Hitchcocks Forum

I'm installing a center stand on my 1970... Any wisdom or tips on getting the spring on???

Although I have never had to do this, I have heard that slipping a thick coin or washer between the rungs as you expand the spring, will hold it to allow you to hook the end into its holder. Then remove the spacers of course. Good luck and watch your knuckles.

if you've got a vice its fairly straightforward. Rig up a couple of bolts through the vice that you can hook each end of the spring onto, wind the vice out and open up the spring, then insert 2p and or 20p (if you are in the UK) coins or suitable washers in the open spring coils. It can be a bit tricky to keep the coins in so they need to be a tight fit and all roughly the same thickness. Once its full wind in the vice and lift off the spring with the coins or washers in place. It should now be long enough to slip over the stand and engine plate pegs with ease. Once on, pull out the coins with a pair of pliers, job done.

That's 'If' not 'if'.

i think we can let you off this time, Chris!

I've just done the centre stand on my 67 Continental GT.

Chris's advice is sound. The only point I would add is that I forcibly insert washers into the coils of the spring whilst the bike is still on the stand. Taking the bike off the stand then means that the spring can be easily removed. Reinstallation is the reverse - bike off the stand, put the spring back on, put the bike back on the stand and remove the washers.

Saves a lot of effort and bad language.

I use Mr H's hooked spring puller on my 1As. Locate the spring on the upper lug first, tool hook forced into the lower spring coils (not the end of the spring) then pull with all your might from below the bike. A second pair of hands holding pliers on the spring to guide the hook onto the stand lug is required though. I think I also temporarily extended the handle on the spring puller with two BA box spanners. It really is a test of your strength.

Tried all that malarky with washers when trying to fit a spring to a suzuki main stand. It just didn't work. Ended up with axle stands under the pegs and securing the front wheel to the front of the lift and the rear wheel to the rear of the lift and using a ratchet strap to stretch the spring

Lots of good ideas. I'll get back to it today and let you know how it went. Incidentally... how do you post pictures on this site? Thanks

Why no-one was hurt making this is a mystery:-