Rear Tire Change: homemade vs Mfg cycle lift?

[Grumpy]

Can anyone tell me how high the rear tire has to be above the ground to be able to remove it 'the easy way'?
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I was hoping to build a stand from some railroad ties I have in the backyard, that would be very stable, and allow me to work on the bike safely. But I don't know how high it has to be. I'll be removing the rear tire, but also servicing the driveshaft, and the swingarm bearings. Has anyone build a stand/or supports to do this sort of thing? Or, should I just buy a motorcycle lift ? ? (the ones I've seen for about $50 don't look too sturdy).
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Last time, I pulled it onto my utility trailer, set it up on the kickstand so that the rear wheel hung over the back, and then removed the rear tire - but the bike had to stay outside until the job was done.

[voyager 2002]

i use a cherry picker to lift the rear up about two feet [don't like to bend over] or i us a come along off a rafter in the shop. run a short nylon strap around the passenger grab rails and lift it up [it will not tip over ] i have a lift table but i can change it faster by just lifting the rear end [ about 45 mins to do the rear tire ] i don't drop the mufflers either.

[Me Again]

i us a come along off a rafter in the shop

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I used to pull engines that way until one day I heard a very loud crack.
decided that was not a real good idea.390 and a auto trans is a little lighter than a Voyager.

[TaiwanJohn]

A motorcycle jack is rated at 1500lbs. It is plenty sturdy. The trick is working around the VXII's exhaust. My jack is great for my Warrior. Not so great for the VXII. There are some jacks out there with attachments to work around the exhaust. Use all the safety features and straps, and you'll be fine. The jack is extremely nice for detailing the wheels.

http://www.motorcyclejacks.com/MAL-2.sh ... DQod-3HEjg

I also have a hydraulic lift from Harbor Freight. It also is sturdy enough for all but daily-professional use.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=91764

[Mr Jensee]

I changed the rear tire on my Voyager with it just on the center stand. Loosen the mufflers at the bolt by the back passenger boards and they will drop down enough to get to the axle. The wheel doesn't have to be but a couple inches above the working surface to come off.

[David (N. Alabama)]

Hey Bob, I like that utility trailer idea. Those harbor freight lifts with the drop door in the rear look promising. Just have to have a place to set it up.

Mr. Jensee did you have to remove the rear fender also to get the wheel out? I would think you would have to.

I change my own tires on the other bikes and since I got ripped on the last set of Voyager tires, I will be changing them out myself in the future. Labor for 2 sets of tires could pay for a HF lift.

[Grumpy]

Thanks all for the ideas so far!
Some questions - for TaiwanJohn - I guess if I had the 'scratch' to buy a lift table, I'd do it... but that's making look even closer at just making a piece of my utility trailer removable... However - on the motorcycle lift that just goes under the engine - once the rear tired is removed - would the COG/weight balance change?? that it - would the bike rock forward?
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And - Mr. Jenessee - I have the lower chrome trim rail that goes around the bottom of my saddlebags. Let's say I built a little table on top of some 6" x 6" railroad ties - would you think the tire could be removed if the bike were only 6" higher off the ground? (I'm of the mind that the closer to the ground, the safer it is).
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[Mr Jensee]

Is there any reason not to use the center stand or is yours removed. I didn't have any trouble changing either tire without special equipment, unless you include the old scissor jack I put under the engine when it came time to lift the front wheel. I remove the saddlebags, rear fender, lowered the mufflers and was able to access the axle nut and bolt. pulled out the axle and slid the wheel to the right a hair and it came right out. I did this one morning on the garage floor.

[Grumpy]

I have the centerstand, but have always been under the impression that the rear wheel had to be much higher off the ground to be removed without removing a lot of the chrome trim.
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Having said that - I have installed the Kawasaki chrome lower rail that surrounds the saddlebags completely, and passing behind the rear fender. Would that have to also be removed? (I'm not excited about that as there is an alignment issue, complicated by the crude fasteners Kaw used to do the job). I believe that trim rail would prevent the wheel from rolling back away from the bike.

[TaiwanJohn]

Some questions - for TaiwanJohn - I guess if I had the 'scratch' to buy a lift table, I'd do it... but that's making look even closer at just making a piece of my utility trailer removable... However - on the motorcycle lift that just goes under the engine - once the rear tired is removed - would the COG/weight balance change?? that it - would the bike rock forward?

The lift is an investment. Every so often I put a few bucks into tools and gadgets, and now I have everything I need. Just so happens I have wrenched professionally off and on since I was 16. It's not a lucrative career here in small town MN. As for space, the lift does take some room, but I generally park one of my bikes on it, so it's not a big deal.

I have the saddlebag rails also, so I really don't like unbolting everything. On my lift, I used to use a bunch of wood blocks to hold the bike straight and sturdy while changing tires. This year I invested in one of those screw type jacks for on the lift. http://www.discountramps.com/zinc-motorcycle-jack.htm It works great. To clear the saddlebag rails you have to lift the rear tire quite a ways up. On a lift, always use straps, and secure the loose ends behind the buckle. Don't trust the buckle alone. One time a buckle let loose, and I almost wore a Gold Wing for a hat.

The bike jack can become off balanced when you pull a wheel, you just have to do trial and error for the best compromise before and after wheel removal. It's probably not for you if your only bike is the VXII. That's why I bought the lift. Lucked out and found it for $250, barely used. Harley guy didn't think it was sturdy enough. He's wrong.

If you don't mind hacking up your trailer, do that. It actually sounds like a very clever plan. Just make the door wide enough so you can drop the tire straight through the bed as you hang on to it. The HF lift door is kinda small.

