Double Check Your Jack Position!!

[utadventure]

I used my Harbor Freight motorcycle jack today to change tires, oil etc. I finished most of the work and was installing the final saddlebag (left side). The bike shifted and suddenly I found the bike half on/ half off the lift. I was glad the kickstand was down, which helped the bike not go all the way down. I was holding it steady but couldn't do much else.

 

I got lucky...... Jan could hear me yelling from the garage and came out and was able to let the bike down off the lift. It could have been much worse. One thing that I believe helped, in this case, was that I was using a lift adapter.

 

Ok, I can calm down now, change my shorts and go to sleep.

 

Good night all!

 

[Carbon_One]

Don't do that anymore. Seriously you'll give all of us heart failure. Does your adapter have the added safety bar for the shorter jacks? Is the adapter one of mine? Let me know more on this so we can prevent future problems.

Larry

[Motorcycle Mike]

I never trust a jack/lift to support my bike while I work on it.

A rack is easy to build out of 2X4s. There are many plans for them on the net. Jack the bike up, slide the rack under the bike then remove jack. Solid as a rock.

[stickhandle2]

Or get Larrys Lift Adapter that has 4 legs...........perfect.

 

Mike

[djh3]

What I have found is. As you lift the bike the jack wheels turn. Much like when you jack a car up the jack pulls itself under the car. Well the bike jack does the same thing. And because the weight is much more concentrated it makes it amplified. And if you have then removed the bags or something you have changed how the weight is after its lifter. Then when you go to sit it down the wheels dont always caster straight. It has caused me more than one or two "oh crap" as your letting it down. Letting it down is the only time I have run across scary moments. You know your trying to ease the handle off the closed position and nothing, nothing, then it seem all of a sudden it wants to go down quickly. Thats where I seem to have problems.

[Flyinfool]

Glad you and the bike are both OK.

 

Is it possible to use a couple of safety straps or rachet straps to tie the bike to the lift to prevent it from sliding while working.

 

I use hydraulics all the time to lift things, I NEVER trust hydraulics to hold anything up while working on it. You must have a solid mechanical means to hold the item up. Be it a jack stand under the car or a safety bar in the MC lift or legs on the lift adapter. But never trust hydraulics alone.

[ACE50]

A motorcycle lift has built in stops so as not to rely on hydraulics.

Clearly he had it on the jack precariously, that's why it fell.

Just be careful and watch how it is on the lift. I check multiple times before I jack it up.

[utadventure]

Don't do that anymore. Seriously you'll give all of us heart failure. Does your adapter have the added safety bar for the shorter jacks? Is the adapter one of mine? Let me know more on this so we can prevent future problems.

Larry

 

 

It's an older adapter but I don't know if it is yours.

 

The failure was totally on me, not the jack or adapter. I had just removed the legs and decided to put the saddlebags back on before dropping it down.

[Condor]

When working on Easy Riders RSMV earlier in he summer we used a HF jack I'd picked up used and one of Carbon One's adapters. The only issue we ran into was the adapter wasn't quite wide enough to sit flat on the pads of the jack and one side rested on the round rods, and it made the bike tilt slightly to the side stand side. Which might be a good thing, because when letting it down the bike would always tilt toward the stand instead of ending up in your lap. The jack did drop suddenly if the bleed was opened aggressively, but if you know this and use caution we could get it to settle down without an ooops moment. When up on the jack the bike was very solid. Removing bags or tires has not caused a balance problem for anyone that I've heard ....??

[XV1100SE]

I'm always wary lifting my bike. I have Larry's adapter with the stop but my lift has pads that just extend the width of the adapter (think 12"). If you don't make sure that the pads are all the way and square with the stop, you will have problems. As soon as I get my bike high enough I put the legs on the adapter and then I feel safe.

