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Jack *HELP* PLEASE

6K views 47 replies 17 participants last post by  Comanche 
#1 ·
SO yesterday i walk into a pawn shop, ya i know i was slummin but there are always some great deals on stuff . So anyway theres this Craftsman 1500 M/J just sittin there with my name on it 59.00 , it looked brand new and they said it had only been there for 1 day. So i bought it , my question is how in the hell do you get it under the bike ? Short of drivin the beast onto a 2x6 i dont see any other way to make the thing work>> The Pitt Bull i had worked great and the Harbor Freight ( im spoiled its not solid enough for me )goes under fine... As tall as this jack is i would need to put the Mrs ( lowered 900 ) way up in the air to get it under the frame. My Beast has not been lowered ? The top of the pads on the jack measure 5.4 in. from the floor. My frame rail is 4.5 in from the under side on the left. While the jack was under the right side of the bike i attempted to lift it off the side stand with one hand and shove the jack under it but it still wouldnt go... Bulldozer, if i cant figure this out i might have a jack for sale cheap, actually 2 jacks ..... !
 
#3 ·
Thanks now i know why they call you POKE ..... Actually Bulldozer has been my nickname for 52 years cause i learned to drive on a D8 Caterpillar at the ripe old age of 4...
 
#9 ·
I've got the aluminum craftsman cycle jack and even with my lowered v2k, I have no problem getting under it. I've got the steel craftsman jack under my wifes lowered 900 lt and need 2x6 under the tires to get that to work.
Gill im wondering how tall the pads are on your jack.... Maybe my bike is lower cause the C/tire ? im itchin to get the beast up in the air cause i know theres some dust or something i need to clean/shine etc.
Looks like i will need to run to lowes for a 2x6 ! Thanks, BD
 
#8 ·
Kaw-poke; Maybe I just likes to hijack threads. Hehehee.[/QUOTE said:
See how ya are.............. I want to add to the record , i AINT ever hijacked any threads......................
 
#11 ·
SO yesterday i walk into a pawn shop, ya i know i was slummin but there are always some great deals on stuff . So anyway theres this Craftsman 1500 M/J just sittin there with my name on it 59.00 , it looked brand new and they said it had only been there for 1 day. So i bought it , my question is how in the hell do you get it under the bike ? Short of drivin the beast onto a 2x6 i dont see any other way to make the thing work>> The Pitt Bull i had worked great and the Harbor Freight ( im spoiled its not solid enough for me )goes under fine... As tall as this jack is i would need to put the Mrs ( lowered 900 ) way up in the air to get it under the frame. My Beast has not been lowered ? The top of the pads on the jack measure 5.4 in. from the floor. My frame rail is 4.5 in from the under side on the left. While the jack was under the right side of the bike i attempted to lift it off the side stand with one hand and shove the jack under it but it still wouldnt go... Bulldozer, if i cant figure this out i might have a jack for sale cheap, actually 2 jacks ..... !

If your bike sets that thar low, then you will have to lower the floor till ya gots nuf room to get jack unner the bike !
Now ain't that the easy way ?
 
#12 ·
Got it , kinda like a oil change pit ??? i will start choppin up the concrete tonight....

wow you guys are alota help, why didnt i think of that....

I was thinkin of puttin a winch in the rafters but a ditch in the concrete makes way more sense.. Bulldozer
 
#15 ·
I had the same problem here's what I did. I made ramps out of 3 layers of 1 x 12 boards staggered to look like steps and a block the same thickness for the kickstand. Place the ramps in front of each wheel and ride on and place the kickstad on the block. I also use this for oil changes.
Warning this only works if your legs are long enough to reach the floor while on the ramps. :)
 
#17 ·
jack

Don't do what my buddy did to his 2011 soft tail. Put it up on blocks to get the jack underneath. Then the dumb ass put to kickstand down to go get the jack and down went the hog. Fell right into his wifes new sportster and wiped both out. Amazing what a 12 pack of beer will do.
 
