Table or jack

[Fathertime]

  So I've been going back and forth in my mind about raising the girl up.   What are the advantages and disadvantages of both jacks and lift tables for maintenance?  No, getting both is not an option!  Tried that and wifey ain't buying it.

[97BLKVALK]

Well I will throw in my 2 cents.  The older I get the less i want to be bending over to do even the oil changes much less a rear end overhaul, (not a colonoscopy.... )

I have talked with the guys at Ranger lifts and I think by winter time I will order a lift for two reasons.

1.  Tired of bending over.

2.  The lift shown from harbor freight is great if I would have some extra space, but the table i could use to park the dragon on all the time.  I figure avoiding two or three trips to the stealer i could pay for a great percentage of the table.

http://www.workshopdepot.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RAN5150203&Show=TechSpecs
http://www.workshopdepot.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RAN5150062&Show=TechSpecs
http://www.workshopdepot.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RAN5150057&Show=TechSpecs
Have a great day!

[Walküre]

I have both. I park the bike on the lift table, every night, so it doesn't take up any more room that the bike, alone. I changed out the chock, and modified it, so I can do a LOT with it. I just changed out the exhaust tips last night, at waist level. NO comparison!



You'll never regret getting the lift table. Plus, you can lift it, and use it as a workbench, if need be.

[Farther]

For a poor, fixed income person this looks attractive: http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-motorcycle-lift-91764.html  You would still need one of those small table jack to get the tires off the ground.

[Chrisj CMA]

  So I've been going back and forth in my mind about raising the girl up.   What are the advantages and disadvantages of both jacks and lift tables for maintenance?  No, getting both is not an option!  Tried that and wifey ain't buying it.

What you have to keep in mind is that you STILL need a way of holding the bike off its rear wheel.  Lift tables are great for getting the work up to a more comfortagle height.  However, if you dont have a center stand the bike is as if it was still on the ground.  you need a way if then further lifting it off the stand to work on the rear end. 

A jack lift like a Sears Craftsman lifts from the bottom of the engine and frame so the rear wheel is off the ground.  A jack like a Sears get s the bike high enough that if you get you a comfy little mechanic stool it will be easy to work on

[RDKLL]

I have both. I park the bike on the lift table, every night, so it doesn't take up any more room that the bike, alone. I changed out the chock, and modified it, so I can do a LOT with it. I just changed out the exhaust tips last night, at waist level. NO comparison!



You'll never regret getting the lift table. Plus, you can lift it, and use it as a workbench, if need be.

How would you change the front tyre?

[Walküre]

How would you change the front tyre?

Back it in, with the modified chock.

Farther's posted link, is the one I have - if you look hard, the bike magazines have coupons for either $299 or $279 for that table. The chock works out to around $40, if you use the 20% coupon, or they do have them on sale, often.

As for lifting the bike, I have a scissor jack, that I put under the lift adapter, that will lift the rear. I haven't HAD to yet, but did lift it an inch or two, to make sure it would.

As I said, I have the jack also, but it hasn't had any use, but once, since I got the lift table. If you DO have both, some things it just quicker/easier to pull the jack out, and use it, for convenience sake, but for any serious work (and isn't it ALL serious??), I'll use the table over lift, every time!

R

[X Ring]

  So I've been going back and forth in my mind about raising the girl up.   What are the advantages and disadvantages of both jacks and lift tables for maintenance?  No, getting both is not an option!  Tried that and wifey ain't buying it.

What you have to keep in mind is that you STILL need a way of holding the bike off its rear wheel.  Lift tables are great for getting the work up to a more comfortagle height.  However, if you dont have a center stand the bike is as if it was still on the ground.  you need a way if then further lifting it off the stand to work on the rear end. 

A jack lift like a Sears Craftsman lifts from the bottom of the engine and frame so the rear wheel is off the ground.  A jack like a Sears get s the bike high enough that if you get you a comfy little mechanic stool it will be easy to work on

+1 and, unlike the one Pluggy linked to, when you remove the handle it allows access to both sides of the bike. 

Marty

[Walküre]

Yeah, all those motorcycle shops, with 4 or 5 lift tables, and NO floor jack - they got it all wrong. Most lift table sales places, have a jack available to lift the rear. They can be expensive. Or, as I said, a good scissor jack does the same thing, and if you have a well-equipped shop, welder, etc, you can modify it to suit your bike and table. I've yet to modify mine, but will the first time I need it, which will be soon. I have to pull my rear end down, at 5,000 miles from the first maintenance, just to ease my mind that everything is doing ok.

