Heavy duty vehicle lift leader Stertil-Koni has announced the introduction of a series of universal multipurpose fork adapters engineered to increase the versatility, utility and performance of the company’s mobile column lifts.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that in many instances, by employing Stertil-Koni multipurpose adapters, the user can achieve front and rear lifting with just two mobile columns, the company says.
As a result, customers may benefit from a wheels-free approach that uses the vehicle frame as the lifting point, thereby giving the shop technician full access to the wheel area. In practice, the adapter attaches to the mobile column lift forks allowing the vehicle to be lifted by its frame rather than its wheels.
What’s more, Stertil-Koni multipurpose adapters used in conjunction with mobile column lifts can handle everything from heavy duty utility trucks to farm tractors and even cab and chassis vehicles.
Each adapter typically can permit front and rear vehicle lifting – typically with only two mobile columns.
The significance to maintenance facilities that use Stertil-Koni mobile columns has been described as “transformational.” Why? The majority of vehicle maintenance and repair is focused near the wheels – such as tires, brakes, steering and suspension work – making it important that the wheels remain accessible during maintenance and servicing.
“Multipurpose adapters broaden the utility of our very popular mobile column lift," Peter Bowers, technical sales manager for Stertil-Koni. "This versatility also allows for handling and servicing of a broad range of vehicles, including those that have low ground clearance and varying configurations."
To fully address the demands of today’s busy workshops, Stertil-Koni has manufactured five different multipurpose adapters. Of these, the two most popular multipurpose fork adapters are the 950 and 970 models.
The popularity of the 950 can be attributed to the fact that the adapter works well with a broad range of heavy duty vehicles. This new adapter is ALI certified, demonstrating full compliance with recognized, applicable standards, and is rated up to 22,000 lbs. per adapter.
For use by a completely different audience, the 970 model is expressly designed to be used when lifting light-to-medium duty trucks. This version offers extremely low pick-up height and has a lifting capacity up to 5,500 lbs. per adapter.
But the versatility doesn’t end there. For those in agribusiness, the Stertil-Koni 920 multipurpose fork adapter addresses the special lifting needs of tractors and related equipment. Agricultural multipurpose adapters have a capacity of up to 22,000 lbs. per adapter.
Because tractors and farm equipment come in an expansive array of proportions and varieties, a wide range of optional accessories are available to meet the diverse requirements. These include an adjustable wheel clamp, a wider crossbeam, and for a three-mobile-column lifting solution, a special “pin and ball tow hitch,” ideal for lifting trailers.
For equipment with exceedingly large diameter wheels, the Large Wheel Adapter can lift equipment with wheel diameters up to 85” when used with the Stertil-Koni ST1065 mobile column – which itself is specifically designed to lift vehicles with sizable wheel diameters, such as wheel loaders, graders, tow-tugs, mining vehicles, mobile cranes and other heavy industrial vehicles.
Finally, there is the 990 model extended fork adapter, which delivers a maximum of 14,500 lbs. capacity per adapter and utilizes an extended base frame that can reach nearly 20” – well suited for vehicles with longer overhangs.
Each multipurpose adapter model can be used with an optional wheeled adapter cart for easy storage and movement of two adapters at once. Other adapter accessories are available for various purposes, such as the J-hook ratchet, which straps and secures the lifted vehicle, thereby making it even more secure.
In conclusion, Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni noted, “Speed, efficiency, and safety are essential to achieving top performance in today’s heavy duty vehicle maintenance shops. As the name ‘multipurpose’ implies, these adapters have become an absolutely essential piece of equipment for technicians tasked with keeping a broad range of different vehicles well serviced and up and running.”