#18 ·
Don't do what my buddy did to his 2011 soft tail. Put it up on blocks to get the jack underneath. Then the dumb ass put to kickstand down to go get the jack and down went the hog. Fell right into his wifes new sportster and wiped both out. Amazing what a 12 pack of beer will do.
that's actually kind of funny. And sad.

but still funny.
 
#22 ·
Take a sheet of plywood, and an 8' lengnth of 2 by 10, fasten 2x10 to plywood longways, make a piece to go under kickstand, a big piece, drive bike up on 2x10, mark middle section of 2x10 for removal, back bike off, cut board but leave it there, drive bike back on board, remove middle section, insert jack. You only need one inch, this is a little more, make sure your legs will touch floor before you drive up on board. If not you will need more removable boards for yor feetsies, er tracksies!!!
 
#24 ·
I balance the bike while I slide the jack in from the right side. Give it a few pumps to contact both frame tubes and check pad placement, and then up she goes. I ALWAYS strap the bike to the jack once its up and jack is locked into place.
 
#25 ·
The issue is with the jack he bought, it's a bit to tall to slide under the bike.

So far, the suggestions are:

  • Just pick the bike up and put it on the lift.
  • build a ramp
  • install pulley/winch from rafters to pick up bike
  • Lower the floor, so the jack will fit under bike
  • Add lots of air to the tires, making them taller
  • Dig a trench/bay, so jack is not needed.
  • Buy a new jack

so Doz, which one will it be?
 
#31 ·
Ok Girls practice practice practive, now do it in the nude and don't forget to spread them knees and squat low and lift with the legs ! Ready Set Go OH OH MY OH YES !
Again
Again ................... I liked that sugestion for sure...........really brings out the DOB in me (dirty old biker)
 
#37 ·
Just take the wheels off the jack and push it under your bike. The jack should still operate and as long as your not gonna wheel it around on the jack, you won't need the wheels.

Remember the story about the semi that got stuck under the bridge? He let some air outta his tires and went on through.... Just saying...
 
#38 ·
Bottom line is:
Modify your Jack, modify your Bike or modify your Floor. simple as that!
Oh, or you could buy a new Jack, Bike, or Floor ......
 
#39 ·
Thanks for all the advice lads, think i will sell the Craftsman and just get me another Pitt Bull... Bulldozer, non of the mods worked to well, dang thing is hard to move around without wheels..
 
#41 ·
Bulldozer, I wonder if the original owner assembled the jack wrong? I think you said in one post here somewhere that it looks like it should go lower.
 
#47 ·
Hard to say if this is the case, but it doesnt matter cause this Frickin Gold Wing will be up on it for the next year or two.
 
#44 · (Edited)
Dozer!!, Im kinda late to THIS party, but I still think the BEST idea put forward was a WENCH .
& I apologize , but I near fell off my chair about the HD /ramp/kickstand / BEERS story
I guess its true, you CANT fix stupid
As for you MC/jack issue, have you compared it to the H F jack to see if the pawn shop jack might be miss drilled, or something?? Can you put smaller casters on it??

BTW, Ill be headed south later this week, if you still need a hand , pop me email, I d be glad to lend a hand to that Euro gear project with Ponch
 
#45 ·
Im not sure what is up with the thing but it doesnt matter cause ive had my Father in laws Gold Wing up on it for the last 3 months. Now this is a major problem cause i convinced him i could take it apart ( paint job ) and get it back together, the takin apart was easy the puttin it back together aint workin so good, im trying to decide what to do with all these extra parts, hang on to em, throw them away , hide em, take everything back apart and try to see where i went wrong ? We aint talkin 1 or 2 parts here were talkin like a big box full... Frickin Wings shouldnt need all this stuff. My Father in Law is gettin up there in age so im hopin he wont notice.
Give a shout when you are down here so we can get togther and ride brother...
 
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