Sitting on a stool, bending over a bike is NO fun - I did my entire tire change/rear end maintenance that way. The FIRST thing I bought afterwards, was the lift table. I think it depends on how much work you expect to be doing on the Valk - if it's a lot, the table and chock is a cheap investment. If you want to do the occasional work, then you can "get by" with a floor jack. Is ice cream good? Only if you've ever tasted it - once you work with a lift table, anything else is "second best".

My opinion. I just know, having both, no matter what, if I had to get rid of one, it would DEFINITELY be the jack!

R

[BF]

Looks like that removable rear plate on the Harbor Freight table would make it easy work to remove the rear tire.  I'd think that you wouldn't have to lift the rear end all that high while the bike is on the table to take a rear tire off. 

That's gotta be a plus when doing rear-end work. 

[Walküre]

Looks like that removable rear plate on the Harbor Freight table would make it easy work to remove the rear tire.  I'd think that you wouldn't have to lift the rear end all that high while the bike is on the table to take a rear tire off. 

That's gotta be a plus when doing rear-end work. 

Exactly! And, once the bike is strapped down, NOTHING is going to dump it!! Although the floor jack is "ok", it's JUST ok. A little scary, when you have to put a LOT of torque on a bolt, either taking it off, or putting it on.

R

[sugerbear]

started with a sear jack. moved up to a used "handy" table lift.

never go back. my 3 cents

[Chrisj CMA]

Looks like that removable rear plate on the Harbor Freight table would make it easy work to remove the rear tire.  I'd think that you wouldn't have to lift the rear end all that high while the bike is on the table to take a rear tire off. 

That's gotta be a plus when doing rear-end work. 

Yes...as long as you have something to hold the bike up so you can remove the floor out from under her back wheel

[Fathertime]

Ok.  So what about going with the table and with the proper adaptor use a floor jack to raise her back end up a few inches?  im assuming that I would want to strap her down at the tripple tree for security?

[Tropic traveler]

Redneck engineered heavy duty work platform.
4'x8' with homemade copy of tire clamp.


RH staionary side. 1'x1' 1/8" square base bolted through platform.


LH squeezy side. Squeezy clamp is removable. 3/4" jack bolt.


3 eyebolts per side for tiedowns.


Ramp.


Clamp the front tire then use small floor jack with a chunk of wood to jack up back end only. Two small jackstands & a scrap piece of steel square tube to put under the swingarm. Strap it down tight & NO danger of tipping, rack on it all you need to.  


At 8' long & 4' wide I can park on it when not in use so it stays permanent in the garage. For front wheel removal I'll jack up the front half of the bike & put jackstands under the engine guards. Then use the strap for stability of course.
After serviceing my '97 last year using just a motorcycle jack I vowed never again. I was scared to death of a tip over the whole time.  

$75 in wood & screws, $20 in hardware, $40 in steel & a good solid weekend of cutting & welding is what it took. A bit of overkill but it works for me. I still can get up & down real good so the lift part was unnecessary for me.  

[Walküre]

Yes...as long as you have something to hold the bike up so you can remove the floor out from under her back wheel

As stated above, a simple scissor jack works just fine!!!!

Nothing really complicated about this. If you prefer to be on your knees, or huddled on a stool, to do the work, so be it. If you like the inherent instability of the floor jack type, so be it. I prefer the convenience and safety of a lift table, and at the price HF has them, it's within the reach of MOST Valk owners. At MY age, the Valk is a hobby, and hobbies cost money, and the lift table has taken all the stress off my back and knees, working on the bike. And there's also those who would only have their bikes on ANY lift, maybe once a year. Mine is on it daily, and every time I clean and polish, it's on the lift table. So much easier to get to every nook and cranny. Without worrying about your knees. Again, some of the very best money I've spent, is on a lift table. PERIOD. Your mileage may vary...

As for tying it down - there are holes on the lift table. I replaced the u-bolts with heavier eye-hooks, and use two straps to the crash guards. With the wheel in the chock, as seen in the photos, you can shake the hell out of the bike, and it won't go any where. But, I would strap it down before lifting the rear, because that's some of the stability, the rear tire on the lift table. Use your own judgement - it will be easy to figure out.

As I said, I've done it both ways...

[Walküre]

Ok.  So what about going with the table and with the proper adaptor use a floor jack to raise her back end up a few inches?  im assuming that I would want to strap her down at the tripple tree for security?

One of the 1-ton "compact" floor jacks would probably be perfect! (click on jack, for link to HF)



R

[Tropic traveler]

Tropic Traveler, I like your idea.  You know what the weather has been in Central Florida recently.  Is there a way you can put wheels on that platform? We could roll a bike into the living room and work with the AC on.  I don't mind working close to the floor, but the hot garage is tough there days!

