centre stand spring (2008)

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JD

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Is there a trick to mounting the new centre stand spring?? It is as thick as my garage door spring and has to stretch a good country mile before reaching its final resting holes. I am trying to do it as gingerly as possible as not to gouge my powdercoat. Thanks all.
 
A good question - I've had a new one in my spares box for two years and have yet to fit it - as you state it's one hell of a spring! I suspect that it may be easiest to remove the stand pivots, hook-up the spring and then 'persuade' the pivots back into position. That's just my thoughts - no doubt there is a definitive answer.

How come answers to these questions are never in any workshop manuals ? !!!
 
I have found it easiest to enlist the aid of a helper and removing the stand pivot bolts, connect the spring and pull the stand while the helper inserts the bolts.

When I can't persuade my helper (read: SWMBO) then I connect the spring to the frame and use a loop of strong cord with a short length of hose as a handle. Sitting behind the motorcycle with my feet braced on the pegs, pull the spring with both hands on the loop. When the spring is located in the stand, you usually have to cut the cord to remove it. It works for me.

There are also special spring hooks to aid in these jobs, but I have never used one.
 
I use a helper AND a pulling method. I use hard wire (clothes hangar), slipped through a section of pipe for a handle. Yes, you have to cut it to remove it. I leave the bolts in place, tried the other way once and will never do so again.
 
Get yourself a roll of quarters. I put one of the hooked end of the spring in a vise to hold it, then bent the spring back and forth inserting a quarter in the gaps. It can be frustrating as some will fall out and have to be re-inserted, but it works. I didn't have any problems putting the spring on. Oh yeah! Don't forget to remove the quarters with a pair of pliers, get them together, go to the store and buy yourself a nice congratulatory beer!
 
I forgot to mention, don't get cheap...dimes, nickles and pennies have a tendency to fall through the middle of the spring....it's all about size.
 
What I found to work was to attach the spring and pull back on the center stand, until I could insert a round phillips head screwdriver into one of the holes. That gives you enough of a lever to pull it back all the way. I was able to do it by myself that way, and I don't think it dinged up the powdercoat. When I tried the quarter method, my spring ended up losing some of its stiffness after the quarters were removed.
 
I'm trying to remember whose shop I was in when I noticed that he had drilled and tapped the sides of the jaws on his vice, and inserted a pair of stout little bolts; he said he'd mount the spring on the two screws and use the vice to open the spring to insert the quarters between the open coils. Nifty trick.
 
That reminds me, I gave a roll of quarters to a stipper in mexico one time.....oops! wrong forum! Thanks for the creative suggestions. I am going to work my way down the line of techniques until one works. You guys are great.
JD
 
Here's another approach to the problem courtesy of the resourceful minds on the AJS/Matchless forum:

Get a length of PVC plastic plumbing pipe that is just slightly larger than the diameter of the spring and a bit shorter than the spring. Cut a groove about 1/4 inch wide down the length of the pipe with a jigsaw or band saw. Get yourself 2-3 pipe clamps that fit over the pipe. Open the pipe up and place over the spring and install the pipe clamps and snug up the clamps. Now start turning the spring to stretch it out and tighten down the pipe clamps to hold it as you go. You can stretch it out as much as you need and keep it there without killing yourself. No helper needed. Works beautifully.

JD said:
Is there a trick to mounting the new centre stand spring?? It is as thick as my garage door spring and has to stretch a good country mile before reaching its final resting holes. I am trying to do it as gingerly as possible as not to gouge my powdercoat. Thanks all.
Click to expand...
 
