How to lift?

[Gerald]

I think 1olbull's jack method will work for not a lot of money. I think I'll use the front wheel lift in conjunction with that just to add stability. I'm paranoid about something shifting, the bike losing balance and falling off the lift. That'd be a nightmare. I had a lift a lot like the one in 1olbull's pic. Gave it to a friend because I had for 10 years and never used it. I'm sure he'll let me borrow it back.

Anyway, I thought about making a lift beam. I see buying them is expensive as hell. What kid of stock would you use? I feel like 1nch and a half square tube would be strong enough.

I'd probably use two inch box tubing or two inch pipe, prefer pipe for this, never know what I might lift. Make sure I beam above is secure. Make a roller bracket to fit beam and can roll length of beam.

 

[Junior]

I have used this lift to bring the rear end up high enough to remove rear tire for many, many, many rear tire replacements on both of my Rockets since 2011.
See pix below . . . (please disregard the lift stands used at front to hold up the front wheel in the pix)
HTH?

Well I finally got my shocks from Progressive (long back-order wait). Just to be clear before I get started... I'll be using a lift like you show in the picture. I need to be sure there is nothing wrong with putting the lift pads directly under and in contact with the belly (sump) cover... and letting all the weight bear down on that. A lot bikes (Harleys) have frame rails where obviously there would be no problem. But not the Rocket...

 

[Jay]

The Rocket was designed to be lifted from the SUMP. Just make sure you are square with your jack. I found it best to have the jack positioned as far back on the engine as possible, but secure enough it won’t slip into the cross-over pipe area.

 

[Junior]

The Rocket was designed to be lifted from the SUMP. Just make sure you are square with your jack. I found it best to have the jack positioned as far back on the engine as possible, but secure enough it won’t slip into the cross-over pipe area.

Thank you Jay, that helps a lot. Looking forward to finally getting this job done. The shock swap will be simple compared to all the deliberating and anxiety I've had about getting the bike up (and then back down) without doing something really stupid. One other thing I've been thinking about is torquing the new shock bolts down while the bike is on the lift. I'd imagine it will want to rock the bike forward (or backward depending on which side I'm working on). I'm guessing I can solve this pretty easily by putting some blocking under the tires. Worst comes to worst I can get them almost tight then get the bike down on the side stand and finish off torquing them to spec.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Changing shocks one at a time on the ground is pretty easy also, in the air youll have a rougher time with the shocks

 

[Bob R]

Changing shocks one at a time on the ground is pretty easy also, in the air youll have a rougher time with the shocks

Even up in the air I would recommend you only do one at a time so you don't drop the swing arm suddenly when you pop the second shock off with the other one off.

bob

 

[Kevin frazier]

Even up in the air I would recommend you only do one at a time so you don't drop the swing arm suddenly when you pop the second shock off with the other one off.

bob

absolutely and when changing shocks on lift there is quite a bit of pulling tugging pushing which can cause the big girl to come off the lift. Definitely tie down if attempting shock change in air.

 

[martym52]

absolutely and when changing shocks on lift there is quite a bit of pulling tugging pushing which can cause the big girl to come off the lift. Definitely tie down if attempting shock change in air.

I just use a floor jack under the frame ears to unload the shock bushings.

 

[Kevin frazier]

I just use a floor jack under the frame ears to unload the shock bushings.

Same here

 

[Junior]

I just use a floor jack under the frame ears to unload the shock bushings.

I think I'm sold. Now for a dumb question... I'm not sure what you mean by frame ears. Do you mean where the passenger foot boards mount? That's some pretty stout steel.