Harbor Freight motorcycle table lift.

[maury]

I don't know if anyone here uses this particular lift. I have had one for a while and absolutely love working on the bikes at "sitting on a stool" height.
The known weak link with these tables is the hydraulic piston which is operated through a foot pump and not very efficient nor long lasting. Mine finally got to where I had trouble pumping up the bikes to full height.

So I changed out the piston to a 12 ton (yeah over kill) air hydraulic jack and WOW is that ever better. If anyone would like to see my conversion, I'd be happy to post some pictures and descriptions.

Just let me know !!

[tomk1960]

Many bike owners who do their own wrenching have this lift, including me. So far the piston on mine is fine after 6+ years, but I would be very interested in seeing pictures of your modification/upgrade. Also, please provide info regarding the jack's part number and where you got it. My compressor is just a few feet from my lift, so I'd definitely like to do what you did when the time comes.

Thanks!

[desertrefugee]

I have one, too. About 4 years I think. No trouble with the lift yet, but I've heard that they simply begin to loose fluid through the seals. You could probably get away with just topping it off for a while. But, like Tom, I'd love to see what you did and with which jack.

[scootsx2]

I have had my HF lift for about 7 years and no problems. The lift can be operated by foot pump or with an air compressor. Have you checked the oil level in your lift?

[robin1731]

There are a few threads on this. Including this one. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=48993

.

[desertrefugee]

I have the one with the c-channels and solid bar. There's been one motorcycle or another on it pretty much the entire time I've had it. The only excitement I ever had with it was when I let one side down onto a shop vac once. If I hadn't been paying attention, I'm pretty sure the XS650 would have gone over.

[wingrider]

Might as well share what you did...that way folks can see it in the future if they have the same thought! I always figured an air/hydraulic jack would be nicer than the original.

[JSBail]

I have one, too. About 4 years I think. No trouble with the lift yet, but I've heard that they simply begin to loose fluid through the seals. You could probably get away with just topping it off for a while. But, like Tom, I'd love to see what you did and with which jack.

From what I've read the problem has to do with how poorly the linkage at the plunger of the jack articulates, as it is it doesn't articulate enough causing a lot of side load on that plunger piston making it wear out and leak sooner than it should. Here's a vid that explains it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxj2HcG52cE

[Wangthang]

I 've had a H.F. lift for 12 years with no problems. When I have a bike on it I release the ram pressure, and let it rest on the safety rod.

[tomk1960]

So I changed out the piston to a 12 ton (yeah over kill) air hydraulic jack and WOW is that ever better. If anyone would like to see my conversion, I'd be happy to post some pictures and descriptions.

Just let me know !!

Come on, Maury, we're waiting for pictures and details...

[SnoBrdr]

I don't know if anyone here uses this particular lift. I have had one for a while and absolutely love working on the bikes at "sitting on a stool" height.
The known weak link with these tables is the hydraulic piston which is operated through a foot pump and not very efficient nor long lasting. Mine finally got to where I had trouble pumping up the bikes to full height.

So I changed out the piston to a 12 ton (yeah over kill) air hydraulic jack and WOW is that ever better. If anyone would like to see my conversion, I'd be happy to post some pictures and descriptions.

Just let me know !!

Missed the sale, was unaware it ended yesterday.

Went this AM and price was back up to $429, will have to wait to see when it goes on sale again.

Still waiting to see your mod.

Saw one on YouTube that the guy said cost him $75.

[maury]

I apologize for taking so VERY long to get back. But........sometimes life gets in the way if ya know what I mean.
So........first in regards to the video posted above. There are several slight differences with these lifts over the years. Mine is different from the one shown in that the pump did NOT mount on the swivel as shown. My pump was incorporated into a swivel that had a different design.

The first order of business was to remove the old pump from the mounting, THEN TURN THE BASE OVER. Once turned over, I welded a plate of 1/4" steel to create a base onto which I bolted the new pump. I did use the exact same 12ton pump (from Harbor Freight) as shown in the video. Note that the old pump base (part of the lift arm) is showing in the photo.

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I had to as well alter the other end where the pump's piston attaches to the lift. The pump was too close to the factory arm on the lift so I had to cut off several inches and weld a 1 1/2" OD / 1 1/4 ID pipe several inches long to accomodate the piston and attach everything. The piston top screws in and out to adjust it's length. I wanted this top to got inside the pipe section I welded so to keep it from shifting, I put a small section of PVC pipe (cut in half) to keep everything straight. I suppose I could have welded a longer pipe ..... but didn't think of it at the time. Once the pump is activated, the PVC stays in the welded pipe and does not fall out.

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Once everything was mounted up, the new pump set about 1 1/2" below the bottom of the lift and drug the ground. I could not have placed the new jack higher because when the lift was lowered, the top of the jack would have interfered.

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I then purchased new wheels and casters (from http://www.apollocaster.com). These new wheels gave the clearance needed.

2 x 89164 Wheel; 5" x 1-1/2"; Cast Iron; Roller Brng; 1/2" Bore; 1-7/8" Hub Length; 700# $17.22
2 x 65520 Caster; Swivel; 2-1/2" x 1-3/4"; Polyolefin; Top Plate (2-1/2"x3-5/8"; holes: 1-3/4"x2-7/8" slotted to 3"; 5/16"
bolt); Zinc; Plain bore; 400#; Tread brake $14.74
Sub-Total: $31.96

I had to do quite a bit of adjustment to the wheels (not the casters) so that they would mount onto the existing axles on the lift. Shown is the original length and shortened axle from the wheels.

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Apollocaster.com
Products
2 x 89164 Wheel; 5" x 1-1/2"; Cast Iron; Roller Brng; 1/2" Bore; 1-7/8" Hub Length; 700# $17.22
2 x 65520 Caster; Swivel; 2-1/2" x 1-3/4"; Polyolefin; Top Plate (2-1/2"x3-5/8"; holes: 1-3/4"x2-7/8" slotted to 3"; 5/16"
bolt); Zinc; Plain bore; 400#; Tread brake $14.74
Sub-Total: $31.96
United Parcel Service (6.09lbs) (Ground (non-expedited)): $12.71
Total: $44.67

See below for a continuation of this project.

[robin1731]

snip...............
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MORE PICTURES BUT CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADD MORE THAN 5. I'VE TRIED DRAGGING AND DROPPING AND THAT DOES NOT WORK AS WELL. HELP !!!!!

No need to shout. Just add another post to the thread and put your pics in there.

.

[maury]

I do not know what "shouting" means - so I apologize for that.

Part 2 -
Here is the new wheel placed on the lift (went from 3 1/2 inch to 5 inch diameter

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To mount the front casters on, I had to remove/grind off the original brake. This was fine due to the fact that the new casters can be locked.

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One other incorrect thing from the video. He shows drilling a hole to allow the pipe that opens and closes the pump hydraulics in the side of the lift. THIS CAN NOT BE DONE. Reason........ when the lift is lowered all the way, the top main rail will contact the pipe protruding out the lower rail.

I have not quite finished my project, but I'm going to weld a rod from the original pipe that swivels and releases the original pump pressure to the new pump.

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[wingrider]

Robin was referring to capital letters you had used. It is a general thought on a forum that if someone uses capital letters, they are yelling.

Good work on the lift!