Valk winter storage on craftmans bike lift?

[kahuna]

I use a simple Craftman's bike lift for tire cleaning and repairs and wondered how much of an issue if any Is there with storing the Valk on a simple craftman's bike lift for the winter? (5 months) Possible stress on the case? Front forks? rear shocks? It's a long cold winter in my unheated garage in Michigan and it makes for more room on the lift against the wall in my already crowded garage. 

[salty1]

Wouldn't think that is a problem. I would be more concerned with the lift cylinder leaking some. Mine has stops and I always make sure they are engaged if I leave my bike elevated for any period of time.

[John Schmidt]

I would think if you used a lift adapter that would spread some of  the weight to the frame. I also would be concerned with the lift leaking down unless you raised the bike up high enough to lock it in place. Personally I don't like to jack my bike up that high, but that's just me. If you do, I'd put some jack stands under the engine guards on each side in front to help stabilize it.

[sheets]

Mine has spent half of its twelve year life on a lift (sad but true). No side effects that I'm aware of. Depending on the foot print of your lift is how stable it will be when raised. Use mechanical lock to secure the lift so it won't drift down in your absence. Or jack stands, or something.  Don't rely on the bottle jack to keep it raised. Depending on the arrangement/placement of the lift arms, the bike can be ass end heavy. I always use a couple tie-down straps to ensure its not going to tip off the lift if it gets bumped in to.  

[Bone]

Hi neighbor I'm south of Jackson, Mi.   I've been storing mine on a Craftsman jack for 5 years. Made a copy of the lift adapter in Shoptalk.
http://www.herberts.org/wayne/valk/lowtechlift.htm
The straps make it very stable. I've also made a couple of wooden blocks for under both wheels. I don't sit the wheels on the blocks they are there to stop the bike from rocking back and forth if bumped.
I try and center the jack so the bike doesn't want to lean front or rear. Then I stop at the first set of stops making sure the stops are engaged.
Just a warning they can leak-down. Mine started doing it about the third year. Re-reading the instruction booklet Sears says to change the hydraulic oil every year, WHAT I didn't remember reading that before. Went to Sears bought a bottle of Hydraulic oil for jacks and the lift works like new. I've changed it twice now in 5 years.
Put my 98 Tourer up for winter the middle of October this year.

[kahuna]

This VRCC site is awesome. Salty1, Stuffy, Sheets and Bone THANKS for the quick responses, great advice and pictures.
I had not mentioned that I do always use the mechanical stops and two front tie down ratchet straps to steady the Valkyrie. It is a little ass end heavy. I like the idea of the lift adaptor spreading some weight to the frame and off the case, and also I noticed it will allow the lift to be placed a few inches reward and make for better balance for the Valk.
 I've not had any issue with the lift cylinder yet and it has been four years. I will follow your advice and flush some new oil through it now. (I guess I did a poor job of reading Sears manual)


   

[hubcapsc]

I've left my bike on my Craftsman lift for more than a week, mine will certainly
bleed down if not jacked all the way up to one of the lock-stops.

I don't care to work on my bike jacked up that high, so I just throw a length
of 2X4 in the jack scissors to "lock" it... I used to worry about coming home
to some kind of catastrophic jack failure, since the 2X4 is putting the weight
of the Valkyrie on the scissor arms in a way that they weren't engineered
for, but I've been doing it for years, the jack seems fine with it...

-Mike

[Bone]

Mike that is when mine started leaking down. I would work at a lower level than the stops.
I have a auto scissors jack I stick under the bike/lift adapter and screw that up once I set the work height I want. Doesn't leak down with the scissors.

[Pluggy]

My Craftsman leaks down in 15 minutes.  Maybe that's why it was cheap used in Craig's list.  I filled up the oil, and not much better.  Short of a total rebuild, is there a likely fix?

[hubcapsc]

My Craftsman leaks down in 15 minutes.  Maybe that's why it was cheap used in Craig's list.  I filled up the oil, and not much better.  Short of a total rebuild, is there a likely fix?

A guy at Church told me that taking the jack apart and replacing the O-rings with good ones
was usually what fixed them. He was working up a hydraulic jack repair business on the side,
but "there's no money in it"...

-Mike

[Bone]

The little research I did all I found was possible crud under the seal or just replace the cylinder. I have no idea what a cylinder cost I didn't look. Was in Advanced Auto and saw a bottle of Hydraulic oil. Bought that and removed the cylinder from the jack. Don't laugh but I shook the cylinder and then drained the oil. Filled it after it quit dripping and it works like i want it to work, no leaks

Update ! This episode was different with the cylinder. It didn't leak down. After I lowered bike there was a small circle of oil under the jack. The oil appeared to come from the pedal activated "Plunger / Piston" that pushes the oil into the cylinder. That is why I removed the cylinder looking for anything I didn't see with it mounted. That is the reason for the possible crud causing the leak.

[garyheskett All 49 x 3 st.louis]

I don't live in Michigan, but it does get pretty cold here in St. Louis in Dec, Jan and Feb.  I probably ride the Valk 4-5 times a week in "regular" weather and when it gets cold, I can't seem to stay off it for more than two weeks.  People do look at me funny or buddies say, "there goes that crazy guy" and when I get home, I say "wow, I shouldn't have done that", but about two weeks later I do it again.  Who says you get wiser the older you get?  I use the excuse the Wing has the battery tender on it and I need to "charge that battery" or "run a little gas through the carbs". By the way, my jack leaks down in about 10 minutes in I don't lock it in. 

