Look what I dragged home last night - CL find of the year

Lou_TX

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I got lucky and found a listing for a MC lift on CraigsList yesterday. Used but only once, in like-new condition, a few years old.
It is the standard Pittsburgh lift but the earlier design. Other than missing 2 tie-down U-bolts, it is complete and functional.
I decided not to let it slip through my fingers, made the seller an offer he could not refuse and went and picked it up last night.

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No, I am not missing any parts. The ramp and the inspection cover are still in the trunk of my car which is in the garage. I'll have to grab my dolly to get those because they are not only heavy but bulky too for this ol' coot.

The lift was already disassembled for easy transport which made it even easier. Instead of dragging a 200-lb beast onto the trailer, it was just 2 separate 100-lb pieces. We just hooked a strap under one end, 2 guys, 2 ends of the strap, easy to drag.

I pulled it into my shop this morning but put it up by the wall for now. Once I make room in there, I'll set it up. Gotta fix a UTV this weekend that shredded its U-joint (made of Chinesium), then push it (or morelike drive it) out of the shop to make room.
It sucks that I bought a brand new Pittsburgh lift like this one a few months ago for nearly full price (luckily I found a 20% OFF coupon which saved me a lot of money). I wish the seller had posted this used lift for sale 3 months ago! :)
Nonetheless, the final price I haggled out was 25% of the new price. Wouldn't you buy it? Especially in mint condition and fully functional.

Now I will finally have 2 lifts which will allow me to work on 2 bikes at the same time or at least have 2 up at the same time. I can be working on 1 while waiting on parts or the other and vice versa.

Very happy that I saw the ad when I did, that was lucky. And happy to have neighbors with a trailer that I am welcome to borrow anytime. Just too bad that I cannot drill into the floorboards to set up wheel chocks and anchors. :)
And don't pay attention to the vehicle towing the trailer. That's just a mowing tractor which I rescued from the crusher and welded a 2" hitch onto. Works marvelously and the turning radius is hard to beat! :)
 
I'm not a fan of hydraulic lifts I have 2 air lifts. None the less 2 lifts of any kind are nice to have.
I also put in 2. Figured one would be for normal servicing and repairs the other for long term projects. As it turns out I use the second lift more for a work bench than a bike repair station. Works great as a work bench. The height is good and I have 360 degree access. If rebuilding a engine no heavy lifting to get it up in the air. Also plenty of room to lay parts out as they come off of it. When I built my shop I put in almost 30 feet of work bench space. It's amazing how it gets used up. I use the free space on my dedicated benches for working on small stuff carbs, calipers etc. From time to time I do put a bike on it.
 
When I built my shop I put in almost 30 feet of work bench space. It's amazing how it gets used up.
I have a 10ft work bench with a vise and also 3 full-size desks, side by side, by one wall. You think any of that space is available? :D
I need to do a "deep-clean" in the shop one evening. Otherwise I won't allow myself to "open up" another bike. What's the point of having workspace that's occupied 100% of the time?
 
Wow! That looks like a really nice addition for your shop! I have spent a lifetime crawling around on the floor and something like that would be pretty nice! 😉
Thanks. That's why I bought the first lift this spring, mostly for health reasons, because I cannot squat that low anymore, working on the kickstand for example.
I knew I would need to work on the XS a lot and decided to invest some money into my health (or invest the money into preventing further decline, whichever way you look at it).
 
Wow! That looks like a really nice addition for your shop! I have spent a lifetime crawling around on the floor and something like that would be pretty nice! 😉
Some people have said they would like to have one but don't have the space for it. If you park a bike on it it doesn't take up any more space than the bike on top of it does. They also work great when just cleaning a bike. :poke:
 
you can order a proper wheel clamp from HF for about $95.oo
I saw that clamp, not my style. I prefer a vertical angled chock. It is completely vertical but angled horizontally so that as you're pulling in, the space gets narrower and narrower and eventually it grips your tire. That way, it works for multiple different tire widths and you can also smash the bike in it and it will hold it upright while you tie it down. I prefer that over the manual clamp style which seems utterly unsafe and will kill somebody one day. But that's just my personal preference. I gotta make me one of those vertical chocks. Actually two now. :)
 
So with two lifts why am I usually wrenching on a bike in the driveway? I only have two cuz the second one magically "appeared" at the soir. Quick jack overhaul and it keeps busy holding a bike I'm not working on....
Cause you have too many bikes that need work. A diet would help. :laughing:
 
Harbor Freight: tools to last a lunchtime

Has anybody had one of those cheap lifts fail on them? I don't have a fancy garage, just a postage stamp sized backyard to work on our bikes. I was thinking a lift would be pretty nice, and double as a small picnic table when not launching bikes in the air. I'm afraid of it lasting any meaningful period of time living outside though.
 