[doug of so fla]

I have asked the same question (how high does the rear wheel have to be to drop it straight down & out the side?) We Helped Carl lift a XII up on a 4 X 4 under the centerstand at Bowling Green rally and wheel came down & out. But with the angle I do not know how high the tire was off of the ground. I have always had a hitch on my XII's so the down & out would be easier for me ,or someone with rails. I have come up with a way with the Marvellas hitch to do this but have not done it all the way yet.. Have experimented and it should work. I made a 1/4" x 3" x 36" flat bar with hole in center to bolt on the bottom of hitch ball, strap center stand to front crash bar so it can't rock forward and collapse, (Good idea from Carl), put wheel chock on front wheel, zip tie front brake lever, place jack stands under front crash bars, Jack rear end up with floor jack at hitch, put 4 x 4 under center stand, put jack stands on each end of 36" flat bar. Takes less than 5 min to set it up this way. XII is rock solid in this position. Will let you know after I change my next tire.

[The Count]

I have asked the same question (how high does the rear wheel have to be to drop it straight down & out the side?) We Helped Carl lift a XII up on a 4 X 4 under the centerstand at Bowling Green rally and wheel came down & out. But with the angle I do not know how high the tire was off of the ground. I have always had a hitch on my XII's so the down & out would be easier for me ,or someone with rails. I have come up with a way with the Marvellas hitch to do this but have not done it all the way yet.. Have experimented and it should work. I made a 1/4" x 3" x 36" flat bar with hole in center to bolt on the bottom of hitch ball, strap center stand to front crash bar so it can't rock forward and collapse, (Good idea from Carl), put wheel chock on front wheel, zip tie front brake lever, place jack stands under front crash bars, Jack rear end up with floor jack at hitch, put 4 x 4 under center stand, put jack stands on each end of 36" flat bar. Takes less than 5 min to set it up this way. XII is rock solid in this position. Will let you know after I change my next tire.

Doug, Some pictures of your setup would be great the next time you get to changing tires.....Thanks

[TaiwanJohn]

Sounds like a lot of work. The right tools make short work of any job. I am glad I have my lift.

[Grumpy]

That is interesting and creative. Since the Marvella hitch is 'heavy duty' & directly connected to the heavy rear frame rails up high - I'm not surprised that works.
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I've gone ahead and modified my utility trailer - mounted the wheel chock, made a cut in the 3/4 plywood floor across, 3-1/2' from the back, removed it, added a frame member under the cut to support the bike's centerstand, put it back in, and pulled the bike onto it after removing the windshield (following the Count's suggestion) as that was the only way I could back the trailer into my garage (on the trailer it was about 3 or 4" too tall!). Secured the bike to the wheel chock and backed it into the garage, putting some axle stands under the trailer front & rear so's I could unhook my truck. So far so good. My wife came home then, and it was time to cut the grass. Today I'll raise it up on the centerstand, secure that, and remove the rear floor section. Modifying the trailer was easy, and I took too long to do it, but next time I want a 'motorcycle table' - I just pull the bike up on the trailer & remove the rear floor section - a snap.

[Darkhorse]

Just a what I have done to remove the rear wheel, and the differential, changing brakes etc.

I use a one inch thick, six or eight inch wide board. I place the board where the centerstand will be on it and lift the bike onto it.
I then take two jack stands, the and place them under the rear crash guards. It has always remained very stable.

I do like the idea of a lift or overhead lift.
Dave

[Grumpy]

I've made some progress :) (My back healed enough (I guess), and Garry was coming down from Dayton to motivate me) -
I finally got the XII up on the centerstand. Here's how it looks once I've removed the rear of the trailer floor:


Here's a closer view - you can see the jack stand I put under the trailer floor where the center stand is- to add extra support to the plywood just infront of the metal cross brace (I had to move that brace forward from the factory position, about 18", and may have put it a tad too far back..). Also - you can prolly make out that the rear tire was right on target to be replaced- some of the wear indicators are even gone!! haha (don't tell my wife - we rode back from PA on that just two weeks ago!.) Note - I believe I got just over 25,000 miles on that ELITE 3! Yes, I'm replacing it with another Elite 3.


If someone wants some 'construction details', let me know, I'd be happy to tell you what I did. In the meantime, I've gotta go now - gotta pull a wheel, and more.

[ksawatsky]

I also have a hydraulic lift from Harbor Freight. It also is sturdy enough for all but daily-professional use.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=91764

I've been looking at the HF 1000-lb lift. Are you pretty comfortable with it under the weight of your Voyager? I see they also have heavier-duty versions, but I'd rather not go there if its not necessary.

[sarge]

How are you going to get it off the center stand? It has to roll forward to come off the center stand.It don't look like there is enough trailer there even if you take off the wheel chock.....Just thinking out loud......
Sarge

[38 special]

Too bad your 2 1/2 hours away, Grumpy. I have an engine puller and a bike jack. We could've went right to work on it. I still have to change my rear tire cause there is a hole in it. Looks like it may have been plugged where it's leaking. Do you change the tire yourself or take it to the cycle shop?
Can you put a tube in a bike tire or is that not a good idea? I have fairly good tread.

[Bob in Tucson]

I have a nail hole in my rear Avon Venom with 6000 miles on it. Since I figure I have at least another 15000 miles left on the tire, I'm going to have a patch/plug put on it. This is also called a mushroom plug, and the tire has to be removed from the wheel to be installed. Sounds like a combination of a patch and a plug, which should eliminate the possibility of just a plug blowing out and causing sudden deflation. I found a guy here who will do it for $10 if I bring him just the unmounted tire.