Hey Folks, long time FJ Guru Jon Cain aka screen name JCainFJ (email: ridewell@fuse.net) sent me a neat little goodie to try out. I have both my FJ's raised in the rear and, by doing so, the FJ sidestand becomes too short causing both bikes to lean quite a bit.
One solution is to weld on a extention to your side stand. A butt weld with a angle iron back up is the most common solution. I'm not sure I would trust a butt weld without some reinforcement.
Another solution is to carry a piece of wood to stick under your sidestand.
Jon Cain's solution is to add a extention pad to the bottom of the FJ's sidestand footpad. The extention pad is CNC milled to be slightly larger (1/4" wider) than the FJ footpad yet matching the profile of the FJ footpad. The additional 1/4" is there to have the ability to weld the pad extention to the FJ footpad.
Jon's footpad extention consists of a 1/4" thick steel plate, which is drilled and tapped, and a 1" thick aluminum spacer for a total thickness of 1.25"
The steel plate is welded to the FJ's footpad and the aluminum spacer is bolted to the steel pad. The thickness of aluminum spacer can be adjusted for any desired thickness by sanding down with a belt sander. Maybe a 1"thick spacer is too tall? Just sand down the soft aluminum, easy peesey.
What I like about this mod is that it's reversible.
I just unbolt the aluminum spacer and I'm back down to *near* oem height on the sidestand (i.e. the welded 1/4"plate remains)
Here's what it looks like:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/49_26_06_11_8_08_11.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/49_26_06_11_8_14_32.jpeg)
Installiation is easy:
1) Prep your FJ footpad for welding; sand/grind along the perimeter and the underneath so the weld can penetrate the steel of the oem footpad.
2) On a flat floor place the foot pad spacer under the FJ footpad. Line up the edges.
3) Double check to see that spacer height and bike's lean angle is where you want it. It's easier to correct the spacer thickness before you weld.
4) Tack weld the footpad spacer to the oem FJ footpad.
5) Remove sidestand and finish welding. Fill in the angle gap between the oem footpad and the steel plate as needed. Grind the welds.
6) Paint as desired.
7) Use red Locktite on the allen bolts and secure the aluminum spacer to the steel plate.
It should look like this:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/49_26_06_11_7_18_30.jpeg)
The spacer is lightweight and tuck's up nicely when the sidestand is retracted:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/49_26_06_11_7_39_02.jpeg)
Kinda reminds me of those platform shoes that were popular during the disco days.....The mod works well. I do not know the cost so if you are interested e-mail Jon (address above) Cheers! Pat
Well I am pretty sure that I will be faced with this problem as soon as I set my bike back down on its wheels!
It looks like a great solution.
Pat,
Thanks for the positive feedback on the extention. I will be making up another 6 of these (1 1/4 in. total height), if anyone is interested.
Ride Well,
Jon
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/661_28_06_11_11_29_07.jpeg)
Mine is done! Works excellent. :yahoo: Took me about 45 minutes total, including spraying it with a quick shot of gray galvanize paint.
If I raise my bike any, I'll need these for my boots.
Quote from: carsick on June 28, 2011, 10:08:51 PM
If I raise my bike any, I'll need these for my boots.
Don't lie! You know you already have some platform style boots with sparkles on them. :rofl:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VBxZiuSkXZY/SS1trVeMdBI/AAAAAAAAALQ/dfwtZcw6N2s/S660/44ac391d-7cfd-4867-8b4d-f7cd27396fd4.widec.jpg)
Dean,
Is that the new Icon titanium gear?