Bike lift help....

[FuzzyRSTD]

Just wondering how or if you all manage to get your bike on the lift by yourself. I had my daughter to help me as I road the bike up on the lift. I first set two milk crates beside the lift, one on each side, then road up and used these to set my feet upon when I stopped. Then my daughter tightened the clamp on the front tire and also helped get the paint can and short piece 2x4 under my side stand. Surely, or is there a better way, and maybe a safer way of doing this by myself ???? The lift is from Harbor Freight item number 91764, the red one.

 

:confused24:

 

Fuzzy

Edited June 6, 2011 by FuzzyRSTD

[exrsa1]

I never ride up on the lift. I push it up, mostly with help from kid or neighbor. I lean it towards me, where I can handle it and then take a strong walk at it. Once up, I either balance it, and tighten the front wheel down, or helper tightens it down.

 

Oh yeah, the ideal thing is to 'countersink' that lift into your garage floor so it sits level with the floor and you can ride it on with no help needed..

 

 

Brian

Edited June 6, 2011 by exrsa1

[Art708]

We made two long, rectangular boxes and turned them bottom side up, one on each side, next to our lift and we just ride up on it using the boxes for our feet. We have one of the rocker type supports to hold the front wheel when we ride into it. Then dismount and put the tie-downs on. Simple and easy. In one pic you can see the front wheel chock and in the other you can see one of the "boxes" pushed out of the way .

[etcswjoe]

You can get an chock that automatically locks when you roll into it, however I don't really feel safe unless there is another person just in case.

[FuzzyRSTD]

I never ride up on the lift. I push it up, mostly with help from kid or neighbor. I lean it towards me, where I can handle it and then take a strong walk at it. Once up, I either balance it, and tighten the front wheel down, or helper tightens it down.

 

Oh yeah, the ideal thing is to 'countersink' that lift into your garage floor so it sits level with the floor and you can ride it on with no help needed..

 

 

Brian

 

Thanks Brian, good idea. I wondered if that would be possible (pushing it up).

 

We made two long, rectangular boxes and turned them bottom side up, one on each side, next to our lift and we just ride up on it using the boxes for our feet. We have one of the rocker type supports to hold the front wheel when we ride into it. Then dismount and put the tie-downs on. Simple and easy. In one pic you can see the front wheel chock and in the other you can see one of the "boxes" pushed out of the way .

 

Thank you Art. I had that very same idea. I am going to build me a couple of those boxes. Probably need to be about 12 inches wide and only 2 feet long I would suppose ?

 

Fuzzy

[Art708]

Thanks Brian, good idea. I wondered if that would be possible (pushing it up).

 

 

 

Thank you Art. I had that very same idea. I am going to build me a couple of those boxes. Probably need to be about 12 inches wide and only 2 feet long I would suppose ?

 

Fuzzy

 

Ours are about 4 feet....wanted to make sure that there was plenty of room. We drilled the front of the lift and bolted that chock on in place of the screw type thing. Covered the boxes with some carpet to minimize foot slippage.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Art708

[exrsa1]

Here's what I mean by ideal....

[Art708]

Here's what I mean by ideal....

 

That would definitely be ideal. But we went the cheap and easy way.

[FuzzyRSTD]

Here's what I mean by ideal....

 

Well now that would be neat. But the model I have would be kinda hard to fix that way. But wow how nice and neat that would be. Is this yours ?

 

Fuzzy

[MiCarl]

I push them up.

 

You have to get a running start (not riding on). It takes some practice to hit the opening in the clamp, especially backward. They drilled the crap out of us on it in school with bikes that were way lighter than an RSV.

 

One of the drawbacks to that lift is that the clamp will not hold the bike upright. Here is how I've always done it:

 

I wrap tie down extensions around the base of the handle bar or lower tree depending on the bike. I make sure my tie downs (I use the clamp type, not ratchet) have plenty of free length so I can get them to the extensions.

 

I get the bike rolling and guide it up the ramp through the clamp and against the stop. I support the bike at the handle bar with my right hand and hook the tie down through the extension with my left, then draw enough slack out so the bike will lean just a bit to the right. I let the tie down take the weight, but keep my hand on as I move around to the right side. Then I hook the right tie down and take up the slack. Back to the left and pull that strap until the bike is standing straight. Rock the bike while tightening the clamp (this lets the tire walk across to the stationary side of the clamp). After the clamp is snug I pull the straps down to compress the forks a bit.

 

Removing I loosen the clamp first. Then the straps a bit so the bike will wiggle side to side. I push up on the left bar and unhook the right strap. Then I stand the bike straight up and undo the left strap. I walk it back down with my right hand on the brake to control the speed.

 

You have to be careful releasing the straps if you really crank down on them. The one you're not loosening can pull the bike away from you if the forks are really compressed. I don't tighten them that much (they just need to be enough to keep the bike from tipping) but I have a guy that helps out sometimes that really yanks them down. I have to release his in several steps right and left.

 

If you have access to a smaller bike that's the way to practice.

 

Ideally you have a spotter on the other side of the bike to help you if it starts to get away from you.

[Condor]

Here's what I mean by ideal....

 

Air lift?? I'm jealous...

[FuzzyRSTD]

I push them up.

 

You have to get a running start (not riding on). It takes some practice to hit the opening in the clamp, especially backward. They drilled the crap out of us on it in school with bikes that were way lighter than an RSV.

 

One of the drawbacks to that lift is that the clamp will not hold the bike upright. Here is how I've always done it:

 

I wrap tie down extensions around the base of the handle bar or lower tree depending on the bike. I make sure my tie downs (I use the clamp type, not ratchet) have plenty of free length so I can get them to the extensions.

