Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech lift to lube

got to thinkin about easier ways to lift my bike for chain lubeing or changing oil type work. my shed has a wooden floor so it worked kinda easy for me but it would be just as easy in concrete. i run a couple of eyelets into the floor up front, one for each side, and afixxed a front tire chock to slip the front tire in (harbor frieght $40), then i got a screw type auto jack and after straping the front down was able to just jack the back up enough to raise the back wheel off the floor. it tips the bike farward just a little that it seems like it would drain all the oil, dont need that yet but will try it when the time comes. but how simple, a cheap chock, a couple eyelets and straps, and a sissor jack. i aint got $50 in this thing and its simple. a concrete floor would work just the same, it would just take a concrete bit instead of a wood bit hahahaha

Thanks for the idea newt!!!

Had a hard time visualizing what you're describing Myke... but I can be a little daft at times. Would love to see pictures of your setup! Meanwhile I also went the route of lifting my bike without a lot of complications. For things like routine chain maintenance, or oil changes, I settled on a simple setup that works effectively. Not my idea but one that I borrowed to give my bike a lift. Here's a pic of what I use from time to time...

If you need something just to lube the chain and since you were already at Harbor Freight Tools, this thing works really well and is only $33. Actually, when I bought mine, it was on sale for less than that.

I had something like that, Soren, called a rollastand. The one you have cured one problem with the ramp. It was a massive PITA to get the bike onto the rollers. But it likely still has the same problems I had: the wheel was difficult to turn, and it "walked" side to side, depending on which way I spun the wheel. For all the fiddling around I had to do with it, I'd just as soon whip out the jack.

The only thing I dont like about is that the wheel is kind of tough to turn. I usually wear gloves for traction and it works out ok. I dont have the walking problems. Anything else that requires more than just turning the rear wheel, I'll use the jack.

i have a rollastand also and have used it for yrs now. like you said, with the bike on the sidestand the wheel would wonder, but if i stand the bike straight up it seems to work fine. but i got the front wheel chock and now i dont even use the sidestand in the shed, i just drive in and into the chock, shut her down and walk away. she no longer leans at night. so being i mounted that chock i decided to enstall a couple eyes in the floor so i can stap it down like in a trailer. once that is done i can lift the rear as high as i want sorta, so i just grabbed the jack from my chevy van and up she went. since then i have decided i could probably use my regular floor jack and a 2x4. either way the bike is leaning forward when lifted and there is plenty of room for the drainpan to drain the oil and i could even get the rear wheel off if i wanted. it just turned out to be a real secure way of lifting her up.