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Center stand wok for removing front wheel ?

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Center stand work for removing front wheel ?

Will the center stand work for removing front wheel or do I need a front stand as well ?
 
I use a floor jack under the motor of my Voyager. A 2x4 to spread the weight. When you stick it back in you can jack it up to get the tire under the fender and slowly lower it until the axle holes line up. The axle should go in fairly easy, if you have to beat on the axle then your not aligned.
 
I have the side and rear bags on my bike. When the bike is on the center stand, it doesn't take much effort at all to put the weight on the rear wheel instead of the front. My opinion, if you have bags, just throw some weight in them and you should be fine.
 
If in a garage, a rafter or a bubba eye bolt in a rafter and a ratchet sling or rope works too.
 
centerstand wok? you want that stir fried? ;-)

Most bikes will tip back onto the rear wheel when you remove the front wheel. But even a little scissor jack to raise the front off the ground will make it easier to work on.

A tip I've learned is to strap the centerstand so it can not inadvertently retract. Typically a tie down strap to the front wheel works great but since you're removing the front, you'll obviously want to lash to something else.
 
Or, build one of these like El Bandito did.......I built one as well and it works great. Took about 20 minutes of cutting and building to make. Very sturdy and I trust the bike up there for long periods of time.......like when my front forks come off for the rebuild.

PhilS

Credit for this photo is for ElBandito on the Racetech Springs and Gold Valve installation thread on this forum.

ed6f68de34ee7d6b368f3c89cc4addc60_large.jpg
 
PhilS
"Or, build one of these like El Bandito did.......I built one as well and it works great. Took about 20 minutes of cutting and building to make. Very sturdy and I trust the bike up there for long periods of time.......like when my front forks come off for the rebuild."

Looks nice, How did you get the bike up on them? To get my front wheel up I used two stepladders, put the bike on the center stand and used a tie strap from the handle bars to a support between the ladders. Not a lot of weight to pull up and it was stable while I removed the wheel.
Speaking of Handlebars..I've seen a lot of folks talk about changing them. I'm not real tall and the bars seem about the right width to me. What kind of changes have you guys been making there?
Shotrod
 
PhilS
"Or, build one of these like El Bandito did.......I built one as well and it works great. Took about 20 minutes of cutting and building to make. Very sturdy and I trust the bike up there for long periods of time.......like when my front forks come off for the rebuild."

Looks nice, How did you get the bike up on them? To get my front wheel up I used two stepladders, put the bike on the center stand and used a tie strap from the handle bars to a support between the ladders. Not a lot of weight to pull up and it was stable while I removed the wheel.
Speaking of Handlebars..I've seen a lot of folks talk about changing them. I'm not real tall and the bars seem about the right width to me. What kind of changes have you guys been making there?
Shotrod

If you look closely at the picture you will notice two jack stands at the rear wheel, these are used to support the rear of the bike with a special support rod that fits thru the hollow rear axle and rests on the jack stands.

To raise my bike up to work on the front end, I first place my bike up on the center stand and insert the support rod thru the axle, and then I slide the jack stands underneath the support rod.

I then use my Pit Bull front lift to raise the front of the bike up so that it's resting fully on the rear jack stands.

At this point I can remove the front wheel and fork tubes for service, but if I need to be able to remove the triple trees for service, I then place the wooden support stand underneath the frame and lower the bike down onto it and remove the Pit Bull front lift.

This is necessary as the Pit Bull front lift works by lifting up the front of the bike by a pin inserted into the hole in the lower triple tree.

Its all works very easily for me and the bike is rock solid when resting on the rear jack stands and the wooden support stand. :rider:
 
Shotrod,

I can speak only for myself, but I think others are replacing the bars for similar reasons to mine. I didn't like the wrist angle of the OEM bars, and I thought the grips were too close together.

I ended up buying OEM black bars for the Suzuki 650 four, and some GenMar bar-backs. It took a little work on my end to make the combination work, as the controls end up hitting the gas tank. Between the lower bars and bar-backs, I didn't have to replace any hoses or cables.
 
If you look closely at the picture you will notice two jack stands at the rear wheel, these are used to support the rear of the bike with a special support rod that fits thru the hollow rear axle and rests on the jack stands.

To raise mu bike up to work on the front end, I first place my bike up on the center stand and insert the support rod thru the axle, and then I slide the jack stands underneath the support rod.

I then use my Pit Bull front lift to raise the front of the bike up so that it's resting fully on the rear jack stands.

At this point I can remove the front wheel and fork tubes for service, but if I you need to be able to remove the triple trees for service, I then place the special wooden support stand I made underneath the frame and lower the bike down onto it and remove the Pit Bull front lift.

This is necessary as the Pit Bull front lift works by lifting up the front of the bike by a pin inserted into the hole in the lower triple tree.

Its all works very easily for me and the bike is rock solid when resting on the rear jack stands and the wooden support stand. :rider:

I'm curious why you chose to use a rod through the rear axle rather than a paddock stand and lifting by the rear swing arm? Is it just more stable using jacks?
 
