Best Jack for Handy Lift

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Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby hennesse » Sun Dec 09, 2018 4:59 pm

When my bike is up on the Handy lift, and I want to adjust the chain, et cetera, I haul my big, heavy floor jack up on the lift. It's awkward, it weighs a ton, it's just a pain in the rump.

A bottle jack and a block of wood isn't very sturdy. A "motorcycle/ATV jack" isn't quite right either. I'm sure I can fix this problem by throwing money at it, but which way do I throw?

Have YOU figured out the perfect jack for this application? What is it? I want one.
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby curiousgeorge » Sun Dec 09, 2018 6:13 pm

I found a scissors jack from an old ford works good. It took a hooked rod so I put a cut off 3/4in bolt in it and drilled it for a smaller bolt to hold it in. glued a piece on it and good to go.
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby hayleyl » Sun Dec 09, 2018 6:43 pm

Dave, if you have an ATV lift/stand why wouldn't you use that to lift the wheels of the deck from the floor? And yes scissor jacks are brilliant for lifting bikes while they're benched. Cheers Hayley.
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby riverdog » Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:37 pm

Hi dave, read your inquiry here, and not knowing what a Handy Lift was did a search for it.I found out Handy lift has a website, it is here https://handy-lift.com/
I opend the site and found they sold large hydraulic over air scissor lifts for motorcycles, a lifting table for the whole bike more or less.
I read down their list of other gadgets they have for sale, and saw a link that says scissor lifts, so clicked on it, and they had a couple smaller scissor lift styles, one is called universal scissor lifts...so clicked on that and found just what you need...I actually have one of these smaller lifts that I use on a version on a handy lift I have, and it works perfectly for me..
Itll even fit under the frame of an old glide provided you don't use the rubber covered lift pieces included...not enough room for them
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby dlark » Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:20 pm

Any old small car or pick-up scissor jack.
I weld a piece of angle or channel across the top to reach both tubes then weld a nut to the crank end and I can run it up with my impact.
Put a 2x4 block under the rear wheel when you roll it onto the lift or it might be tight getting it under- adjust your tie downs as you raise it
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby hennesse » Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:46 pm

riverdog wrote:they had a couple smaller scissor lift styles, one is called universal scissor lifts...so clicked on that and found just what you need...I actually have one of these smaller lifts that I use on a version on a handy lift I have, and it works perfectly for me.


Handy's Universal Scissors Jack looks like just the ticket. It's a little pricey, though, and I wouldn't use it very often.

Wow, the Handy lifts have come a long way. My air-powered lift is many years old. I got it used years ago, and it was well-used when I got it. Interesting story - at Oley, one of my vendor-space mates taped a sign to our table "Wanted - Handy Lift". Some guy came up to our table and said he had three for sale for $1200. He owned a large multi-brand dealership up in PA. One of his lifts had failed, and he had a mechanic idle while he ordered a new one. He didn't like that loss of productivity, so he ordered 8 new ones. He had sold 5 of the old ones, and had three left. Ultimately, we got them for $1000, or $333.33 each. Mine came with the front extension and two side extensions (for an ATV or riding lawnmower). They didn't have the drop-out panels back then. I had to buy a wheel chock, though.
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby EKHKHK56 » Mon Dec 10, 2018 5:00 am

Sure love my lift...bought a new one in 2003. Was 1500 dropped. With the cardboard slashed from customs. I have my 74 Datsun Pick up Jack that is helpful. It's a Screw type Bottle Jack. Built like a battleship but compact.
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby hennesse » Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:51 am

Gary Moses suggested this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/181935108965

He says:
> I bought this one because of the limited use that it would get. It’s very sturdy and works just fine.
> I use the hands when I need to go a little higher, like for wheel changes on the front end to clear the forks and wheel slot on the lift easier.
> Most of the time, I use it flat and it comes in handy for more than just cycle work too.

And yes, the little "hands" turn. The photo on eBay shows them in the wrong position for getting under motorcycle frames.

I just ordered one. My use will be occasional too. If I was a commercial repair shop, I might consider the $220 + shipping Handy one. But I'm not, so I won't.

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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby strong56KH » Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:37 pm

Dave, let us know if the "hands" will slide under your frame tubes in the lowest position. I have 18" wheels and the ground clearance on my KH is 5.5" with tires fully inflated. One of the photos in the Ebay add indicates that the "hands" to floor are 5.5".
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Re: Best Jack for Handy Lift

Postby Maxcapacity » Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:11 pm

The best jack is no jack at all. You just need a couple of pieces of 3/4"-1" pipe and some flat or channel stock to fabricate some supports that slide through the bed and rest on the floor (you'll need to be willing to drill holes in your lift). The pipes can be fabricated with pads welded to one end where they can either swing into place under the frame rails or accommodate a separate piece of stock that can be used to bridge between the supports and contact the frame.

Set the rack at the point a little higher than where you would like to be working on it. Then just slide the supports into place through the holes, position the frame support, and lower the rack a notch or two and lift the wheel(s) off the table.
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