Craftsman bike lift and softtail (Night Train)
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Intermediate
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Craftsman bike lift and softtail (Night Train)
I'm sure this has come up before. I searched for it but failed.
Anyway this is part question, part answer.
I got the Craftsman bike lift, the yellow aluminum one. Very nice. And I'm using it on a Night Train. So the frame rails under the bike are about two feet long or so, and the shock tubes that are just about6 inches long and run parallel to the frame rails stick out below the rails by a fraction of an inch. Just an eighth of an inch or so. (I assume the other softtails have the same setup?) Of course, right where the shock tubes are is where one of the lift pads should go for good balance. In front of that it's a little rear heavy on the lift; behind thatand it's front heavy. I assume putting the lift pad under the shock tubes and moving them that eighth of an inch when you lift the bike would be a bad thing?
If so, here's a pretty good solution. Just get a one inch piece of plywood about 1' by 2' or whatever the frame rail dimension is, and cut out an 8" x 8" hole (or thereabouts) where the shock tubes would be. The shocks would fit in the hole like a pocket, and you'll have a clean flat surface to place the lift at the best balance point.
Any other thoughts are welcome. Thanks!
Anyway this is part question, part answer.
I got the Craftsman bike lift, the yellow aluminum one. Very nice. And I'm using it on a Night Train. So the frame rails under the bike are about two feet long or so, and the shock tubes that are just about6 inches long and run parallel to the frame rails stick out below the rails by a fraction of an inch. Just an eighth of an inch or so. (I assume the other softtails have the same setup?) Of course, right where the shock tubes are is where one of the lift pads should go for good balance. In front of that it's a little rear heavy on the lift; behind thatand it's front heavy. I assume putting the lift pad under the shock tubes and moving them that eighth of an inch when you lift the bike would be a bad thing?
If so, here's a pretty good solution. Just get a one inch piece of plywood about 1' by 2' or whatever the frame rail dimension is, and cut out an 8" x 8" hole (or thereabouts) where the shock tubes would be. The shocks would fit in the hole like a pocket, and you'll have a clean flat surface to place the lift at the best balance point.
Any other thoughts are welcome. Thanks!
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 30
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From: West Michigan
RE: Craftsman bike lift and softtail (Night Train)
Scottmartello
I have the same Craftsman bike lift; the yellow one and I own a softail standard, 2001. I used a shingle knife and removed a section of the rubber (about 6.5 inches section in the middle of one of the rails). I place this rail under the shock side of the bike and it clears the shocks. Bike sits real stable and I don’t have to worry about using any blocks.
I have the same Craftsman bike lift; the yellow one and I own a softail standard, 2001. I used a shingle knife and removed a section of the rubber (about 6.5 inches section in the middle of one of the rails). I place this rail under the shock side of the bike and it clears the shocks. Bike sits real stable and I don’t have to worry about using any blocks.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
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RE: Craftsman bike lift and softtail (Night Train)
ORIGINAL: BlueSoftail
Scottmartello
I have the same Craftsman bike lift; the yellow one and I own a softail standard, 2001. I used a shingle knife and removed a section of the rubber (about 6.5 inches section in the middle of one of the rails). I place this rail under the shock side of the bike and it clears the shocks. Bike sits real stable and I don’t have to worry about using any blocks.
Scottmartello
I have the same Craftsman bike lift; the yellow one and I own a softail standard, 2001. I used a shingle knife and removed a section of the rubber (about 6.5 inches section in the middle of one of the rails). I place this rail under the shock side of the bike and it clears the shocks. Bike sits real stable and I don’t have to worry about using any blocks.
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