Using a lift on a sofetail
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
I keep hearing great things about the red sears jack. I was planning on getting the yellow jack but hesitated cause its 100 dollars more. I wonder why the reviews of the red jack aren't that great on the sears web site? I think ill get me the red one today!!
Anybody wanna stop me???lol.!!
Anybody wanna stop me???lol.!!
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
ORIGINAL: jbt
I've even cleaned the rear wheel by running the engine in gear on it, with no "Oh, cr*p!" moments!
I've even cleaned the rear wheel by running the engine in gear on it, with no "Oh, cr*p!" moments!
Your either the luckiest guy alive,completely nuts or maybe both to try that trick.
Just the idea of starting it up on the jack spooks me a bit.
Doing it without strappingthe bike down, REALLY tightwould no doubt give me the fatal heart attack I have so far managed to avoid.
I refuse to even think aboutcleaning wheels by using the engine to spin them.
[sm=joke.gif]But seriously that idea of cleaning wheels does not sound very safe. One wrong move and there are way too many pieces of metal moving around there for my likeing.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
I have the red Sears jack and the only negative is that I have to ride the Softail Deluxe up on 2x board in order to get the jack under the bike, but its not that big of a deal. Well worth the money.
[IMG]local://upfiles/21534/AC487927DA1645FBBCF5E1A9687A56F5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/21534/AC487927DA1645FBBCF5E1A9687A56F5.jpg[/IMG]
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 442
Likes: 3
From: Warren, Ohio
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
Sounds like the red jack is good. I was told by the salesman that the red jack, you needed toflip a switch in arather difficult to reach place in order to lower the jack. Is this so? Ibought the yellow jack thinking it would be better. Maybe not so. But I've not had it roll away on me yet! It is aluminum so it won't rust. Not sure whether it's any less rigid than the red steel one. But getting the frame protectors will help keep the bike centered on the jack and stable. The handle is removable. It does come with straps. It is light, strongand very easy to roll around the garage by its handle and to position itunder my bike. The action is smooth, and you can raise and lower it from a standing position beside your bike. It lowers by twisting the handle like a throttle. Thefurther you twist, the faster it moves.
It is possible to go too fast if you aren't careful. I almost had to change my shorts once when I lowered it too fast, not checking to see if the bike's front wheel was to the left (kickstand side). Yeah. Livin' on the edge. Once on the ground it started falling to the right. Since that was the side the handleand Iwere on, I gavemy bike a cross-body block and lifted up and to the other side. This was not easy. Had the bike gained any more momentum,she wouldn't have made it back up. But she did, and we've been getting along fine since.
It is possible to go too fast if you aren't careful. I almost had to change my shorts once when I lowered it too fast, not checking to see if the bike's front wheel was to the left (kickstand side). Yeah. Livin' on the edge. Once on the ground it started falling to the right. Since that was the side the handleand Iwere on, I gavemy bike a cross-body block and lifted up and to the other side. This was not easy. Had the bike gained any more momentum,she wouldn't have made it back up. But she did, and we've been getting along fine since.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 784
Likes: 2
From: Seattle, WA
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
ORIGINAL: mcpastor
Sounds like the red jack is good. I was told by the salesman that the red jack, you needed toflip a switch in arather difficult to reach place in order to lower the jack. Is this so?
Sounds like the red jack is good. I was told by the salesman that the red jack, you needed toflip a switch in arather difficult to reach place in order to lower the jack. Is this so?
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
JBT...that just makes me a little nervous! I'm with Citoripus on this...way too many moving parts! One slip and...well, you know!
Damn man, be careful...
Steve
Damn man, be careful...
Steve
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
Did I mention, I'm known as....Lefty!? 
j/k!
I'm very careful when working around any sort of machinery. I've worked on/around cars my entire adult life. Working around any moving/spinning metal things can be dangerous, but as with most things, a bit of caution, along with some (un)common sense goes a long way.
BTW, I don't clean my spoked wheels that way. I just turn the wheel by hand for that.
As far as starting the engine, why not? The bike's not going anywhere as long as it's already balanced on the jack. One certainly doesn't want to rev it to redline time after time, but idling or mild steady throttle works fine. Just don't get it to rocking back and forth!
j/k!I'm very careful when working around any sort of machinery. I've worked on/around cars my entire adult life. Working around any moving/spinning metal things can be dangerous, but as with most things, a bit of caution, along with some (un)common sense goes a long way.
BTW, I don't clean my spoked wheels that way. I just turn the wheel by hand for that.
As far as starting the engine, why not? The bike's not going anywhere as long as it's already balanced on the jack. One certainly doesn't want to rev it to redline time after time, but idling or mild steady throttle works fine. Just don't get it to rocking back and forth!
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,280
Likes: 2
From: SC
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
I have had the red jack for 3 years now. I had a Roadstar on it and now my Softail with no problems at all. My buddys have tried it but they said the bike rocks too much for them so they brought them back. I wouldn't have a bike without it. One down fall is that it's a bit on they heavy side and bulky.
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Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 97
Likes: 2
From:
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
Actually there is a gravity activated lock that can hold the bike up in 3 positions. When you want to lower the bike you have to pulla bar that transverses the jackbackwards to lift the locking armsand it locks into a springclip - you can do it with your foot if you like.
If I were going to be moving the thing around much at all (not rolling on the floor, I mean putting it in the truck and taking it some place else) I'd sure be buying the lighter yellow one. As it is mine doesn't go much of anywhere other than that I roll the bike around sometimes and turn it for better light, that sort of thing. So weighing about twice as much didn't bother me.
Anyway, while it sure ain't the world's greatest jack its not at all bad for the money and as luck would have it the spacing of the bars is such that you can lift up a softail safely with one and not touch the shocks at all.
If I were going to be moving the thing around much at all (not rolling on the floor, I mean putting it in the truck and taking it some place else) I'd sure be buying the lighter yellow one. As it is mine doesn't go much of anywhere other than that I roll the bike around sometimes and turn it for better light, that sort of thing. So weighing about twice as much didn't bother me.
Anyway, while it sure ain't the world's greatest jack its not at all bad for the money and as luck would have it the spacing of the bars is such that you can lift up a softail safely with one and not touch the shocks at all.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Western Wisconsin
RE: Using a lift on a sofetail
I have the yellow one from Sears and I think it is a fine jack. Yes you do have to be careful not to go too fast on the way down but I have been using floor jacks for 25+ years and it is all about controlling it. Very stable on the jack when raised at any position. I can move the bike around even at the highest position. Ya need to be careful as to not tip the whole works over but this would be true with any jack. Red one looks like a good jack also.