BIKE STAND

[flightdoc]

I hope I'm not duplicating a thread here. Sorry if I have.
Has anyone developed a homemade bike stand so it is sitting straight up/level to make it easier to check oil and those type of chores? I know some have mentioned some of the fancy stands available but I thought maybe there's a way to slide a block under the front frame section or something like that ??

[macmac]

I read someplace of a wooded "L" shape rig made to raise a bike a few inches. Pretty much it was a 2x6, 2x8, or what ever you need to lift the bike off the ground, bolted to a 2x4 as a handle.

To work it, with a heavy bike it might take 2 people at first. One to steady the bike, and the other to step down on the longer 2x4 handle.

There was some angle iron bracing the joints.

maybe with a Nomad it might be a good idea to double the 2x6/2x8, and cut a mortice in that part the 2x4 fits deeply into, perhaps so deep is is more than flush, and a steel strap can go over the end.

The idea works like the center stand did, when you are alone. Place the rig under the bike with the 2x4 facing to the rear and up. Steady the bike pulling it backwards, and stepping back and down on the rig.

The first contact would be low side of the frame, then both sides, steady pull, and step.

I can see that move being dicey alone with a Nomad untill you got the hang of it.

[ringadingh]

I can hold the bike vertical while Im checking the oil, but you can have someone else sit on it as well to hold the bike straight. Other than that I use a motorcycle jack to support the bike.

[flightdoc]

Ringading...that's what I do now. Have the wife sit on it. macmac, I have a sears brand jack I can use now but thought maybe someone had developed like a small wood block or something that could slide under the very front frame area, right under where the down tube starts under the floor boards. Something simple like a block of wood that fit the rail on both sides.

[coldfingers]

flightdoc, some of us have bought a bike chock from harbor freight, they were selling them for 29.95 awhile back, maybe still are, and that works nice for that kind of stuff.

http://www.gadgetjq.com/leveling_blocks.htm

Here's the easy way, and it costs almost nothing:

Cut a short 4X4 or nail up some 2X4 scraps the right height to fit under the frame rail when the bike is straight up. Stick it under the right side of the frame. Facing the back of the bike, grab the right handlebar with the right hand (or two hands if you haven't had your Wheaties) and pull.

When the frame hits the block it'll stop tipping. Keep your right hand pulling lightly on the right handlebar as you bend over & look at the oil sight.

Make sure the bike is in gear or on level ground when you do this.

[dhelfritz]

I screwed 4 or 5 foot long 2x4s together. Place one under the right floor board, lean the bike into it and place the other under the left floor board. Works very well, I wash my bike, change the oil and do other minor projects this way. The bike is real stable. to remove, I leave the kickstand down and kick the one under the left floor board allowing the bike to settle on the kickstand. It si a real simple operation that works everytime,and costs almost nothing.

[VulcanE]

To check my oil, I kneel down on my right knee, grab the R/H grip with my right hand and the wompus rack with the left and pull it up vertical, then look at the sight glass. To clean the bike, I screwed 2 pcs. of 2X6x 10" long and 1pc. of 4x4 of same length together in a stack, that fits under the frame on right side up towards the front behind the floorboard. for the left I used 2X6x10", a pice of deckig board x 10" and a pice of 1x4x10" screwed together in a stack, and place it under the side stand. You do have to really push it hard onto the stack on the right under the fram to get the side stand blocks to go under the stand. When it rests back onto the stand, and the bike is sitting "dead level" and very ridged. Depending on your heights, you may have to use different thickness. For anything else, I use a motorcycle jack.

[blowndodge]

send a PM to oldbiker. I think he has made one.

[dantama]

I was given one by a bmw rider once. It's kind of an H shape with a long lever handle.

You put the legs of the H under the frame and use the handle to lever it up.

I use it to polish the rims etc.

I'll take a picture next time I have it out.

[misunderstood]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94778

[flightdoc]

thanks guys. I do the same that some of you do by kneeling down and pulling the bike level to check the oil but to do it I get nervous...balancing the bike and trying to concentrate AND leaning down to see the oil level can be dicey. I appreciate all the ideas'.

vin

[bigjohn]

I use a "V Lift." Works good, last a long time. Has two different leg lengths, "low" and high. The low one just barley gets the rear tire off the ground. The high one gives me about 2 or 3 inches at the rear.

[audiogooroo]

I have the V-lift too. Works great, although the guy who makes and sells them kind of got his panties in a bunch because people were paying him. I know...sounds kind of weird because most people complain that they can't get paid and he was really pissed because people WERE paying him. Anyway, I've been told that he just sells them on ebay now as he builds them and has them available.
Or you can build your own from Gadget's site.