System, apparatus, and method for supporting a vehicle for underbody servicing

A system for supporting vehicles above a ground surface to provide access to an underbody, the vehicle having a front, a rear, and opposed transverse sides, the vehicle also having a frame extending between the front and the rear, the system comprising:

• four vertical supports each having a vertical support member;
• a first elongated beam member having a central portion configured for connecting to a vehicle frame front part, the first beam member having opposed ends;
• a second elongated beam member having a central portion configured for connecting to a vehicle frame rear part, the second beam member having opposed end portions, the first and second beam members being sized and configured to together support at least the entire weight of the vehicle as applied through the front and rear frame parts to respective first and second beam central portions;
• wherein the first beam central portion includes means for releasably attaching the first beam member to the vehicle frame front part;
• wherein the second beam member central potion includes means for releasably attaching the second beam member to the vehicle frame rear part;
• and
• wherein each of the first beam member opposed ends and the second beam member opposed ends is configured to releasably receive a respective support member to restrain relative movement among all the support members in a horizontal plane.

Method of lifting and supporting a vehicle above a ground surface on four horizontally movable vertical supports for access to an underbody, the vehicle having a front, a rear, and opposed transverse sides, the vehicle also having a frame including front and rear parts, the method comprising:

• positioning first and second beam members transversely adjacent the front and rear parts of the frame, respectively, the first and second beam members having respective opposed ends;
• releasably attaching each of the first and second beam members to the front and rear frame parts, respectively;
• elevating the first and second beam members with the attached vehicle in coordination to a desired height above the ground surface;
• positioning each of the four movable supports beneath a respective one of the first beam member ends and second beam member ends;
• and
• engaging the movable supports with the respective ends, wherein the engaging includes integrating the four movable supports through the beams and the vehicle frame to prevent independent horizontal movement of each support relative to the other supports.