changing center stand spring

What's the easiest way? Spring first and pull until you can insert the bolts... or bolts and stretch the spring? Also what side goes to what. My old one had the round side connected to the cradle, but in the parts book it has the round side through the center stand crossbar.

I just did mine. I used a combination of lab's idea and some of the other guys as well.

1 - attach the spring to the engine cradle.

2 - Tie a loop around the other end of the spring with strong rope or twine.

3 - wrap the other end of the rope around your rear tire with very little slack.

4 - with the bike on its side stand push it forward a little bit at a time until the spring stretches out with
enough length to attach it to the center stand. (it won't reach the center stand because the tire pulls the
spring downward)

5 - I put quarters inside the spring to keep it stretched out. Then cut the rope.

6 - Put the other end of the spring inside the center stand and remove each quarter one at a time.

This took me about 10 minutes and i was able to do it by myself. Make your rear tire do the work for you!
No stress, pulling etc.

I just did this job; had no luck with the bolts-first approach (no doubt it can be done, but it didn't work for me). But the spring-first technique was pretty painless. YMMV.

Try a ratchet strap.

A varition of these methods -

Put a piece of masking tape on the stand cross member and mark it with a pencil where the hole is. That way you can see where to guide the end of the spring as you pull it.

I use a loop of 14 gage wire around the spring end and attached to a steel bar at the other end. Right foot against the footrest to keep the bike from moving while pulling the spring back with both hands. Guide the end into the hole and Bob's yer uncle.

pelican said:

Also what side goes to what. My old one had the round side connected to the cradle, but in the parts book it has the round side through the center stand crossbar.

Click to expand...

The round end fits to the stand, and square end to the cradle hole (pivot bolts should be inside and nuts go outside the cradle)

thanks!

I actually ended up doing this another way which was really easy.... the hardest part for me was getting the spring into the cradle. Once the spring was in the cradle I put the centerstand upside down and as close to the spring as it could get. I put the cs spring end right under the hole in the cs....so now the bottom is at the top. Pulled back gently while rotating at the same time, and the spring just popped in the cs. Then pulled back on the crossbar of the cs until the holes lined up, and pushed a bush into hold it....

I just attached my centre stand with the bolt head on the outside, because that's what the parts manual shows! Too late now, I hope it doesn't cause me a problem. So now I'm trying to insert the spring into the cradle - no luck! How did you manage it?

i had to do the spring first then the bolts

Bill88 said:

I just attached my centre stand with the bolt head on the outside, because that's what the parts manual shows! I hope it doesn't cause me a problem.

Click to expand...

Depends which year type stand assembly it is, I think?