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Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift

Great job, please show a pic with the lift down.
On a side note if you spill gas in your garage the fumes will settle at the lowest point.
 
I have a Handy lift recessed into the garage floor and an air line running under the floor to the lift. Doing so has positives and negatives:

POSITIVES:
1. Other vehicles (car, etc) can park directly over it, being mindful of the wheel clamp or chock or using a removable chock.
2. Easy to load a bike onto the lift.
3. Bike can be parked and left on the lift.
4. Reduced trip hazard in garage.

NEGATIVES:
1. Loss of 7” of lift height means new contortions in order to be able to see/work on the underside of bike.
2. Lift not easily moved for temporary reconfiguration of workspace.
3. Lift tends to “walk” inside the pit so clearance and positioning must be monitored. Fix discussed below.
4. Bolts, washers, and other dropped items like to hide in the pit.

#3 is probably not an issue with the HF lift. For the Handy I fixed negative #3 by dropping a sheet of 1/8” steel plate into the bottom of the pit then welding down a couple of lengths of angle iron to trap the fixed foot of the lift so it couldn’t move longitudinally in the pit. Right now I have a friend’s identical lift stored in my garage and I’ve been using both for various jobs. I suspect that if I ever did it over again I would NOT sink the lift into the floor but would instead fab a couple of removable plywood platforms that could sit on the floor on each side of the lift. That would ease the loading/parking instability risk but still allow full height of the lift and full access with the temporary platforms removed. Plus, I’d probably fab an extension to the ramp to flatten out the angle a bit.

YMMV, of course.
 
I have a Handy Lift as well and have considered recessing it into the shop floor, but your experience has changed my mind. I have ample room and so far have no issues with loading and unloading bikes. Having the wings mounted helps greatly. I would really dislike losing 7 inches in height. Thank you for your post.
 
Well fellas losing 7 inches of lift is a fair trade off for NOT working off of the floor IMHO. And my in the floor lift used to walk inside the pit but after placing some well positioned spacers and blocks it returns to its parked position every time

I’d do it again in a heartbeat
 
I have a ceiling height issue that limits how high I can raise the lift table anyway for a couple of our bikes with somewhat tall windscreens. Given that limitation I don't see much downside for me sinking the lift to level with the concrete floor.
 
I have a ceiling height issue that limits how high I can raise the lift table anyway for a couple of our bikes with somewhat tall windscreens. Given that limitation I don't see much downside for me sinking the lift to level with the concrete floor.

Thanks Paul......I'm there as well.......
Many DIY's have one of those mechanic's stools in their garage,you know, the ones Harbor Freight carries, and using this wonderful piece of equipment, especially during the cold winter months when working beside the lift can and has made the tasks at hand more enjoyable, not to mention reducing the clamping action of a chilled behind.
also having had tack welded the nuts for the wheel chock and front wheel stop to the underside of the platform makes removing same much quicker as well.
I think that, as far as the RT is concerned, that losing the 7 inches in height is of no consequence as it is a tall bike to begin with, and had I left the lift sitting on the floor, the chances of working at it's full height would have been slim.
 
Great looking lift.......in fact.....it appears to be pretty much the same as the one purchased for our garage. Price isn't bad either

Looks as if I have the same lift as you Snookers, complete with the side pieces.

Before next riding season I am going to build a short box to attach to the left side extension. I ride the bikes up onto the lift and the only place where I have difficulty dismounting from them is when they are parked on the lift. I believe, at least for my legs, the left extension doesn't extend quite far enough from the bikes for me to get off.

Anyone else have this predicament? :dunno
 
Looks as if I have the same lift as you Snookers, complete with the side pieces.

Before next riding season I am going to build a short box to attach to the left side extension. I ride the bikes up onto the lift and the only place where I have difficulty dismounting from them is when they are parked on the lift. I believe, at least for my legs, the left extension doesn't extend quite far enough from the bikes for me to get off.

Anyone else have this predicament? :dunno

Yes - I use a short stool which is about 8 inches tall.
 
New HF catalog has arrived. Page 3- back on sale $299.99
I’m happy with mine. Planning on adding “wings” for the ATV.
OM
 
Looks as if I have the same lift as you Snookers, complete with the side pieces.

Before next riding season I am going to build a short box to attach to the left side extension. I ride the bikes up onto the lift and the only place where I have difficulty dismounting from them is when they are parked on the lift. I believe, at least for my legs, the left extension doesn't extend quite far enough from the bikes for me to get off.

Anyone else have this predicament? :dunno

I have a seldom used pair of car ramps which happen to be the same height as the lowered table. Placed along side the table, they make good landing zones for my feet.
41hjywwN8CL.jpg
 
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