Center stand question

[D Mann]

Thought I would drop the center stand this week and build up the weldment so the stand would not go so far over. When I took it out I was surprised that the weldment seems fine but the hardware was loose as a goose.
It looks like the mounting bolt is a size too small, I can jiggle it into the bushing several threads.

Question, is this the correct center stand? It looks like this is for the R100GS. I will try to find a bolt that threads into the bushing better tomorrow. Any comments/ pointers would be welcome.

[Tony Smith]

David

It isn't possible to give you an opinion on the centre stand, you simply do not show enough of it - that said, a R100GS stand might physically bolt up but you would notice the effort to lift the much lower R54 the extra 3 or 4 inches to get it on the stand.

As regards the hardware, new bushes bolts and washers would seem to be required. They need to be properly tightened so that the stand "rotates" on the bushes and not in the frame bolt holes, grease is required on the bushes.

[Barry]

They need to be properly tightened so that the stand "rotates" on the bushes and not in the frame bolt holes, grease is required on the bushes.

+1 on that.

The parts look normal to me and the slackness you mention is probably not an issue as long as you can clamp the bush firmly the the frame tab. Most all of the damage to the stand pivots is done because the bolts are allowed to get loose which then elongates the holes. If the security of the bolts is checked and the bushes are cleaned and greased once a year the stand pivots will last a very long time. Given that the outer surface of the bush will not wear all of the way around a simple trick is to rotate the bush to present a new wear surface before tightening up the bolt.

[D Mann]

Thanks guys. The bushings seem fine where they sit in the stand. I was just confused because Clymers has a totally different set up listed for the 65.

[montmil]

Given the photo supplied, to me that doesn't appear to be an R65 centerstand.

The 45/65s have a "tang" that takes your boot to assist in getting the bike on the stand. Earlier 45/65s, including my '81 R65, had a what looked like a Civil War "mini-ball" on the end and a certain geometry that induced a small hernia each time I tried to get the bike up n' over. It was also damaging the sole of my riding boot.

I believe it was about the '83 model when the stand's design and geometry was altered and a proper foot pad fitted. I upgraded my '81 to the newer stand -via eBay- and have been extremely satisfied.

[Barry]

I wouldn't assume it's a GS stand as many other Airhead stands look similar. Some had 2 crossover tubes but I think R45/65 only ever had one. So it could still be an early R65 stand if the tang is out of shot to the left of  the picture.  If you want to compare measurements with an early stand I can measure mine for you.

[Tony Smith]

I wouldn't assume it's a GS stand as many other Airhead stands look similar. Some had 2 crossover tubes but I think R45/65 only ever had one. So it could still be an early R65 stand if the tang is out of shot to the left of  the picture.  If you want to compare measurements with an early stand I can measure mine for you.

I am able to compare a 1979 stand and a 1984 one and I am here t tell you that aside from the gawdawful "ball" on the 1979 stand the geometry/sizing  is otherwise identical.

[donbmw]

Of what I can see in your picture it looks a lot like the one on my 82 R65.

Don

[D Mann]

Thanks guys.
I was just going off of what Clymers had in the book and it is nothing like what they have pictured for the R65. I have since chalked this up to just another error in Climbers.

It looks like the mounting bolts are good (10mm) I thought they might be undersized, but the next size up that I can find is 12mm and that was way too big for the bushings. I drilled the bushings out and put in Keenserts for 10mm. Looks like it should work fine.

The next problem is that the bottoms of the stand are starting to wear through. I tacked a 2" piece of 1" EMT conduit over the ends of both sides, to help preserve what is left, until I can come up with a permanent solution.

[mrclubike]

Another alternative might be to go to a 7/16 bolt (11.26mm)
I always like to go Bigger to give it more strength.

[Barry]

It looks like the mounting bolts are good (10mm) I thought they might be undersized, but the next size up that I can find is 12mm and that was way too big for the bushings. I drilled the bushings out and put in Keenserts for 10mm. Looks like it should work fine.
 

I'm puzzled why the bushes would need Keenserts when they were never threaded in the first place.  Are you attempting to clamp the bush to the frame lug without using a nut ?

[D Mann]

This was my first go round with the center stand so bare with me. When I took the bushings out there were very nice but shallow threads in them that the bolt did not grip as the holes were to big. I thought the threads in the bushings were stripped so I put in the keenserts. Now the bushings "clamp" to the frame nicely and I can keep the adjustment with the locknut.

If the bushings did not have threads originally a PO has done some tinkering here as well as other places on the bike.

I do not see any reason this will not work well, but since it looked like it is supposed to be this way I have not really sat down and thought it through.

The bushings now nicely greased clamp to the frame and the center stand pivots around them nicely.

[Barry]

I can see that will work OK if they are clamped tight enough but the original method was simply to clamp the bush against the frame tab using the nut shown in your posted diagram of the GS stand. I'd keep an eye on them to check they are still firmly clamped. You have to do that anyway regardless of how they are secured.

Did you have fun getting an Allen key to fit. I had to cut one down to get between the sump and the screw head.

[mrclubike]

 When I took the bushings out there were very nice but shallow threads in them that the bolt did not grip as the holes were to big.  

You were probably seeing slight indentations the bolt threads made inside of the bushing from it being loose.
I have seen this on other stuff were a bolt passes thru something and was loose

[montmil]

 When I took the bushings out there were very nice but shallow threads in them that the bolt did not grip as the holes were to big.  

You were probably seeing slight indentations the bolt threads made inside of the bushing from it being loose.
I have seen this on other stuff were a bolt passes thru something and was loose

And that's why it's important to use the correct shoulder bolt in a load bearing situation such as the centerstand. If a PO has altered hardware and or fittings, how's a poor fella supposed to know what's what? Ain't this forum cool!