… Motorcycle Lift — Fostering Adventure

Motorcycle & Tire Lift

Complicated, But not imPossible

Without a doubt the most complex project for the truck, the rear lift assembly involved dozens of components from the very small, to the large and heavy. With the exception of the main storage box and lid bending, everything was made in our garage and my brother's basement, where he has a small lathe and milling machine.

The complexity of the build made it imperative that it all be drawn out in detail to determine how everything would fit together. You know, shop drawings.

Since the build is complex, it's been broken down into sections.

Vertical Channels

The vertical channels are the main interface between the back of the truck and the moving parts of the lift. These channels will carry the entire weight of the lift and motorcycle, which collectively could amount to as much as 1200 pounds.

Made from six inch aluminum channel, the size was determined largely by what had to fit inside of it. We wanted all the arms etc. to disappear inside the channels when the lift was in the up position.

The channels had to interface both with the subframe of the camper box, as well as the tire rack that was also built here at home. We had the builder install the points on the subframe, and pre-drill those spots so we could bolt the channels on here at home. Unfortunately the holes didn't end up in the right place, so had to be re-drilled by us.

The main subframe to which the vertical channels will attach.

The actual attachment point that we had the builder fabricate.

The two 6" channels cut to length.

The top of the channels had to be shaped and recessed so it would interface with the tire rack up top.

The two spare tires encroach on the channels, so each had to have cutouts to clear them.

The channels also had to be recessed down toward the bottom so they would go over the box edge angle and corner cap.

Test fitting the channel with its top gusset bracket.

To transfer the hole locations on to the channel, we put masking tape on backwards and pierced the holes. This tape then sticks to the back of the channel.

The channels could then be centre punched in the centre of the tape holes, ready for drilling.

Here is seen the hole locations for the lower fixing point, as well as the recess for the box edge angle and corner cap.

The bottom of the channels are capped and have a place to stick magnets to hold closure panels closed.

Dressed down and ready for sand blasting and powder coating.

Main Pivot Mounts

Since we couldn't make these out of billet aluminum without incurring the expense of a machine shop, we fabricated them out of heavy aluminum flat bar. Once all assembled and mounted inside the vertical channels, they would behave like a billet one piece part.

The two main pivot mounts for the lift arms were made from heavy aluminum flat bar. If we had a machining centre we could have machined it out of billet aluminum as a single piece.

Since we couldn't use billet, the sides had to be pinned and screwed to the base plate so they couldn't shift.

The sides of the mount had to be drilled to match the baseplate. So the parts were clamped together and then drilled from the back.

This shows the amount we had to move the holes over in the steel sub-frame. Really hard moving a hole over by half its diameter.

Re-drilling the subframe mounting holes.

The bearing holes for the arm pivot pins had to be line bored in a milling machine after the mount was assembled.

Lift Arms

The lift arms needed to be strong, but small in cross section so everything will fit inside the main mounts, inside the channels.

The lift arms had to be line bored in pairs so the distance between pivot points were identical.

Tapping the holes for the set screws needed to lock in the pivot shafts.

Testing the arm pairs to see that they are correct.

Main Lift Plate Machining

The side lift plates were not that complicated, but making them was time consuming. Below are the steps, from sawing to routing to drilling. The side panels also form an integral part of the top pivot mounts. Two other plates were machined for each side to complete the upper mount assembly.

The layout of the main side plates.

Cutting out the waste material with a hand jig saw.

The rough cut before dressing with the router.

A routing template was made so that every slot would be identical.

Both plates were routed together to speed up the process, and also have them end up identical.

The diameter of the router bit made a nice radius in all the corners.

A brand new cutter meant the surface of the routed material was almost a mirror finish.

The components are assembled to ensure everything fit together as planned.

Excess material was cut away, and then all the edges were radiused using the router.

The parts were reassembled so the bearing points could be line bored.

The inside corner where the storage box will get bolted.

The left and right end assemblies after boring the bushing holes in a milling machine.

