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Don't feel lonely, My scoot is stuck right now sitting on my J&S jack.....Yeah, they are shipping me a new hydraulic cylinder free. but it just goes to show that they all break eventually.
Let this experience teach all to exaime the next jack you buy....Make certain you can remove the hydraulic cylinder if the jack gets stuck while raised, and also that you CAN get a replacement cylinder quickly and cheaply.
What I plan to do when the new cylinder shows up is drain all fluid, flush out the resorvoir, then refill with clean fresh fluid. I'm convinced most new cylinders fail due to machining debris left in jack during manufacture.
Yep, even J&S uses cheap imported bottles. I've gone thru two of them. I still keep the bike elevated.
Thats what you get for treating your HOG like its fragile and so precious. Why do people do that? I love my bike and take care of it, but its not made out of paper, plastic and wood. Do you do the same thing for your car or truck?
is the release valve closed, tight? if it's open it won't pump up. if it's tight then pull the rubber plug out of the side of the bottle jack and add oil. any oil will work. it doesn't have to be jack oil to work.
Is there any resistance when you pump it? You most likely need to top off the hydraulic oil. Usually there is a rubber plug halfway up where you can add. don't over do it, you may need only a tiny amount.
Sears floor jacks are notorious for leaking fluid.
My bike is at the highest level on my Sear jack with the mechanical stops engaged. The bottle jack has bled completely down. It's no big deal. It is stable on the jack, even with the rear wheel off. When it warms up a little, I will reinstall the rear wheel and jack the bottle jack up. It will pick it up...it always has...
Rent a forklift and get two slings to put around the bike. Lift it off and pull the jack out. For 1 HD (hundred dollars) you should be back in business.
Or you could put oil in the jack and/or just heat it up.
A cherry picker and a good strap for a sling. Run sling under frame and raise off the jack with the cherry picker (engine hoist). slide jack out and lower bike onto wheels (don't forget to put the kickstand down). Get bottle jack fixed. You can rent the cherry picker at any rental shop if you can't get a couple friends to lift the bike off.
Thats what you get for treating your HOG like its fragile and so precious. Why do people do that? I love my bike and take care of it, but its not made out of paper, plastic and wood. Do you do the same thing for your car or truck?
Are you kidding? I would never spend 16 grand on a car or truck!
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