block, and help with the travel of each lift. Continue reading RUB BLOCKS ON YOUR CAR LIFT: 2-Post and 4-Post lifts

CALLING ALL EAGLE EQUIPMENT CUSTOMERS… WE WANT YOUR … PHOTOS

bills_garage_7I have heard the phrase imitation is the sincerest form of flattery many times throughout my life thus far. Today, I spoke with a new customer, who had reached out to us for pricing on a new spray booth for his growing business. He mentioned in our conversation that he had a buddy down the road who bought one from us years ago and was thrilled with it. Based on this word-of-mouth testimony from one buddy to another, this guy did not even bother to look anywhere else … he just picked up the phone and called us. Word-of-mouth is a pretty sincere form of flattery too…. and we want more of it. Read on to see how you can help.

Labonte 1Testimonials are the best form of advertising to us at Standard Tools. What better way to decide on what product to buy than to read how much others love it? Now, I understand that price plays a big role in a person’s decision when it comes to buying equipment…  but if your buddy has one and he is thrilled with it… is price alone really the deciding factor? Something to think about anyway.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and testimonials are the best form of promotion, then a product photo of the equipment in use in a shop are the best way for us to show off our products. Who doesn’t love to see some equipment being used? (Most of the time, the photos also have some pretty cool cars to show off as well).

If you have a product from Eagle Equipment in your shop and you want to share a photo with us, along with a brief testimonial, we would love for you to send it our way so we can share on social media!

If your photo is used, we will send you a great big thank you and a little surprise for giving us your time, testimonial and photo. So, if you have a paint booth, automotive lift, frame machine or tire equipment … send it to us.

GLO-8000XLT 2Here are the details to include in your email to Katm@standardtool.com

Subject Line: Customer Testimonial

Your Name and Business Name
Your City and State
Product You Have?
What do you use it for?
Why Do You Like It?
Would You Recommend it? Why or Why Not?

Please make sure that any junk or trash is removed prior to taking the photo, it helps make a better photo.  That’s it!

Beware the generic car lift! Do you know who you’re buying from?

IMG_0775There is a business model in place today in the automotive lift industry that poses potential risks for the uninformed buyer.  A master distributor purchases garage equipment products, like car lifts and tire equipment, from overseas and places them in strategic warehouses around the country for sale through a secondary distributor network.

While some of these secondary distributors have prior experience selling car lifts and other garage equipment, many are simply internet stores that have no technical knowledge of the products.  Beware of these “stores”. The car lifts that these types of distributors sell are typically unbranded.  Furthermore, they provide no warranty or service support and have no service and warranty parts.  Product returns are difficult at best.  And all of these functions must be handled through the master distributor who the buyer does not know!

Why wouldn’t a legitimate company want their name on the products they sell?  Typically, because these distributors don’t stock or ship their own products, it is not possible for them to affix a nameplate or decal to the car lift. There are lots of other reasons for having an unbranded product, and none of them are good for the consumer.  Maybe they are dodging a state sales tax authority or don’t have the required product liability insurance. Maybe they know that it is difficult to give a poor online review of an unbranded product.  But I believe the biggest reason is to dodge warranty and service issues after the sale.

At Eagle we receive numerous calls in our service and parts department where the caller has no idea of the brand of automotive lift in their shop.  Many can only give us the IMG_0763manufacturer’s name off of the power unit.  Sometimes we can help them identify the lift, but many times we can’t.  Think about that.  If you can’t find the seller to get a replacement cable how will you locate them if there is an accident involving the car lift?

An automotive lift with no name should frighten you.  Certainly brand names can cost a little more but with that comes assurance that the company will stand behind its product.  And that can mean a lot if you are the person working on a vehicle supported by that no name lift!

About Eagle Equipment
The Eagle brand has been a trusted resource in the industry since 1954. Our corporate offices, showroom and a 70,000 sq. ft. plant is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. We’re excited to offer you great products, great prices and a knowledgeable sales staff to help you find what you need. Our in-house sales and customer service team have over 50 years of collaborative experience and product knowledge to answer any questions you might have, as well as provide after-sales support for warranty claims, repairs or parts/service.

Hours
Monday through Thursday:
8:00 AM until 5:30 PM EST Office Hours
8:00 AM until 7:30 PM EST Phone Hours

Friday:
8:00 AM until 5:30 PM EST Office Hours
8:00 AM until 6:30 PM EST Phone Hours

Visit Us
We welcome you to visit us during normal office business hours.
Corporate Office, Showroom, Warehouse and Manufacturing Plant.

