| Author | Message | ||
     Inplansight |
Guys, I have to replace the head bearings on my 98 Cyclone this weekend and I am not sure of the best way to support the front of the bike. I have plenty of car jacks and jack-stands but nothing geared towards motorcycles. I was thinking of making a cradled of sorts out of 2x4's to let the bike sit on the engine, would this be ok? I did some searching on this forum and discovered someone had cracked their engine case (hard jack pad) and do not want to have any issues after the fact. Thanks Paul B | ||
| Purpony |
I hang mine with tie down straps from the rafters.... | ||
| Reepicheep |
The cases are plenty strong, so as long as you aren't trying to pierce them with some kind of point or wedge, I don't think you could hurt them. Its tippy doing it from the bottom though. If you can suspend it from above that will help (roof joists maybe). I'd put a rod through the rear axle, support it on either sides with jackstands, then use a floor jack to support and lift the front of the bike as far forward as is convenient. So much the better if you can get a bike lift, so you can also strap the bike down (maybe by the footpegs) to keep it from tipping. | ||
| Gmaan03 |
Yes hang it. I tried the jack stands once! Never again! | ||
| Dave_02_1200 |
I don't want my bike to fall when I am working on it and most under-the-bike set ups just don't seem stable enough to me. My solution: I remove the rear footpegs and reinstall them upside down. That lets me use them on jack stands to support the rear end. Then I hang the front from a step ladder with soft hook straps on the frame by the steering head. It is cheap, easy to do and super stable. Hope this helps. | ||
| Inplansight |
I did think of hanging the bike, but I have to take the triple tree apart to service the bearings. I do like the ladder ideal, will have to take a better look at that tonight. Thanks Paul B | ||
| Kilroy |
simple to take the tank off, then you have frame points that you can "tie" onto to hang it from above | ||
| Reepicheep |
I tried the ladder once, and it was forever in the way and brought its own set of headaches. Maybe a bigger ladder would have helped, but it was a mess. FWIW. One other approach used a long time ago was super heavy metal shelving frame kits, and using them to suspend the bike. It has to be super beefy though. | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Personally I purchased an engine hoist years ago. This is the only tool I use to lift the front or the back of my Buells. Very stable. If it is to hang for long, I roll the bike and hoist to the rafter and hang it there. NOTE: Always use two or more straps on each side. I inadvertently leaned on the hanging bike once and brake a strap. Also, when removing engine and frame mounts, a floor jack, with a wood 'floor' on the jack forks, is handy to jack and hold the engine/swingarm from below while the frame/forks are hanging. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Get two jackstands and a 36" piece of allthread. Slide the allthread through the rear axle. Put the ends on the jackstands. Lift the front with a Pit Bull stand or similar. Once it's up, either brace from underneath or use ratchet straps to the rafters to keep it up. | ||
| Lakes |
i got a custom made bike stand with my bike, last owner gave it to me it works, holds bike up with footpegs, i then get a trolly jack & wood block and jack front up useing the front shock mount with block of wood to protect mount it works i have removed the front end like this was not hard . | ||
| Coxster |
I have a buddy help me from time to time. He has two loops in the floor for tie down straps ( about 7 ft apart), and uses various 2x4 cradles to jack our bikes up as needed. We pulled the rear wheel on my cyclone in less than 15 minutes - and you can blame some fasteners on the rear wheel cover for taking that long  | ||
| Scntekir |
Engine hoist, for sure.  | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Vincent ,that's going to be a shiny buell Nice work!  | ||
| Scntekir |
Thanks! | ||
| Harleyelf |
I use a packing strap hung over a seven foot ladder. | ||
| Buellistic |
Have always used a small HYD jack and two old car body stands ... They have served me well for 15 years ... | ||
| S1owner |
I use straps to the ceiling then lower the table as needed. Lowered the motor out then lifted it back in | ||
| S1owner |
Feeling funny so i say a good job an understanding wife and alot of caressing in the garage is the best support! | ||
| Scntekir |
Ha! Well stated! |
