Side stand stability?

Just wondering if others how trouble keeping the side stand pivot stable w/o wobble slack? I've put new parts in my Combat and careful not to lean hard on side stand but just easy use it wobble in a week or so. The main issue to me is the joint slack allows side stand to goes further under frame so I can't snag the boot peg to extend stand at time w/o greasing a glove reaching for it. I've bend the boot peg out a bit which works, most the time. Also the slack makes the rubber bumper cushion miss the frame but no clanks I can detect thank you.

Mine slacks up too. don't know how as it has a locking nut on it.
I just tighten it up.
Does the bolt stretch?
It shouldn't, you'd think.

I ended up using a longer bolt with a washer (the parts book shows no washer) and double nutted the bolt

New style, but using. Grade 8 fine bolt, inner sleave cinched up tight.

Steve,

IF you have already simply tightened the side stand bolt nut to the point where it takes a binding effort to swing the stand out and back in, then it seems likely that the welded tab itself has bent through the years to the point where you may need to try to heat it and bend it "higher".

Heinz and I heated and bent my tang enough so it sticks out enough for my foot to get at it.

In fact we bent it so much it broke off and he had to braze the tang back on at the angle I needed.

That was seven years ago, and his braze job has held the tang in place perfectly, just some ideas that worked for me.

If the bolt loosens then over time the bushing and sidestand can get whittled down and then everything will want to lock up when the bolt is tightened. I had a machinist friend even up the sidestand surfaces again and make up a bushing to just fit with maybe 15-20 thousandths of vertical clearance when tightened. I also went with a Grade 8 bolt and hardened washer and nut with loctite. I put it together with Redline assembly lube and it has been fine ever since. I do check it every riding season.

The basic problem is the bolt loosening. I have heard rumors that the genuine Norton bolt is stronger than a Grade 8 but no first-hand knowledge that this is true.

Ok, I got what i needed -my sense of self worth on the reality checks it ain't just me with annoying side stand fumbles. Note I did not ask for a solution, I already know all of them and that all of them are more or less just temporary. Peel put me through all the mentioned issues of worn hole, worn stop edges and uneven faces, but not bent on frame thank you. Couple shops helped weld and grind Peel back to function, ugh then the over drilled stand fractured, so another friendly shop visit to weld back. Trixie's stand would nip up snug over first couple years with now and then re-torque but not no more so just stopped trying till another bush which still fits in snug as a bug. In my case its not the nut getting loose so much as bush on bolt wallowed out of round snuggness.
I never stand on stands, never let bike drop on stand, never park on slope w/o rock or board under so not leaning much on stand. I just don't understand how simple swing in/outs with just spring loads can get so loosey gooesey. The message I get from your feedback is just get over it and replace often as I must. If there was a place for needle or cone bearings this would be it for me.
Someone should put out a kit please.

I think it loosens every time the side stand is used. Plus as you ride the stand is going to bounce a little, also loosening.

and once it is freshened up, moly grease to keep it from wearing

If the questions is: After you put in a good bolt and locking nut and tighten things up nicely, where does all the slack in the side stand come from?

Here is my take on this. Depending on the side stand (some use a bush, some not), there is tendency for the hole in the side stand to stretch out of round, introducing slack. On a couple of different Commandos I have heated up the side stand (hole end) and shrunk/beat the radiused end of the stand back into the hole, making it tight again on the bush or bolt, or whatever is centered there. Putting a round stub into the hole first gives you something to work against. This will tighten things up nicely, and it will last for quite a while. Althought the weight, the radical angle, and certainly starting it on the side stand, will stretch the hole again eventually.

Stephen Hill

Note I did not ask for a solution, I already know all of them

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strange, as I assumed you were not just making meaningless small talk again about Mrs. Peel or Aunt Trixie and actually were looking for some help

in the future how will we know if we should respond with help or not, maybe give us a heads ups early in your posts so we need not read further?

I just asked to know if some others had trouble keeping side stand stable, after hearing for years and years about all the various repairs and renewal attempts. This was to ease my sense of guilt for lack of Norton skill to get mine to stay right very long. I didn't ask for a solution because I'm a know it all -like ole 1up3dn loves to imply-, but because I'd lost all faith and expectation that I or anyone could solve it any better than I-we already haven't w/o a completely new mechanism and geometry. Similar to kicker stability on shaft.

My bud Wes has removed his '71's side stand decades ago, which makes for sometimes funny scenario like a dog hunting and sampling a sleeping place, to find ground in Ozarks it don't tip over on such narrow base. Wes often enough has to walk back a ways where Trixie broke down resting on [loose] side stand + rock. My P!! had no stands and Peel takes me to friends with gates on steeps I have to balance on a fence pole in gear to work gate as too steep for stands.

Steven Hill lists what I've found - its more out of round wallowing out than nut/bolt loosing up but both feed off each other. The hammer processing to the factory items sure has an appeal to my level of skill satisfaction. Peel gets a one of a kind extra long side stand [ugh because she's so chopperish repelling ] but its got to weigh just a few lbs so still a mystery to puzzle. I had an Al bicycle one scabbed on for Empire rally and it lasted till back in living room, then I got ansy and removed the Drouin just in case and 15 lb less load but sure enough it snapped off just standing there anyway but didn't hurt nothing.

I agree, why hasn't someone come up with a nice kit or alternative ? seems like everyone at one time or another has had an issue with the stock set up

I don't understand ludwig's 'solution''?

Dave
69S

donmeek said:

I agree, why hasn't someone come up with a nice kit or alternative ? seems like everyone at one time or another has had an issue with the stock set up

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Um, like this? http://www.oldbritts.com/38_200002.html

Re: Side stand stability?

by hobot » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:34 am

"I just asked to know if some others had trouble keeping side stand stable,"

My side stand works perfectly. The rubber bumper rides snug against the frame. It was wobbly when I got it, but a little TLC brought it back as new, upgraded bolt to hold the pivot sleeve TIGHT. No drama

Yep concours glad to hear it, but so have I, a handful of times on two Cdo's operated weekly or more, so let us know how long it lasts before needs a nip up or new parts. If ever there was a place for Superduperblend this would be it for me but I ain't interested in modifying Trixie who remains plain ole factory parts number vendor pleaser. I always leave Trixie on center stand after rides but more prevent oil pooling on LH head away from drain and easier to fiddle with as its no help on normal side stand wear.

whats wrong with your centre stand. Oh yeh. I had t rebuild both my 750 and 850 centre stands. Another Norton weak spot. They were built light to go fast, not to last..

Hehe can't fool me on center stands, ain't no fast road Commando or race bike that retains them d/t lean fouling and weight. Peel fractured hers off and never looked back. Framer pulled up to check on me, his scrape bailing twine got us going again. But yes I agree they were made to go fast not to last. Like some of my memorable affairs.

I'm still not sure if Peel will get two side stands or not, with both out I could lift either tire to work on road side. I've had to take along an Al tube for a time when Peel's side stand popped in half. It'd be lightest solution but not very cleaver design.

hobot said:

I've had to take along an Al tube for a time when Peel's side stand popped in half.

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Hey Steve, didn't you drill a bunch of holes in that one ??