Lifting the wheels, with no Pitbull stand?

[ItsTracerTime]

The title is a little misleading, as I have spools and a rear stand for the bike (as well as the OEM center stand) but I can not figure out a STABLE and SAFE way to get the bike in the air to remove both wheels simultaneously.

On spools, it barely lifts higher than the center stand puts it but if I flip the bits on the Pitbull stand around to the red pasta looking end, it lifts the center stand off the ground at the cost of some stability. I've come up with a few options that don't involve buying a $300 stand for the front.

1: I can try to put it on spools and then remove the rear, and then attempt to jack the bike under the oil pan (center stand up) so it pivots around the spools with no interference from the wheel hitting the ground.

2: Do the above but on the center stand instead of spools

3: Use my Craftsman jack/lift and shim the underside of the bike with random bits of wood to protect the exhaust, and then ratchet strap the bike in place on the lift to remove the wheels..

 

 

Is there a better way? It's miserably cold outside but I just bought new tires and don't want to freeze myself to death riding to get them changed.

[betoney]

19 minutes ago, ItsTracerTime said:

The title is a little misleading, as I have spools and a rear stand for the bike (as well as the OEM center stand) but I can not figure out a STABLE and SAFE way to get the bike in the air to remove both wheels simultaneously.

On spools, it barely lifts higher than the center stand puts it but if I flip the bits on the Pitbull stand around to the red pasta looking end, it lifts the center stand off the ground at the cost of some stability. I've come up with a few options that don't involve buying a $300 stand for the front.

1: I can try to put it on spools and then remove the rear, and then attempt to jack the bike under the oil pan (center stand up) so it pivots around the spools with no interference from the wheel hitting the ground.

2: Do the above but on the center stand instead of spools

3: Use my Craftsman jack/lift and shim the underside of the bike with random bits of wood to protect the exhaust, and then ratchet strap the bike in place on the lift to remove the wheels..

 

 

Is there a better way? It's miserably cold outside but I just bought new tires and don't want to freeze myself to death riding to get them changed.

I put the bike on the center stand and remove the rear wheel then put a jack with a towel under the header and raise the front just so the tire is off the ground.  I reinstall in the reverse order, front first and then the rear, I have never used ratchet straps.

[kilo3]

Rise the bike up on the center stand with a 2x4 or whatever jPutunk wood you have. Put a bag of sand or your kid on the rear seat so the bike rests on the rear tire. Remove front wheel. Put a block of wood or small step stool under the forks. Let the bike rest on that. Take rear wheel off.

Maybe that doesn't qualify as safe in your world though?

[ItsTracerTime]

Those are both very good ideas, I didn't think about removing the front first and resting the forks on something!

[OZVFR]

I’ve cut a piece of timber which is the right length to keep both wheels of the ground and I place it on my rear rack and under my garage timber roof truss. Then ratchet strap under rack and over roof timber. 

Solid as and safe to remove wheels, forks, swing arm or all of the above. 

[ItsTracerTime]

I just found a set of front and rear stands on the local classified, $100 for the set but it's not pitbull. It'll work for what I'm needing, and I can eventually sell them to a buddy and get a proper front stand to match my rear right?

[miweber929]

10 hours ago, ItsTracerTime said:

I just found a set of front and rear stands on the local classified, $100 for the set but it's not pitbull. It'll work for what I'm needing, and I can eventually sell them to a buddy and get a proper front stand to match my rear right?

If you want to. But the centerstand tricks as posted above cost you nothing. 
 

PitBull stands are absolutely worth their weight in gold in the long run. My PB rear stand currently lives with my dad because right now I have SSSA bikes or the Tracer with the centerstand so it just sat but I originally bought it in ‘00 when I bought my Superhawk and it still is as strong and stable as the day I bought it. I have a couple cheap ones laying around I use for spares but PB is my go to stand every time. 

Edited November 12, 2022 by miweber929

[texscottyd]

14 hours ago, betoney said:

I put the bike on the center stand and remove the rear wheel then put a jack with a towel under the header and raise the front just so the tire is off the ground.  I reinstall in the reverse order, front first and then the rear, I have never used ratchet straps.

This is exactly the routine I use on my FJ.   It might sound a little sketchy, but in practice it’s been rock solid.   My only additional input is to loosen everything on the front (axle, pinch bolt, calipers) before you lift the wheel off the ground…

For what it’s worth, I use this technique despite having PitBull front & rear stands.  Especially with the front wheel ABS sensor on the early FJs being mounted in a low & vulnerable position, I find it easier to just have the front hanging & not have to maneuver around the stand.  

[betoney]

23 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

This is exactly the routine I use on my FJ.   It might sound a little sketchy, but in practice it’s been rock solid.   My only additional input is to loosen everything on the front (axle, pinch bolt, calipers) before you lift the wheel off the ground…

I do exactly the same, I break the rear axle nut loose and all of the hardware on the front wheel before lifting it.

If I was going to leave it for any length of time, I would use a stand or some kind of a long term strap support for the front but when I get fresh tires, the wheels are only off the bike long enough to do the swap.

[piotrek]

19 hours ago, ItsTracerTime said:

I just found a set of front and rear stands on the local classified, $100 for the set but it's not pitbull.

Why would it need to be Pit-Bull? I understand that they are pro quality big-brand tools, but... 🤔.

I have had cheap(er) front and rear paddock stands for years and they worked just fine for occasional home use. I have managed to find ways to not use them at all on the FJ. YMMV.

[peteinpa]

You can also reinstall the front axle then rest it on a jackstand. Solid.

[2and3cylinders]

I still use my F & R PB paddock stands, as the center stand is a bit low with the PB front.

But both alternate methods work WITHOUT the skid plate installed. 

I found out just the other day that my combo PB front stand (and my cheaper similar ft stand) will not work with radial caliper forks!!!  I'm going to call PB on this one!

I've always before added the steering head pin yolk and lifted from there even with the PITA need to 1st remove my dual pancake horns and oem weather plug.

I'll have to ponder some alternative methods.  I have a gantry I made eons ago to lift and suspend the front or rear without the CS or paddock stand; the rear is hung from the rear subframe and front from frame spars near the head. Works great for swing arm, shock and steering head bearing maintainence.

[ReSTored]

If you have a lift put on center stand, remove rear wheel and then use ratchet straps to pull front wheel up. You can further stabilize by putting a block under the swingarm before you ratchet it down.

If you don't have a lift then use a piece of plywood, 1/2' or better yet 3/4" cut to 2' x 8'.  Cut a slot or hole at the rear so your ratchet straps fit through or put in a few eyebolts. You just center the bike on the plywood, put on center stand and then do as above. 

Another option might be to drill your cement slab and put in a few eye bolts to attach ratchet straps to.  Depends on how you sink them the eyebolts could be / should be removable so you don't trip over them all the time.

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by ReSTored

[2and3cylinders]

1 hour ago, ReSTored said:

If you have a lift put on center stand, remove rear wheel and then use ratchet straps to pull front wheel up. You can further stabilize by putting a block under the swingarm before you ratchet it down.

If you don't have a lift then use a piece of plywood, 1/2' or better yet 3/4" cut to 2' x 8'.  Cut a slot or hole at the rear so your ratchet straps fit through or put in a few eyebolts. You just center the bike on the plywood, put on center stand and then do as above. 

Another option might be to drill your cement slab and put in a few eye bolts to attach ratchet straps to.  Depends on how you sink them the eyebolts could be / should be removable so you don't trip over them all the time.

 

A picture is worth...

[Kenny A.]

I use this. 👍