Wideline centre stand spring fitting

I usually pack the spring with washers before putting it on. Just bend the spring whilst one end is held in a vice and push the washers in the gap opened up. You need quite a few washers but saves the brute force and skined knuckles.

Clive has it spot on. I also loop a bit of string over the end of the spring and use a bit of broom handle to loop it over the engine plate stud - saves wear and tear on knuckles etc. Just cut the string away when the spring is in place.

Hi.

I use the same method as Gordon, usually sitting astride the bike with the tank off. Just make sure the string (or wire in my case) is strong enough not to snap and the bitof broom handle smacks you in the face!

Just one thing to add - the original Norton fitting is a 'P' shaped clip with a bolt through it that takes the spring. If you make up a 'S' shaped hook, out of a bit of 3/16 rod,abouthalf an inch longer than the originalit takes a bit of tension out of the spring making it easier to fit/removeandit'll last a lot longer (how long? I don't know, I haven't had one break since 1980-something). It should still retract and hold the stand up firmly if you get it right.

Regards,

Ian.

Previously colin_ansell wrote:

Does anyone have any tricks for fitting a centre stand spring? It seems to me that the only way is to fit it to the centre stand clip (with the clip fitted to the centre stand) and then to use brute force to pull the spring up onto the engine plate stud.

(I am using an RGM stainless steel spring)

Thanks

Well I just use a Nice strong length of wire and pull up , with one hand , and I just a woman unlike you so called men !

If you were a real woman, you'd use your teeth!!!

Previously colin_ansell wrote:

Does anyone have any tricks for fitting a centre stand spring? It seems to me that the only way is to fit it to the centre stand clip (with the clip fitted to the centre stand) and then to use brute force to pull the spring up onto the engine plate stud.

(I am using an RGM stainless steel spring)

Thanks

Hi Colin

I am just a weak old man so I had to find an easy way to attach the stand spring on my slimline. Should thinkthe methodwould workon the wideline as well. I put a piece of timber about 0.5 ins thick and 1.5 ins wide and 12 ins long across the frame tube above the top spring mounting point.I balancea small screw jackon the timber then then using a loop of strong cord going over the top of the jack and either side of the timber I attach it to the top end of the spring. The spring should now dangle in approximately the desired position. Have sufficient slack in the cord so that you can attach the lower end of the spring to the stand fixing point.Next, it is just a matter of jacking up the cord loop which pulls the spring up to a position where you can use a screwdriver to push the top of the spring onto the mounting bolt. This is much easier to do than describe what you are doing especially without a diagram!

Peter M

Previously ian_allen wrote:

If you were a real woman, you'd use your teeth!!!

well I not spoiling my teeth for a Spring . And I put big industrial type gloves no so I don't break a nail .

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously ian_allen wrote:

If you were a real woman, you'd use your teeth!!!

well I not spoiling my teeth for a Spring . And I put big industrial type gloves no so I don't break a nail .

A real woman would probably let her husband do it for her!

Previously john_mcnicoll wrote:

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously ian_allen wrote:

If you were a real woman, you'd use your teeth!!!

well I not spoiling my teeth for a Spring . And I put big industrial type gloves no so I don't break a nail .

A real woman would probably let her husband do it for her!

Well I have No husband and I do not want one they only get in the way of the real action , and most of them winge like big girls ,

How do you know most of them winge like big girls? Do you know lots of husbands? Do big girls winge a lot? What is real action?

Ah, the joys of sweeping generalisations.

It is probably fairer to say that Norton centre stand springs are usually a bit of a pain to fit, but thanks to this forum the task can be made considerably easier.We more senior people learned servicing by pain and struggle in the days beforedecent communications. This forum must reduce the frustration and Words Not To Be Said In Front Of Children when new owners are learning to work on their Nortons. My younger son's first work was not printable. Oh dear.

If the tankis off and the carb drained, very careful use of a heat gun will frazzle the polypropylene baler string. Be careful if you try this method - wiring doesn't like to get hot and it is so easy not to notice the gentle melting of insulation. But the polyprop stringwill photodegrade over time too. I use sisal baler twine for my bales and putting centre stand strings on - it's a bit less obtrusive. It's also handy for polishing fork legs when wrapped round a couple of times with some Solvol and twizzled energetically. I wrote a featurefor RealClassic a couple of years ago and eagle-eyes Frankpointed outin print for all to see my use of sisal baler twine to stop the throttle cable flapping in the breeze. So versatile,so rustic! Now where did I leave my pitchfork? Ah yes, I was using the handle to put on a centre stand spring.

That's why I use wire (insulated comes away easier with a spray of WD40)- leaves nothing behind. Gordon - where can I get the original orangebinder twine these days?I've beenhaving to use 'non-period' zip-ties!!!

Ian.