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Help Hydraulic bike lifts - what would you use?

Discussion in 'Riding Gear - Accessories - Workshop Tools' started by Linkin, Oct 16, 2015.

  1. KICKERMAN360

    KICKERMAN360 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, I found them on the internet a while back. I have a jack that my friend was gonna take to the tip but I thought it would be a good project. I'd use either bigger section or thicker walled steel though. Jack has a capacity of 1500 kgs so plenty of lifting capacity. Wouldn't be as good as a store bought one though. Possibly cheaper.
     
  2. flea

    flea Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    a mate has similer but instead of jack he has a wire rope and ratchet set up,all steel which he uses in a semi prof bike shop (semi retired)
     
  3. TechHeadFred

    TechHeadFred Well-Known Member

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    My Bike:
    2007 CBF250F, 2004 KLR650, 1992 FZR400, 2 x CB250RS (1980 and 1982),
    I have one similar to the one above that I bought from Supercheap as a bike/ATV lift.
    It's lifted the FZR400 RR with no trouble apart from finding a way to balance it, as there aren't really any flat spots of matching height under it...

    I'm looking into getting bobbins so I can use a race/paddock stand though as it was too easily unbalanced, but they seem to need mounting points welded onto the swingarm from what I've been able to find out so far.
     
  4. KICKERMAN360

    KICKERMAN360 Well-Known Member

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    Many paddock stands come with flat rubber grips so you can use it on bikes without the bobbins. Or what I did with my MC18 was put a rod through the rear axle and lift it from that.
     
  5. PhilMeUp

    PhilMeUp Active Member

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    Anyone who is doing anything with an off-road type bike should get a scissor lift.

    For washing the bike, it enables you to access everywhere, such as underneath the mudguards, engine, etc. It also allows you to easily rotate the wheels.

    Once the bike is washed, I start the engine and run it in top gear for a while. Warming up the engine dries out water in the engine area, and flicks water off the chain until it’s dry.

    A pressure washer is also useful. In that photo is a 2500psi Ryobi RPW2400. I’ve since sold that and replaced it with the newer (and higher powered) Ryobi RPW3200. However, the 3200psi washer needs to be used carefully around bikes - that one pushes water out so hard that I ruined a car seat belt that I tried to clean.

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    This one has castor wheels on the bottom. This raises the height of the platform, and with my KTM and Aprilia motard bike I have to lift each one up and onto the platform (ie instead of just being able to slide the scissor lift under the bike).

    However, the castors mean that I can move the scissor lift around once there’s a bike on it.

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    I bought this one from a place called Radum - www.radum.com.au They used to have a branch in each capital city, but have downsized over the last year or two. If there’s a Radum in your city then go and have a look. They import tools and other industrial stuff from China, and their pricing is relatively cheap.

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    Other bike hoists:

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  6. KICKERMAN360

    KICKERMAN360 Well-Known Member

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    They don't list their lifts online? I am interested in the narrow one.
     
  7. PhilMeUp

    PhilMeUp Active Member

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    Yeah, it looks like they've really cut back on their range.

    Call 'em up and see what they've got.

    That's all stuff that's made cheaply in China.

    There are also a few places selling the same sort of stuff on eBay.
     
  8. thebeefsalad

    thebeefsalad Well-Known Member

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    I had one like kickermans but had a sheet of plywood on the bottom so I could use it as storage. I upgraded to a direct-lift brand that they don't even show on their website, but I assure you it's nothing special. 1000lb capacity and only slightly better than harbor freight (low end chinese junk retailer here.) Biggest feature I looked for in my lift was a wheel chock that doesn't suck.
     
  9. KICKERMAN360

    KICKERMAN360 Well-Known Member

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    I have read that with the cheap lifts the hydraulic jack tends to slowly release and lower the platform. That's my biggest concern with it. I have a wooden bike table which does the job, but it only has one height and is difficult to get bikes on by myself.
     
  10. thebeefsalad

    thebeefsalad Well-Known Member

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    One of the 'safety' features (probably mandatory here due to dumb americans) is a 'catch' to keep the lift from dropping. I purposefully deploy it and lower the lift so that I know it's not going anywhere.

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    ^^^^ that is pretty much what I'm working with. Same brand, little different model. You can see the tiny little red handle for the catch I'm talking about.

    Also, don't temporarily store your oil pan under the lift. It makes a hell of a mess when you drop ~450lbs of bike and 500lbs of lift on a soft piece of plastic with 6 qts of different hydrocarbons in it.
     
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  11. Bab

    Bab Well-Known Member

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    From what I've read and seen in the above, you guys are in a completely different league than I am. My shop is very modest (read cheap), and I've had to be careful with my resources. I bought this style lift

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    and have used it with great success. Mine could be bought new for approximately $120, but I found mine on a local Kijiji site for $40, and they delivered! The first bike I used it for was a HD Sportster, then it was a full dresser, Ultraglide. The Glide was 760lbs. and was picked up by the platform engaging the lower frame with no issues. It allowed different levels for working on, and made it very easy to move the bike around the shop during the winter.
    It was a different story when I went to lift the Honda because there were no frame of any description under it to engage the frame. As a result I cobbled up a cradle to support the NT on the lift and now I'm able to continue as before. The cradle was welded up using scrap I had around the shop.
    I now have a Suzuki Slingshot that presents the same problem. Once more I drew up and built a cradle to lift it with.

    IMG_20171006_103656.jpg

    Remember "cheap"? I built this out of old bed rails and some closed cell neophrene. It took me a Sunday afternoon, and 3 cans of beer to be able to lift the bike in a secure manner to different levels, and allow me to take either wheels off one or both at a time.

    IMG_20171006_111957.jpg

    I figure this approach does take some time and effort, but when the lift isn't being used for the bikes, I can use the table portion for servicing my snowblower and other equipment. When it is being stored I stack it against the wall and it takes no valuable floor space.
     
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