This may sound kinda dumb, but what is the safe way of lifting a softail by the frame?

 

With a motorcycle jack.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...SABEgLmIvD_BwE

 

Very nice, thanks!

 

Ive been using a harbor frieght lift for years they work just as well as the other name brands.

 

The rear shocks hang just a little lower than the frame. Will these types of lifts mess the shocks up by pressing up on them a little?

 

^Use 2 blocks of wood along the frame rails where the jack will be lifting the bike; you won't have any shock contact then...

 

Any chance you've got a pic of that? Just be careful to not squish any lines, can't picture it; particularly for a dyna FXDF?

 

Was not intended to show up the wooden planks, but if you look well you can see one under the frame. Does not need to be thick and certainly not wide, just enough to support the frame. They can move a bit when you roll the lift under. So before actual lifting check if they are positioned with centerline of the plank directly under the frame bars. I got later those frame supports from HD that hold on to the frame rather than being loosely placed on the lift. This avoids the hassle with planks not aligned properly. That's in the other picture ( items in orange, zoom in) Check the HD catalog for that under section lifts.

 

^^^^I have owned the same one for at least 10 years now, used it on my old softail. Now I use it on my Street glide no problems yet.

 

I use a couple of 3/8" rubber shims cut from floor tiles when I lift my Heritage on my J&S jack. Put them under the frame tubes in the back member. Works perfectly to clear the shocks. Wood shims would work, too, pretty much anything.

That said, I've read somewhere on this Forum (from people who should know) that it's not a problem to lift the old softails with pressure on the shocks. But for the 10 seconds it takes to place the shims, why take a chance?