After the bronze Oilite bushings were pressed in place.

Storage Box Fabrication

The main cross truck connection between the arms was made via the storage box. This was made from 1/8" aluminum sheet, which we had bent up at local fabrication shop. Once all the pieces were made, they were all TIG welded together. The two corners were complicated as they had to accept the side plates with the integral mounts.

The storage box assembly tacked together with the TIG welder.

Welding up all the joints.

Positioning the end assembly to mark for bolt hole locations.

The completed welds, not yet dressed up.

The structural centre channel welded in place.

This centre channel is where the main lift post gets welded at the front, and gusseted at the back.

Platform Construction

The platform that would carry the motorcycle was all made from 2" square aluminum tubing. This gave us the rigidity that was needed to carry such a heavy motorcycle. Pivot hinges were machined from solid aluminum bar, by hand, at home. The v-notch was cut on the table saw, and the round edge was machined using a router.

All of the square tubing bits assembled and clamped for tacking it together with the TIG.

All the welds are completed all four sides of every tube.

Holding the hinge material to a rigid surface so the router could be used safely.

The finished end profile of our platform hinges.

We left a small flat area on either side of the V so there was material to weld to.

The four hinge points welded along the back of the platform.

The corner of the platform with all its welds dressed up.

The final welded hinge block.

Positioning the other half of the hinge on the front of the main box.

A notch in the cross tube had to be machined to allow the hinge block to clear it.

Positioning the bike so the wheel mounts could be installed.

Box and Part Assembly

After the box was all welded and dressed off, the rest of the lift components and platform attachment points had to be attached. This was all done with the TIG welder.

The backside of the lift showing the notch area for the vertical channel to fit in.

Welding on the main lift post.

Welding the gusset tube on to the lift post.

The finished lift post and gusset.

The finished front of the main lift box. All the bracing angles are in place and drilled.

We machined these two 3/8" plates for the lift cable roller.

With help from a friend, the initial test fit was done.

Bolting the platform gusset in place.

Here the platform hinge points are all welded in, and the roller plates are installed.

With the bike in place, the lift post and roller plate misses everything.

The storage box lid in the open position showing how the fuel cans fit in.

Testing the Raw Components

Once we had all the pieces machined and assembled, we needed to install it on the back of the truck and run it through a lift cycle. We wanted to be sure my genius hadn't failed me, and that everything worked before sending the parts to be sand blasted and powder coated.

Final Assembly and Testing

Getting the components sand blasted and powder coated was a chore. The sand blaster did a fabulous job, but the one man powder coating business that shared the building, made a mess of things. He said the large parts were no problem, but clearly they would just barley fit in the bake oven. He had to paint the main box several times before it was usable, and even then he overcooked the backside so we had to touch it up with matching spray paint.

After waiting a much longer time than promised, we finally got everything back and started assembling it. Once it was assembled and attached to the truck, we tested the lifting mechanism using jerry cans full of water. This was a lot safer than putting an expensive motorcycle on for the first lift. Ten jerry cans full of water weighed about the same as the bike. Everything worked like expected.

Bolting the channel gussets to the roof assembly on the tire rack.

Channels are installed, and the four arms are in place.

The side assembly is fitted onto the parallel arms.

Tightening up the allen screws that hold the pivot pins in place.

Tightening all the bolts that join the lift box to the side plate assemblies.

The finished box assembly in the top resting position.

The closure plates that close off the channel when in the up position can be seen on the lower arm.

Everything assembled and ready for attaching the platform.

The platform sitting in place, and ready for the hinge pins.

The red handle is the safety lock that prevents the lift from falling if the cable or hoist fails.

The jerry cans were all filled with water to simulate the weight of the motorcycle.

Success. The lift easily raised the weight of the bike.

It All Comes Together

After all the testing was done using an equivalent weight of water filled jerry cans, we loaded the motorcycle on for the first lift. Everything worked exactly as planned.