[Sodbuster]

OK, I know it's not a bike lift but I've been using a wheel chock for winter storage. It's mounted to a 2' x 2' piece of 1/2" plywood with non-slip shelving material glued to the bottom. Sits upright and uses up less space in the garage.

[scoot]

I use a bubble to keep my bike clean and condensation free during the winter here in Grand Rapids. The bubble is a Harley Davidson bubble. It is for their largest bike, and the standard barely fit with the national bags. So, when I put the OE bags on her this year I knew I was going to have to do something different. I had a couple trailer leveling jacks, so I put one under each engine guard. It is good and sturdy, and sitting upright like a proper lady should. Still is a tight fit for the bubble, though.

[Pluggy]

OK, I know it's not a bike lift but I've been using a wheel chock for winter storage. It's mounted to a 2' x 2' piece of 1/2" plywood with non-slip shelving material glued to the bottom. Sits upright and uses up less space in the garage.

can you tell us where you got that chock?

Thanks / Pluggy.

[Sodbuster]

Check out harbor freight

[Fritz The Cat]

I use a bubble to keep my bike clean and condensation free during the winter here in Grand Rapids. The bubble is a Harley Davidson bubble. It is for their largest bike, and the standard barely fit with the national bags. So, when I put the OE bags on her this year I knew I was going to have to do something different. I had a couple trailer leveling jacks, so I put one under each engine guard. It is good and sturdy, and sitting upright like a proper lady should. Still is a tight fit for the bubble, though.

Wow, haven't seen a Pacer in ages. Does it run?

[scoot]

I use a bubble to keep my bike clean and condensation free during the winter here in Grand Rapids. The bubble is a Harley Davidson bubble. It is for their largest bike, and the standard barely fit with the national bags. So, when I put the OE bags on her this year I knew I was going to have to do something different. I had a couple trailer leveling jacks, so I put one under each engine guard. It is good and sturdy, and sitting upright like a proper lady should. Still is a tight fit for the bubble, though.

It does.

Wow, haven't seen a Pacer in ages. Does it run?

[NITRO]

I use a simple Craftman's bike lift for tire cleaning and repairs and wondered how much of an issue if any Is there with storing the Valk on a simple craftman's bike lift for the winter? (5 months) Possible stress on the case? Front forks? rear shocks? It's a long cold winter in my unheated garage in Michigan and it makes for more room on the lift against the wall in my already crowded garage. 

You already got some good replies, but I figured I'd mention that I keep my Interstate on a craftsman jack with an adapter all winter as well. I raise it as high as possible, then lock the jack. I also put jack stands in place and blocks under the rear tire just in case.

I'm able to put the cycle close to the wall like you mentioned, and have had zero problems with this setup.

[art]

I use a simple Craftman's bike lift for tire cleaning and repairs and wondered how much of an issue if any Is there with storing the Valk on a simple craftman's bike lift for the winter? (5 months) Possible stress on the case? Front forks? rear shocks? It's a long cold winter in my unheated garage in Michigan and it makes for more room on the lift against the wall in my already crowded garage. 

You already got some good replies, but I figured I'd mention that I keep my Interstate on a craftsman jack with an adapter all winter as well. I raise it as high as possible, then lock the jack. I also put jack stands in place and blocks under the rear tire just in case.

I'm able to put the cycle close to the wall like you mentioned, and have had zero problems with this setup.

I do the same but I don't store it in the winter I ride as much as possible.I use the jack so I can easly move the valk sideways for more room plus it's easier to clean the wheels an bottom

[hubcapsc]

I park my bike in one of these chocks in preparation of jacking up the rear. It makes
it real easy to get the jack started, without having that wobbly little bit of getting
the bike from leaning-on-the-stand to supported-by-the-jack, and especially, back
again at the end...

I thought the chock pinched (deformed) my front tire too much, so I spread it out, I guess
it would be possible to spread it out so much that it no longer held the bike safely...



If Sodbuster keeps his Valkyrie in the chock all winter, he must know that none of the deformation is
permanent...

-Mike

[Sodbuster]

I thought the chock pinched (deformed) my front tire too much, so I spread it out, I guess
it would be possible to spread it out so much that it no longer held the bike safely...

If Sodbuster keeps his Valkyrie in the chock all winter, he must know that none of the deformation is
permanent...

-Mike

I do keep the bike in the chock all winter. It will show a witness mark (on tire) when you first remove the bike but will disappear after you ride it and tire warms up .... nothing permanent.

[Davet261]

I just made the wooden adapter for my jack on Saturday and it works like a charm.  I bought a Harbor Freight motorcycle jack this fall for 59.00 and it has a lock to keep the jack rom bleeding off and going down. 
For $59.00 I dont think you can beat them.

I also saw the Pacer and was going to comment on it too.  Dont see many of those anymore (window car)

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I found out the hard way that my jack leaked down after a short time. I was very lucky that I had a 4 wheeler on it it and not my valk. I now always use the locking bars on the jack after jacking it up. I don't see any problem with jacking it up for the winter if you use the locking bars.