The hydraulic car lifts work on the simple principle known as hydraulics. It is something you might have come across in your science classes back in school. The principle is that when you apply force to one amount of liquid, the force gets transferred through the water, onto another quantity of liquid. The mechanism is extremely simple. It is something even a toy water gun uses though on a smaller scale. In a water gun, we put pressure on the trigger which is transferred to the water contained in a tube, which ejects the water.

One would say that how can the pressure applied manually on one end have an impact that can lift a car? It is because science is a genius. The pressure that you apply on end, by the principle of hydraulics, gets multiplied at the other end. So a small amount of pressure applied can easily lift something as heavy as a car.

Hydraulic car lifts have pistons in them. Pistons are the points that exert the force. Most hydraulic car lifts have more than two pistons. You apply force on one piston, and the piston at the other end lifts the object. The pistons in between actually keep multiplying your simple exerted force. The multiplied force transmits to the last piston and lifts the car. Number of pistons means more the resultant force produced. Instead of water, oil is used in the pistons of hydraulic car lifts.

One thing you must be aware of if you own a hydraulic car lift. Never let an air bubble get inside the pistons. Air, unlike liquid, doesn’t transmit force equally. If somehow an air bubble enters the system of the hydraulic car lift, your whole equipment will be ruined. The air absorbs most of the pressure that is being exerted at the other end. So the second piston can’t move and can’t lift the car off the ground.

You must be careful about this in case you own or want to own a hydraulic car lift. Proper maintenance of equipment is necessary. Some suggest that it should be checked daily. Some manufacturers offer maintenance for certain situations, as well. Machines can have wear and tear after a considerable period of use. Maintenance will ensure that it stays in good working shape.