Universal bench

    The universal drive-on bench entered the U.S. collision market from Europe a few years after the introduction of the traditional drive-on frame machine. In Europe, the cars were of unibody design, being much smaller than the traditional American vehicle, negating the need for a full-size frame rack.

    This drive-on bench (fixed or mobile) is much smaller in overall size than its larger cousin, designed primarily to anchor the vehicle at the rocker pinch-weld flanges. Surprisingly it offers many of the same pulling capabilities as a drive-on full-sized universal frame rack while consuming less floor space. Most drive-on benches are designed to be narrower than the vehicle, with a removable platform allowing the technician to work comfortably standing closer to the vehicle. This design allows for portable units as well as in ground units.

    Drawbacks include some size limitation as most are smaller in the size of truck or SUV it can accommodate and limited access to the underside of the vehicle. However, there are some machines that are longer and larger.

    Generally speaking, the popularity of the drive-on bench is with collision facilities wanting to do light- to heavy-hit vehicles, and where floor space is at a premium, allowing the repairer to process a high volume of work. Although it should be noted, there are some universal drive-on benches that have the capability to repair larger trucks and SUVs, it is done by using specialty anchoring adaptors that attach to selected locations on the frame. Some universal benches also offer electronic measuring systems, and/or universal ladder measuring systems, allowing the technician to pull and measure simultaneously with speed and accuracy.

Fixed-point anchoring bench

The dedicated fixed-point anchoring bench and the universal bench also offer two types of benches – a fixed location drive-on bench or a vertical-mount mobile design (requiring a two-post lift to lower the vehicle onto the bench). Again originating in Europe, it was developed to address the demands of a few European vehicle manufacturers who required the dedicated fixture anchoring method of repair on their vehicles and with specific manufacturers of benches. Based on the premise that this method is more precise and removes any technician guess work, it allows a less than highly-skilled technician to produce exact repairs.

    The dedicated fixture bench is in many respects similar to the universal drive-on bench, but is manufactured only to be used with dedicated fixtures, which both anchor and measure simultaneously. Instead of the universal anchoring method that attaches only to the rocker panel pinch-weld, in conjunction with electronic or ladder type measuring systems, fixtures are manufactured specific to each vehicle model, with the fixture dimensions taken from the manufacturer’s blue print specifications – identical to the fixtures used in the assembly line. 

    The technician installs the fixtures to the vehicle and bench, guided by a set of instructions that are worksheet specific to the vehicle, showing the technician where each fixture is located throughout the underside of the vehicle. Some benches also offering side-mounted fixtures to measure and secure side pillars. Depending on the vehicle model and severity of damage, there can be as many as 16 different fixtures attached throughout the underside of the vehicle, securely holding each anchoring/ measuring point in place.

    With multiple pulling capabilities, the dedicated bench design can be limited, coming equipped with only one pulling tower. Additional pulling towers can be purchased. But with the dedicated anchoring repair method, a technician would not normally need more than one pulling tower. Although this fixture method of repair has been around for many years, only in the last few years has the collision industry seen a slight shift in its direction. Repairers are beginning to hear what more and more vehicle manufacturers are publicly saying – that with certain types of damage, the fixture method can offer a precise method of repair.