Bike lift

As promised in another thread...a few pics of the lift I am building.

5 inch when folded...21 inch when up


More pics when finished

off to work now so rushing

Oh yes, going to put 4 of them one on each corner...just stuck the ram on this morning. need to re do the 'strap' that connects the ram to the scissor too

A dab of paint and yer all set to go.!

I think I am going to re build that bit that pulls the the lift up form the end of the ram, box section over the top of the ram and adjustment at the end to allow for taking up slack in the joint etc.

Also have been looking on ebay for some bearing to replace the steel rollers that are there at present, they do not roll to well and it is a bit jerky as it lowers.

All the welds still need finishing off....only tacked together so far, and maybe a set of wheels one side for moving it around....or even 4 to allow use as trolley as well.

Still a load o sharp edges to remove...but as for painting it...well that maybe a step too far


or maybe you really did mean a dab of paint....just dab it on over the welds ...

Have been playing with iMovie video editing this evening.
It should have uploaded direct to YouTube....so lets see if this works...the system tells me I may have to wait a while till it is viewable.
I am not waiting to find out...off to bed now

[YOUTUBE]Y8iU2O9ODEk[/YOUTUBE]

YouTube - Harley Jack

Ah...I pasted the complete link between the you tube quotes on the advanced tab, not just the You tube video number.

As for the rubber...maybe...but in a different way to how you imagine. The rails you see on the pics will not be contacting the frame at all. I have another bracket to fit between those rails. I do not know about all Harley frames, but mine has two 'U- Channel' pieces across the frame.
I have a bracket made with two 1 inch pieces of box section that locate in these channels, and a third rail the front of the frame (near the front engine mount) rests on.
This bracket will fit between the two rails I am seen trying to stand on in the video.


The bike will be on the jack, pointing in the direction I am standing

Spent all day today modifying the connection between the ram and the lift mech as the strap I used was just not right so I have made a much stronger yoke

Also modified the ram. The ram I used the other day was one of a pair of double acting rams. Cutting the second one down at the other end and welding back up has given me an extra 2 inches of ram travel, for the same external size ram body.
Tomorrow I will weld a new hydraulic fitting on the new ram and see if it still works, improve the rollers, and hopefully fit the carriage that the bike locks on to...oh yes, and fit a 'UP' lock of some sort





Original large seal on threaded end (LHS of pic) required when used as double acting ram



Shortened. As single acting, only need this end to keep the ram square in the bore



Remove the threaded end from the cylinder




Ready to weld into shortened cylinder




Shorten the full length cylinder to required length and square up.



Weld up the end...but not with the ram inserted...do not want to burn the seal on the ram

Modified ram in place with new yoke

Got the bike lifted today.

the lift still needs that dab of paint though

[YOUTUBE]U82U3DsG4dk[/YOUTUBE]

After the mods - what was the height from the floor to the top of the lift when the lift was all the way down?
Looks good ! - but still think a shot of paint is needed on the whole thing when ya git done. Unless ya like the "Ugly Duckling" the way it is.:roflmao:

Cant remember, but I did tack the bars that hold the bike, then move them up a bit to reduce the clearance...so more of the ram movement is used in lifting the bike.
But it must have been about 5 1/2 to 6 inches when the jack is down.

I was gong to measure the max height when the jack was fully up and locked down on the safety supports...but rushed home..
I am on the first flight out tomorrow morning to go up to one of our neighbouring islands (Alderney) doing 5 days up there on the Trislander.

The jack will probably get a coat of something when i get back

Know its nice to build things.

But if I was interested in a lift I would have to go out and buy this lift.
Its the best and most stable and versitle lift I've ever seen.

YouTube - Pitbull Motorcycle Lifts, Built by bikers for bikers with you and your bike's safety in mind..flv

Eazy Rizer Big Blue Motorcycle Lift

I would have to go for this one ...in fact I almost made the design like this, but could not find any threaded br in the workshop of a suitable pitch to make the winder with

yes, I found a catalogue, that listed a lot of bar, but going to a store and seeing it, is far easier. If you know waht the load specs you want are, then you can read the specs from a book and buy the correct thing...if you are doing it all by eye, it is much beter to see the stuff...OK, so i would probably have gone a bit 'overkill' on the size I used...but much rather that way than the other.

This current jack, in theory 'could' lift 4-5 tonne...that is the max the hydraulics could carry...The jack pump I used was from a 10 tonne kit...but the ram I used has a greater surface area...so up goes the max lift...to about 12.5 tonne. but then the leverage of the scissor action brings it back down again.....not that the steel frame I used would take that weight...well I wont be trying it anyway. I think most of the box section is about 3mm wall. Reckon I would need 6mm or more to give it a true 4 tonne capacity

OK, I got it stripped down, sanded, sprayed with primer and top coat the other night. It is now hanging in the workshop drying and waiting for me to return from a 4 day trip away with work. Colour...well a mixed green...it is all i had...Kneverland agricultural green mixed with white to bulk up the amount of paint to enoguh to finish the job.

Height...5 1/4 inch when all the way down, with a max height of 26inches...when on the safety stop it is about 22 inches,..about 17 inch of travel.

Will re assemlbe and post up the completed item when I get home