Getting the front end off the floor

M

msimm43

Been Around the Block
well... the rear end too.

I was trying to put my '76 cb750 on my lift tonight so I could drop the fork tubes out to put on new headlight mounts, and change the fork oil.

When I went to put the bike on my lift (I have a Craftsman Professional 1500 lb. Motorcycle/ATV Jack)

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the kick stand mount blocked me from positioning the jack in a way that would allow the frame to sit on the mounts. So if I lift the bike, one pad would be on the frame and the other would be on the engine. In other words, the bottom of the engine would be supporting the weight of the bike. This seems like a bad idea. Is it?

If so, does anybody have any advice on how to get the front end up off the ground?
 
when i changed my tires on my old bike i pushed it up on my deck and then put it on the center stand with teh front tire sticking off so i could just drop it down and pull it off. But it seems a shame to do soemthing like that with such a nice stand. im sure someone would post on here.
 
I have a similar stand for my motorcycles. If the oil pan is cast aluminum and not tin, it will support the weight. Make sure the stand is not pushing up against drain plugs or filter housings and is sitting nice and flat for equal weight distribution. You may have to use wooden shims of appropriate thicknesses to accomplish this. When that is done, make sure you strap the bike down to the stand so that when you are working on it or removing major parts( front end) the bike does not shift on the stand and fall off.
 
Just an update, I was looking on another forum, and found an obvious solution that I did not think of.

Put the bike on the center stand, and use a jack under the front of the frame to tilt the bike back to get the front wheel off the ground.

It does not get the whole bike into the air, but it will get the front half off.

Thanks again for the help.
 
Well that seals it. Now there is no avoiding the fact that I am going to have to move the bike once the front end is off. ;D
 
A couple chunks of 2x4 will work with a stand. With my Mastercraft bike/ATV jack, I put a couple tie downs across the frame, and attach it to the bottom of the lift. As I lift the bike, they get tight and keep it steady. I've done a couple balancing acts this way and I;ve never had a problem.
 
I just tried it out, and the 2x4s are our winner! She is up in the air and enjoying the breeze.
 
Another idea, although you don't need it now perhaps, is to suspend the front end from the ceiling with some pull-down straps. This also eliminates the possibility of the bike tipping over or falling off the jacked up 2x4's and provides total clearance under the bike.

Of course make sure your ceiling can support the weight.
 
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