Jacking my 439 to lift front wheel off the ground

[Snakeoil]

Is there a preferred or recognized standard method to jack the front of a 439 in order to get the front tire off the ground? I assume you jack off the frame rails and not the oil pan. I just came come to grips with putting all the weight on an aluminum casting, even with a board across it to disperse the weight.

Thanks,
Rob

[D.A.Bagin]

Rob, I haven't had the pleasure of changing the front tire on my 440 yet but the rear was just as much fun. Ended up going to my friends shop with a drop-rear lift and jacking up on the rear frame and dropping the table to change the rear. Fun. I certainly wouldn't jack on the belly pan at all and try to jack on the frame if you can. At least you don't have skirted fenders to deal with.

[exeric]

I think the safest way to do that would be modifying a hydraulic motorcycle lift. I've put my '40 Chief on the center stand and jacked the front of the frame to get the front wheel out. I hate doing that because it's unstable. I also have a manual scissor lift that will get the whole motorcycle up in the air but the older I get the scarier that gets. The more I think about it, the more I've convinced myself to get a hydraulic motorcycle lift.

[Snakeoil]

Thanks guys. I was thinking about building a jack specifically for the Indian. I have a hydraulic bike jack, but it is one of the Lorin jobs, made in China by prisoners. I use it on my modern Harley and although going up is fine and the bike is very stable, coming down normally requires nerves of steel since the release is a pedal and there is zero modulation. I tried to modulate it and it would chatter violently which required a change of skivvies the first few times. I've now learned to hang on to the bike from the left and just bring it down in one smooth, albiet rapid motion.

I was thinking about a 4 leg screw jack. Be a pain to go around to all 4 corners slowly lifting the bike, but would be pretty solid. I have a table lift (also made by prisoners) for which I made a full size front wheel clamp (to replace the set of tweezers the prisoners call a wheel clamp) and the bike cannot fall over. I could back the bike onto the lift and clamp the rear wheel in the clamp and probably be good from a stability POV. Just need to straddle the oil pan to lift the bike.

Another thought I had was a modified racing stand. They are very stable. If the CG is right, I could lift at the front of the bottom frame tubes. That might be the easiest as it can be used on the ground or on the lift.

If anyone else has a known method, I'd appreciate hearing about it. If I come up with my own, I'll work up a sketch when it's done and proven to work and post it here.

regards,
Rob

[exeric]

Rob, if the structure of your jack is good, perhaps a better hydraulic cylinder would be the cure.

[frichie68]

Topping off the fluid in my Made-By-Chinese-Prisoners lift cured the chatters when lowering.
Rich

[pisten-bully]

How about modifying a transmission jack? My m/c floor jack (purchased used) came with something I assume is an adaptor for transmissions, four lift points capped by short angle irons so that the "V" faces up, so I use the four lift points to cradle the frame tubes and the area between the frame rails where your sump resides is actually about 5 inches above the jack itself. I'll look for a better photo if that interests you! Here's a link:http://www.motorcyclejacks.com/adapter.shtml

back.jpg

[Snakeoil]

You know, I use that jack so little that I never considered the fluid being the issue. I have read several articles talking about how poor the Chinese fluid is and you should replace it when you get the jack with a real can of hydraulic fluid. I think I'll try that, if for no other reason than to reduce the stress of using it with the Harley.

As for that adapter, I think my jack may have come with something like that. I know I thought it was junk and tossed it under my bench, I think. Will go look for it now. It would be easy enough to make a custom adapter that bolts to the jack and fits the frame exactly. If I can make it quit chattering or replace the bottle jack with something better, I may try that.

Thanks,
Rob

[jim d]

I built a frame lift similar to the Pit Bull lift with a foot pedal to raise it but added a extension and a nice size knob on the lowering bleeder to lower it. the knob makes it easy to control the rate of drop or stop it. When using on my Chief I purchased some nice flexible blocks from a Harley dealer that snap over the frame rails so that you can get lower to miss the motor. I think that they came in longer length and I cut them to size. They could be cemented to wood blocks for special fitment using a contact type of cement. My lift also has 4 loops welded to it to put tie downs to using this I can lift the bike as high as needed to remove the wheels. I also used this awhile having the motor and trans supported from above with a hoist on a beam to put them in by myself wih no paint damage. The lift also has casters and bolts welded to the frame to turn down when I do not want it to move.
Jim D

[marsh1915hd]

When I need to work on the front wheel I use my overhead block and chain. Will not fall over and no paint damage.