If you have a motorcycle and a car, do you need 2 jacks?

NY Old Guy · Jul 13, 2011

So, since I recently got back into fixing my vehicles I've been kind of starting from scratch building a tool collection and have most of what I need but so far no jacks. So, I'm thinking about installing tires on an old motorcycle I have and also doing a brake hose repalcement on my car, so I'll need to jack both car and bike up. Is there a jack made that's nice quality and can fill both needs as far as lifting a motorcycle off the ground for wheel removal and also lifting the front end of a subaru off the ground (then would use jackstands which also need to buy) or do I need to buy 2 seperate jacks for the two different purposes. It's not so much the money I just don't want to have to store 2 seperate jacks. If the jacks are more compact in size it might make it easier to store both.

Thanks for any advice .. NY Old Guy

therealwormey · Jul 13, 2011

most of the $100 mc jacks are rated 1000 / 1500 lbs,i dont know what the front 1/2 of a subaru weighs,probly more... but i know its hard to balance a bike on a regular auto floor jack. id say get both

2oolhound · Jul 13, 2011

Most mc jacks grab the 2 frame rails underneath so they are pretty unique. I use several types for the motorcycle and then I use either a floor jack, bottle jack or the scissor jack that came with my Jimmy for it.

As far as compact goes, sears has an aluminum MC jack that is about average size for bikes but at least it would be light. The lift is about 4" to 17" lift and weighs 44lbs.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950191000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

daveblank · Jul 13, 2011

For safety reasons, get the proper jack for the application. We don't need a thread about how you were hurt or even worse, killed because you needed a little extra room in the garage.

bradweingartner · Jul 13, 2011

There is in fact a jack that is made to be dual purpose... I want to say it was some cheap import like Black Jack that made it?

But yes, there is something that could fit your needs.

Edit: Found it

http://www.alltradetools.com/catalog/2089-triple-lift-2-ton-auto-motorcycle-atv-jack.html

2oolhound · Jul 13, 2011

That's a cool little jack, I wish they'd post the low and high heights though.

B17E1943 · Jul 13, 2011

The video says 6"-17".

lutter94 · Jul 13, 2011

I am disappointed to see everyone is recommending to buy things.....I know you have to buy a jack, but don't buy two. This is garage journal, people should be telling you to BUILD something.

If you have ever seen a common floor jack, you will know that the lift pad can turn 360 degrees, and you can pull it out if you like. What you need to do, is build yourself a little attachment that drops in place of the floor jacks pad. Make it out of square tubing, angle, etc....what ever floats your boat. But make it so it fits the jack, and is wide enough to pickup on the frame of the bike......shouldn't be that hard to do.....

Old Donn · Jul 13, 2011

daveblank said:
For safety reasons, get the proper jack for the application. We don't need a thread about how you were hurt or even worse, killed because you needed a little extra room in the garage.

What Dave said. An MC jack supports the bike properly and comes with tie-downs, (at least mine did), to balance it with one or both wheels off. It's worth the extra dough.

WhiteTrash · Jul 14, 2011

I use a swing arm stand and a front axle stand for the bike. But it has full fairings so a motorcycle jack would require me to remove the bottom fairing first. And the are easy to use, light weight, and break down into 2 pieces that lat flat for easy storage. But I just leave them together, nest them together and hand them from the ceiling. As far as how much they cost, I do not know. I got them as a package deal with the bike.

wolflrv · Jul 14, 2011

I recently did a teardown of a bike i'm going to restore. I grabbed one of the $99 Duralast motorcycle lifts from Autozone and it's the best investment I've made on the bike so far. Not only was I able to pull the engine(break-away frame), but also removed both the front and rear ends completely with it. I like the one I have though, because it collapses down to where it will roll under my bench and out of the way. I also have my regular floor jack under the bench as well. Maybe just get creative and find an unused space in your garage.

Stuart in MN · Jul 14, 2011

I suppose it will depend on what kind of motorcycle you have, but I've managed for nearly 40 years now without a motorcycle jack - if it has a center stand, the rear wheel is off the ground anyway, and to remove the front wheel just lift up the front end and put a jack stand under the engine to hold it up.

justanengineer · Jul 14, 2011

Stuart in MN said:
I suppose it will depend on what kind of motorcycle you have, but I've managed for nearly 40 years now without a motorcycle jack - if it has a center stand, the rear wheel is off the ground anyway, and to remove the front wheel just lift up the front end and put a jack stand under the engine to hold it up.

This^^^

Ive got a lift table, and use the center stand with some wood blocks when I need both in the air.

For a friend a few years back I turned a section of square threaded rod, welded a plate to it, and made some split clamps that were welded to the plate. This allowed me to simply unscrew the adjustable wheel/crown/whatever you call the lift point of a floor jack, insert my part, and turned the jack into a reguar motorcycle jack. I believe it took all of two hours to fab from scrapbinium, and was a rather neat project. I probably should mention he uses it on a 10 ton floor jack, so very few worries of the jack tipping over while holding his naked sportbikes.

daveblank · Jul 14, 2011

Stuart in MN said:
I suppose it will depend on what kind of motorcycle you have, but I've managed for nearly 40 years now without a motorcycle jack - if it has a center stand, the rear wheel is off the ground anyway, and to remove the front wheel just lift up the front end and put a jack stand under the engine to hold it up.

Center stands are not installed as often as they used to be.

pirana · Jul 14, 2011

daveblank said:
Center stands are not installed as often as they used to be.

And never on sportbikes, at least the true repli racers.

If you have a motorcycle and a car, do you need 2 jacks?

NY Old Guy

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therealwormey

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2oolhound

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daveblank

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bradweingartner

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2oolhound

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B17E1943

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lutter94

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Old Donn

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WhiteTrash

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wolflrv

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Stuart in MN

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justanengineer

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pirana

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