Some time ago, we observed increased wear on rubber pads used on certain vehicle lifts. The heavy workload in daily workshop operations caused the rubber pads to wear out more quickly. To increase their service life, we reinforced the design of our rubber pads. A metal plate was integrated on the underside, bonded and vulcanized to the rubber. This made the pad significantly more robust and resistant. In practice, this solution has proven to be very successful.
However, something has changed in recent years. Vehicles are becoming increasingly heavy. In particular, electric vehicles and large SUVs place much greater loads on vehicle lifts. As loads increase, the importance of a secure contact between the rubber pad and the lift support plate also grows. If a metal reinforcement rests directly on the metal support plate, a metal-to-metal contact surface is created. During lifting operations, this connection can result in reduced grip.
The key question therefore is: how can the stability of a reinforced rubber pad be maintained while ensuring a secure hold on the support plate?
Further developed for heavier vehicles. Our rubber pads 046405772MET with steel plate, suitable for RAVAGLIOLI and WERTHER lifts, diameter 123 mm, are now equipped with a rubber-encapsulated reinforcement plate for improved grip and safety.
Our solution is a further design optimization. The metal reinforcement plate is now completely covered with rubber and fully vulcanized into the pad. This means that rubber now rests on metal instead of metal on metal. This increases grip on the support plate and improves safety when lifting heavy vehicles, while maintaining the full stability provided by the metal reinforcement.
This update is now part of our production. For us, this is what good product development is about. We closely observe how our products are used in everyday workshop operations and improve them when new requirements arise. Quality is not a state. Quality is a process.