If you use the jack make sure you have the side stand down and in locked position when you lower the bike or you'll be picking it up.I just happened to catch mine when I noticed the side stand was down but not in the locked position.

 

Clearance is an issue with some of the jacks , I'v got a couple chunks of 2x8 beveled with old inner tube glued to one side for no slip when I run across a low one like that and the assortment of odd wood slates & blocks to level them to just like you did . Common sense is a lovely thing partner , that and a little care your doing fine .

Big difference between the cheaper jack and the J&S is width and overall size , they are about 20% bigger overall size . Can't use a dolly with one , I'm an old mechanic I never trust a jack to do anything but lift something so that's my thing with them and they are overpriced , but what isn't concerning Harley anymore .

 

My Dad and I have a Sears Red Jack and it works fine for what we do. A table would be nice but don't want it to lose the space.
One hassle with the jack is doing oil changes because the jack gets in the way of oil pans.

 

I like the jack cause it's easy to store. I don't use it for oil changes though. I drive the rear tire up on a small ramp that I made with 2x6 wood then I slide my pan underneath it. I can drain all 3 holes at once.

 

I once built a rigid in my apartment perched on some cinder blocks and 2X6's. Over the last several decades, I've used cheapie Sears and HF jacks in my garage, and some very nice table lifts at a friend's shop. You can make do with some pretty crappy equipment, but if I've got a choice between crappy tools and good tools, I'm going with good tools.

I had a HF yellow jack up until a year ago, I gave it to a friend when I picked up a Pitbull off craigslist for a good price. There's several really good things about the Pitbull. Bike is very stable on it, I don't have to worry about it falling off, whereas with the HF and Sears jacks, you need to be very careful when changing tires, and the weight gets unbalanced. It's also air driven, which is nice when I'm tired and cranky. And it's small enough to be pushed out of the way when it's not in use.

The best thing about it, though, is that I can stand up to work on my bike. That makes a huge difference when you've got a project that runs over several days.




I just don't have room in my 2 car garage for a table, but as soon as I have the space, that's what I'll be getting. Pitbull's not cheap, but for the available space I have to work with, it was the best choice for my needs.

 

I'm going to borrow a buddy's jack and see how I like it. I'm sure I'd like a table better, but after reading a couple of posts I'm begining to wonder where it would live when I'm not using it.

 

I have both use the table for oil changes most other jobs, I use the jack when I wash my bike and when I removed my front wheel.
If you have room it nice to have both, the table can also be use as a work bench.

 

Picked up a jack off from Craigs list for $30. Guy was a retired HD Mechanic and was moving south for retirement. Great jack, just hate having to use the frame protectors on the soft tail. Eliminates just enough clearance that I have to drive the front tire up on boards for another 1" of clearance.