jacking up the bike

[V8Bikers]

I know this has been discussed many times on the other site but I am trying to create a larger database for the tech section here and am asking for personal reasons as well.

In the past, I have used a very basic method for lifting the Boss:

- for the front: Have wife jack up front with the small lip on frame crossover with floor jack as I sit on the bike and balance then she puts jack stands under both sides of the frame near motor mounts.

- rear: floor jack under rear frame crossover where tranny bolts to and slip jacks under the frame where front of swingarm mounts.

I would like to see what others are using so I can refine my method (and safety) At this time, I would rather not buy an engine stand or install a block and tackle setup.

This applies to any V8 bike.

Question for Jack (HogV8); i read where you described your jacks with the wheels and the blocks you made to mount to the frame/swingarm? I, as well as others, would like to see a photo of both. Thanks!

[hogv8]

Here's a couple of pictures I took several years ago when I removed the front section of my frame for powder coating . Like I said the set up bolts to the frame plate just below the swing arm on each side . It's a very steady set up so the rear of the bike can be raised or lowered at will and if you were to remove the rear section it could be rolled back setting on the rear wheel and the two tongue jack wheels .

click on pics to enlarge

[Butkicker]

Nice setup jack

[Butkicker]

What do those with trikes do for front an rear. Sorry did not mean to JACK thread

My old 2 wheel I used bottle jacks worked well an just got a pancake lift jack 1200 lbs was thinking of using

[Ric]

At our shop, we have an old Autobody shop, converted to plumbing shop and bike building emporium. We have an overhead rail that goes kitty corner across our roof. I'm guessing they had an old style chain hoist set up back when it was an Autobody shop. I now have a Warn winch (120 VAC) that's good for 1000 lbs of lift. I connect to the back frame once the seat pan is off, I then attach soft lift straps to protect paint, it has D rings to slip over the lifting hook… and raise it up until I can get jack stands in the same location that our leader mentioned.

Once it's secure, I have another 'chain hoist' (more modern than the old Auto body unit). I leave a slight tension on the warn winch for stability and security. I then manually hoist the front end off the ground and place the jack stands right at the same location as the engine mounts. (I use sheep skin covered soft straps also with D rings that I wrap around the bottom triple tree as a lift location. I also have to remove the fairing, but that's only 4 bolts.) I too leave a slight tension on the 'chain hoist' for the same reasons of security. I use 2 ton jack stands in the back, and 3 ton units in the front.

So with 4 stands and two hoist's… it's earth quake friendly. Although there has never been an earth quake in our area since the invention of sunlight… we are more concerned about some drunken sot from bumping the bike over, as we also built a Pub into our shop!

[GordonBH]

I prop 2 x 2ton stands (with thick leather tops) directly under the swing arm in line with the axle -above the rear tyre contact point, it is key to get their centres in line with the lifting fulcrum, directly below the axle.

On my Harleys, I could get away with using the rear crash bars but they were 4 inches forward of the tyre contact patch and as I jacked up the front the bike would start to lean on one stand and lean to that stand a few degrees - I wouldn't risk that with the Boss.

I still sit on it for security and get the (wonderful) wife to jack up the front and then slide in the 2 other stands under the front rails then follow the same rear stand routine as others.

I just don't have the room for an engine hoist and to lift it from the ceiling might just pull my daughter's bedroom down into the garage.