tire changing problem

[dp.guzzi]

First, thanks for all the advice on tires.

 

My friend got a motorcycle lift today. We tested it by putting my 2002 LeMans on it. The lift works fine, but I realize that I can't figure how to jack it up to change tires. There is not enough clearance between the bottom of the oil pan and the lift bed for the scissor jack.

 

The bike has no center stand.

 

I am at a loss. Any advice would be welcomed.

[Guest ratchethack]

DPG, there are many ways to skin this cat, but one of the most versatile is a specialty stand such as the one supplied by Guzzi. It lifts the bike by the nuts at the bottom of the pork chops. The front end is supported by hand-lifting the front end and sliding a pedestal that comes with the stand under the FRONT of the sump, carrying only a small fraction of the bike's weight, with most of the weight on the pork chop nuts. With this stand there's no need for a lift to do tire changes.

 

PLEASE DO NOT attempt to put a bottle jack of any kind, or scissor jack, for that matter, under the sump and attempt to lift the whole bike! The sump is made of cast aluminum. If you attempted to lift the entire 550 lb. Guzzi on a relatively tiny contact point in the center of the sump, you'd not only have a self-inflicted tip-over accident on your hands , but you'd undoubtedly punch a hole straight through the sump -- or at least crack it open! This seems to happen surprisingly often with newbies. . . and yes, a sump is VERY expensive to replace. Seems the first clue that sumpin' ain't right is that suddenly (I reckon this is just before it tips over ), there's a gallon of fresh oil on the floor that wasn't there before jacking it up. . .

 

Guys have made up specialty cradles of all kinds to spread the load across the length and breadth of the sump using various kinds of lifts. These seem to work very well. For crabbing the frame to take out the transmission, I made up a cradle that supports the entire weight of the bike on the horizontal "shelf" on either side of the sump, where the load is distributed across the sides of the engine block, with no stress on the sump.

 

For tire changes, I use the Guzzi stand, which I modified so I can move the bike around with the wheels off. Works like a champ.

 

Hope this helps.

[Ryland3210]

I lift the whole bike with a chain hoist connected to a rafter. I use a sling connected to the frame (with seat off) and handlebars.

An alternative is a standard hydraulic motor hoist. Harbor Freight and others sell these for $50-$100. I like lifting from above as high as I like with everything underneath easy to reach. I also use it simply to hold the bike vertical. I can work on it with no fear of it falling over. A worthwhile investment with many uses.

[dp.guzzi]

DPG, there are many ways to skin this cat, but one of the most versatile is a specialty stand such as the one supplied by Guzzi. It lifts the bike by the nuts at the bottom of the pork chops. The front end is supported by hand-lifting the front end and sliding a pedestal that comes with the stand under the FRONT of the sump, carrying only a small fraction of the bike's weight, with most of the weight on the pork chop nuts. With this stand there's no need for a lift to do tire changes.

 

PLEASE DO NOT attempt to put a bottle jack of any kind, or scissor jack, for that matter, under the sump and attempt to lift the whole bike! The sump is made of cast aluminum. If you attempted to lift the entire 550 lb. Guzzi on a relatively tiny contact point in the center of the sump, you'd not only have a self-inflicted tip-over accident on your hands , but you'd undoubtedly punch a hole straight through the sump -- or at least crack it open! This seems to happen surprisingly often with newbies. . . and yes, a sump is VERY expensive to replace. Seems the first clue that sumpin' ain't right is that suddenly (I reckon this is just before it tips over ), there's a gallon of fresh oil on the floor that wasn't there before jacking it up. . .

 

Guys have made up specialty cradles of all kinds to spread the load across the length and breadth of the sump using various kinds of lifts. These seem to work very well. For crabbing the frame to take out the transmission, I made up a cradle that supports the entire weight of the bike on the horizontal "shelf" on either side of the sump, where the load is distributed across the sides of the engine block, with no stress on the sump.

 

For tire changes, I use the Guzzi stand, which I modified so I can move the bike around with the wheels off. Works like a champ.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the info and the picture of the stand. A few questions:

- As a vegetarian, I don't know what you refer to as "pork chops"

- I don't really understand how the stand fits and works.

- is the modification the single black wheel?

- where can I get one, and how much?

* just kidding about the vegetarian part

[rocker59]

Pit Bull

 

 

or Oak Tree

 

 

Depending on the circumstances...

 

 

[dp.guzzi]

Pit Bull

or Oak Tree

Depending on the circumstances...

 

 

Now I get it. Thanks!

[Guest Phil_P]

And on that bike, the 'Pork Chops' are the red alli side plates (from the shape).

[pasotibbs]

With the bike on the sidestand I put an axel stand under the R/H side (just inside of the porkchop) and then use a scissor jack located on the L/H side to slowly raise the bike until the wheel is clear of the ground. I was worried this wouldn't be stable enough but the jack (an old 80's Toyota one I think) has a large base and isn't going to creep back down like a hydraulic jack could.