Front End Stand - What Do You Use?

[Firehawk068]

The last time I worked on the front end, I put it up on the center stand, and laid two 60 lb sand bags ocross the back.........One was just about enough to change the balance toward the rear, and the second one held the front end up solid.....

[Pat Conlon]

Hey Guys, shit,  don't know what happened.....

I merged DavidR's topic, he posted over in the General Discussion, with this topic, and all the original postings in this topic went away...

I'll see if there's a way to recover them. I am so sorry.

I've done this dozens of times thru the years and this has never happened before.

Sorry guys 

[SlowOldGuy]

I wondered how my pics got over here.

Anyway, here's a wide shot of the Man Cave


And here's a shot of a stain on my carpet.  It did NOT come from the FJ!  :-)

[FJmonkey]

FJ porn..... I love it.....

[carey]

David,

I'm disappointed that you used a #2 grade of 2x4, with knots, instead of a #1 grade 


Carey

[HapHazard]

Wow! Not only did I get lots of good input on holding up the front of my FJ, as a bonus I got to feel inadequate about my garage decor!

I don't have a "traditional" joist setup for a ceiling - it's 2x4 trusses that are pretty high up and at an angle, so hanging it up is a no-go.

The Pitbull stands are works of art, and will hold the bike steady in a hurricane, but I didn't think about the horn removal (also, a rear stand is needed as well, and neither is inexpensive, and together is too much $ for cheap me).

Obviously, the 2 sand bags are the easiest way to get the job done (so obvious that I never thought of it), but I had been contemplating possibly using the two threaded brackets that the chin cowl attaches to along with some metal leg or stand assemblage along with the centerstand. The fabricated wood stand is a quick easy build that I'll probably go with (our "vintage" square frame sections are a plus in this case!). Also, it doesn't take up much room when it's not in use (big + there).

Thanks for all the great help!

[racerman_27410]

I really think David needs another tool box to balance the chi in there.... 


KOokaloo!


Frank


BTW what was it exactly that DID leave the stain on the carpet?

[aviationfred]

My bike did not come from the PO with a center stand. I have a rear race stand and a front wheel stand that lifts from the bottom of the forks. I did pull the forks off to change the fork seals. I used 2 bicycle hanging hooks screwed into the ceiling rafters and 2 tiedown straps hooked to the upper triple tree.

Photo of the bike on the front and rear stands.

[SlowOldGuy]

I really think David needs another tool box to balance the chi in there.... 
BTW what was it exactly that DID leave the stain on the carpet?

Frank,
My third toolbox is just off the right side of the picture next to that blue box.  It's my main toolbox.  :-)

I think that stain was from doing some fork work a few years back.  Not really worth renting a carpet cleaner for, after all, it is only a garage.  :-)

DavidR.

[racerman_27410]

I really think David needs another tool box to balance the chi in there.... 
BTW what was it exactly that DID leave the stain on the carpet?

Frank,
My third toolbox is just off the right side of the picture next to that blue box.  It's my main toolbox.  :-)

I think that stain was from doing some fork work a few years back.  Not really worth renting a carpet cleaner for, after all, it is only a garage.  :-)

DavidR.

AHA  i see the third box now..... i knew you had to have prefect chi brother! 

[jscgdunn]

Another approach I have used:

Assuming you have something to hook the bottom hooks to, put bike on center stand and then use two ratchet straps hooked to the grab handles and then ratchet the bike down so the rear wheel touches the floor.  Jacking on one side of the frame at front aids the process.  Very stable and safe.

Jeff

[HapHazard]

Success! (It happens so infrequently)

Thanks again to all for the varied ideas. I scoured the garage and found 2 short (16") lengths of 4x4 post material. I rounded up 2 scissors jacks, after putting the FJ on the center stand, I placed a 4x4 and a scissor jack under each frame rail. I alternately jacked each side up until the front was up enough to service and check the calipers. It worked great. The scissors probably aren't as stable as a purpose-built (markmartin) under frame stand, but they did the job.

Also, a tip you all probably know, but a useful one anyway:

Before raising an FJ up on the centerstand, first roll the rear wheel onto a 2X4 lying flat on the floor. The length of the stand, high lift and less than ideal geometry make it impossible for me to put the FJ up without first giving the rear end a raise. With the 2x4, it's almost easy.