How to build a custom jack for your Vulcan 900 Custom:
OK this was a spur of the moment idea made from spare boards laying around. You can make yours similar, but as long as you get the boards long enough to work, variations won't matter much.
It's basically an L shaped set of boards, screwed together and braced. When I want to get the wheel up off the ground enough to remove and replace it, I put another board underneath to give it more clearance. If I am only doing a quick oil level check, I don't use the spacer board and it just pretty much levels the bike and holds it in place while I look at the sight glass.
Here's how it's done.
The L shape is made from three boards. A cross bar that lifts and holds the bike up, a leverage handle that you simply pull to the ground to lift the bike, and a short brace cut at a 45-degree angle at one end.
2X6 52 inches long
2X8 19 inches long
2X4 7 ½ inches long
Next, screw them securely together using 3 1/2 inch wood screws. Using glue plus the screws would be better. Use plenty of screws to share the weight when you lift.
When I lift the bike, I put the spacer board right against the front of the wheel, being careful to get it perpendicular to the bike. Then I put the jack board also right against the wheel. This leaves just about the right amount of overlap so that as you lever back on the board, the bike moves backward and the L piece stays on top of the spacer.
Be careful to bring the bike up slowly so that you can see if the lever board is going to hit the exhausts.
Also if you are going to do heavy work, it's a good idea to lay something heavy on the end of the lever board once the bike is up. I use a cinder block or a bag of feed or anything handy.
You'll be surprised how steady this holds the bike in place and you don't have to worry about knocking the bike over while you remove the wheel.
