UK Monster Owners Club Forum » .: Technical :. » Mods & How To's » A simple wheel lift?

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 31-03-2020, 12:48 PM   #1
The Clockie
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
A simple wheel lift?

One of the jobs I enjoy least is fitting wheels back in to front and back. OK; the front is pretty easy, but the back requires juggling of the wheel, the chain, the brake caliper mount and various external spacers. This would be OK with two people but on my own I find it a real chore and inevitably messy.

I have as many forms of bike lift as you could shake a stick at but the back wheel still needs to be at just the right height off the floor to get the axle through, and different bikes need different heights. I also have an engine lift platform which works well and is strong, but it's too thick for wheels even in the closed-down position.

Has anyone overcome this problem, either with a commercially-available rig, or by some homemade effort, preferably in a way that doesn't still need three hands? I'm trying hard to devise something, maybe based on two plates supported at each end by wedges if I can't make something with a screw-thread.

Over to you-all!

Nick
  Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:00 PM   #2
manwithredbike
aka Phil
 
manwithredbike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: derry
Bike: M900
Posts: 376
Nick
I've been through many versions of this from man-handling on my own as a younger man, to having friends/missus/ma help me!
Recently, I've used (with various degrees of success) some packing under the wheel. Setting some pieces of timber under the back wheel before loosening/taking out the spindle, just put in with enough thickness to catch the wheel without compressing the suspension. Then setting the wheel on the same packing when re-fitting, after getting it in the caliper and the chain back over the cog. Most times it has worked well, making the spindle tap through without much hassle.
Phil
__________________
..
~
manwithredbike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:04 PM   #3
The Clockie
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I see Abba make one. https://abbastands.co.uk/product-det...l-rizer&pid=15

Sorely tempted!

Nick
  Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:15 PM   #4
Groovy748
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Bristol
Bike: M900
Posts: 14
I've used two wooden wedges with success , pushed together to riase the wheel to the correct height and the same for taking a wheel out. Simple but effective wooden chocks.
Groovy748 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:15 PM   #5
Stinger101
Registered User
 
Stinger101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Alcester
Bike: M1200s
Posts: 234
I have several bikes and several stands. They all seem to lift at a different height. But in each machine & stand combo, I just rest the back wheel on my toes of one foot, and raise or lower accordingly while I slide the spindle into place while the blocks and spacers are put in place with my hands. Sounds easy to type this, sometimes it's a jiggle and a wiggle and a dropped spacer!
I always seem to manage fine but some bikes are fiddly. The single siders are wonderful though!!
There is a piece available to help with this but I can't for the life think what it's called, nor can I find it after a quick google... Toes for me then!

Found the ABBA Stands rear wheel rizer piece.

Last edited by Stinger101; 31-03-2020 at 01:19 PM.. Reason: clearer description & found new info
Stinger101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:34 PM   #6
slob
.
 
slob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: East London
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 9,702
The wooden wedge works for me. A short length of 4”x2” cut at an angle allows you to roll the wheel to the right height to accept the spindle with one hand. When I’ve been at tracks without the luxury of all my usual bits & bobs I use the handle of my dead-blow hammer.

Last edited by slob; 31-03-2020 at 01:41 PM..
slob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 01:35 PM   #7
Mr Gazza
Lord of the Rings
 
Mr Gazza's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Norwich
Bike: M900sie
Posts: 5,766
Yes, I use my toes as an adjustable wedge too.. Simples.

I don't think anyone will ever beat the AJS and Matchless design of QD wheel. You can remove and install the rear wheel at the roadside with just a decent adjustable spanner. It leaves the chain and rear brake in place and in adjustment... The stand comes with the bike and parks the bike at the perfect height for wheel changing. Removing the front wheel is only very slightly more involved, but once it's loose the bike tips back onto the rear wheel and is stable in that position, requiring only a gentle push down to re-locate onto the axle when re-fitting.. Shame about the road drill engine they used though!
__________________
Mr Gazza is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 02:30 PM   #8
Luddite
Registered User
 
Luddite's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Southampton
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 2,465
I got one of these air wedges for hanging doors. It gives about 2 - 2½ inches of lift so isn't enough on it's own to lift a wheel (for me anyway). But used on top of a bit of wood, a few pumps raises the wheel to exactly the right height.



Having said that, I can't remember the last time I used it - the rear is a single-sided swinging-arm so is easy anyway and for the front, I've been using the Mr Gazza toes method as I can't be bothered to dig out the wedge.
Luddite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 02:57 PM   #9
Nasher
Registered User
 
Nasher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portsmouth
Bike: M900
Posts: 1,510
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luddite View Post
I got one of these air wedges for hanging doors.
Oh that's nice, didn't know they existed.

I'm going to have to get one of them.

Nasher.
__________________
Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell is afraid I'll take over.
Nasher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 07:22 PM   #10
Rrawlings
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Bradford
Bike: M1100evo
Posts: 175
They had a similar thing to what Luddite is suggesting in Lidl last week. If they still have them when I go tomorrow to get the essentials I will maybe take a punt
Rrawlings is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 07:54 PM   #11
utopia
No turn left unstoned
 
utopia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: leicester
Bike: M750
Posts: 4,543
Just to repeat really ....
I also use either the toes method or the two wooden wedges/packers method.
And I also was not aware of the pump wedge doo-dad.
Haven't been shopping for nearly two weeks now so a visit to Lidl might be in order tomorrow.
Ta, Luddite .. again.
utopia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-03-2020, 08:00 PM   #12
The Clockie
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Yes, I've often used the toe-cap method and the wedges but nothing yet is stable enough and sufficiently adjustable to prevent extreme aggravation. I like the look of the Abba Rizer but I've already got a gadget of theirs which was a waste of money (the front-lift attachment to their excellent main stand) so £70 seems a bit of a risk. However, Luddite's inflatable wedge looks like a great idea and can be used for other jobs too, so my order is in for a couple of them!

Thanks, All.

Nick
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2020, 10:16 AM   #13
mickj
Registered User
 
mickj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Clevedon
Bike: M1200s
Posts: 550
I have used a shovel under the back tyre for the past 10 years or so and it works perfectly.
__________________
Keep the rubber side down. Mick
mickj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2020, 10:22 AM   #14
Darren69
Transmaniacon MOC
 
Darren69's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sutton In Ashfield
Bike: Multiple Monsters
Posts: 6,011
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Clockie View Post
Yes, I've often used the toe-cap method and the wedges but nothing yet is stable enough and sufficiently adjustable to prevent extreme aggravation. I like the look of the Abba Rizer but I've already got a gadget of theirs which was a waste of money (the front-lift attachment to their excellent main stand) so £70 seems a bit of a risk. However, Luddite's inflatable wedge looks like a great idea and can be used for other jobs too, so my order is in for a couple of them!

Thanks, All.

Nick
I have the Abba stand used a few times and it's good. So I got the front lift thinking it might be useful too, but I've not used it yet. What is the issue with it?
__________________
Roast Beef Monster!

Termignoni and Bucci - Italian for pipe and slippers!

S4 Fogarty, S4R 07T, 748, Series 1 Mirage
Darren69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2020, 10:51 AM   #15
Nickj
Too much time on my hands member
 
Nickj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Forest Of Dean
Bike: S2r
Posts: 3,187
Both my R's are single siders so a bit of a non issue now.
The 750's were a bit different and I used the tried and tested foot system, you still really needed an extra arm to make sure the caliper holder was lined up and the spacers didn't knock out.
__________________
"The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature
Nickj is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:46 AM.

vBulletin Skins by vBmode.com. Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.