Motorcycle Lift Wheel Vise Overhaul/Rebuild

A few years back I purchased a TCML lift from Complete Hydraulics. I've been using it regularly without any problems until recently when the wheel vise stripped out. I would go to tighten the vise and just as it would start to tighten up it would pop and go loose again. Ended up that the vise uses a plastic threaded block inside that will eventually strip, if you have one of these vises go easy on it! I didn't want to buy another unit and just have the same crappy plastic piece that would fail again so a little home brew repair was in order.


Here's a old picture of the lift when I first purchased it.



First the vise isn't made to come apart so you need to grind the weld off where the crank fits onto the shaft going into the vise.




After sliding the vise apart this is what I found. The metal threaded shaft was in great cond, but the plastic threaded block that takes the load from the vise was stripped out....plastic!






As mentioned above the metal threads were fine but finding a new nut to fit the threads would be hard. Better to start new with a matched set. A large C-Clamp would provide the needed shaft and nut. Here's a pic just after cutting the needed pieces off the clamp.




Just finished welding in the "nut" part of the shaft using rosette welds all the way around. It now has more threaded surface area than it did originally and it's all metal!




I welded on a washer to be used as the inside thrust bearing. I will also place a nylon washer on both sides as a bearings surface.






Next I had to drill out the hole where the shaft passes through the jack assy since the new shaft has a bigger diameter.




Almost back together again.




Back on the lift and working better than new, just need to paint it to finish it up. I won't have to worry about cranking down on the vise now.



Hodakaguy