Replacing tires - bike support?

[Guest]

I am going to be mounting and balancing my new tires this week. I'll be taking both the front and rear wheel off and taking them with me to my friends place in Chicago to mount and balance. What's the best way to support the rest of the bike while the wheels are off? I've never had both off at once before. Thanks!

[tkent02]

Hang it from something solid? Can't fall that way.

[JTGS850GL]

You can use a milk crate with tie down straps to hold it in place. I have a motorcycle lift I purchased from Harbor Freight that works well at lifting the whole bike off the ground. It has provision for securing the bike using the ratcheting tie down straps.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atvmotorcycle-lift-61632.html

Just make sure you secure it to whatever you put it on.

[tom203]

Hang it from something solid? Can't fall that way.

I must have heat stroke- I agree. 1/2 ton puller winch with eyebolt in ceiling joist- no chance that you'll knock it off any mickey mouse supports.

[BigD_83]

Like JTGS850GL, I use a lift, but I also add some extra security by throwing a couple of ratcheting straps over the joist in my garage if it is going to sit for any length of time.

[growler]

I have that same Harbor Freight motorcycle jack, and plenty of ratchet straps. Do you have to take the exhaust off or just add some pieces of wood on top of the jack platform so that it presses against the oil pan vs the header pipes?

[growler]

anyone have a photo of their bike supported like the suggestions above? i just want to make sure i do it correctly.

[Charlie G]

[/URL]

Don't do this above!

I use the center stand and I've made a support for the front end

[/URL]

[BigD_83]

I'm afraid I don't have a picture of it in action.

I've built up a little wooden form that fits around the pipes and oil pan so most of the pressure ends up on the frame, and I have (had) some rubber pads to help keep things from slipping around. The lift is a little too narrow to go comfortably across both frame tubes, so I used a piece of 3/4 ply as the bottom of the wooden form, to extend the base of support.

[Steve]

I just use a scissors jack (from a previous car) under the front of the engine while the bike is on the center stand.

If you are removing both wheels at the same time, remove the rear wheel first. If the rear wheel is still installed, you might not be able to lift the front enough to remove the front wheel past the front edge of the fender. However, if you put a 2x4 under the centerstand, it is easier to get BOTH wheels off, but still do the rear wheel first.

.

[salty_monk]

Per Steve above... no centrestand? put two more jacks under the footpegs (or go one at a time with the jack & use stands)

[Ray916MN]

Assuming your bike has a center stand roll the bike onto 2 boards of equal thickness. One under the front wheel, one under the center stand and rear wheel. Put the bike on its center stand. Remove the rear wheel. Apply some pressure to the rear of the bike so the front wheel comes up off the ground. Use a tie down under the rear of the board to hold the rear down to the board or put a block of wood under the exhaust pipes to hold the front wheel up in the air or just use a jack with a block of wood under the exhaust pipes to get the front wheel up in the air. Slide the block of wood that the front wheel was on out from under the wheel and remove the front wheel. A ladder or an overhead rafter and some tie down straps can alternatively be used to hold the front end up if it is not possible to solidly wedge stuff under the exhausts.

If you don't have a center stand you can use fork lift and a swingarm lift stands. (although a lower triple lift is shown, you only need a stand which lifts at the bottom of the forks)



A jack as posted by another member previously can be used or you can use an engine hoist with some tie downs.

[growler]

Oooh! I love that idea Charlie. Nice work.

I use the center stand and I've made a support for the front end

[/URL]

[growler]

I think I may be able to do this, Steve. I removed the rear wheel last night. It's on the center stand, so I'll try to get my smaller jack under the front of the engine for support when I take the front one off. If anything seems unstable, I may just replace one tire at a time to avoid any accidents.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

I just use a scissors jack (from a previous car) under the front of the engine while the bike is on the center stand.

If you are removing both wheels at the same time, remove the rear wheel first. If the rear wheel is still installed, you might not be able to lift the front enough to remove the front wheel past the front edge of the fender. However, if you put a 2x4 under the centerstand, it is easier to get BOTH wheels off, but still do the rear wheel first.

.