| Author | Message | ||
     Buellinachinashop |
Looking for a reasonably priced floor jack for my VR. Lots of winter maintenance and mods happening before I sell it next spring. Any suggestions? | ||
| Crusty |
Sears has everything. I got a Craftsman a few years ago, and it works well. | ||
| Chadhargis |
Harbor Freight sells some low cost options. I've not used them, but they are out there. The only lift I've personally used was a Handy Lift. It's very nice, and very expensive. | ||
| Hex |
I have something like this (but an older model) http://handy-lift.com/index.cfm?mf=browse.showPart &partClassID=1996&PName=1000%20Air%20Lift Never regretted the investment. Approximately $1k delivered. | ||
| Mikej |
I picked up the bike lift that Fleet Farm & Fleet had on sale about this time last year. Menomonee Falls store (not sure if its Farm&Fleet or Fleet Farm there). Has the lockarm in case the hydraulics start to bleed off, also has the tipover arms that spread out. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Do any of these allow you to strap the bike to the lift? How do you remove the wheels with a Handy Lift? All that one looks to do it raise the bike off the floor. (Message edited by Buellinachinashop on October 28, 2009) | ||
| Fast1075 |
I bought a Handi-Lift copy from a discount tools place...got it on sale for 175 bux and it has air lift built in with pump backup...nothing beats a real lift...'specially if you have knees as bad as mine...hunkerin' down is not a good thing to do for very long...dig around...bargains are to be found... | ||
| Mikej |
Wow, that Handy-Lift looks nice. I think BluzM2 built one at home and posted some details about it on the site here a few years ago | ||
| Hex |
How do you remove the wheels with a Handy Lift? You can easily remove one wheel at a time by putting the one end in the vice and jacking up the other end. But to answer your question, I have also removed both wheels at once on my Buell on the Handy. Here's how I did it. I clamped the rear tire in the vice, strapped down the rear end, jacked up the front end, removed front wheel. Then I made a 2X4 cradle for the front wheel axle to rest on, and strapped the front down to the lift. Front wheel off. From that point, I jacked up the rear wheel and removed it through the pass through of the wheel vice, leaving the bike resting on the front axle block, and the jack point. Wheel-less. I also tethered the bike to my rafters with my tree climbing line, just in case somebody or I bumped it. I didn't want a wheel-less tip over from three feet. I got the Handy recommendation from BadWeB a couple of years ago. Handy is an American product. | ||
| Hex |
Here's the axle cradle. I guess you could use it for either axle.  ...Or you could make a larger version with tie-down eyelets, and use it on the ground with a jack for the rear (no lift version). | ||
| Xbrfirebolt |
This is what I got a couple years ago. This is their currant price. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem. taf?Itemnumber=94813 I took a scissor jack and modified it to use with the wood template from this site to pick up my bike from the jacking points on the muffler. I use a rear Pit Bull stand when I want to remove both wheels at once, use my jack under the front jacking point. Works great. I really like to be able to stand up and do oil changes/service my bike also. At my age my knees can't take being on the ground very long. | ||
| Texastechx1 |
i did the same thing as hex there, very simple. bike has been on it for 3 months no, no issues. | ||
| Jstfrfun |
Everything at Harbor Freight is from China...BUY AMERICAN!...buy a Handy-Lift The quality is worth it and your giving another american some job security. KnL also has a nice scissors jack for your center lift. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I agree that buying American is great, however I couldn't justify the cost. With the wheel vice and shipping it is well over $1200. That said, I went with the Harbor Freight mentioned above. If I was using it in a shop and doing many up/down cycles per day, I would take the Handy Lift - no question. However for my garage use I couldn't justify the cost. To further the cost savings, I used one of the 20% off coupons you find printed in the back of various magazines. Total including tax was about $410. Is it as good as the Handy? No. Would I by another one? Probably not. Had Handy been at the IMC show this past Feb as in years past I would have bought from them as they always had show bundle price and free shipping/delivery. Regarding Mikes comment above, I did fabricate a lift about 5 years ago, it worked quite well. In fact it still does over in a friends garage. There is a thread in the KV with pictures and all. I used the original design in the thread and made a few minor modifications. Total cost of that one was $150 or so. Brad | ||
| Slaughter |
How do you remove the wheels on a Handy Lift?  |
