ever lifted your bike with a floor jack and wood?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
ever lifted your bike with a floor jack and wood?
doing a tire changes tomorrow the old school way on my RC51 and my buddies gsxr750. i have a rear stand, thats not the issue, but has anyone ever lifted the front using a floor jack + wood @ the headers? (i believe the headers are out of the way from the engine block on the rc, there's what appears to be a jack point on the bottom of the block) we both just got a set of bridgestone bt016's and going to be installing them by hand tomorrow, with a bead breaker and tire irons lmfao. forget paying 80$ for a shop to do it! (because we'd be riding our bikes there)
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
Let me restate that. You can raise the bike if you use a block of wood to protect the jack from contacting the the exhaust and lift the bike straight up from the oil pan. It is best to stabilize the bike either through the bars or through the swing arms to ensure stability.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
nuhawk: thats kinda what i was talking about, wooden blocks. however, the gsxr i dont think it will be possible to reach the oil pan, the headers will definitely be in the way. ive been reading on other forms where they do alot of talk about "lowering their bikes", and when working on the forks, seems like ppl lay a 2x4 down on the jack plate and life the bike up on the headers *shrug* not really looking to try that.
WERA #44
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 265
From: About 57 miles south of VIR
I have seen a broken oil pan and they are very thin in places, I will not support the entire bike with it. Best to search for the stands some of these guys have come up with, rear stand, or suspend the bike.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 442
From: Hampton GA
I have been using a set up similar to this for the last couple of years with no problems http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HU9JN2?...0&linkCode=asn Its the only time I have ever bought anythg at a yard sale ! Mines a little different ( it has more tie down points & two arms that swing out for more stability ) Gets both wheels off the ground t the same time , and can be moved around the garage with the bike on it to reposition it or just get it out off the way while waiting on parts or something ...Best $30 I think I have ever spent !
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,516
From: Boynton Beach, FL
I'd get front and rear stands for tire changes. But for swingarm removal, at least on the superhawk, the manual specifically tells you to use the oil pan as a jacking point (which at first I couldn't believe until I realized it's much thicker and not like jacking a car up by the pan lol). Just make sure you stabilize the bike properly as it can easily tip over.
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 880
From: Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada
Yeah to lift the front, I jack the oil sump as far as possible from the side stand and for the rear I jack the exhaust on the crossover, it will just support about 50 pounds, most of it will be on the side stand, if the bike lean too much shim the stand with a piece of plywood, it works so quickly, you'll be addicted
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 524
If you use a piece of wood that covers most of the oilpan you should be ok. It'll spread the load instead of trying to poke though the casting.
More importantly, you mentioned that you will use a rear wheel stand in conjunction with the jack. Be careful with that combo because this forms a very narrow triangle which doesn't like torque loads.
The first time I used that method I almost levered the bike on it's side trying to break the front axle nut loose. I would suggest that you either break all the nuts and bolts you have to remove loose first or build yourself a platform like I did so that you can tie the bike down securely.
Kai Ju
More importantly, you mentioned that you will use a rear wheel stand in conjunction with the jack. Be careful with that combo because this forms a very narrow triangle which doesn't like torque loads.
The first time I used that method I almost levered the bike on it's side trying to break the front axle nut loose. I would suggest that you either break all the nuts and bolts you have to remove loose first or build yourself a platform like I did so that you can tie the bike down securely.
Kai Ju
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 818
From: Thornwood, NY
Floor jack and a block of wood under the oil pan works just fine... just watch as the bike will be VERY unstable unless you tie bike to something.
j.
j.
Last edited by SlowHAWK; Nov 2, 2008 at 09:58 AM.