 

I get the bike rolling and guide it up the ramp through the clamp and against the stop. I support the bike at the handle bar with my right hand and hook the tie down through the extension with my left, then draw enough slack out so the bike will lean just a bit to the right. I let the tie down take the weight, but keep my hand on as I move around to the right side. Then I hook the right tie down and take up the slack. Back to the left and pull that strap until the bike is standing straight. Rock the bike while tightening the clamp (this lets the tire walk across to the stationary side of the clamp). After the clamp is snug I pull the straps down to compress the forks a bit.

 

Removing I loosen the clamp first. Then the straps a bit so the bike will wiggle side to side. I push up on the left bar and unhook the right strap. Then I stand the bike straight up and undo the left strap. I walk it back down with my right hand on the brake to control the speed.

 

You have to be careful releasing the straps if you really crank down on them. The one you're not loosening can pull the bike away from you if the forks are really compressed. I don't tighten them that much (they just need to be enough to keep the bike from tipping) but I have a guy that helps out sometimes that really yanks them down. I have to release his in several steps right and left.

 

If you have access to a smaller bike that's the way to practice.

 

Ideally you have a spotter on the other side of the bike to help you if it starts to get away from you.

 

Thanks MiCarl, good points you made. I can tell you have been to school on this. I will try very carefully to walk the bike up next time. My concrete garage floor is purposely sloping downward slightly from the center to the doors. So it is level in the rear of the garage. Maybe next time I will put the lift the opposite way so that the momentum will be in my favor.

[MiCarl]

Thanks MiCarl, good points you made. I can tell you have been to school on this.

 

The lifts at school would hold the bike up while you strapped it down. They had us use a spotter every time.

 

Most of it is my own experience using the hydraulic Harbor Freight lift alone in my shop for three years. I just recently added an air lift that has an L shaped clamp that will hold the bike until I strap it down. Must say it requires a lot less ballet to use.

 

One thing about the Harbor Freight lift (the hydraulic one) is that clamp makes it easier to put a bike like the RSV on backwards. That tall L clamp on the new lift tends to hit rear fenders and pipes and requires a bit of care not to damage something.

 

The Harbor Freight lift is now relegated to back up for quick jobs when the air lift is tied up or for rear tires on cruisers and touring bikes. It's going to be refurbished this winter because it sometimes doesn't want to go up. I think there is some debris in the check valve.

 

BTW, the Harbor freight lift has the holes for the tie down U bolts in the wrong place. You should drill new ones ahead of the wheel clamp. That way you can jack up the free end of the bike to work on tires, forks etc. With the tie downs in the middle of the lift you cannot do that.

[MiCarl]

FWIW, HERE is the new lift:

http://www.directlift.com/Assets/ProcycleDTMain.jpg

 

It's also made in China so I had to fix a couple things. The wheels didn't turn because the axle had powder coat on it so I had to clean it up and grease the wheels so they'd turn. One of the holes on the drop tail (which is removed in the picture above) was misaligned so I had to re-drill it.

 

All in all though I think a pretty respectable lift for $675.

[FuzzyRSTD]

The lifts at school would hold the bike up while you strapped it down. They had us use a spotter every time.

 

Most of it is my own experience using the hydraulic Harbor Freight lift alone in my shop for three years. I just recently added an air lift that has an L shaped clamp that will hold the bike until I strap it down. Must say it requires a lot less ballet to use.

 

One thing about the Harbor Freight lift (the hydraulic one) is that clamp makes it easier to put a bike like the RSV on backwards. That tall L clamp on the new lift tends to hit rear fenders and pipes and requires a bit of care not to damage something.

 

The Harbor Freight lift is now relegated to back up for quick jobs when the air lift is tied up or for rear tires on cruisers and touring bikes. It's going to be refurbished this winter because it sometimes doesn't want to go up. I think there is some debris in the check valve.

 

BTW, the Harbor freight lift has the holes for the tie down U bolts in the wrong place. You should drill new ones ahead of the wheel clamp. That way you can jack up the free end of the bike to work on tires, forks etc. With the tie downs in the middle of the lift you cannot do that.

 

Thanks, I already thought that I might drill a few extra points of tie down.

 

Fuzzy

[FuzzyRSTD]

Nice air lift Micarl.

Fuzzy

[exrsa1]

Well now that would be neat. But the model I have would be kinda hard to fix that way. But wow how nice and neat that would be. Is this yours ?

 

Fuzzy

 

Air lift?? I'm jealous...

 

It's not mine. It's one I saw when I was looking to buy a lift. It's a guy from over on a Harley site. He details the whole install in a thread. Very well done by him. I will see if I can find the forum. It's an electric over hydraulic.

 

Brian

[FuzzyRSTD]

Thanks everyone for your input. Today I pushed the bike up and it worked fine. Like Micarl said, you have to hit the front tire clamp just right. So for now I will not build a platform. I drilled one hole in each side to let me tie the front forks down and not interfere with anything else. I also cut myself two pieces (2"x2") of an old mudflap (rubber) and put them under the leveling/locking feet on the front of the lift. This kept the lift from trying to slide forward while loading the bike on. Worked great. Very impressed with the lift, satisfied.

 

 

Fuzzy

[MiCarl]

I also cut myself two pieces (2"x2") of an old mudflap (rubber) and put them under the leveling/locking feet on the front of the lift. This kept the lift from trying to slide forward while loading the bike on.

 

Yeah, I always have problems with the thing wanting to scoot putting heavy bikes on. Good solution!