Rust Resistors: Corrosion Prevention in Inground Lifts

Inground lifts are a huge benefit to shops. They can handle the biggest of the big lifting jobs and then go into hiding for a clean, uncluttered work area. Plus, the best ones are speedy and easy to use. And when you make an investment in an inground lift, you expect it to stand up to repeated use and be a part of your arsenal for years to come. Along with superior design and construction, the key to long-term durability is corrosion prevention – rust is a four-letter word for lifts.

Blocking corrosion is especially important when it comes to the underground hydraulics. If fluid leaks from an above-ground lift, it only goes as far as the concrete shop floor, but if it leaks from an inground lift, it could seep into the soil or even surrounding ground water. Thankfully, modern inground lifts are designed to prevent that leakage. Here’s how we ensure durability for all the parts of our MOD35 at Rotary Lift.

Nitriding

In this heat-treatment process, nitrogen is diffused into the surface of steel. The result is a hardened exterior that’s resistant to deterioration. Nitrogen is soluble in iron, so this process actually changes the steel rather than just adding something on top. That means there’s not a risk of scratching through and getting rust underneath. The trench covers on our MOD35 inground lifts are nitrided, so they stand up to the day-to-day wear and tear of repeated use in a shop.

Electrocoating

Some parts of the MOD35 do require paint. For those pieces, we don’t just spray it on: It’s electrically bonded to parts, such as the frame. To start the process, the frame goes through an acid bath to make sure it’s completely free of debris. Next, during the electrocoating treatment, the paint is attracted to the metal like a magnet, so it gets into every nook and cranny, effectively sealing the frame with a long-lasting finish that will stand the test of time.

Zinc/Aluminum

The fasteners used in inground lifts have to withstand a lot of force. We help ensure they last by treating them with a duplex coating system that combines a zinc-rich basecoat and an aluminum-rich topcoat. The combination helps prevent rust and seized bolts. This coating is more rust-resistant than paint and isn’t subject to galvanic corrosion like stainless steel fasteners.

EnviroGuard™ coating

The individual parts of our MOD35 are highly durable, and on top of that, the underground portion is enclosed in a steel containment unit to protect both the lift and the environment. The 6-foot-deep steel enclosure is sealed inside and out with our exclusive EnviroGuard coating, which blocks out groundwater and traps oils and other fluids. On top of that, there’s an access port and fluid monitoring system, so you can be sure the lift isn’t leeching chemicals.

Once installed, your techs will rely on your inground lift to finish jobs efficiently, and they’ll use it every day. Thanks to our state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, you can count on it to be around for many days (and years) to come.

Want to learn more about extending the life of your inground lift? Download our guide to learn the inspection points for an inground lift.