Thank you sir!
Wheels would be easy to add.
As far as the heat in Florida.... What heat?? I'm a native & summer is my favorite time of the year. Spring is nice & warm but it just lacks the beautiful humidity that summer has. You'll notice the first 2 pics of the platform are kinda fogged up from the humidity in the garage messing up the camera lens. 
Looking forward to meeting you on a lunch ride sometime in the future!


 

[stude31]

I don't like the HF table that has that cheesy wheel chock that just squeezes the bottom of the tire.  Our bikes are 900 lbs and I don't feel safe even with the one I use unless I have it strapped down.  I bought this table and it has seen it's use by a dozen valks in the past year and it works.  But I am getting anxious to buying a more sturdy and reliable table.  This table does it all but I do the front end work using a motorcycle jack and then I lower the bike down on two jackstands that go under the crash bars and then the jack is removed and all is good.  I am getting ready to do fork springs and a new front tire tomorrow.  I will take pictures then.   If you look in the picture you will see a scissor lift.  I put the metal sub frame under the bike and then I use my honda civic scissor jack to raise the back of the bike up.  It works great to remove the tire.  You have to jack the table all the way to the top to slide out the tire in the hole.  The back of the table frame limits you from sliding the tire out the back it has to go "down".  I'll take a picture of that too if you don't see it.  This is an inexpensive table and it is a bit flimsy but it works. 

Once I get a chance maybe this winter I will purchase a better lift and scissor jack than what I am using but for right now I have no complaints..

[BF]

stude31.....

Pictures.....yes please!  The more the better.....would also like to see pics of the rear-end for a tire removal as I'd think that would be the way I'd use it the most. 

I'm curious as to what you mean by "flimsy" though.  How so? 

And is the wheel chock that's in the pic the one that came with your lift, or did you replace the original with that black one that's one there now?

If I was to buy one, it wouldn't be used "by a dozen valks".....just by me and for the occasional maint work or for cleaning chores.  It'd also be used to park on every day as room is scarce in my little one car garage. 

[stude31]

BF,

The next time I replace a rear tire I will be sure to take a few pictures.  The "flimsy" that I am talking about is when the bike is elevated if you don't have it strapped down the platform flexes as you push and pull on the bike.  They used some then metal for the platform but if your not rough on it it works great.  I usually lower it back down if I have a bike on it overnight.  Not that anything could possibly happen but for piece of mind.  I need to do some work on my tourer and when I do I will take some pictures.

The wheel chalk came on the lift.  I don't know if this one is available anymore but I bought it and used the 20 percent off coupon when I bought it.  It's been great to have.  I do all my work on it unless it has to do with the front tire.  I use the jack.

Hope that helps.

joe.

[Redline +]

Here's another option.







Redline 

[Walküre]

Here's another option.



Redline 

HF was out of them, when I   got my lift table....

[Black Dog]

Two 'jack Stands', under the crash bars, make a very sturdy mount for working on front end stuff...  I've used this method, for everything from cleaning to maintaince.

Here is a pic of when I was changing out the triple tree, last spring...



Black Dog

[Walküre]

Two 'jack Stands', under the crash bars, make a very sturdy mount for working on front end stuff...  I've used this method, for everything from cleaning to maintaince.

Black Dog

What?!? No "color coordinated" jack stands??   

[bigguy]

 

And we have a winner.

[Walküre]

HF lift and modified chock - rear tire lifted with simple scissor jack. As soon as I can get down and buy some steel, I plan on modifying the lift-out at the rear, to make it so it is open at the very back, making tire removal easier. I need to make a piece that will go across, and "pin" it so that it won't come out, unless I want it to. Shouldn't be too hard. Might have to do some reinforcing. This particular lift DOES have fairly thin top metal, but the structure is basically sound. A few gussets here and there, and I can greatly improve an already pretty decent lift.





Short of a fork truck, this is 2nd best! 

R

[Walküre]

Redline - whose blown flattie is that in the background, on the lift? Yours?? Love it!!

Here's another option.



Redline 

[Redline +]

Here's another option.



Redline 

Redline - whose blown flattie is that in the background, on the lift? Yours?? Love it!!

Thanks, yes it's one of my projects, currently on hold. I put the roadster up on the lift so I could park the forklift, tractor and lawnmower under it. It's been up there for sometime now.

While it might look a bit like a Ford flat motor in the picture actually that's a early Chrysler Hemi, '57 392, without valve covers.

Redline 

[Fathertime]

Thanks Redline!  Now I have to talk her into a fork truck.  Life just got a whole lot more complicated

[Fathertime]

Thanks for all the suggestions.   Thing is through, can can you put a car tire on a fork truck?