Maint. Lifts

On my second motorcycle/scooter lift in the past 35 years----having had my SilverWing up on lift this weekend for rear tire change and tracing gear case oil leak---I think leak found/fixed.....fill hole bolt and washer. Tire change the usual mickey mouse---take a lot apart to get wheel out. Designers don't ride/wrench.

My present lift from Harbor Freight works fine but is 27" wide....a little narrow for the old and weak to ride up on and get both feet down when you stop. Had lift in Germany/German made, screw type means of raising and the platform wide, making ride on easier and safer. I liked it better

Point: anybody considering purchase of ride on lift, should consider width.

Lesson learned this weekend of working on bike-----it is easier to change oil and filter with SilverWing on ground on centerstand----bike on lift some more odd bending of body required

john grinsel wrote:

gear case oil leak---I think leak found/fixed....

Was your RTV bead of sealant leaking between the cases? It's a job to disassemble the rear drive area, split the cases, and reapply sealant. I know, as this happened to mine 1 week after I bought it. It took the dealer 10 days to fix, as they didn't stock the necessary puller needed to remove the clutch. Was leaking sealant between the cases your problem?

Not cases----fill plug, re-used washer when I checked level----re-use washer usual not problem with Honda---washer not crush washer.


Cases leak Honda's problem---still more than 6 months warranty. Have to see how my fix works.

john grinsel wrote:

Not cases----fill plug, re-used washer when I checked level----re-use washer usual  not problem with  Honda---washer not crush washer.

Very strange. I've now changed my final drive oil 4 times, reusing the original Honda washer each time. Never had a leak.

For Big Bird----Honda calls Filler Plug washer---crushing washer---just bought one $2.34

Put it in---have to see if seals down the road.

after working on bikes for 45 yrs on the floor. finally bought a Bike lift ; its 24 in wide with 2 12 in side extensions has a air lift cylinder.it lifts 48 inches .but I dont like it. going to resell and work on floor again.

                                                     

Ken VB = Big Poop?

What happened with the Big Poop? Did it get flushed down the toilet?

Very nearly!

Ken what did you not like about working on the lift? That looks like a real nice lift. I've always found it easier on the lift., I have a hard time getting up and down and bending so working waist high works best for me.

maybe if the side extensions were off. kneeling on the expanded metal is hard on these old knees. driving the bike on without the extensions would be too dangorous. and its too high to drive the wifes mini van over it for parking inside this winter. unless I put some 3 by 12 planks down beside the hoist.

Could you use the extensions to load the bike and then take take the extension on the side you work on, or both?

thats probably the way to do it. but then the safety straps would be dam near straight down in frt of the frt forks and the same for rear straps. almost straight down? going to play with that using old no running dirt bike..if it falls. no big deal .

If you put it on the centerstand and clamp the front wheel you don't need to strap it down for most maintenance. In fact you don't really need to clamp the front wheel usually. If you need to remove the front wheel you can use ratchet straps on the rear end to pull the front wheel up giving more room to remove the front wheel.

but if I drive it into the wheel chock. then lift on centre stand. the wheel will pull out of the chock?

Ride to wheel stop/put on center stand/clamp. On my lift after front clamp, I still use tie downs from bars, "quick ties" are what hook the straps to bars.


I have found front wheel removal is easier with large piece of plywood/floor jack with bike on ground. Not strong enough alone to back bike up on lift/clamp rear wheel with front elevated.