The Challenger 40447 lock pawl 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 pawl 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: 40447
• Brand: Challenger
• Type: Genuine OEM lock pawl

Restraint gear takes abuse it never shows on the surface. It absorbs the shock every time the lift settles onto the locks, and it's exposed to the same grit, water, and dropped tools as everything else at floor level. Bent teeth, a cracked weld, or a pivot rusted stiff all mean the gear can't do its job. Because it looks like solid steel, people assume it can't wear — and then it does.

Lock ladders and pawls are matched geometry — the tooth pitch, the nose angle, and the mounting have to suit the specific lift. A ladder that almost fits will let the pawl sit shallow on the tooth, which is worse than obvious because it looks engaged and isn't. Match restraint parts to the actual lift model and column, not a close-enough substitute, because the whole point of the part is that it holds under full load.

Replacing your lock pawl

Swapping restraint gear or a safety latch is about restoring the positive stop that catches the load if something upstream lets go. Install the part, then trip it by hand and under the lift's own weight to confirm it deploys fully and clears on release. This is safety-critical hardware, so the step-by-step procedure is worth following start to finish. Full step-by-step: how to replace a lift lock ladder.

Find the right part for your lift

Want to be sure before you buy? Pull the model and serial off your lift's plate and open our Challenger parts lookup to open the exploded parts breakdown for your model — find your part on the drawing and you know it fits. New to finding your model number? our guide to finding your model number covers it, or send a photo of the plate and we will read it for you.

Signs the locking system needs attention

The condemn list for locks: rounded, chipped, or peened ladder teeth; a worn or rounded pawl nose; a pawl that sticks, lags, or won't spring home; a weak or broken return spring; a loose ladder; a release that doesn't pull every pawl together. Any one of these takes the lift out of service — the locks are the last line, and there's no partial credit on the part that catches a falling car.

Parts commonly replaced at the same time

The parts around a lock failure share its wear: a rounded latch usually rides with a tired spring and a stretched release cable. Do them together on both columns so the lift locks in step. Tell us your model and serial and we will pull the complete lock hardware set.

Safety notes

Locks are the redundancy that makes a lift safe to stand under, so treat any lock problem as urgent. If teeth are rounded, a pawl sticks, or the release cable is frayed, fix it before the next vehicle. Confirm synchronized engagement and clean release on both sides, and never bypass a balky lock to buy time.

Before you order

Order lock parts by model and serial, not by guess — the hardware changed across production runs. Since both sides should lock in step, plan to replace in pairs, and bundle the release cable if it is worn. We will match the correct latch, pawl, and spring set for your lift.

Check your lift's serial before ordering

The most common reason a lift part comes back is not a defect — it is a revision mismatch. Manufacturers change sub-parts between production runs while keeping the same lift model name, so "it fits my lift model" is not always enough. The model plate carries the serial number that pins your lift to a specific run, and that is the number that settles which version of this part belongs on your lift.

Can't find the plate? Measure the old part — overall length, bolt-hole spacing, thread size on anything threaded — and photograph it from a couple of angles. Send that with your lift's brand and rough age and we will match it against the parts breakdowns we service from every week.

Why buy your Challenger lock pawl from Auto Lift Services

We install, inspect, and repair Challenger lifts every week — the 40447 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.