center stand tweaked - '74 850

I got the old boy torn down almost completely (gearbox, lower end and wiring loom all that is left mostly.) Seems like it is low miles and neglected for a couple of decades (I am pretty sure about the last 20 years of not running, and he shows 2200 or so on the odo, but who knows?) Question is, the center stand is tweaked, and as much as I like doing body work, that stout metal takes a whole different set of tools and skills to straighten properly - can't do that on a stump. I also like to use as much as original as possible. So, anyone know anyone that can straighten the center stand out properly? It has to be right as it has to hold oil. Thanks in advance.

rwalker28 said:

So, anyone know anyone that can straighten the center stand out properly? It has to be right as it has to hold oil.

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I've read this through several times but I can't work out what you mean when you say the stand has to hold oil?

Well, unless i don't understand this, which is entirely possible, I think the shaft that the center stand pivots on has an oil fill (140wt), and a strong caution not to use grease. I assumed that the center stand would have to be square up to the seals, or the oil would leak from the shaft?

rwalker28 said:

Well, unless i don't understand this, which is entirely possible, I think the shaft that the center stand pivots on has an oil fill (140wt), and a strong caution not to use grease. I assumed that the center stand would have to be square up to the seals, or the oil would leak from the shaft?

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Nah, that's your SWING ARM pivot, no worries. I can help, career fabricator. Where is it bent? Good clear images from all sides will help...

I found that my center stand was tweaked when my bike was reassembled. It used to pitch me to the right when I'd bump it off the center stand. I mounted a stout vice to my garage floor using some long expansion bolts, secured one leg of the stand in the vice and whacked the other leg multiple times with an 8 lb sledge until it was mostly straight. Don't know how your stand is tweaked but this worked fine for me. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of this precision adjustment.

what a dope. i had the center stand confused with the swing arm. and i wrote that note stone sober. lol

rwalker28 said:

what a dope. i had the center stand confused with the swing arm. and i wrote that note stone sober. lol

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So is it your center stand or swing arm that is tweaked?


Centerstand


Swingarm

:mrgreen:

center stand...just admitting my mistake...

You mean swing arm right?
Now I'm confused.
I just had my frame and SWING ARM straightened.
If you swing arm is tweaked it's quite possible the frame is tweaked too.
The only way I can imagine the swing arm being tweaked is from a crash as the 74 commando swing arm is strengthened.
Where are you located.
There is a shop called "The Frame Man" here is Sacramento, Ca. and they do Norton frames and swing arms.
They did both of mine for $525. It has never been this solid in it's life.

Ha another designed to decay item on Commandos. My Trixie Combat stand that mounts on cradle came with RH kisk side leg bent forward so bike listed low on RH - almost like a R side stand lean. To straighten up some I used 6 ft breaker bar wedge between lags with bike on stand and a foot on a tire rim then brute froced it mostly level again, and again, and agian and maybe once more again last season. I do not start on center stand and only use it in garage with care to get bike up on it, so another mystery why its so soft to bend with just time. I've tried the beating method and ok to fine tune some but not more an inch or so. My 1st Combat center stand fractured within months of my time on it, so removed and missed out on what others deal with until Trixie. Trixies has held stable last couple seasons so maybe I've finally work hardened it enough to stiffen up, but course moves it closer to fracture time with the clanking beatings it gets on rough sections. Not a bad idea to have a shallow rib/gusset tacked on tubes when in the mostly straight stage of their existence. I don't suggest heat to bend as leaves soft it lasts even less long. It ain't rocket science and doing it on bike prevents the re-tweaks from skewing the cradle mount alignment, any more than might be already.

BTW only reason grease is not to be used in swingarm is it can't get to the friction surfaces w/o modifying the spindle and cradle, otherwise its my solution to another vital mess that's such a pain I put it off too long, just like all those before me, so damage so bad caused injury to me and swing arm to replace in two Combats so far. Reminds me I ain't greased it in a year/8000 miles so time again whether it needs it or not. Grease the stand pivots if ya can.

Thanks for the info. My old 750 back in the late 70's did not have a center stand (came without i bought it well used) and the side stand was an aftermarket pos - spring fell off and I know what pogo sticking means. A rather frightening moment.