4810 Clover Road
Greensboro, NC 27405
Click here for directions

To read more about Eagle Equipment, check out our “About Us” Page.

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Is the MOBILEMAN® Single-Column Lift right for you?

E_MobileManLet me tell you about our very popular mobile lift, the MOBILEMAN ®. We can’t seem to keep these in stock because of its potency, ingenuity and muscle … and it’s just cool. Perfect for a smaller shop with restricted floor space or a larger shop with multiple installed lifts and no more room!

There are several mobile lifts, but ours is Exclusive only to Eagle Equipment, the MOBILEMAN® features an innovative design with a single column and a mobile “pallet jack” style that allows you to move it anywhere you need it.  With its single-point lock release, 4 sets of truck adapters, and ease of maneuverability this lift will get the job done with a convenience that is unmatched.

Continue reading Is the MOBILEMAN® Single-Column Lift right for you?

FREE LOCAL PICKUP & $50 OFF YOUR ORDER!

EE_LocalPickup-BlogImageHey—you’re going to be in Greensboro (That’s in North Carolina, kinda between Raleigh and Winston- Salem)? Want to plan to swing by our docks to load your order on truck or trailer? GREAT! Not only would we love to save you all that shipping cost, we will also take $50 OFF YOUR EAGLE ORDER* just for coming to see us!

It’s easy to do a local pickup at our Greensboro warehouse:

1: Place your order.

2: Let us know you’ll be picking up and we’ll let you know what kind of vehicle you need for pickup.

3: Let us know when to expect you (we want to make sure we’re here and ready for you).

4: We’ll have your order ready and our shipping department available for load up!

We’ll see you soon! Drive safe.

*Applies only to equipment orders (of $500 or more). Does not include parts and accessory orders. Good for one $50 off voucher per pickup.

 

 

HOW-TO: Change a Tire with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensor (VIDEO)

TPMS-tire-pressureA tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is an electronic system designed to monitor the air pressure inside the pneumatic tires on various types of vehicles. TPMS monitors the actual air pressure inside each tire via a sensor mounted within the tire behind the air valve. TPMS report real-time tire-pressure information to the driver of the vehicle, either via a gauge, a pictogram display, or a simple low-pressure warning light (which is to represent a flattened tire with exclamation point).

standard-tpms-warning-signal

These systems were created for the luxury lines, with the first passenger vehicle to adopt it was the Porsche 959 in 1986. Since then, the system has proven that it can help you avoid traffic accidents due to under-inflated tires by early recognition of the malfunction of tires. It also increases overall fuel efficiency.

Continue reading HOW-TO: Change a Tire with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensor (VIDEO)

Outdoor Car Lifts: Can You Do It?

I was driving home from work the other day and saw this as I was stopped at a red light. An Outdoor Car Lift.
lift outdoorsIt made me sign and think of why the most common question I get asked is “Can I install my lift outside?”

People ask this for a number of reasons. They don’t have room in their shop (notice the ceiling height on the above photo), they don’t want to dedicate the space to it or they prefer to work outdoors (this is usually not the case).

Technically, the correct answer is, “You can put it outside (as in, who’s stopping you?), but should you?” Lifts are designed for indoor use, installed in a temperature-controlled environment.  Installing an Eagle lift outdoors automatically voids the warranty because it is a certainty that there will be damages to the lift caused by natural elements.

Continue reading Outdoor Car Lifts: Can You Do It?

Eagle Equipment in 1954. THINGS WERE A LOT DIFFERENT 60 YEARS AGO

1950s_Auto_Repair1954. THINGS WERE A LOT DIFFERENT 60 YEARS AGO

THINGS WERE CHEAPER.

You went to the butcher for your meat and your milk was delivered from the milkman. Gas was just $.22 PER GALLON and a trip to the movies would cost you $.70. A new home was $10,000 and a new car for the garage was just $1700. A McDonalds Hamburger was $.15, a coca cola was $.05 (of course it was in a bottle), a 24-pack of Budweiser was just under $3 and a child’s ticket to the most magical place on earth was only $.35 CENTS (it’s $80 today)! Continue reading Eagle Equipment in 1954. THINGS WERE A LOT DIFFERENT 60 YEARS AGO

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