Center stand defect causing bike to list to starboard

1973x75

1973x75

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I’ve been perplexed for years now, as to why it leans to the right, meanwhile everything looks good when I follow behind while somebody else rides it. This morning I measured the center stand legs, and found that the right side is 4mm shorter than the left. It’s a relief, really, to have it figured out. Always been happy as a customer to Andover Norton, but how did this slip past their quality control?
 

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Have you checked the cradle for ovalized bolt holes? This happened to me. It's more likely than a poorly fabricated stand.

- Knut
 
mdt-son said:
Have you checked the cradle for ovalized bolt holes? This happened to me. It's more likely than a poorly fabricated stand.

- Knut
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Yeah, I checked that, and the holes were not deformed. I measured from every angle possible, and came up with inconsistent dimensions on the center stand. I think it got jigged up wrong before welding, because the cross brace was different from one leg to the other. A mixture of things. I welded a plate to the bottom of the right side foot and that leveled the bike out.
 
Well I found the real problem. In addition to the poor job of fabricating the center stand, notice the missing block which stops the center stand from pivoting to far forward. I thought the dimensional inconsistencies were too minor to cause the amount of lean, and went out to the garage for a closer look. Embarrassing to find something which should have been obvious at first glance.
 

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1973x75 said:
Well I found the real problem. In addition to the poor job of fabricating the center stand, notice the missing block which stops the center stand from pivoting to far forward. I thought the dimensional inconsistencies were too minor to cause the amount of lean, and went out to the garage for a closer look. Embarrassing to find something which should have been obvious at first glance.
Click to expand...
There's no embarrassment here mate
You found the problem
You posted it here
It could help others
Job done in my opinion
 
1973x75 said:
Well I found the real problem. In addition to the poor job of fabricating the center stand, notice the missing block which stops the center stand from pivoting to far forward.
Click to expand...
There is still a block at the right side, so what happens when you pull the bike up on the stand? Does the stand twist in some way?
It appears the block has been present but has sheared off at some point in time. Poor welding, or overload? One weld seem is missing.

Are you sure this stand was supplied by AN and not some dodgy 3rd party?

- Knut
 
Got it from Old Britts years ago, so probably AN. Now that it’s off the bike, I was able to get a more accurate measurement, and one leg is still shorter than the other. Glad it’s only a center stand. I still miss Old Britts, and I’ve never had a problem with anything from AN, so I’m not at all discouraged. The piece of aluminum in the photo is just to transfer a matching angle to the new part.
 

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A block on one side of the '71 Commando I'm working on was missing (a proper new one shown below). It was horrible, rear wheel on the ground when the stand was deployed, listing. I got an Andover one from Baxter along with a HW kit and spring, and it is perfect. It is one of the easiest center stands I have ever used. Getting it on wasn't a barrel of laughs, but now the rear wheel is 1/2" off the ground, the spring retracts, and holds it up perfectly. That's a head-scratcher how it could be so defective.

I downloaded all the tech articles from Old Britts, which has been so helpful.

Center stand defect causing bike to list to starboard
 
All done, and the best part is I found another procedure for installing the center stand. Attached the spring first, tilted it up into place, and ratcheted it right into alignment with the bolt holes.
 

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1973x75 said:
Yeah, I checked that, and the holes were not deformed. I measured from every angle possible, and came up with inconsistent dimensions on the center stand. I think it got jigged up wrong before welding, because the cross brace was different from one leg to the other. A mixture of things. I welded a plate to the bottom of the right side foot and that leveled the bike out.
Click to expand...
That's the correct answer. Good job.
 


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