Is there a method to getting the center stand spring off and then back on, other than a pair of vise grips and brute strength?
Unbolt the centrestand first.
Maybe take the stand off, put the spring on and bolt the stand back. Up (popcorn)
Quote from: fj11.5 on February 12, 2012, 02:28:45 PM
Maybe take the stand off, put the spring on and bolt the stand back. Up (popcorn)
thanks
Or take a piece of wire and use it as a tool to remove spring. Maybe 10-12 inches long, put one end thru spring end/hook part, thread thru 1/2 way, then double it over on itself. Grab both pieces of wire and use as a handle and pull hook part of spring off. I use this for motocross springs on the exhaust flange. Cheap and works well. I was doing a brake job on my van years ago and was using a pliers to pull off the springs and the pliers slipped off the spring and I smacked myself in the forehead so hard I almost knocked myself out.
Thanks bigbore2, I like that idea. I'm done for today, but will try that sometime this week.
I usually take a long skinny screw driver and rest the flat end on (or on top of) one of the frame rails crossing under the bottom of the bike, then position the shaft to get under the spring end and lever it up to slip it off the lug. I should say that I use the same screw driver for this task every time, it is a Craftsman and has a square shaft which I think helps. It takes a few tries and several attempts at the positioning but I have not found a way that works better for me. Many bloody knuckles on center stand springs over the years but I now have a good record for removing them with no harm to me or the bike. PITA though....
I think you will find it very difficult to remount the center stand with the spring already attached at both ends. I bolt the stand on and put the bike up on it to hold it still. With the spring on the stand I then stretch the spring back up onto the frame lug using the skinny screwdriver.
tim
I bead blasted my header pipes, silencer, and exhaust clamp rings. Primed, painted and oven cured with rust-oleum, yes I said Rust-oleum, HIGH HEAT primer and flat black paint. Resists heat up to 2000F, says so on the can.
Ordered my chin from Motörhead.com, gunslinger seat from Corbin.com and new LED tail light from RPM.com, and varies asundries from Ronareys.com. Oh ya, horded 2 sets of stock 86 muffler from Fjer's Chir and Steve, thank guys.
Stay tuned (popcorn)
Quote from: bigbore2 on February 12, 2012, 03:36:12 PMI was doing a brake job on my van years ago and was using a pliers to pull off the springs and the pliers slipped off the spring and I smacked myself in the forehead so hard I almost knocked myself out.
BTDT, on my old Camaro. It only takes once to go out and get the proper tool... :empathy2:
Quote from: FJdave1200 on February 12, 2012, 05:28:15 PM
I bead blasted my header pipes, silencer, and exhaust clamp rings. Primed, painted and oven cured with rust-oleum, yes I said Rust-oleum, HIGH HEAT primer and flat black paint. Resists heat up to 2000F, says so on the can.
Ordered my chin from Motörhead.com, gunslinger seat from Corbin.com and new LED tail light from RPM.com, and varies asundries from Ronareys.com. Oh ya, horded 2 sets of stock 86 muffler from Fjer's Chir and Steve, thank guys.
Stay tuned (popcorn)
Dang, wrong forum, sorry :)
:biggrin: I kept reading looking for the bit where you might have chromed your centre stand springs or something,
Quote from: X-Ray on February 13, 2012, 03:09:13 AM
:biggrin: I kept reading looking for the bit where you might have chromed your centre stand springs or something,
:rofl2: :rofl2:
Quote from: rktmanfj on February 12, 2012, 07:05:09 PM
Quote from: bigbore2 on February 12, 2012, 03:36:12 PMI was doing a brake job on my van years ago and was using a pliers to pull off the springs and the pliers slipped off the spring and I smacked myself in the forehead so hard I almost knocked myself out.
BTDT, on my old Camaro. It only takes once to go out and get the proper tool... :empathy2:
+1
The tool isn't expensive, and it's handy. Why not make things easier on yourself?
Is there a spring compression/spreader tool small enough for a center stand springs? Link would be good!
:good:
Really guys!
With the bike on the side stand, and the center stand retracted, just undo the pivot bolts for the center stand, hook the spring to the appropriate loops, and put the bolts back in. No pulling of the spring necessary. There's enough play in the spring with the center stand in the retracted position to perform this action seamlessly.
No drama required!
Really!
Quote from: Steve_in_Florida on February 13, 2012, 10:26:48 AM
No drama required!
Really!
Like i said, but some people have to go round the long way. Can't be done unless there's a long way :rofl:
To remove the spring, put the bike on the centerstand to extend the spring. Jam a bunch on change (pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters) in the spring gaps. When you retract the stand, it will fall off.
To install a spring, clamp it in a vice, grap the end with Vice Grips (to avoid smashing yourself in the forehead), bend the spring back and forth to open up gaps, shim the gaps with change until it's long enough to install.
Pretty sure I got that trick from Norske.
DavidR.
Quote from: SlowOldGuy on February 13, 2012, 02:57:06 PM
...Jam a bunch on change (pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters) in the spring gaps...
Who has spare change these days?
Actually, that's pretty good advice, too. I'll log this in my "Book O' Trix".
Quote from: SlowOldGuy on February 13, 2012, 02:57:06 PM
To remove the spring, put the bike on the centerstand to extend the spring. Jam a bunch on change (pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters) in the spring gaps. When you retract the stand, it will fall off.
To install a spring, clamp it in a vice, grap the end with Vice Grips (to avoid smashing yourself in the forehead), bend the spring back and forth to open up gaps, shim the gaps with change until it's long enough to install.
Pretty sure I got that trick from Norske.
DavidR.
Shim both sides of the spring equally or the shape will resemble a banana.
Well I tried pulling the spring off using the wire trick and that seems to work pretty well to take the spring off , however now I need the center stand again for some time so removing it will come later. I think I'll use the spare change method that DavidR suggested when I'm ready. Thanks to the ideas--I'm just trying to avoid the aforementioned smashed fingers and bloody knuckles. I realize it's not the most technical mechanical procedure.
Steve in Florida, You must have a longer center stand spring than I do, because there is still quite a bit of tension on mine even with the stand up. There'd be no sliding the bolts back in without prying and frigging around--which I'm not above doing, but trying to avoid. Or maybe my spring is shorter because it's about 15* F in my garage. Perhaps I'm affected by 'shrinkage'? Maybe it's just genetic. :sarcastic:
Later,
Mark
Both my bikes and the one I parted out didn't need any spring puller :yahoo: