All About Stair Lifts

With different stair lift companies, comes different ways stair lifts operate. There are mainly two different types of operation today. There is the rack and pinion models, as well as cable driven models. There is a distinct difference in how these operate, as well as the maintenance involved with each type and what they are capable of.

Rack and Pinion
This type of operation is also known as gear and teeth, and operates using just that. The stair lift uses gears that run along teeth of the track which move the stair lift up and down. There is a gear that is attached to the seat chassis which moves along a straight rack. These offer a smooth operation and most rack and pinion models have a speed that can be set by the user because of utilization of a circuit board. However, due to any stair lift using the rack and pinion drive type, it will require a bit of maintenance. The rack and pinion of the stair lift need to be lubricated on a regular basis to prevent any damage to the components.

Cable Driven
Cable drive stair lifts use a cable that wraps on an aluminum cast drum grooved for each wrap. These cable systems are direct drive systems, which means that the cable does not even move, uses no pulleys, and in return requires no lubrication inside the stair lift. The cable used in any new stair lift today is tested to a breaking strength of 4200lbs and are very sturdy. Even though the drive system inside the lift requires absolutely no lubrication, the actual track will require light lubrication approximately once or twice a year. The easiest way to do this is just spray some WD-40 down the track, and that’s it. There is no opening of the lift, and the components inside the stair lift are completely sealed in.