When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes, at one point they sold an optional compressed air lift as an "upgrade" to the manual pump style but most all customers just bought the foot pump model (less complicated, no need for a compressor, lower cost).
Tim......just curious, what's the serial number stamped on the plate affixed to the jacks left wheel cover?
( I followed J&S for many yrs until their demise. Mine was bought new, in person at a cycle show from the company's owner Steve Rovers and his son. But to my knowledge, in 2016 and afterwards there were no "extension" rods with *****) incorporated in any of their (J&S's) designs or ever displayed historically on their website.
Your serial number would help......and I'd be curious to see how the rod connects to the release valve of the bottle jack. thx.
I will get that info later today.
After adding some oil and bleeding the jack it works great. Although now I am thinking about purchasing a back up bottle jack. I have searched the internet to some degree but have not been able to find a jack with the release in the upward position like the jack I have. Its got to be out there because no way could it have been proprietary to J & S Jacks at that time. If any one knows where one can be purchased let me know. Doesn't matter if the ram is air or mechanically driven.
I honestly don't believe that long release rod and **** is "standard".....I think it's been fabricated buy a previous owner. I know you said the jack was "new" when you bought it BUT.......I'm still not sure.
IF you didn't buy it DIRECTLY from J&S (they only sold new units DIRECT from J&S in Little Chute WI) then perhaps someone created the long release you have.
Please keep me posted. I can't find a bottle jack with that type of long release rod and **** but it would be great to have. My guess is the one you have has been fabricated with some sort of universal joint (like a socket wrench with a swivel type fitting at the end). A few close up pictures and unit serial number would help.
I honestly don't believe that long release rod and **** is "standard".....I think it's been fabricated buy a previous owner. I know you said the jack was "new" when you bought it BUT.......I'm still not sure.
IF you didn't buy it DIRECTLY from J&S (they only sold new units DIRECT from J&S in Little Chute WI) then perhaps someone created the long release you have.
Please keep me posted. I can't find a bottle jack with that type of long release rod and **** but it would be great to have. My guess is the one you have has been fabricated with some sort of universal joint (like a socket wrench with a swivel type fitting at the end). A few close up pictures and unit serial number would help.
No I bought it DIRECTLY from J&S Jack in Little Chute WI. Pictures to follow.
Here are the pictures you requested. J&S offered either the air assist or the manual model when I ordered my lift. Hopefully someone can identify the jack as there is no name on it. There is a patent number which I am going to search. Hopefully I can find something about it.
I stand corrected....Thx for the pics. You have one of the very "rare" optional "air assist" units.
However, now that you were able to get your motorcycle off the lift you could try the bleeding process and test it with weights laying on the lifting bars. But, having said that, I still suggest you buy a manual bottle jack. You still might need to bleed the air in that one too (some accumulate a little air in shipping).
IF you do, you'll want to save the foot peddle "collar" from the old and move it to the new bottle so you can still fit the foot peddle into the collar.
No matter what you decide to do, just understand that bottle jacks are mostly the "weak link" in most lifts. Unfortunately, they aren't maintenance free. Bleeding air, sometimes topping off the oil are just part of the process. Leaks however, require a lot more effort and even then some just can't be fixed.....and best to buy a replacement.
Good luck and keep us posted.
(btw, a manual bottle jack will take about 56 foot pumps to raise it to the highest stop which really isn't bad at all. I raise mine up to the second to the highest stop...so maybe 45ish pumps)
Rob, do you ever use the second set of slots where the mechanical stops don’t insert all the way in because of that cross bar? I do occasionally, and I’ve never had a problem, but I wonder how safe it really is..kinda gives me the creeps
Rob, do you ever use the second set of slots where the mechanical stops dont insert all the way in because of that cross bar? I do occasionally, and Ive never had a problem, but I wonder how safe it really is..kinda gives me the creeps
I've used them before. I know what you mean but it feels solid and I've never had a problem.
I stand corrected....Thx for the pics. You have one of the very "rare" optional "air assist" units.
However, now that you were able to get your motorcycle off the lift you could try the bleeding process and test it with weights laying on the lifting bars. But, having said that, I still suggest you buy a manual bottle jack. You still might need to bleed the air in that one too (some accumulate a little air in shipping).
IF you do, you'll want to save the foot peddle "collar" from the old and move it to the new bottle so you can still fit the foot peddle into the collar.
No matter what you decide to do, just understand that bottle jacks are mostly the "weak link" in most lifts. Unfortunately, they aren't maintenance free. Bleeding air, sometimes topping off the oil are just part of the process. Leaks however, require a lot more effort and even then some just can't be fixed.....and best to buy a replacement.
Good luck and keep us posted.
(btw, a manual bottle jack will take about 56 foot pumps to raise it to the highest stop which really isn't bad at all. I raise mine up to the second to the highest stop...so maybe 45ish pumps)
Thanks for the info. I bleed the jack per the video in my post #26. Something I may do yearly and/or if it starts feeling mushy again. I had some warning and never got around to checking the oil and bleeding the jack which could have turned out worse. The jack is working great raising to the top stops easily. I have had the bike on it a couple of times without issue. Although I am on the hunt for a backup jack with the same release as the one I have. So far without luck.
Destination Highway:
I'm not sure what you mean when you asked if I ever use "the second set of slots"?
I typically raise mine to the second to the last (second highest) of the 5 slots. I also changed out the fasteners to bolts and wing nuts. From previous experience, when my bottle failed to lift, and my 900+ pound Ultra Limited was stuck raised up, it was a real PITA and nerve wracking trying to wrench off the fasteners and replace the bottle while on the safety stops. The wing nuts make it easier to remove the bottle once the piston is pushed down by hand. With weight on the lift, the bottle isn't going anywhere.
Every fall, as part of my "my winter storage routine", I pull the bottle and go through the bleeding process and re-install it. Much easier and safer to do without my cycle on it.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
