The first time you raise a car over your head, your stomach does something funny. You have two thousand pounds of metal hanging on a few steel arms, your hand is on the control, and a quiet voice in the back of your head asks the obvious question: am I doing this right? It is a good instinct. A lift makes hard work easy, but it only forgives you when you respect the procedure.
This guide walks you through how to use a car lift safely, from the moment you pull into the bay to the moment the tires touch back down. It covers 2-post, 4-post, scissor, parking, and motorcycle lifts, because the core logic of spotting, lifting, locking, and lowering carries across all of them. Daytona has helped shops and serious home garages across the US and Canada operate equipment since 1999, and the steps below reflect that experience.
How Do You Use a Car Lift?
To use a car lift safely, spot the vehicle over the lift's load center, set the arms or runways to the manufacturer's lifting points, raise it a few inches and shake it to confirm stability, then lift to working height and lower it onto the safety locks before going underneath. Always lower fully before driving on or off.
That is the whole operation in one breath. The rest of this article breaks each phase down so you can do it confidently, whatever type of lift you own.
First, Know Your Lift Before You Touch the Control
Every safe lift cycle starts before the engine is even off. Walk around the lift and give it a quick once-over. You are looking for anything that says "not today": frayed or slack cables, hydraulic leaks under the power unit, loose or cracked concrete around anchor bolts, worn lift pads, or a safety lock that does not click crisply. If something looks wrong, stop and get it serviced. Never rig or override a lift to keep working.
Confirm the rated capacity is visible and that it comfortably exceeds the weight of what you are lifting, including anything in the trunk or truck bed. The Automotive Lift Institute is clear that most vehicles fall from lifts because the operator misjudged the center of gravity, spotted the vehicle poorly, or skipped the wheel chocks. All three are avoidable in the first sixty seconds.
The Two Kinds of Lifts, and Why It Changes Everything
Before the how, you need the what. Nearly every lift falls into one of two families, and they are operated differently.
A frame-engaging lift grabs the vehicle by its body. The arms reach in and lift pads contact the manufacturer's reinforced lifting points along the rocker panel or frame. The wheels hang free. The classic example is a 2-post lift, and this is the type where correct lifting-point placement matters most.
A wheel-engaging lift carries the vehicle by its tires. You simply drive onto runways or a platform and the whole car goes up sitting on its own wheels. Most 4-post lifts, parking lifts, and many scissor lifts work this way. There are no lifting points to find, but you must center the vehicle and chock the wheels.
Knowing which family your lift belongs to tells you exactly which of the steps below apply. You can compare every configuration on Daytona's master automotive lifts hub.
How to Use a 2-Post Lift (Frame-Engaging)
The 2-post is the most common shop and home lift, and the one that demands the most care, because you are choosing where the lift touches the car. Get the lifting points right and it is rock solid. Get them wrong and you can bend a rocker, pop a windshield, or drop the vehicle.
Step 1: Find the Lifting Points
Check the vehicle's owner manual or the door-jamb decal for the manufacturer-recommended lifting points. Most cars have four, located just behind the front wheels and just in front of the rear wheels along the reinforced pinch-weld seam. When in doubt, the ALI Vehicle Lifting Points Guide is the definitive reference. Never improvise a contact point.
Step 2: Spot the Vehicle Over the Load Center
Pull the vehicle in so its center of gravity sits between the columns, not ahead of or behind them. On rear-wheel-drive cars the center of gravity usually sits below the driver's seat; on front-wheel-drive cars it sits a little farther forward, under the steering wheel. Resist the urge to slide the car forward just to open a door more easily. Put it where it balances.
Step 3: Set the Arms and Pads
Swing the arms in and extend them so all four pads sit squarely under the lifting points. Adjust pad height with the screw or telescoping adapters as needed so the vehicle will rise level. Trucks, vans, and SUVs often need height adapters to clear the rocker panel. Use only adapters made for your lift. Never stack wood blocks or fabricate your own, which is dangerous and can void the lift's certification.
Step 4: Raise a Few Inches and Test
Raise the vehicle until the tires are roughly four to six inches off the floor, then stop. Push and rock the car firmly. If a single arm can be wiggled while the other three bear weight, the load is uneven. Lower it, reposition, and try again. This shake test is the most important ten seconds of the whole job.
The Even-Load Rule
The vehicle's weight must sit evenly across all four arms. On a 10,000 lb lift, each arm is rated for 2,500 lbs. Do not overload one end, and never lift on just one side or with one arm. If anything feels unbalanced, it is.
Step 5: Lift to Height and Set the Locks
Once stable, raise to your working height. You will hear the safety locks clicking as you go. When you reach height, release pressure so the lift settles down onto the nearest mechanical lock. Visually confirm every pad is still seated before you put any part of your body under the vehicle. The hydraulics raise the car; the locks hold it.
How to Use a 4-Post, Parking, or Scissor Lift (Wheel-Engaging)
Drive-on lifts are more forgiving because the load spreads across the tires and platform, but they have their own rules.
