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Yet Another Thread on the Harbor Freight Lift

DR Buck

New member
Well 4 1/2 months ago I bought my Harbor Freight motorcycle lift. It's been in my garage waiting for me to do something with it besides using it as a work table. Tonight I started the changes needed to make it Spyder friendly. :ohyea:

After looking at Coz's great job on his and a few others that have done conversions as well I decided I was going to do something different. The first thing I knew I was going to do was make mine a drive straight into the garage and onto it as a parking space. No backing up onto the platform. I'll back off. I also thought about attaching the ramp/platform to the lift. I nixed that idea when I started to think about it being in the way when I want to work on the Spyder. I decided it will remain on the floor when the Spyder is raised and can be pushed out of the way.

I also decided I was not going to use pipe or run it over the top of the platform. I had two 6' pieces of 1 1/2" thick wall (1/8") square stock like is used for warehouse shelving frames and sign posts. I figured this is 'free' since I dragged it home from somewhere some years ago. So, here is what I've got done so far:



These are the bars I'm using.


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They are under mounted. I cut them and drilled the platform so they fit tight against the frame of the lift.


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This is what they look like installed. I'm thinking of leaving the space between them open. They are spaced at 9 1/2" inches and that will let the tire drop down in some and hold the Spyder in place. An option will be to bolt a piece of 3/4" plywood on as a platform if the open space don't work out. Either way, I still need to paint them.


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My platform/ramps are not built yet. This is where I'm having mental issues. I own and operate a sawmill business and don't have a single 2x6 board and no logs to cut some from. :banghead: So, as much as I hate to do it, I'm heading to Home Depot tomorrow and picking up four 8' 2x6's. :gaah:



This is what the platforms will look like.

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Looking good..!!

Your getting there, might spin the rear tire a bit to get the fronts to jump the bars backing out. That's if they drop down. Waiting to see end results and review..!! :popcorn::popcorn:
 
Place a chunk of 2x8 between each of your rails when you let the lift down and you won't have to 'hop' the rail to back it off of the lift.

Will anxiously await reports of your success.
 
Place a chunk of 2x8 between each of your rails when you let the lift down and you won't have to 'hop' the rail to back it off of the lift.

Will anxiously await reports of your success.


That'a a good idea, but it will have to be more than a 2x8. the top of the rails are 6" off the floor.
 
It's done. All but the painting. Big problem though. It will not lift my RT Ltd.:banghead:

I have no clue what to do next. Maybe check jack fluid to make sure it is OK. Anybody else ever lift an RT or RT Ltd.
 
It's done. All but the painting. Big problem though. It will not lift my RT Ltd.:banghead:

I have no clue what to do next. Maybe check jack fluid to make sure it is OK. Anybody else ever lift an RT or RT Ltd.

I expected that might be a problem. The HF lift capacity is only 1,000 pounds. An LTD with only a half tank of gas weighs that, with empty saddlebags and trunk. If it is a low oil problem it would only limit how far it lifts, not the weight it can lift. I have not been impressed with the HF hydraulics. Many of them leak by, which would reduce their ability to lift their rated capacity.
 
I'm thinking that the weight distribution on the lowered platform may be part of the problem. There are other threads that have posted pictures of RTs lifted on these lifts. The difference is they back onto the lift and the front half of the Spyder is over the hydraulic pump. It won't take much for me to switch the wheel platforms to the other end. I'll give that a try later today after I change oil and filters in the wife's car.

My Ltd is not as heavy as the average Ltd since I've removed the cat converter and all the factory airbox stuff. That stuff weighed more than the total of all my farkles.


Chupaca, you were correct about the wheel spinning. I had to add platforms on the steel bars.
 
Lifting

Looking forward to hearing how that reversal works out, I like what you have done. I have the same lift and was planning a mod now I will wait until I see how yours finishes.:doorag:
 
One of the stupidest things in this life I ever did was purchase the same lift you are dealing with and attempt to lift my '07 Wing. After I freed myself from the tangle of flimsy half baked engineered p.o.s. and an 800 # bike, I boxed it back up and couldn't return it fast enough. So, the fact that it won't lift an RT isn't too surprising. End of rant . But, as always, YMMV.
 
Still don't work.

OK,
Here is the finished product. I turned it around to the opposite end but it still won't lift my RT Ltd. :gaah: Anybody local with an RS that is interested, I'm goingt o part with this thing. I've got a total of $350 with the ramps and lift. I'm done messing around with it and it could be had for a lot less. :banghead: It's highly possible it could head to a local auction next Thursday night and take my losses and get it out of my way.




Harbor Freight Lift
 
OK,
Here is the finished product. I turned it around to the opposite end but it still won't lift my RT Ltd. :gaah: Anybody local with an RS that is interested, I'm goingt o part with this thing. I've got a total of $350 with the ramps and lift. I'm done messing around with it and it could be had for a lot less. :banghead: It's highly possible it could head to a local auction next Thursday night and take my losses and get it out of my way.




View attachment 76134

What's your location, if not too far I could try my RSS to see if it's a weight issue. PM me.
 
Can't make up my mind

Well at this point I'm conflicted. I don't know if I want to take a beating on the price of the lift or not. If I take it to auction I'd be lucky to get $100 for it. Now I'm thinking of keeping it to use as a lift table in the garage. I don't have a lot of room, but I could push it against a wall. The ramps are another problem. I have no use for them and they can't be taken apart very easy as I used coated sinkers and screws to put them together.

I think I have settled on a replacement lift. I'll post more when I firm up my decision.
 
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I finally ordered a 1500 pound Handy Lift and the extensions to accommodate the Spyder.

Carl

HANDY B.O.B. 1500 is top of my list. I'm looking at a full set of options for ATVs and Lawn equipment.. That way I can expense it against my farm operation. :roflblack:
 
If I remember right the Handy has to be modified slightly to widen it for the Spyder, but it is pretty straight-forward so not a big deal, and it does not negate use for ATVs or lawn tractors. I think Lamont had a thread about that.
 
Well at this point I'm conflicted. I don't know if I want to take a beating on the price of the lift or not. If I take it to auction I'd be lucky to get $100 for it. Now I'm thinking of keeping it to use as a lift table in the garage. I don't have a lot of room, but I could push it against a wall. The ramps are another problem. I have no use for them and they can't be taken apart very easy as I used coated sinkers and screws to put them together.

I think I have settled on a replacement lift. I'll post more when I firm up my decision.
What about trying to fit a heavier hydraulic bottle jack to the lift
 
What about trying to fit a heavier hydraulic bottle jack to the lift

It's not a standard bottle jack.



If I remember right the Handy has to be modified slightly to widen it for the Spyder, but it is pretty straight-forward so not a big deal, and it does not negate use for ATVs or lawn tractors. I think Lamont had a thread about that.

They have a "Spyder" option available now. 9 1/2 inches wider than the normal trike kit. I'm looking at getting it with Spyder, ATV and mower lift options. Package cost pushes $3200. Looking in the ashtray and under the seat of my truck to see how much loose change is laying around. :roflblack:
 
original condition

dr. buck , un-bolt all the stuff off of it and sell it on craigslist. did you ever test it with serious weight? it may have been defective from the start. harbor freight is always a roll of the dice.
 
They have a "Spyder" option available now. 9 1/2 inches wider than the normal trike kit. I'm looking at getting it with Spyder, ATV and mower lift options. Package cost pushes $3200. Looking in the ashtray and under the seat of my truck to see how much loose change is laying around. :roflblack:

Thanks for the info.
 
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