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 240
From: Jacksonville, NC
Why? You've spent thousands on your bike, quit being cheap and spent $150 or so on stands for tire changes and general maintence. They are so much easier, simplier, and far less of a chance of the bike falling over.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
nuhawk: thats kinda what i was talking about, wooden blocks. however, the gsxr i dont think it will be possible to reach the oil pan, the headers will definitely be in the way. ive been reading on other forms where they do alot of talk about "lowering their bikes", and when working on the forks, seems like ppl lay a 2x4 down on the jack plate and life the bike up on the headers *shrug* not really looking to try that.
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 714
From: Fredericksburg, VA
Yeah, I've done it and while my friend and I were finishing up the new front tire 10 feet away from the bike without touching it for 10 minutes the bitch jumped off! 
Luckily it fell on his tank bag and the only damage was a scratch on the bar end. Before owning a front stand I used ratcheting tie downs hung from the rafters in my garage plus a rear stand.
So how did the whole process go? L8RGYZ and I failed miserable trying to change his rear tire the other night in the cold. He ended up paying to get it done unfortunately, but if we had continued we were gonna bend and scratch his rim badly. And that was with a HF set up.
Luckily it fell on his tank bag and the only damage was a scratch on the bar end. Before owning a front stand I used ratcheting tie downs hung from the rafters in my garage plus a rear stand.So how did the whole process go? L8RGYZ and I failed miserable trying to change his rear tire the other night in the cold. He ended up paying to get it done unfortunately, but if we had continued we were gonna bend and scratch his rim badly. And that was with a HF set up.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,689
From: South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
I use eyes in the rafters (4, equalized), with a comealong. I've never liked the idea of setting the bike on blocks and hoping it's stable. Once you have a good lift point, you can do anything. The bike can't fall. Some tie down straps let you equalize front and rear, so you can lift the whole bike, if you need to.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
hey guys, yeah no word yet on what or how cuz i only had enough time to change my rear tire on sunday (i changed the tire myself, and this was on the RC) im waiting until this weekend to do the front tire. hopefully i can get a front stand, but cant say. im planning on jacking from the oil pan. u can clearly see what looks almost obviously like a jack point. i ask mainly about the wood + headers because of my buddies gsxr is obviously an I4, so theres no clearance to the oil pan.
kai, can you explain your diagram a little? ive seen it else where, read the explanation, and it didnt make sense
kai, can you explain your diagram a little? ive seen it else where, read the explanation, and it didnt make sense
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,066
From: NYC
One way (since everyone is in on this) is to lift the front end and put the forks on milk crates.(I lift while wife shoves crates)But if you have the ***** to change your own tires (I do) buy a used front end stand. They are cheaper than a tipped bike and you will use them endlessly. Also check out "minimalist motorcycle tire change" on youtube. It can be a really easy job.(sort of)
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
yeah, this is my first time doing this, and i didnt have the time to wait a month for a stand to come in on ebay. craigslist doesnt have any listed, nor had any for a while. borrowing from another forum didnt have any results either haha. so, im left to this crap.
Senior Member
SuperBike
SuperBike
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,031
From: Los Angeles ish
This might be a good time to mention that people fill out where they live in their profiles. I have a front lift I'd be willing to loan out locally. I made this one for fork replacements. It has come-a-longs now instead of the ratchet straps shown.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,572
From: Buffalo, NY
I have one of these jacks from harbor freight and it works pretty darn well... They do go on sale now and then as well.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2792
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2792
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Back Marker
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 153
From: Alto, N.M.
Get off your wallet and buy a Pit-Bull NewFront stand. Even at MSRP- $159.95- it's alot less costly than replacing bodywork, turn signals, bar-ends, footpegs, and damaged mufflers. Split the cost with some riding buddies if money's an issue.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,066
From: NYC
Hey faux, also jump on the racing forums; WERA, BARF, Chicagoland, NESBA, etc. There are always stands for dirt cheap. Even Lockhart Phillips has good front stands for $70 that I use for racing. You will wonder how you ever lived w/o it. On the cheap you can build a stand like gregw's pics out of wood. Just heist it from you neighbors yard & you are good to go!