I have an older HF lift and it's made better than the new ones. But I think you'll still want to replace most of the hardware. The bolts are very soft, so are the grease fittings. And as I mentioned just recently in another thread, round off the 4 corners and the wheel stop or you'll be tearing holes in your pant legs, lol.

When I got mine, they were cheap. retailing for only about $300. On sale, and then with a 20% off coupon applied, it was very cheap, I think something like $235. With tax I was still out the door for under $250. How could I not buy it, lol.
 
. . . Quick jack overhaul and it keeps busy holding a bike I'm not working on . . .
Bought this lift, ooh, number of years ago.

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Can't remember how much I paid, been jolly useful quite a few times, but not so much the last two or three years. Hence looking a bit neglected and gets used as a dumping ground. The problem is it can't quite get it up anymore. For goodness sake, shut up at the back!

Some signs of leaking hydraulic fluid so it needs a jack overhaul? But I have no idea what that involves. Easy? Difficult? Special tools? Unobtainable spares?

Maybe it could have a new lease of life?
 
There's lots of yootoob vids on it but take it apart and find a bad oring or two, maybe buff a shaft, cylinder where it was rough from the factory, replace, lube reassemble. That got both the old (20+ years?) and the newer one 5 years? back in leak free service. Nothing all that hard or tricky to do.
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There's been a hundred bikes (and a whale or two) on the old one...
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It had a cookie sheet under the jack for years to catch a slow leak, after finally going through it, I noticed the other day the pan has been dry for six months. Nearly always a bike on it, almost never use the lock rod.
Plus 1 on rounding the corners BEFORE you tear a pair of jeans.
I tried the front wheel holder like once, took it off and have never felt a need for it again.
get the bike on the center stand if the stand's a bit wobbly use a ratchet strap or two. I drill (out) holes around the platform to take ratchet strap hooks don't use the U bolts.
 
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I have a Craftsman floor jack that I bought in 1988. It was no longer functioning. I put the model number into Google and bought a kit for it. Now it works as if brand new. Having all the parts in front of me, the overhaul was easy.

My HF lift is a leaker. An overhaul kit would be nice.
 
Harbor Freight: tools to last a lunchtime

Has anybody had one of those cheap lifts fail on them? I don't have a fancy garage, just a postage stamp sized backyard to work on our bikes. I was thinking a lift would be pretty nice, and double as a small picnic table when not launching bikes in the air. I'm afraid of it lasting any meaningful period of time living outside though.


I’ve had 3 throughout the years. Just picked up a used one with an upgraded wheel check for $200.

I could probably rattle on 10-15 people I know that have one. (Who Usually use em for working on vintage scooters).

I have never heard of one failing.

I usually raise mine, put a stop in it and then release the pressure so the jack is not doing all the work to hold the bike up.

I worked at 2 different shops that had air lifts, I personally didn’t like them all that much, they were quite jerky when they went up and down. They were quick though!
 
round off the 4 corners and the wheel stop or you'll be tearing holes in your pant legs, lol.
That will be the first think I'll do on the old lift I just got.
And once the warranty expires on my new lift, I will do the same there.
It was interesting to get it home and scratch my beard thinking: "What were they thinking?" Those corners sure are sharp as a razor. I currently have foam padding ducttaped to them. :)
 
I usually raise mine, put a stop in it and then release the pressure so the jack is not doing all the work to hold the bike up.
Yeah that’s the way I always treated bike jacks, take the pressure off of the cylinder, let it rest on the stops.
I’ve got this Harbor Freight bike jack, that used to work so good, but I’m kind of afraid to use it anymore, it is incredibly jerky. It goes up fine but I can’t seem to let it down slow anymore, you try and apply pressure very gently on the release pedal and BAM! It just drops like a rock and leaves me scrambling to try and catch my bike. 😳
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I usually raise mine, put a stop in it and then release the pressure so the jack is not doing all the work to hold the bike up.
Same here. That's the SOP everywhere, I thought.
Just like when you raise your car for an oil change, you don't leave it on the jack, you put jack stand under and relieve the pressure on the jack.
 
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