Atlas PX16A Alignment Lift and Two RJ8 Rolling Jacks: The Air Runs Inside the Lift
Buy an alignment scissor and a pair of rolling jacks separately and you inherit a problem nobody mentions in the specification: the jacks need shop air, and the air has to get to them. That usually means hoses lying across the bay, under the ramps, where technicians walk and vehicles drive. The PX16A is built with a semi-enclosed airline routing system through the lift structure, so the optional airline kit feeds the rolling jacks from inside the lift instead of across the floor.
That is the reason to take this as a package rather than as two purchases. A 16,000 lb alignment scissor with two 8,000 lb Atlas Platinum RJ8 rolling bridge jacks, and a route already designed for the air that connects them.
Why the Narrow Body Matters
The PX16A is a scissor rather than a four-post, and it is deliberately narrow: 94" (7' 10") across overall, against a wheelbase alignment range that runs from 96" all the way to 184". A shop with a 22-foot bay and a wall down one side is exactly the shop that cannot fit a conventional alignment rack but can fit this. It takes ordinary passenger cars at the short end and heavy-duty long-wheelbase trucks and vans at the long end, on the same runways, without an adapter kit or a change of geometry.
Alignment work is unforgiving of a platform that is not flat. Atlas builds in a front cross-beam for stability and specifies precise platform levelling for wheel alignment — on this kind of lift, level is not a comfort feature, it is measurement accuracy. A rack that reads a quarter of a degree out sends the vehicle away wrong.
Turntables and Slip Plates, Already In
The alignment turntables and slip plates are built into the lift, and the turntables sit in recessed positions rather than on top of the runway. Two practical consequences: nothing has to be lifted into place at the start of a job, and there is no lip for a wheel to climb when the vehicle is driven on. The slip plates are extra long, which is what allows four-wheel alignment across that whole 96" to 184" wheelbase window instead of only in the middle of it.
Safety and What Happens When the Power Stops
Locks are air-operated and mechanical — external air supply required — and the lift runs from a separate self-contained control unit rather than a column-mounted box. Two components are worth knowing by name because they only matter on a bad day. The overload valve prevents the lift being taken past its rating. The lowering speed valve controls the rate of descent instead of leaving it to hydraulic luck. And an emergency manual pump is included for lowering the lift if the power fails, which is the difference between a vehicle stuck in the air overnight and a bay you can clear.
The Two RJ8 Rolling Jacks
Each RJ8 is rated at 8,000 lbs and slides along the runways to lift a vehicle clear of the platform — the wheels-free position you need for tires, brakes and suspension without giving up the alignment rack. They are air over hydraulic, with multiple safety lock positions and a scissor mechanism that keeps the lifting pad level as it rises.
The fitment numbers are the ones to check: the jacks adjust from 40" (3' 4") to 68" (5' 8") in width and work with runway spacing between 33" and 53". Maximum lifting height with adapters is 27", and adapters are supplied two each at 2" and 3". The arm hole and adapter peg size is 1.5". Each jack ships at 390 lbs, and a four-piece truck adapter set is included.
Air demand for the jacks tops out at 115 PSI; the lift's own air requirement runs to 120 PSI. One compressor covers both, but size it for the higher figure.
Will It Fit?
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Length. 271" (22' 7") overall with ramps, or 206 1/2" (17' 2 1/2") without them. Add approach room in front of the ramps — the drive-on run is not part of that number.
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Width. 94" (7' 10") overall, with runways 23 3/4" wide and 44 7/8" between them at the top, 41 3/8" at the rails.
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Height. Minimum lift height 13 1/4"; maximum 71 1/2" (5' 11 1/2") above the floor. Work your ceiling from the maximum plus the tallest vehicle you plan to raise.
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Power. 220 volt, ±5% (209 to 231 volts), single phase, with a 30 amp breaker required. Confirm the supply and the run length with a licensed electrician before delivery, not after.
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Air. Shop air is not optional. The mechanical safety locks are air-operated and the rolling jacks are air over hydraulic; the lift wants up to 120 PSI available.
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Oil. 3 to 5 gallons of AW32 or AW46 hydraulic oil, not included. Buy it with the lift so installation is not held up for it.
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Floor. Atlas specifies the slab requirement in the manual linked further down this page. Meeting it is the buyer's responsibility, and on an alignment lift a flat slab matters as much as a strong one.
Perfect For
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Independent service shops adding alignment to an existing bay rather than building a dedicated one.
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Tire and brake shops where the rolling jacks earn their place every day, not just on alignment jobs.
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Fleet and van workshops needing the long end of the wheelbase range.
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Narrow bays, which is the case this lift is designed for.
What's in the Box
- PX16A alignment scissor lift with front cross-beam
- Built-in slip plates and alignment turntables, with recessed turntable positions
- Separate self-contained control unit
- Overload valve, lowering speed valve, emergency manual lowering pump
- Mounting hardware
- Two Atlas Platinum RJ8 rolling jacks, each with a four-piece truck adapter set and adapters two each at 2" and 3"
Not included: the airline kit the routing system is designed for, hydraulic oil, and the external air supply. Ask us about the airline kit at the time of order — it is the part that makes the enclosed routing useful.
Certification
The data supplied for this package does not claim a third-party North American lift safety listing, and we are not going to imply one it does not have. That distinction matters in exactly one situation, but it is a common one: some commercial insurers, some fleet policies and some local jurisdictions require a lift to carry an independent safety listing before they will cover it or sign off the installation. If any of those apply to you, ask them to name the requirement in writing, then talk to us before you order and we will check the position for this model with Atlas.
Shipping and Delivery
Freight only, lower 48 states. The lift ships at 6,200 lbs and each rolling jack at 390 lbs, so this arrives as multiple pieces and you should count them against the paperwork before the truck leaves. Unloading is on you: a forklift with capacity to spare, a telehandler, or terminal pickup if the site cannot manage it. Warehouse pickup is available at our Atlas locations.
Residential delivery carries a residential fee. Freight is quoted live at checkout against your ZIP code, so the number you see is the current price for your lane rather than an estimate.
Inspect the crates before signing. Bent runway edges and crushed corners are what to look for, and they must be written onto the bill of lading in front of the driver. A clean signature is very difficult to walk back.
Warranty
The PX16A carries 2 yr structural and 1 yr hydraulic cover, parts only. The RJ8 rolling jacks carry 1 year, parts only. Terms and the claim route are on our warranty claims page.
One thing will save a claim more often than anything else: do not dismantle a suspect cylinder, valve or power unit before the claim has been opened. Photograph it in place, describe what it did, and call us. A component that has already been taken apart is the most common reason a genuine failure ends up outside cover.