 

I'd feel better if the pads were a couple inches longer and I could have them extend beyond the lift adapter bars and not use the stop. With the way it is now... on the right side of the bike you only have 1" (I think they are 1") bars of the adapter sitting on the front edge of your lift. Angled slightly or movement of the bike/lift and you have less...or nothing...sitting on the lift.

[Nemo]

The length of the jack pads is the problem. The first jack that I bought was from Menards. The pads were too short and the casters were flimsy. I returned it and bought one from Sears. The Sears jack pads extend beyond the stand frame about a half inch on each side. Very secure. Also the casters are fine.

[videoarizona]

When working on Easy Riders RSMV earlier in he summer we used a HF jack I'd picked up used and one of Carbon One's adapters. The only issue we ran into was the adapter wasn't quite wide enough to sit flat on the pads of the jack and one side rested on the round rods, and it made the bike tilt slightly to the side stand side. Which might be a good thing, because when letting it down the bike would always tilt toward the stand instead of ending up in your lap. The jack did drop suddenly if the bleed was opened aggressively, but if you know this and use caution we could get it to settle down without an ooops moment. When up on the jack the bike was very solid. Removing bags or tires has not caused a balance problem for anyone that I've heard ....??

 

 

The first time I used my HF jack was on the VStar 650. It has a very backwards (in my opinion) way to lower the load. If you press down gently on the release lever, the load drops fast. If you press ALL THE WAY down on the release lever, the load starts to drop fast, then slows down to a safe speed. Scared the puddin out of this kid....I thought I was going to lose the bike for sure! Went back and re-read the instructions...yep...that's what it says.

 

Since then, I've been really tentative on using it for the VStar 950T and doubt I'll ever use it with the VR unless I have a buddy with me.

[ACE50]

Tap for a 1/4-20 bolt on the lever, just above the lower tube beneath it.

Insert bolt, adjust travel of lever and walla! Lower it as slowly as you want!

[Carbon_One]

It's an older adapter but I don't know if it is yours.

 

The failure was totally on me, not the jack or adapter. I had just removed the legs and decided to put the saddlebags back on before dropping it down.

 

Ok you do have one of my adapters if it has legs. The copy cat dude on e-bay doesn't make the removable leg version of my adapters and uses the older version of my Standard lift adapter. He also paints his red so you can tell if it's his or one of mine. I've upgraded my design for both Standard and Freestanding model a couple of times since first making them.

Send me a pm with your address and I'll send you a bolt on safety bar. This bar will allow you to butt up against it with the lifting arms thus ensuring you have full contact under the far side.

Larry

[cowpuc]

Ok you do have one of my adapters if it has legs. The copy cat dude on e-bay doesn't make the removable leg version of my adapters and uses the older version of my Standard lift adapter. He also paints his red so you can tell if it's his or one of mine. I've upgraded my design for both Standard and Freestanding model a couple of times since first making them.

Send me a pm with your address and I'll send you a bolt on safety bar. This bar will allow you to butt up against it with the lifting arms thus ensuring you have full contact under the far side.

Larry

 

WHAT A GUY, THAT LARRY OR OURS!!!:dancefool:

[utadventure]

Ok you do have one of my adapters if it has legs. The copy cat dude on e-bay doesn't make the removable leg version of my adapters and uses the older version of my Standard lift adapter. He also paints his red so you can tell if it's his or one of mine. I've upgraded my design for both Standard and Freestanding model a couple of times since first making them.

Send me a pm with your address and I'll send you a bolt on safety bar. This bar will allow you to butt up against it with the lifting arms thus ensuring you have full contact under the far side.

Larry

 

 

Thank you very much Larry....PM sent

[mabeline]

i use one from Princess Auto that I'm pleased with. If the Url works it shows in the pic what the adapter looks like. It has four arms that swivel back and forth with rubber covered, V shaped metal holders. They fit around the frame quite nicely.

 

 

 

http://www.princessauto.com/hlr-system/Documents/80/800/8002/8002043_manual.pdf