Ok, I'm scratchin my head; how can I life the bike just enough to take the pressure off the swingarm and allow me to work on getting the bolts and everything out?

 

I use an A frame I built.. But before that.. I dragged my HYD press over, raised the table all the way up.. and used two cam loc straps to support the bike at the subframe.

Others have hung the bike from the ceiling.

 

Well I've been given a hard time for my getto method in the past but you can always put a piece of 2X4 between the swingarm and sub frame (up towards the front where they are close to parallel to each other) to hold the rear of the bike up while you do the shock swap.

 

I should say, I have no hoist, nothing above the bike in order to lift it. I am trying to picture Mike's idea, but its escaping me right now!

 

You can also wedge something between the top of the rear tire and the inner fender. In order for this to work it must be exactly the correct length, but it can be done.

Personally I suspend my bikes from the rafters of my building, but not everyone has that luxury.

 

Build yourself 2 of these stands from lumber you "borrow" from your brother in law. It costs nothing since he had some 3" sheetrock screws & L-brackets too. Use that old benchpress bar that you never use & put it through in front of the passenger pegs with some foam pipe insulation as paddng & you got a rock solid stand. I promise you WILL need it again. I know I post this pic alot but since I didnt invent the intermittent wiper I gotta harp on this..