Jacking up the front

MikeM · Oct 12, 2014

I need to remove the front wheel to change the tire. I basically have no special tools other than a car jack. What is the best way to support the bike so that I can get the front wheel off? I dont want to put pressure on the pipes. I did the rear and used the jack with some wood to the frame. Supported the bike with jackstands under the pegs. That worked out pretty well. The front? Do I need to remove the front fender?
71 Commando.
Thanks in advance.

acotrel · Oct 12, 2014

I have that same problem. I have a stand which fits under both footrests and holds the rear tyre clear of the deck by about 2 inches, however I have no front stand. I usually use a car jack with T shaped bar fitted with short piece od tube welded to the other end. The tube fits over the end of the jack, and the top of the T sits under the steering head. Then you just pump the jack up a bit and all is lovely.

kerinorton · Oct 12, 2014

I have access to pallets so before I got my bike jack, I used top back the bike up onto the pallet and man-haul the thing onto the centre stand with the front wheel off the pallet. Usually, once you have loosened the front wheel , I think the back end gets heavier and the forks lift up enough to get the wheel off. If you have a disc, Get a screw driver or something and force it between the disc pads so they don't fall out, and that also makes it easier to refit the wheel. [ note- screw driver doesn't need to be much bigger then the thickness of the disc.] Its a bit of a fiddle but you can do it. Once the brakes are free, the wheel can be dragged sideways to clear the forks. Don't need to remove the guard. Its a one man operation, I didn't need any help to do this.[ but getting the bike onto its stand on the pallet was heavy going and you might want help there if you are small like me.

If you haven't got a centre stand. That not going to work.

dereck

L.A.B. · Oct 12, 2014

MikeM said:
I basically have no special tools other than a car jack. What is the best way to support the bike so that I can get the front wheel off?

I jack it at the front Iso. tube.

MikeM said:
The front? Do I need to remove the front fender?

If you can't raise the front high enough, then a piece wood approximately 1/2" - 3/4" thick underneath the main stand should allow enough rearward tilt to get the wheel out.

Hobot · Oct 12, 2014

Shade tree mechanics use a limb or tap into a few rafters for sky hooks. If handy with tie ups and center of gravity can lift whole cycle held at any angle or can lower frame down on stand to hold stable enough to torque on forks caps and bop em out and back in.

kerinorton · Oct 12, 2014

I was gong to suggest using a tree but knew someone would come to the fore.
Dereck

toppy · Oct 12, 2014

As L.A.B. says a place a piece of wood under main stand to give more height then i put jack on the cross bracing tube where side stand spring locates. Removing front mudguard may also help an save having to lift machine to far. Make sure all fasteners an front wheel spindle have been loosened before lifting and of course BE CAREFUL we would all hate to hear that you or your bike had an accident.

Hobot · Oct 12, 2014

Trees drop leaves sap and condensation and nuts and pollen plus bird and bug droppings with some bugs that spit on ya parts or maybe its piss, so use common hillbilly sense. Big Dog collars make good robust straps on bike to attach lift to as long as not the gold leather spiked kind that hold Peel's St. Bernard liquor canister on.

CanukNortonNut · Oct 12, 2014

MikeM,
Do you have a center stand? Edit: Looking at your Avitar you do... if that really is your bike. So use a cargo ratchet strap and place it between the rear hoop and the rear axle and compress the rear enough to get the front wheel airborne when you get the weight off the front-end. Use blocks to fit under front of frame or front Iso and you are good to go.
Cheers,
Tom
CNN

DogT · Oct 12, 2014

If you've got a center stand, use that and put some weight on the rear loop, like your girlfriend. Once the front wheel is off it stays there. Block of wood under the CS helps too.

Hobot · Oct 12, 2014

Can let air out rear to get a bit more lift and put a block under the center stand for even more.

swooshdave · Oct 12, 2014

DogT said:
If you've got a center stand, use that and put some weight on the rear loop, like your girlfriend. Once the front wheel is off it stays there. Block of wood under the CS helps too.

If your girlfriend don't weigh enough use the wife.

concours · Oct 12, 2014

L.A.B. said:
MikeM said:

I basically have no special tools other than a car jack. What is the best way to support the bike so that I can get the front wheel off?

Click to expand...

I jack it at the front Iso. tube.

MikeM said:

The front? Do I need to remove the front fender?

Click to expand...

If you can't raise the front high enough, then a piece wood approximately 1/2" - 3/4" thick underneath the main stand should allow enough rearward tilt to get the wheel out.

+1... a bottle jack (1 ton hydraulic) under the iso tube, with a swatch of leather from an old work glove to not mar the finish.

DogT · Oct 12, 2014

swooshdave said:
DogT said:

If you've got a center stand, use that and put some weight on the rear loop, like your girlfriend. Once the front wheel is off it stays there. Block of wood under the CS helps too.

Click to expand...

If your girlfriend don't weigh enough use the wife.

I thought that was the same thing?

kommando · Oct 13, 2014

Once the front wheel is off it stays there.

Depends on the model, an interstate has a lot more weight forward than a Roadster and will go forward from a light touch so hold it down at the rear.

Towner · Oct 13, 2014

Hi,

I bought a scissor jack like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1100-LBS-Motorc ... 1344959443

The adapters can be adjusted to a perfect fit for the bottom frame loops. It has a good stand even on a lifting ramp and it is not very expensive.
For me it is the best jack for working at engine, gearbox or isolastics.
But if you only want to remove the front wheel a wooden block is good enough.

Ralf

willy mac · Oct 13, 2014

Towner said:
Hi,

I bought a scissor jack like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1100-LBS-Motorc ... 1344959443

The adapters can be adjusted to a perfect fit for the bottom frame loops. It has a good stand even on a lifting ramp and it is not very expensive.
For me it is the best jack for working at engine, gearbox or isolastics.
But if you only want to remove the front wheel a wooden block is good enough.

Ralf

I'll go with Ralph on that one I use this jack with my XJR too.

Jacking up the front

MikeM

acotrel

kerinorton

L.A.B.

Moderator

Hobot

kerinorton

toppy

Hobot

CanukNortonNut

DogT

Hobot

swooshdave

concours

DogT

kommando

Towner

willy mac

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