Harbor Freight Lift 1000 lb Lift - Fatal Flaw - Read This

[gregforesi]

I believe that HF (like Walmart) works to a price point. If you can build something cheaper you will get the nod for X amount of product. Nothing else is important.
Those two HF lifts aren't even close to being the same design. One is simply cheesy. The other is total junk.
Opinions are worth what you pay for them. That's mine.

[tomk1960]

tomk1960,

I really like that wheel chock. Can you tell us the brand of it and the scissor jack as well?

Placerville - the chock came from Derek Weaver at http://www.derekweaver.com/bikers-garag ... es/w-vise/

They're $89 with free shipping - worth the price for the peace of mind it will give you.

I got the scissor jack on Amazon.com - here's the link for it:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009SA ... UTF8&psc=1

This came in very handy when I was rebuilding the front end on my VF1000F Interceptor in May. With tie-downs in place, it allowed me get the front wheel off and remove the forks. Look close and you can see it in back making my life a little easier...

[brokentoe]

tomk1960 --I think we have the same setup except mine is black and is manufactured by Titan and distributed through Excel, a local company in Indy. they also included what was needed if I wanted to hook an air compressor up and not use the foot pump.
Placer--I especially like the scissors jack, also a Titan product, because the pieces on top are adjustable up and down, back and forth, etc. I can make them fit either the Goldwing or the Harley or take them out completely to use the flat surface of the jack. I think these are all the same product just made to different specs as requested by the distributor/retailer.

[robin1731]

Who marketed yours Robin? Looks like a better design to me.

It is a Titan lift. Same company as Brokentoe talks about. Mine is rated for 1500lbs. It has side extensions and also has a front extension. With the side extensions I could put an 1800 trike on it. I've had a regular GL1500 on it a few times. No problems. It goes up pretty high too. And is very stable. I bought it from a guy in Alabama through ebay. Picked it up at the warehouse in Indy. Probably the same place Brokentoe got his.

[Placerville]

tomk1960,

I really like that wheel chock. Can you tell us the brand of it and the scissor jack as well?

Placerville - the chock came from Derek Weaver at http://www.derekweaver.com/bikers-garag ... es/w-vise/

They're $89 with free shipping - worth the price for the peace of mind it will give you.

I got the scissor jack on Amazon.com - here's the link for it:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009SA ... UTF8&psc=1

This came in very handy when I was rebuilding the front end on my VF1000F Interceptor in May. With tie-downs in place, it allowed me get the front wheel off and remove the forks. Look close and you can see it in back making my life a little easier...

Nice. Now, when your role the bike up on the lift, what holds it in 'just the right position' so you can then screw the chock down on the wheel (and how do you do that while holding the bike upright).

[brokentoe]

TomK probably does it different but I put down planks on both sides of the lift so I can confidently ride the bike up on the lift and have a place to put my feet and hold the bike in place. I then put the kickstand down so I am free to attach the tie down straps etc. If my wife is nearby she turns the crank to secure the front tire and the other little things to secure the bike while I sit on the bike. That takes about a minute.
The instructions say to roll the bike up on the lift and I've done it that way but I'm more confident with my way.

[tomk1960]

Nice. Now, when your role the bike up on the lift, what holds it in 'just the right position' so you can then screw the chock down on the wheel (and how do you do that while holding the bike upright).

Since the right side of the unit is bolted down, I roll the bike up so that the front wheel is up against that side. Then I carefully balance the bike from the left side, holding it with my right hand and reach down to crank the vice tight on the wheel. I also use tie downs to keep the bike rock steady. Some people won't be comfortable doing what I just described alone, so the alternative is to hold the bike up while a friend cranks the vice tight. After the tie downs are secured, it's safe to crack open a beer.

[wingrider]

Then I carefully balance the bike from the left side, holding it with my right hand and reach down to crank the vice tight on the wheel.

You must have really long arms!!!

If I was to try that, I could maybe make it to the bottom of the engine before the pipes stopped extending.

[robin1731]

Pretty much like tomk, I roll the bike up. Let the front wheel hit the front of the clamp stop while keeping it toward the RH side. Then hold the LH handlebar with my right hand. Reach down and tighten the clamp. I also use tie downs then after the clamp is tightened.

The tricky part is backing a bike on to the lift. That requires some help. And it is done rarely.

[tomk1960]

One thing I forgot to mention is that you should have the front wheel vise somewhat tightened up so that there isn't a lot of space left (maybe a half inch or so) when you get the wheel in place. That way it sort of helps balance the bike while you tighten it. And no, my arms aren't that long - pretty much average for a guy who's 5'10" tall.

[Recycled Roadkill]

My solution. And much more stable than it may look.

78 on lift.JPG

[salukispeed]

Yours May not be the most common way to do it but I like it better than using my HF lift that does the same thing from the side. I believe it is the same one you have showing below the front tire. I find my GL1200 I is kind of wiggily up in the air but with tydowns and a sizors jack on the heavy end helps to steady the whole mess enough to work with.

[Placerville]

Update:

Well, after a series of emails between myself and HF "Product Support", I finally received this:

"No modification can be made as this will void your warranty. If you need work done, you must submit a detailed list/quote of work needed for corp. approval. Will continue to monitor for any further customer complaints or concerns.

Thank you,

Mich
Product Support
Harbor Freight Tools
3491 Mission Oaks Blvd
Camarillo , CA 93012
1-888-866-5797

I translate this as: "You voided the warranty on the lift when you had it repaired so we're no longer responsible (and, by the way, you should have asked for permission to do it.) Oh, and if no one else complains about these, we're off the hook."

So, now I'm going to put together all of my documentation, photos etc., and send them to Eric Smidt, HF's CEO, to see if he agrees.

I love this stuff.

[CYBORG]

sounds like they may have talked to the lawyers before they send that last e mail

[Recycled Roadkill]

Yours May not be the most common way to do it but I like it better than using my HF lift that does the same thing from the side. I believe it is the same one you have showing below the front tire. I find my GL1200 I is kind of wiggily up in the air but with tydowns and a sizors jack on the heavy end helps to steady the whole mess enough to work with.

They're both HFT lifts, I use the smaller (yellow) one for stuff like carb adjustments and most recently when I installed a pair of Harley mufflers on the '77.

The '78 was in the air to repair the clutch plate that was cracked and leaking. The hydraulic table is rated at 1000 lbs where the other is rated at 1500 but the table is greatly more stable. If I had children running around it'd be tied down but I had nothing to worry about except the wind. It was also lowered when I wasn't working on it or rolling the table around.