Hello all-
I found absolution to my spring issue. I feel a bit silly having this as one of the biggest issues in restoring this bike. Thank you all for your suggestions. I tried the roll of quarters and lost patience. I tried the twine and rubber hose and darn near broke my back (and my brother's back). I finally wound up utilizing a tie-down strap and one of the metal loops located just forward of the center of my bike on my motorcycle lift. I secured one end of the hook to the spring (other end of the spring in the transmission frame) and the other end of the tie-down to the metal loop on the side of my lift. We then pulled and tightend the strap stretching the spring. We were then able to locate the other end of the spring to the stand. After an hour of trying these other solutions, this process took a matter of minutes. It does help to have a partner. I put a couple of marks in the powder coat--no big deal. Thanks again all and I hope this can be added to the list of creative solutions to the centre stand issue. Cheers.
JD
 
JD said:
I finally wound up utilizing a tie-down strap and one of the metal loops located just forward of the center of my bike on my motorcycle lift. I secured one end of the hook to the spring (other end of the spring in the transmission frame) and the other end of the tie-down to the metal loop on the side of my lift. We then pulled and tightend the strap stretching the spring. We were then able to locate the other end of the spring to the stand.
Click to expand...

A variation of that method is to tie a loop on the end of a piece of twine or cord, then with the upper end of the stand spring in position and the stand held in the raised position with the bike on its wheels (get an assistant to hold the bike upright) hook the loop over the stand end of the spring.
The other end of the cord is then wrapped around the wheel a few times (around the tyre & rim fairly low down on the wheel) and tied off.

Then instruct your assistant to push the bike forward (and thus stretching the spring) as far as is necessary for you to fit the spring onto the stand.

The length and position of the cord between the loop and wheel may need adjusting slightly so that the end of the spring can be lined up with the stand spring hole or lug as it is stretched?
 
New SS center stand spring installed today.

I used Grandpaul's version with a helper and pulling. The only thing I did different was that I used a rope that I hooked on the spring holding one end of the rope in each hand pulling the spring. It was very easy to get the spring in place. Worked great :D
 
I dont know what would be more frustrating,trying to fit the spring or having my wife help me with my bike, must go my privaliges are about to be revoked.
 
I have mounted much stronger springer (5mm wire) this way:
one ear in the vise, move the spring 90° for/backwards, put one or more washer in the cap of the coil, move it to the other direction, put next washer between the coils and so on. That will stretch the spring without danger ! Attach the spring and remove the washers with a pliers.

Greetings Marco
 
I have mounted much stronger springer (5mm wire) this way:
one ear in the vise....
Click to expand...

Sounds painful!! Is that so you can hear the wife heading for the workshop??!! :lol:

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :twisted:
 
Yeah, I remember that being a pain in the ass.

I find the small brake drum springs to be worse....
 
Having just done this job, I don't know what y'all are talking about. The quarters/washers method does not work. I tried it and it was actually super easy to do, but useless. The spring is still "a country mile" from locating into the hole on the stand. You still need to stretch it another inch and as soon as that happens all your loose change falls out. I actually used thick washers on both sides and no dice. I'm still wondering if someone is having a good laugh over this myth :?:

So here's how you do it -- and it's real easy -- but you're gonna need to enlist your wife and best two-wheelin friend (3 person methon). Your wife holds the front hand brake (while Norton is on the side stand). Your friend uses a pulling tool as mention in previous posts. (We used a big maglite with a coat hangar looped around it.) With the spring located in the cradle hole, your friend, while sitting behind the Norton, start pulling with the tool. You are lying down and ready with a hammer to tap it in once located over the hole on the centre stand. Boom, it's done and nobody got hurt. High fives all around!
 
ONO President said:
So here's how you do it -- and it's real easy -- but you're gonna need to enlist your wife and best two-wheelin friend (3 person methon). Your wife holds the front hand brake (while Norton is on the side stand). Your friend uses a pulling tool as mention in previous posts. (We used a big maglite with a coat hangar looped around it.) With the spring located in the cradle hole, your friend, while sitting behind the Norton, start pulling with the tool. You are lying down and ready with a hammer to tap it in once located over the hole on the centre stand. Boom, it's done and nobody got hurt. High fives all around!
Click to expand...

Simple one person method:
 
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