I have the yellow jack from Harbor Freight, think it is very similar to the one from Sears and some others out there. I noticed when jacking up the bike the front of the bike will sit on the frame which is good but the rear part is actually jacking on the rear shocks under the bike. If they seam to be about 1/4" or less lower then the frame so when jacking the weight of the bike is not completely on the frame to the jack. Make sense what I'm describing? I'm assuming it would be like this on all softails? what do you guys do or is it OK to have the weight on the rear shocks under the bike? Thanks

 

Get your bike off the jack.
You are right the rear shock does hang below the frame.
You need to put something between the frame and the bed of the jack. HD sells rubber frame rails which give the clearance needed.
I have read posts on here where people have used a jack and damaged or bent the shock.

Lee

 

Thanks, I have not kept the bike jacked up fo rmore than 2 minutes after noticing this. I lifted it, saw it and took it down. Figured I'd check with you all before keeping it jacked for aprolonged period of time. Anyone have any make it yourself DIY contraptions to space out the shocks from the jack? Thanks again for the info

 

Glad to help.
The rubber rails HD sells fit around the frame rails and are easy to take off and put on.
I found out about them by asking, the same as you.
You will find this site has plenty of great people willing to share information on just about any subject. I just like to try and pay back some of which has been given me.

Lee

 

Oh yes. Can be a potential mess. There's a small tollerance of space between the housing and the spring on the inside and while there's a plastic sleeve in there, if you tweak the housing it doesn't take much to wear the plastic out and you'll get an annoying squeak - or worse, binding.

The end cap of the shock (where the front bolt goes through) has to slide back-and-forth in the housing.

-DO

 

the thought I have is to get like 4 hockey pucks and bolt them into the jack at the 4 spots where the frame sits. Maybe they don't need to be pucks but something rubber, sqaure and even thickness that can be firmly attached to the jack. Thought? Or like you said just buy the things that lock onto the frame.

 

I bought these...

http://www.latus-harley-davidson.com...Protectors.htm

They work great...

 

^^Same ones I picked up Meat.
The only thing you have to remember is to take them off afterwards...
After washing it, I once went for a couple hundred mile ride with them still on.

 

Thanks Meatsack,
I just bought them, $27.50 delivered and I don't have to modify the jack or rig anything up. I should have asked this 2 weeks ago when I first noticed the issue. You all are the best!

 

Ha! I've almost done that too...several times.





When you get them, you will have to take a razor to them to cut the proper section out where the lower frame cross rail goes. You'll see when you get them. It's easy to do...a sharp razor cuts them like butter.