Floptastic centerstand

[JPaganel]

This bike has done it since I bought it - the center stand flops and clanks on bumps.

Is this just a matter of getting a new spring? Or is it a consequence of the Vance and Hines muffler and not having the OE exhaust to butt up against?

[great white]

This bike has done it since I bought it - the center stand flops and clanks on bumps.

Is this just a matter of getting a new spring? Or is it a consequence of the Vance and Hines muffler and not having the OE exhaust to butt up against?

The spring does weaken a bit over the years.

But the center stand does need a rubber pad to but up against or it's going to bump and bang.

When I go to a 4 into 1 on a bike, the center stand lever is usually on the LH side and the pipe on the right. I usually make a little bracket that holds the OE bumper pad off the original pipes so the side stand has something to butt up against and hold itself steady.

[FJmonkey]

The spring is shot, over a million cycles, no new replacement that I know of. A well placed magnet should hold it in place. Less bouncing and dragging in the corners...

[great white]

This bike has done it since I bought it - the center stand flops and clanks on bumps.

Is this just a matter of getting a new spring? Or is it a consequence of the Vance and Hines muffler and not having the OE exhaust to butt up against?

The spring does weaken a bit over the years.

But the center stand does need a rubber pad to butt up against or it's going to bump and bang.

When I go to a 4 into 1 on a bike, the center stand lever is usually on the LH side and the pipe on the right. I usually make a little bracket that holds the OE bumper pad off the original pipes so the center stand has something to butt up against and hold itself steady.

Whoops, wrote side stand instead of center stand.

I've also been known to take the center stand spring and carefully shorten the loop on one end by clamping in in a vice and tightening the radius on the hook by hammering it over slightly. Effectively shortens the spring length and tightens things up.

You have to be careful though. You can only bend the spring steel so far and after that it will snap....

[Charlie-brm]

The hook tab on the side stand leg can get worn down to a deep groove and bent out of shape too. That will introduce slack. I hammer tapped gently to flatten out the tab which took up some of the distance. Then I had someone tack weld just a little dab of material to fill in the worn groove. I mean about 1/8" improvement. That did it. No playing with the spring required.

[great white]

The hook tab on the side stand leg can get worn down to a deep groove and bent out of shape too. That will introduce slack. I hammer tapped gently to flatten out the tab which took up some of the distance. Then I had someone tack weld just a little dab of material to fill in the worn groove. I mean about 1/8" improvement. That did it. No playing with the spring required.

You make a good point. Mine is also a little slack but i havent gotten around to doing anything about it.

Im going to pull that bad boy off tomorrow and gove the end of the hole a shot with the mig if its worn.



Edit: hold on a tick. You said side stand. We're talking center stand. I know some bikes have a c shaped link on the center stand spring that can wear. Not sure if the fj has one, but I seem to recall none....

[Troyskie]

It is possible to 'shim' out the receiver on either end of the centre stand spring.
If you're any good at welding (I'm NOT  ) a small tack on the inner of the receiver loop will stretch out the spring enough to bring it back to 'nice'.

I bought a replacement from a wrecker, both centre stand, and spring. Fortunately the new-to-me spring was tight, and stand was 'straight'.
I did experiment with the old spring by vice & hammer method. It worked as well .

btw, tightening the side stand is much easier, but perhaps the 1100's are different to the 12's?
Troy

[FJ_Hooligan]

I slipped some thick clear tubing over the curved ends of the spring and reinstalled it.
Slop gone.

A tip for spring removal, with the spring extended, jamb coins into the coils.  That will help keep the spring extended when you pull the stand up.

[great white]

I slipped some thick clear tubing over the curved ends of the spring and reinstalled it.
Slop gone.

A tip for spring removal, with the spring extended, jamb coins into the coils.  That will help keep the spring extended when you pull the stand up.

The clear tubing is a damned good idea!

No metal to metal anymore either.

Easily replaced when worn out.

Hows it sand up to repeated use? wear out quickly or last a fair it?

[FJ_Hooligan]

Still in there and working fine.  Not exactly a high cycle or wear application.

[Tony Mac]

I slipped some thick clear tubing over the curved ends of the spring and reinstalled it.
Slop gone.

A tip for spring removal, with the spring extended, jamb coins into the coils.  That will help keep the spring extended when you pull the stand up.

That, My friend is a bloody great idea.
I've been mulling this problem over for quite awhile.
I'm going straight home to try it.
Be Good.
Macca

[FeralJuggernaut]

My center stand was pretty sloppy, it turns out the bolts and the centerstand itself had worn into an oblong mess that just got worse over time.   I'll admit that time was the tune of 112,000 miles.   Worth a look and lube.