Jacking Beams: Wheels-Free Work on a Four-Post Lift

A four-post lift is fast, stable and easy to load, and it has one limitation that catches out every garage that buys its first one: the wheels stay on the runways. Brakes, hubs, bearings, suspension and tyres all need the wheels off, and on a four-post that means a jacking beam.

It is an accessory rather than a lift, but it decides how much of your work the lift can actually cover.

What a jacking beam does

It is a hydraulic or air-hydraulic ram mounted on a frame that spans the two runways of a four-post lift. It slides along the runways to the axle you want, and raises that end of the vehicle off the runway surface — giving you wheels-free access without leaving the lift.

The vehicle stays supported by the lift. The beam only takes the load of the end being raised.

Why you need one

Without a beam, a four-post lift covers exhausts, underbody inspection, servicing, alignment and storage — real work, but not the jobs that fill most bays. With one, it also covers:

• Brake pads, discs and calipers.
• Wheel bearings and hubs.
• Suspension components.
• Tyre changes and wheel rotation.
• Anything else needing a wheel off.

Garages that buy a four-post for alignment and then discover the limitation usually end up buying a beam within months. It is cheaper to specify it up front.

Air-hydraulic or hand-operated

Air-hydraulic beams use your compressed air supply to drive the ram. Faster and less effort, and the sensible choice for a bay in constant use — provided your compressor can supply it, per our guide to workshop power and air.

Hand-operated beams use a foot or hand pump. Cheaper, no air required, and perfectly adequate for lighter use — but the pumping gets tiresome at volume.

What to check when specifying

• Capacity. The beam lifts one end, so its rating is lower than the lift's — but it must still comfortably exceed the heaviest axle load you will put on it. Electric vehicles matter here, being heavier and often nose-heavy.
• Runway compatibility. Beams are matched to runway width and profile. A beam is not automatically transferable between lifts.
• Rise height. Enough to get the wheels genuinely clear with room to work.
• Minimum height. Low enough to slide under a low car.
• Saddles and adaptors. The same pick-up point question as lift arms — see our guide to lift arms, pads and adaptors.
• Mechanical locks. The beam should hold on a mechanical lock, not on hydraulic pressure alone.
• Ease of movement. You will slide it along the runways many times a day.

Using one safely

A jacking beam is lifting equipment, and it introduces a second load path into a job. The habits that matter:

1. Position the vehicle correctly on the runways before raising anything.
2. Set saddles on manufacturer-specified jacking points, never on floorpan, sills that are not reinforced, or an EV battery pack.
3. Raise until the saddles just take load, stop, and check contact on both sides.
4. Engage the mechanical lock before anyone works on the vehicle.
5. Never work under a vehicle supported only by hydraulic pressure.
6. Lift one axle at a time unless the equipment is specifically rated otherwise.
7. Check the beam's own locks and saddle pads as part of your routine — see our guide to lift care and maintenance.

It counts under LOLER

A jacking beam is lifting equipment in its own right. It falls within the thorough examination regime alongside the lift it sits on, and a competent person will examine it as part of the installation — see our LOLER guide. Do not treat it as an accessory that sits outside your records.

Four-post plus beam, or two-post?

A reasonable question if you are choosing from scratch. A four-post with a beam is more flexible — it does alignment, it stores vehicles, it loads fast, and with the beam it covers wheels-off work. A two-post gives better underbody access and costs less for the same capacity.

Where a workshop can have both, that is the strongest combination. Where it can have one, the deciding factor is usually whether you want alignment. Our comparison of lift types covers the trade-offs.

Frequently asked questions

What is a jacking beam used for?

It raises one axle of a vehicle clear of the runways on a four-post lift, giving wheels-free access for brake, hub, bearing, suspension and tyre work.

Do I need a jacking beam with a four-post lift?

If you want to take wheels off, yes. Without one, a four-post lift keeps the wheels loaded on the runways.

Air-hydraulic or hand-operated?

Air-hydraulic for a busy bay, provided your compressor can supply it. Hand-operated is cheaper and fine for lighter use, but the pumping adds up at volume.

Can I use any jacking beam on my lift?

No. Beams are matched to runway width and profile, so check compatibility with your specific lift rather than assuming.

Does a jacking beam need thorough examination?

Yes. It is lifting equipment in its own right and falls within the LOLER examination regime alongside the lift.

Specifying one

If you are buying a four-post lift, tell us whether you need wheels-free work and we will quote the beam with it — matched to the runways and to the vehicles you handle. See our four-post lift range, request a quote, or get in touch and we will reply within one working day.