Lifts for Trikes

[Tracy3189]

Has anyone purchased any kind of lifts for their trike, so they may perform service alittle easier? I miss my bike lift, now that my Harley has been coverted to a trike.

 

[Trikerjim]

Tracy, I have a Craftsman lift that I used on my two wheeled Goldwing also. It's the "Yellow and chrome" one that has a long jack handle like a floor jack. The other one that Sears had used a foot pump of sorts. The handle lets me use it on my trike even with the auqa shields. Very stable...


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[Ozarkryder]

I have used the bike lift, but it is pretty precarious. I now use a set of ramps to get the rear up in the air, same for the front. I run the trike up forward onto the ramps, that gives me room to work under it. If I need to lift the front wheel off the ground to take it off, I block the wheels and use a floor jack to get the front wheel up. If a rear wheel needs to come off I just use the floor jack to raise that side, jack stands to keep both sides off the floor. On the Motor Trike, If there is anything major to do on both sides the mufflers may have to come off - they are pretty much in the way just inside both wheels of the trike.

 

[Tracy3189]

Thanks for the info Jim, do you know what the weight capacity is for your Sears lift?

 

[Trikerjim]

Tracy, the lift I have is different from Harrys in that it is long and low with a long jack handle. I think the cap is about 2000lbs. It has extensions that can be placed on top for a higher clearance vehicle (ATV). My son-in-law uses mine a lot on his Yamaha Rhino with 29.5 tires. I take the extensions back off and use it on the trike. Look in the Craftsman tool catalog and they have a picture of this one and the red one like Harry has. Regardless of what kind you get, Harrys picture made me remember, USE JACK STANDS! If you can't find one, let me know and I'll take a pic of mine and post it...

 

[Tracy3189]

Trike Lift

Harry and Jim thanks for all the info. Harry your pictures are great and Jim I know what jack you are talking about. When you use your yellow jack are you using it from behind like Harry or from the side?

 

[wheels]

I have seen the pit bull lift used for trikes, but you must have your center stand and they offer some sort of "adapter" that works with the lift. Saw that at a bike show here in Maryland last year. For me, I prefer to use my Harbor Freight cheapie bike lift (does the job) and once I get the back of the bike up, I use stands. Then raise the front with the lift.

I'm hoping, however, that Harry sees a need to improve on his design and thus because I am such a nice fellow, and regularly quotes him on another board, sends me his old design after he builds his new one. The extra clearance would allow me to better fit under the bike. Now where did I put that Richard Simons tape?

 

[Trikerjim]

I use both ways Tracy, since I have the aquashields, I use my little floor jack to lift a little on the front, then I slide the lift in from the side,making sure what I'm lifting on, then strap it down and lift. The "rails" on the lift platform are almost as wide as the bike frame. You just have to play around with it and find your center and the best place ect...

 

[wheels]

Wheels, just cause you are such a pain and you need all the help you can get, next rainstorm I will go out in the cold shop, strain myself and weld you up one. You got a reciever for a hitch? And I will let you drill you own hole for the safety pin. But the Jack is on you when we finally meet.

Ya know, mom has also called me her little ray of sun shine so here is wishing you warm thoughts to help take that chill off the cold damp garage. I do happen to have a hitch. (Ah the stars are alinging nicely).

Now, as for the "you are such a pain" comment. Darndest thing, Mom use to say that too. And every som often she would even say where.

I have paper with the pictures of dead Presidents on it that I would be happy to send your way that you can use to also heat your garage up with. Let me know.

 

[cjmitch]

I made a rear bar that slips into the trailer hitch, and hold the frame while the ATV lift lifts the rear of the bike

2 Questions
1) you "stand" fits into the Trailer hitch.... and the entire weight of the bike is on the hitch... Is the Hitch able to handle that much weight?

2) Hoe in the HECK did you mount your trailer plug to the chassis, I wanted that type of plug but I couldn't figure out how to mount it.