I want to take it off to repaint as there is rust on it now and it really is letting the 20 y/o bike look its age.

My questions are:

Is there any easy way to get the 2 springs off or is it more of a brute force, if it's not working, you're not using enough kind of thing?
Also, it's bolted on by two bolts (one for each side, duh) and they have a cotter pin through them. On a 20 y/o what's the best way of replacing/making sure I don't break them?

Any other insight would be cool, Thanks guys,
Ian
P.S. If you guys really want I'll take pics

Vise-grips for the springs, i used them for the springs on brake drums, so this will be no problem.

Soak everything in pb-blaster (or wd-40, if you must.) This will get the bolts/nuts free.
You should replace the cotter pins, they cost very little, or use a SS brad bent over each end.

The center stand on bikes really takes a beating, and needs some heavy duty paint. I definitely recommend painting and putting it back on, because future wrenching is FAR easier on the center stand.

Peace!

 

Quote from: Funderb on February 05, 2012, 11:38:14 AM
Vise-grips for the springs, i used them for the springs on brake drums, so this will be no problem.

Soak everything in pb-blaster (or wd-40, if you must.) This will get the bolts/nuts free.
You should replace the cotter pins, they cost very little, or use a SS brad bent over each end.

The center stand on bikes really takes a beating, and needs some heavy duty paint. I definitely recommend painting and putting it back on, because future wrenching is FAR easier on the center stand.

Peace!

So having started this project, I'm glad it's not snowing so my mom doesn't mind parking outside.

I couldn't get the spring off with just vice grips so I figured I would take the bolts out then it would be easy as the stand could move to make the spring go slack. Well... yous guys forgot to mention and I found out that the exhaust is in the way of the right side bolt.

So new question, is it worth taking off the exhaust to paint the center stand? or is this one of the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' kinda things?

Ian

Sure, its worth it. You can paint the exhaust while you are there, as well! if its looking bad, that is. Grill paint has had good results, the kind good up to 1200 deg.

Some say you must replace your header gaskets, which cost very little and can be ordered. I've taken my ex. off several times and not replaced them.

Be careful removing and installing exhaust, you can bend and break things if it doesn't seat squarely first, before torquing it down.

Quote from: Funderb on February 05, 2012, 01:17:59 PM
Sure, its worth it. You can paint the exhaust while you are there, as well! if its looking bad, that is. Grill paint has had good results, the kind good up to 1200 deg.

Some say you must replace your header gaskets, which cost very little and can be ordered. I've taken my ex. off several times and not replaced them.

Be careful removing and installing exhaust, you can bend and break things if it doesn't seat squarely first, before torquing it down.

That's what I said! I said as long as it's just sitting in the garage might as well work on it. Rather have something break now then in the summer when I can actually ride.
Exhaust looks just fine, just needs a cleaning. And I don't think I will change the gaskets, I'm just looking to do an afternoon job, if they become a problem/are junk, I guess I will.

Ian

You could leave everything on.
Apply a coating of Rutland's Stove Polish to the exhaust pipes and to the center stand.

Quote from: adidasguy on February 05, 2012, 01:38:12 PM
You could leave everything on.
Apply a coating of Rutland's Stove Polish to the exhaust pipes and to the center stand.

yeah I heard you used this stuff.. it doesn't burn off the exhaust pipe?? how about rubbing off. DETAILS MAN!!! DETAILS!

Quote from: J_Walker on February 05, 2012, 01:51:04 PM

Quote from: adidasguy on February 05, 2012, 01:38:12 PM
You could leave everything on.
Apply a coating of Rutland's Stove Polish to the exhaust pipes and to the center stand.

yeah I heard you used this stuff.. it doesn't burn off the exhaust pipe?? how about rubbing off. DETAILS MAN!!! DETAILS!

Agreed, what does it do over rust?

HAHAHAHA brain fart ftw!
im usually Great at math, guess im getting old....
I was Going to reply with telling you the exhaust is in the way.
but for some reason when I seen the 20 yrs old, i was thinking an 82, not a 92 haha     

Honestly, from personal experience.
If theres a way to make it look nice without taking it off, then Dont!
I've had Sooo much trouble and bad luck with the exhaust.
More specifically, the bolts!

when I bought the bike, one was missing.
then 2 fell out when I got more.
came Very close to stripping the bolts twice after that.
and most recently, totally stripped two when I began my disassemble process.

So if you choose to take it off, just be Very careful with the exhaust bolts lol

Quote from: Tombstones81 on February 05, 2012, 02:24:03 PM
HAHAHAHA brain fart ftw!
im usually Great at math, guess im getting old....
I was Going to reply with telling you the exhaust is in the way.
but for some reason when I seen the 20 yrs old, i was thinking an 82, not a 92 haha     

Honestly, from personal experience.
If theres a way to make it look nice without taking it off, then Dont!
I've had Sooo much trouble and bad luck with the exhaust.
More specifically, the bolts!

when I bought the bike, one was missing.
then 2 fell out when I got more.
came Very close to stripping the bolts twice after that.
and most recently, totally stripped two when I began my disassemble process.

So if you choose to take it off, just be Very careful with the exhaust bolts lol

Well, thanks for the advice, I went ahead and removed it anyways. Now's the time to do it instead of in the summer.

I sprayed the exhaust bolts with WD-40 and came back an hour later. They were very easy to remove, just a hex headed screwdriver did the job.

I'm going to let them warm up then sand them down and repaint them. I'll check home depot to see if they have the stove stuff. I'll take before and after pictures (with a real camera, not my cellphone) and post them in the 'what have you done for your bike today' thread.

Thanks all.

Quote from: Legnd on February 05, 2012, 02:15:24 PM

Quote from: J_Walker on February 05, 2012, 01:51:04 PM

Quote from: adidasguy on February 05, 2012, 01:38:12 PM
You could leave everything on.
Apply a coating of Rutland's Stove Polish to the exhaust pipes and to the center stand.

yeah I heard you used this stuff.. it doesn't burn off the exhaust pipe?? how about rubbing off. DETAILS MAN!!! DETAILS!

Agreed, what does it do over rust?

Scrub down the rust with a scratchy pad or something else to get off the loose stuff. No need to go gown to bare metal as this stuff soaks in. It is a high temp wax like substance. If good for stoves, it can take the heat. It will penetrate where ever you rub it in. So apply. Rub in. Wait a while then buff to a nice semi-matt finish. You can touch up whenever you need to, It looks great and you don't have to remove the exhaust. It won't chip or flake off like paint - its a waxy polish.

It doesn't rub off if you give it a light buffing with a rag. It may give a little bit of smoke the first time, but I don't recall hardly any after I apply it. That's all I use on the exhausts now.

No need to remove the exhaust. Just remove the the rear bolt by the muffler and that will give you enough play. Good luck getting the springs back on, I used a metal coat hanger as a hook and pulled the springs back in place.

Yeah I always just removed the rear most bolt that's actually by the exhaust. It would flex enough for me to push it down and pull the bolt out. That was a vance and hines though, not sure how different it is from stock.

As far as springs, I have an old flatheaded screwdriver that I ground a little grove into. I can jam it on the spring and push it down and the groove will keep it in place.

Thanks all for your advice here-- I just replaced the center stand without significant problems thanks to your suggestion! Getting the spring back ON was a bear. I left out the bolt on the spring-side, folded the stand up into the storage position, and then used a vice-grip to pull the spring over the forward-most spring-peg one-at-a-time (small spring first, then large spring). That was the only way I could get the springs back on.