Jack Points on Wing RoadSmith

[Blueribbon]

I just bought the steel Harbor Freight motorcycle jack to use mainly for oil changes, lube & wiring projects.

To save me crawling around on the ground with a couple really bad knees, what is a good starting point for jack placement? I'm sure if I got under the trike and had someone else slide the jack under the trike, I could find some hard points, but some guidance from experienced users, would at least give me a good starting point.

Your assistance is appreciated.

If it is sunny on Sunday, I'll get photos of my new baby. It is quite a move up from an Shadow Aero 750!!

[rmrc51]

I had called the trike shop asking the same question. They mentioned placing a jack under the shock towers. For the life of me, I don't know what kinda jack I could use in that location.

I only raised my,, 'Wing/Smith' (lol) once. I placed a regular floor jack under the back plate by the differential and then placed jack stands under the shock towers for stability.

If you find a way to safely raise your 'WingSmith' without doing any damage with motorcycle jack, let me know. I'll order one myself.

[wiredgeorge]

If you read the owner's manual that comes with the conversion they mention using a scissors jack under the lower shock mount. I used a transmission jack yesterday and don't understand why a scissors jack would make a difference.

[Blueribbon]

I want to be able to jack up the bike portion LEVEL to I can change the oil. It is easy to get the drain plug out on level ground, but getting out the oil filter sitting flat on the ground is a real challenge. I'm 68 with a very bad knee, and if I can get the bike up 7 or 8 inches, it is much easier to gain access to the oil filter.

The standard motorcycle jacks sold by Sears & Harbor freight should work on a "regular" bike, but I don't see for the life of me, how to get it under the trike & jack it up without doing damage to some of the glass work or the structure that supports the glass works.

Anybody else want to contribute their 2 cents?

[Woolie]

I drove mine up onto a couple ramps then jacked the front wheel up with a floor jack and put it on a ramp facing backwards to change the oil. Worked pretty good, had plenty of room. I have a MC jack I used as a 2 wheeler but like you I don't see any way to use it now.

[Blueribbon]

I drove mine up onto a couple ramps then jacked the front wheel up with a floor jack and put it on a ramp facing backwards to change the oil. Worked pretty good, had plenty of room. I have a MC jack I used as a 2 wheeler but like you I don't see any way to use it now.

For the front wheel, what did you use for a hard point to jack against? Or maybe I just don't understand what a floor jack is. Is that flush with the floor, that you drive up on it level.

Can you please better describe how you raised the front end?

Thanks, Bill

[Woolie]

Lift the front tire off of the ground using a hydraulic floor jack under the front of the bike. The jack should be placed under the front edge of the engine case. Do not put the jack under the oil filter, it should be to the left and in front of the oil filter at the front of the engine (I am assuming you are looking at the trike facing it from the front). A floor jack is a jack with rollers on it to roll under cars etc, like you use to see in shops and service stations. If the trike is too low to get the jack under it try driving the front tire up on a 2x4 or a couple 2x4's to get more clearance. The 2x4 can't be very long or you won't be able to roll the jack under the trike. I got my floor jack at Harbor Freight, get the lowest profile jack you can get. If you drive up on the 2x4's it might be enough clearance to get to the filter and drain plug and you may not even need a jack. I have only raised mine like this once and changed the oil but that is the way I am going to do it next time also. I didn't have any problems. I read here somewhere that one person backed his trike up onto his ramps but I haven't tried that yet. I bought 2 sets of ramps, but if I drive up on them forward the front ramp will be in the way and there is not enough clearance to put the front ramp under the trike to back up on it. I have thought about building a front ramp that comes apart so the ramp part can be removed leaving just a block under the front tire. Shouldn't be too difficult but for now jacking it up works ok. With the Aqua Shields it is a little tricky getting the rear ramps close enough to fit the wheels after you drive up on them but it fit and worked ok for me. Hope this helps and gives you some ideas. PM me an email and I will send you a pretty interesting PDF file with some pictures.

[wiredgeorge]

Most Roadsmith conversions seem to lower the front end; especially with the floorboards installed and they would do well to come up with some alternate fork extensions rather than the ones used in the current ez steer kits so that the front end could be raised a couple inches. This would allow a jack to go under the front without all the machinations.

[Blueribbon]

I have what I think is a low floor jack, and it will NOT go under the front of the engine. I'm just going to try to build a ramp block out of a couple 2" X 8", but the problem using those, is they slide forward sometimes when you are trying to pull up on them.

Last weekend, I ran it up on one 2" X 8" and was able to drain and change the filter, though getting on a new filter was quite tricky. There was a heavy wire, like a heavy wire coat hanger, right across the middle where the oil filter goes. There was very very little slack in it, so hard to pull out of the way, while starting the threads. Once the first couple threads on the filter started, then I was able to tighten it all the way.

But all-in-all, it was a very unpleasant job.

[Konrad]

Last weekend, I ran it up on one 2" X 8" and was able to drain and change the filter, though getting on a new filter was quite tricky. .

I use 2 - 2x12 pieces screwed together, about 2' long, with the back edge of each at 45 degrees for each of the three "ramps". Top board about 3" shorter to provide a "step" effect at the slanted back edge. I have a smooth concrete garage floor and they don't slide. But just for the heck of it for my second oil change I glued very coarse pieces of a sanding belt to the underside. No slide. The extra 3" lift was all that I needed for oil drainage and filter removal. Yeah - that thick wire across the filter is pesky but not insurmountable.

[Shimpy]

There was a heavy wire, like a heavy wire coat hanger, right across the middle where the oil filter goes. There was very very little slack in it, so hard to pull out of the way, while starting the threads. Once the first couple threads on the filter started, then I was able to tighten it all the way.
.

That wire like thing in the way is the cable going to your footwarmer. I have the same problem.

[wiredgeorge]

I just changed my oil. I had two 2x12s screwed together with one end cut at 45 degrees to make a ramp. The 2x12s are about 18 inches long. I set a 4x4 behind them with the other end of the 4x4 against the wall of my shop so the 2x12s won't move. I have to stand up on the pegs to see the front wheel going up the ramp centered but it isn't difficult and then I apply my parking brake to hold the trike. I have a new front tire coming and will get to try out using a jack under the engine case.