If you look closely at the picture you will notice two jack stands at the rear wheel, these are used to support the rear of the bike with a special support rod that fits thru the hollow rear axle and rests on the jack stands.

To raise mu bike up to work on the front end, I first place my bike up on the center stand and insert the support rod thru the axle, and then I slide the jack stands underneath the support rod.

I then use my Pit Bull front lift to raise the front of the bike up so that it's resting fully on the rear jack stands.

At this point I can remove the front wheel and fork tubes for service, but if I you need to be able to remove the triple trees for service, I then place the special wooden support stand I made underneath the frame and lower the bike down onto it and remove the Pit Bull front lift.

This is necessary as the Pit Bull front lift works by lifting up the front of the bike by a pin inserted into the hole in the lower triple tree.

Its all works very easily for me and the bike is rock solid when resting on the rear jack stands and the wooden support stand. :rider:

You didn't make them out of BILLET ALUMINUM???????????? :lol2:
sorry, couldn't resist!!
 
You didn't make them out of BILLET ALUMINUM???????????? :lol2:
sorry, couldn't resist!!


Wally,

I was going to make one out of either steel or aluminum, but I decided that the wood would work just as well and have the benefit of not scrathing the paint on the frame. :rider:
 
Re: Center stand work for removing front wheel ?

any suggestions for those of us with single swing arms and a center stand. obviously i could just weight it down and not use a center stand, but doesn't sound very safe. anyone experienced any stability issues getting the bike up on the center stand.
 
I'm curious why you chose to use a rod through the rear axle rather than a paddock stand and lifting by the rear swing arm? Is it just more stable using jacks?


Well lets see, the axle support rod only cost me about 20 minutes in labor to make and about $3 for the piece of 5/8" rod compared to at least $75 plus if I had to purchase a rear stand and I already had the jack stands, so you do the math.

I also don't have to be stepping around and tripping over a rear support stand sticking out the back of my bike as the jack stands don't stick out nearly as far and tuck in fairly close to the bike, and yes it's very stable. :rider:

210911588488c0af21ebff24fa6f61970_large.jpg
 
On my Triumph Trophy I put the bike on the center stand and then I stack 2 pieces on 2x6 and on top of that I have a piece of 4x4 that I notched out to fit between the trophy exhaust. The 4x4 holds up the front of the bike by supporting the crankcase and works like a champ.
 
Re: Center stand work for removing front wheel ?

any suggestions for those of us with single swing arms and a center stand. obviously i could just weight it down and not use a center stand, but doesn't sound very safe. anyone experienced any stability issues getting the bike up on the center stand.


I'm not quite sure what your asking, but as far as the Bandit is concerned, if you raise the front tire off the ground with a front lift like the Pit Bull that I have, and with the bike just sitting on the center stand, as you lift up the front of the bike the bike will began to pivot on the center stand until the back tire touches the ground, then as you continue to raise the front of the bike up the center stand comes off the ground and your bike will fall over.

That's why before raising the front tire off the ground you must first support the rear of the bike with some sort of stand.
 
Reading all this with interest as I do most all posts. Never too old to learn here.
But, if your just lifting the front wheel enough to take it off, a small floor jack, block of wood and a tie down strap to secure the centerstand in place. I just get the wheel about 1/4" off the workbench and take it off. Or, at times, I jack it till the rear tire just touches so it won't come up when removing the weight of the front from the bike. SO FAR, Never had a problem with this set up. Depends on the front to rear weight balance of the bike your playing with at the moment. I do tire changes for several older dudes so have to treat each bike as in individual case on set up.

Now, if you wanted to remove both wheels at the same time. HMMMMM. I used to use and engine block hoist with 1" nylon straps about the front and back frame members. But, i have not had the need to do that in many years. I just work on one end at a time. ;=).
 
Looks like I'm going to have to do this one wheel at a time...Use a little jack to raise the front wheel just enough to take it off with the bike on the center stand.....I'll have to buy a rear stand to do the rear.
 
...I'll have to buy a rear stand to do the rear.
If you're talking about taking off the rear tire the center stand puts the rear up high enough. I just replaced my rear tire this past weekend without using a jack - just the center stand.
 
If you're talking about taking off the rear tire the center stand puts the rear up high enough. I just replaced my rear tire this past weekend without using a jack - just the center stand.

Greg, thanks for the info:sun: ...Was about to go and buy a rear stand....When on the centerstand it looks plenty high to me as well....The little manual is confusing...It says to put it on a center stand then put an accessory stand on it to lift the wheel up :scratch:...I'm like, it's already up...:brainsnap

For the front wheel it says the same thing...

Appreciate all the info...
 
Rather than buying a stand buy a long breaker bar and a 36mm 6-sided socket. I bought them for about $15 each at the local AutoZone. That 24" breaker bar really made it easy to get the rear axle nut off.
 
If in a garage, a rafter or a bubba eye bolt in a rafter and a ratchet sling or rope works too.

when I need to pull the front wheel I use my bar harness (for strapping down in trailer or truck) and hang it by the bars with ratchet straps to a hook in the rafter

this is the way I've done it in the past. I've improved my system a little, but you get the idea

NewTires003.jpg
 
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