where do you jack the Spyder Up ?

[Little Blue]

Use some wood blocking under the rear shock.

That's the way I do it. Nice pictures of what is needed for blocking. ....

See pictures in post #24.

[Tonylmiller]

Use some wood blocking under the rear shock.

Perfect. Thanks.

[Peteoz]

Use some wood blocking under the rear shock.

Bensonoid, this is in no way, shape or form, a critique, as I simply don’t know the answer. BRP say in their shop manuals not to place your lift under the rear shock, only the under frame. Does this not count as placing your lift under the rear shock?

Pete

[Mikey]

I would not use that shock bolt ether!! I would put my jack to the end of the frame but leave enough room for a jack stand at the end, or trust my jack and use that back there, but not use the shock bolt.

[Bensonoid]

There's little to no weight on the shock bolt. The wood block is under the tabs that the shock bolt goes thru.

[Tonylmiller]

Seems strange to me, but I do not see any mention in the user manual of how to lift the Spyder. It says to lift it but not how or where, that I can find.

[sledge]

I think as a Mechanic , because I did only that for more than half of my working life. the more I got into removing this Rear Wheel the more I could see what I Should have done . this might not be what Can-Am would ever say to do . But I have owned 5 Honda Goldwings in a row in last 15 years or so . not many things are bigger , or more bulky , or more heavy , than a Goldwing .. I put all the tires on mysely , I bought a Motor Cycle Jack... never trusted that thing at all . sooo,, I dug 4 holes in the ground , and put 4 4X4 posts in the holes with concrete , 2 about 2 foot high and the other 2 about 6 feet high , with an Eye Bolt near the top of each .and I would hook a Come-a-long at the top of the tall one's and hook the other end to the Crash Bars of which ever end I wanted to pick up ..and ties down the other end with ratchet straps to make sure it couldnt fall over. .. and I could pick the bike up as high as I wanted and the bike could never fall over , or fall at all. . . . as for my Spyder the other day it was a real handfull trying to get it high enough to get the rear wheel under the rear fender and out . in the end... i hooked a wide ratchet strap through the rear rider hand holds. and across a Rafter in my Garage ... picked it right up . at my age , and with 70,000 mile car tires I just put on it , I most likely will never do this again anyway ... but if I do , I will do it just like I did my Goldwings. Thanks to everyone for all the advice . this is a great site , I hope to meet some of you folks for a ride someday. thanks again.

[Peteoz]

Seems strange to me, but I do not see any mention in the user manual of how to lift the Spyder. It says to lift it but not how or where, that I can find.

I don’t think they believe that a rider should be looking to lift the vehicle, Tony, which is why it wouldn’t be in the Operator Guide. It does however appear in the Workshop Manual.

Pete

[sledge]

I don’t think they believe that a rider should be looking to lift the vehicle, Tony, which is why it wouldn’t be in the Operator Guide. It does however appear in the Workshop Manual.

Pete

i was talking with the guy at the tire shop who changed my 2 front tires today , and we both kinda said the samething about why would anyone design and build anything so hard to do something as simple as change a tire ? Unless just to make sure the owner would bring it back to the Dealership . because IF you are the only place to get a job done then the price is an Open Book . No Competion , charge anything you want . Just a Thought . and I sure didn't know what I was doing , and you folks helped me a Lot . and Thank You All.

[EKB2to3Wheelz]

Those pictures for the jackstands were great. I’d hope that despite the posting about supporting on the shock bolt it would be ok to use a 2x4 across the mount to a jack stand. Seems to me that the shock bolt is supporting all the weight sitting on the ground then it shouldn’t be stressed as a support for a jack stand if using the frame to lift and the rear shock mount to support on a stand. I’ve got a factory shop manual, but I need to see if I can find the warning about using the rear shock for supporting the Spyder. It supports it when riding and the shock's involved there, this should be less stress.

[AeroPilot]

For just working on the brakes or rear wheel area the floor jack works for me. Like others have said, it's good to have a stand or blocking to further ensure that the bike is stable. I also religiously use a rubber pad between the jack and the metal box frame piece so that it doesn't slip off. I once had that happen on our first 2011 RT, and I vowed to never have it unbalanced again!!

DSCN2398.jpg

[Peteoz]

Those pictures for the jackstands were great. I’d hope that despite the posting about supporting on the shock bolt it would be ok to use a 2x4 across the mount to a jack stand. Seems to me that the shock bolt is supporting all the weight sitting on the ground then it shouldn’t be stressed as a support for a jack stand if using the frame to lift and the rear shock mount to support on a stand. I’ve got a factory shop manual, but I need to see if I can find the warning about using the rear shock for supporting the Spyder. It supports it when riding and the shock's involved there, this should be less stress.

Believe me, there is indeed a warning in the shop manual about not using the rear shock as a jacking point, EKB2. You could end up with damage if you simply put a bottle jack or similar under the centre, so BRP are covering their backsides here.
However, there are quite a few who have used a 2x4 underneath as their jack point with no adverse effects as you mention above.

Pete

[JayBros]

The reason there is a warning in the shop manual is because BRP's lowest common denominator in this case is for someone with the IQ of NitWit the Knuckle Dragger who would put the jack he is using directly under the shock itself and if he does so without using a block of wood under the ears that protrude downward from where they are welded to the swing arm and then jacks the Spyder he will bend the bolt that holds the shock. Then when NWKD then attempts to remove the shock for some reason in the future he will discover he can't remove the bent bolt.

[Gunner3773]

I use an EZcarlift to lift my Spyder.

Spyderlift6.jpg

Spyderlift1.jpg

[Mikey]

NICE!!!!!!! I love it.

[PMK]

The reason there is a warning in the shop manual is because BRP's lowest common denominator in this case is for someone with the IQ of NitWit the Knuckle Dragger who would put the jack he is using directly under the shock itself and if he does so without using a block of wood under the ears that protrude downward from where they are welded to the swing arm and then jacks the Spyder he will bend the bolt that holds the shock. Then when NWKD then attempts to remove the shock for some reason in the future he will discover he can't remove the bent bolt.

To clarify the logic.

Jacking under the shock bolt, on the shocks lower eyelet is a fraction of the stress into the bolt than when riding. Sitting static on the ground, the rear shock lower bolt, actually, all the shock bolts are in a shear loading. When the suspension compresses, even bottoming, the shear loads on the shock bolts increase many times.

The true reason for not jacking under the rear shock lower eyelet is on account of inducing side loads into the steel swingarm brackets, that anchor the rear shock lower eyelet. Under load, those brackets always have a downward load placed into them. Jacking under the eyelet and raising the Spyder can induce side loads that could bend the thin steel brackets.

Past topics and replies have indicated that a bent lower rear shock bolt is from continuous bottoming of the suspension.

If the bolt does get bent, or the swingarm brackets get bent, both can make removing the bolt difficult.

[djh3]

I also have read if your lifting the rear wheel as in a tire change you have to disconnect the linkage on I believe the left side that goes to a level sensor or something like that.

[PMK]

I also have read if your lifting the rear wheel as in a tire change you have to disconnect the linkage on I believe the left side that goes to a level sensor or something like that.

Kind of depends. If not releasing belt tension via the adjusters, then yes, folks will disconnect the ride height position sensor. Then removing the lower shock bolt, move the rear suspension downward. This relieves the belt tension, allowing the belt to be removed, and wheel slid aft and out.

It is also possible to not disconnect the ride height position sensor, but does require loosening the axle, relieving belt tension, and having the Spyder jacked high enough to drop just the wheel out.