SuzukiSavage.com - Properly supporting bike when removing front wheel

trini tuner

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 44
Miami, FL
Gender: male

Properly supporting bike when removing front wheel
04/07/13 at 21:31:31

So im planning on changing out my leaking fork seals soon on my bike and have been looking here in forums and have found it to be a great help. However one thing i think we often take for granted is the ways we support the bike without either front wheel or rear. When changing out my rear tire I dropped the bike a couple times before i learned a technique for standing the bike up properly (placed jack stands on either side of the bike on the pillion pegs [easier said than done]).

Lets share ideas. What are some of the ways you guys support the bike especially when removing the front tire/rebuilding front end?

Back to top

IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #1 - 04/07/13 at 21:34:10 Do the same thing, only use the front pegs. Not hard to do, place jack under right peg, place jack in front of left peg. grab the bars and wrestle it vertical, kick the jack under the left peg.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

Serowbot

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28637
Tucson Az
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #2 - 04/07/13 at 23:23:25

DIY lift... (40 seconds to lift and secure,... (and, total lack of planning... I bumped the camera walking across the shop to get the tiedown that I forgot...otherwise, it woulda' took less than 30 seconds)... once the strap is attached,.. you can't push it over, ...even on purpose, and both wheels are up...
Best thing since toast...

HINT.. once you find the perfect balance point for your particular bike... put a tiny dot of paint on the bottom of the bike frame at the exact point you want to engage the lift... and the bike will lift up, perfectly balanced, first try, every time...

You wouldn't believe the hours this lift has saved me... Wink

...

David Copperfield couldn't levitate better... Grin

...

Back to top

Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

...

IP Logged

engineer

Serious Thumper

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 872

Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #3 - 04/08/13 at 05:19:53

Serowbot you really have that down pat, easy as using a center stand. Can you tell us how high your stand is. The one I made is 7 1/4 inches high and is just a couple 2x8's glued and bolted together, the handle sticks out at 90 degrees and acts like a prop once the bike is up. But it doesn't work as slick as Serowbot's.

There have been threads on the topic with lots of good suggestions.

Back to top

2005 S40, Intruder shocks, Dyna, 52.5/150, 3 washers, 2 turns, modified seat, Raptor

IP Logged

WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #4 - 04/08/13 at 06:35:46 Engine hoist and a ratchet strap.
Back to top	On 2 wheels since 7/87 Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom IP Logged

justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #5 - 04/08/13 at 06:52:37 Rafter & come along. But, Rowboats answer would be much better. It wouldnt swing around while you were rasslin wiffitt..
Back to top	The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke. IP Logged

srinath Serious Thumper Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 5349	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #6 - 04/08/13 at 06:57:11 I strap it and hang it from a free standing 4" aluminum "Door frame" Cool. Srinath.
Back to top	IP Logged

Gyrobob

Serious Thumper

Offline

Posers ain't
motorcyclists

Posts: 2571
Newnan, GA
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #7 - 04/08/13 at 07:22:48

I use a motorcycle jack. It works for a standard Savage, and with the cheapo wooden adapter, it works well for a RYCA bike.

See reply #7 here for a Savage:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1304722902/7#7

And see reply #323 and #325 here for a RYCA:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1304722902/323#323

Back to top

If you think there's good in everyone, you haven't met everyone.

IP Logged

Serowbot

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28637
Tucson Az
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #8 - 04/08/13 at 10:34:15

engineer wrote on 04/08/13 at 05:19:53:

Serowbot you really have that down pat, easy as using a center stand. Can you tell us how high your stand is. The one I made is 7 1/4 inches high and is just a couple 2x8's glued and bolted together, the handle sticks out at 90 degrees and acts like a prop once the bike is up.

Mine's bigger... Grin

...

Mine is about 8 3/4" tall,.. 31"wide...
I had to make mine taller because of the 12.25" shocks I have on the rear... (getting a regular Savage up on it, takes a little extra muscle, but it does go)...(once, with a particularly low bike, I had to run the bike's rear tire onto a 2-by before engaging the lift,... as I was starting to bend the bar trying the raise the bike)...
I'd recommend 7 1/2" or 8" for a stock height Savage...
31" wide seemed the minimum width that I could go, to still have a good tie-down support...
PS... the lift handle just pulls out of the hole, once the bike is raised, so that it don't get in the way...
Wink

...

... I also rigged a little support foot for it, but it turns out that it's not at all necessary...

Back to top

Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

...

IP Logged

87 savage Full Member Offline Gone riding! Posts: 249 Maine Gender:	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #9 - 04/08/13 at 16:05:17 justin_o_guy2 wrote on 04/08/13 at 06:52:37: Rafter & come along. But, Rowboats answer would be much better. It wouldnt swing around while you were rasslin wiffitt.. I did the same as you JOG then lowered it back down a little onto a stack of 2x6 scraps. Fairly solid!
Back to top	His: 1987 LS650F stock except for 98 engine, Dyna muffler. Hers: 2008 S40 with factory bags, windshield and sissybar. IP Logged

strang Senior Member Offline Posts: 387 london Gender:	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #10 - 04/09/13 at 04:38:23 I'm gonna build me one of those. Cool design Serow. What's the basic timber size it's built from? 2" + 4"? Looks a bit thinner in the photo but that may be just because they always stitch you ie. 2 + 4 is actually usually only 1.75 + 3.75. Can't trust anyone these days
Back to top	scrambler build: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1420917964/15 IP Logged

trini tuner

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 44
Miami, FL
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #11 - 04/12/13 at 15:30:17

I like that home made lift made of 2x4 it looks like it supports the bike well and makes life a lot easier, however due to the lack of space in my garage I don't think ill be making one this time. I was looking at the front pegs some more and found a perfect place to fit the jack stands so I will try that out like another member on here suggested.

Back to top

IP Logged

trini tuner

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 44
Miami, FL
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #12 - 04/12/13 at 15:48:10

Ok ill post this here, So from what im reading to change the fork oil seals I need to first support bike then remove front fender and wheel, unscrew top fork caps,.. now heres the part where im reading two different things do I unscrew the bottom bolt or do I have to use a "broom handle" or "special tool" to lock on to in there to get the bottom allen bolt loose?

I know from here I have to drain oil remove dust cap and metal retainer then slide forks apart and lastly assemble it all back up drive oil seal in with pvc add oil and reinstall.

My question is is this "broom stick or special tool" really required to remove the bottom allen bolt?

Back to top

IP Logged

maxtowers

Full Member

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 101
Versilia, Italy
Gender: male

Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w
Reply #13 - 04/12/13 at 16:18:51

I went the Serowbot way, and built myself a stand in that fashion... mine it's not nice like the Serowbot's one, as a matter of fact it's pretty ugly that i thought to upload a photo of it but it is just embarrassing... But it works just fine so, when the bike will be off i probably spend some time and build a more nice one.

Back to top

1994 Suzuki Savage, mini ape, raptor petcock, lowered forks

IP Logged

houstonbofh Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 420 Houston, TX Gender:	Re: Properly supporting bike when removing front w Reply #14 - 04/12/13 at 16:42:39 Mine is a stack of 5 2x4s screwed togeather with deckmate screws. And a hole drilled in the middle that my gorilla bar fits in to life it. Small for storage!
Back to top	IP Logged