Center the vehicle on the runways or platform so the front tires sit an equal distance from each edge, and stop where the manufacturer marks the load center. Turn the engine off, put it in park or gear, and chock the wheels. Drive-on lifts have roll-off stops at the ends, but chocks are what actually keep the car from rolling.
Raise to height, then set the lift onto its mechanical lock ladders so each corner is level and supported. If you need the wheels free for brake, tire, or suspension work, that is what a rolling jack is for. Slide it between the runways, raise the end you need, and lower it onto its own safety latch before reaching in. Daytona rolling jacks are engineered to fit Daytona lifts specifically, so confirm compatibility before ordering. Always lower a wheels-free jack completely before driving the vehicle on or off.
Scissor lifts bolt to the floor as a pad and skip columns entirely, which makes them quick to use but very sensitive to a level slab. The lifting logic is the same: center, lift a little, confirm stability, then raise and lock.
How to Use a Motorcycle or ATV Lift
A motorcycle and ATV lift is the simplest of all, but a tipping bike is no small thing. Roll the machine onto the platform, secure the front wheel in the chock, and strap it down before you raise it. Confirm the platform is on a flat, solid surface, raise to height, and set it onto its mechanical lock. For ATVs, set the side extensions so the platform fully supports the wider stance.
Quick Reference: Lifting Points and Capacity by Lift Type
| Lift Type | How It Lifts | Key Operating Step |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Post (frame-engaging) | Pads under body lifting points, wheels free | Set all four pads to OEM points, shake test |
| 4-Post / Parking | Drive-on runways, tires bear load | Center vehicle, chock wheels, set lock ladders |
| Scissor | Pad under frame or runways | Confirm level slab, lift and lock |
| Motorcycle / ATV | Platform under chassis | Chock and strap, then raise and lock |
How to Lower a Car Lift Safely
Most guides obsess over lifting and gloss over coming down, which is where carelessness creeps in. Treat lowering as deliberately as raising.
- Make sure no tools, jack stands, or equipment are under the vehicle, and that all doors are closed.
- Alert anyone nearby that the lift is coming down.
- Raise slightly first to take weight off the safety locks, then release each lock.
- Lower smoothly and watch that both sides, or all four corners, descend evenly.
- Bring it all the way to the floor before driving on or off.
Stay at the control the entire time you raise and lower. Never walk away mid-cycle, and never block or disable a lock or limit switch to save a few seconds.
A Note on Certification, Warranty, and Indoor Use
If code compliance matters in your jurisdiction, lift certification is granted per model, not per brand. Daytona's ALI Certified BR10-2OH-33 overhead 2-post lift is independently tested to the ANSI/ALI safety standard, and you can verify any model in the ALI Directory of Certified Lifts. Across the rest of the line, the focus is built-in safety: automatic locks with single-point release, height limit switches, aircraft-quality cables on 4-post models, and the 5-2-1 warranty. One firm rule: all Daytona equipment is rated for indoor use only, and outdoor installation voids the warranty.
If you have not set the lift up yet, or you want a refresher on the foundation it sits on, our guides on how to install an automotive lift and how thick your concrete needs to be cover everything underneath a safe operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use a car lift step by step?
Spot the vehicle over the lift's load center, set the arms or runways to the manufacturer's lifting points, raise it a few inches and shake it to confirm stability, then lift to working height and lower it onto the safety locks. Always lower fully before driving on or off.
Where do you put the arms on a 2-post lift?
Place the lift pads at the vehicle manufacturer's recommended lifting points, usually reinforced spots along the pinch-weld seam just behind the front wheels and just in front of the rear wheels. Check the owner manual, door-jamb decal, or the ALI Vehicle Lifting Points Guide, and never improvise a contact point.
How high should you lift a car before checking it?
Raise the vehicle only about four to six inches, then stop and rock it firmly to confirm all contact points are secure and the load is even. If any arm can be wiggled while the others bear weight, lower the vehicle, reposition, and test again before going higher.
Do you need to chock the wheels on a drive-on lift?
Yes. On a 4-post, parking, or other drive-on lift, put the vehicle in park or gear and chock the wheels before raising. The lift's roll-off stops are a backup, but wheel chocks are what actually prevent the vehicle from rolling on the runways.
Do I have to set the safety locks before going under the car?
Always. The hydraulics raise the vehicle, but the mechanical safety locks are what hold it. After reaching working height, lower the lift onto the nearest lock and visually confirm every contact point before any part of your body goes under the vehicle.
Can you use a car lift by yourself?
Yes, operating a properly installed lift is a one-person job once you are trained on that specific model. Spotting an awkward or heavy vehicle is easier with a second set of eyes, but the lifting cycle itself is designed for a single operator who stays at the control throughout.
Ready to Equip Your Shop?
Tell us about your bay and the vehicles you lift most, and we will help you choose the right lift and connect you with an installer near you.
- 5-2-1 Limited Warranty (5 years structural, 2 years power, 1 year parts)
- ALI Certified option available on the BR10-2OH-33
- Canadian-owned manufacturer since 1999
- Freight included on warranty parts in the US and Canada
- Full equipment ecosystem: lifts, tire changers, balancers, and accessories
