The Challenger B31083 lock release cable is the direct replacement for the Challenger lift it came off of. This is the genuine Challenger part — same fit and same working specification as the one already on your lift. Ordering the Challenger lock release cable from us gets you the OEM piece that matches the lift, not an aftermarket knock-off that is close but not the same. Specifications Part number: B31083 Brand: Challenger Type: Genuine OEM lock release cable Equalizer cables are the reason a two-post lift with one cylinder still raises level. One column gets the hydraulic push; the other follows only because the cables physically tie the carriages together over the sheaves. Get the cables, sheaves, and lock timing working as one system and the lift lands both locks at the same click. Let any one of them go and the lift starts arriving at the top crooked. Sheaves are the grooved pulleys the cable turns on — usually two per column on a two-post, more on a four-post with its runway and crossbeam pulleys. Each one rides a pin on a bushing and has to spin true so the cable tracks in the groove. When the groove wears wide or the bushing pushes out the side, the cable no longer sits where it should and starts sawing itself apart on every cycle. Replacing your lock release cable Equalizer-cable work is as much adjustment as it is replacement — the cables only do their job when they're tensioned so both carriages rise and land together. Confirm the new cable length against the old, route it without twists, and dial in the adjusting nuts until the locks click in unison. Getting that equalization right is the whole point, and the complete walkthrough covers how to chase it down. Full step-by-step: how to replace a lift lock release cable. Find the right part for your lift The surest way to get the right part is to work from your lift's own breakdown. open our Challenger parts lookup, choose your model, and every part is mapped on the drawing with its number and price. If you cannot find the model plate, our guide to finding your model number explains where each lift type hides it, and our phone line is open if you want a hand. Signs a cable or sheave is worn out Run a rag slowly along the full length of each cable — a snag means a broken strand poking up, and even one broken strand condemns the cable. Look for cording (the outer wires unwinding), kinks, flat spots, and rust that has crept between the strands. On the sheaves, check for a groove worn oversize, cracks, and any wobble you can feel by hand. Any of those, and the part is done. Parts commonly replaced at the same time Smart move while the columns are open: replace the matched cables and inspect every sheave, swapping any that are grooved or chipped. Cables and sheaves are a system, and doing them together keeps the lift equalized and running true. We will build the complete set for your model so you finish the job in one pass. Safety notes Do not gamble on a tension part. If a cable shows broken strands, cording, or heavy rust, or a sheave has an oversized or chipped groove, the lift comes out of service until it is fixed. Replace in pairs, tension evenly, and cycle the lift several times with no vehicle on it to confirm the set is riding true. Before you order Before you order, measure the old cable end to end and count how many you need — most lifts use a matched set, and replacing one without the others just leaves you doing the job again. Have your lift's model and serial handy so we can confirm length and end fittings for your exact production run. Confirm this is the right part before you order Lift manufacturers revise parts mid-production without changing the model name, so the same lift bought two years apart can take two different revisions of the same component. Before you order, find the model plate on the lift — on most 2-post lifts it rides on one of the columns at eye level, on 4-post lifts it is usually on a column or the power-unit side runway — and note the full model number and serial. The serial dates the lift to a production run, and that is what decides which revision fits. If the plate is painted over or missing, take a photo of the part you are replacing next to a tape measure and send it to us. Between the dimensions, the mounting pattern, and what lift it came off of, we can almost always identify the exact part before you spend money on the wrong one. Why buy your Challenger lock release cable from Auto Lift Services We install, inspect, and repair Challenger lifts every week — the B31083 is a part we handle in the shop, not a random SKU we drop-ship. The phone answers if you have a question mid-install — call 800-674-9302 — and every part ships genuine, no aftermarket substitution unless you ask for it.
