center stand "tang" fix

[9842]

Hi
My 3 toasters have different center stands. One ride off, a Bmw stand with tang, and a Bmw with a broken off tang. I want to do something with the broken tang. I don't have a welder and I think the easiest fix would be weld on a new tang but as mentioned no welder and trying to social distance. Should I buy a new stand, used one, ride off, or just use it as is by sticking my foot a little further in to deploy? I know, a little to much time on my hands haha. Anyways your thoughts on a fix.
Thanks
Brian

 

[20774]

There's a couple of threads in the Similar Threads pane at the bottom of the screen. The links in one of the threads doesn't work anymore...here's something on the IBMWR site:

https://ibmwr.org/index.php/1997/08/21/the-5-centerstand-tang/

If it were me, I'd try to repair the broken tang. Not being a welder, I'd be in the same boat. But the social distancing won't last forever. I'm sure if you were to remove the center stand and take the bike with the good stand by a decent repair place, they could probably fab something up that would work. Of course, if they had both stands, they'd be able to nail it first time.

 

[Omega Man]

Ideally, for electrical considerations, it’s “safer” for the bikes electrical system to weld on the stand off the bike. You can weld it on the bike but the ground and electrode should be kept close together- not passing through a movable joint.
OM

 

[b25bsaboy]

Ideally, for electrical considerations, it’s “safer” for the bikes electrical system to weld on the stand off the bike. You can weld it on the bike but the ground and electrode should be kept close together- not passing through a movable joint.
OM

Excellent idea in removing the centre stand if you are planning to do any welding. It is never good idea to weld on the frame as I have seen this done in the past only to discover you can find the bad bearing real quick as it will go south with internal electricity double arcing internally! I am just finishing up a 1972 R75/5 and went to fit the seat only to discover the rear seat pan pin is missing. Had two new ones fabricated by a guy who knows the airheads and I am removing the tail section to have it welded in place, as I haven't yet started to recover the seat cover. Oh the joys of putting the old girls back on the street!

 

[James.A]

This is a total hillbilly suggestion. On my R75/5, I wrapped a ribbon clamp around the stand with a piece of rubber cut out of an inner tube inside the ribbon clamp to keep it from sliding around. The screw winder part of the clamp faces outboard at the lowest part of the curved contour. It's been there for at least 10 years. I poke the toe of my boot on it and push down to deploy the stand.

 

[9842]

tang fix

Hi James
Love it. There is a reason that most of the tangs are broken off. Im in Boston and when I bought my blue toaster out of Montana years ago, I asked one question, is the tang still attached? The answer was yes and I told him I would buy the bike because he read the manual and followed the directions. As you know most people step on and snap it off. Anyways thanks for the tip. For now I will install the hillbilly fix as you mentioned and stay on the lookout for a used stand with the tang. Or when the smoke clears from this bug I will pull it off and bring it to a welding shop, maybe in the next ten years as well, right.
Thanks again
Brian

 

[Subman]

Brian - I will likely have a used centerstand available later this year (I'm in southern Maine). Will let you know when I've replaced it, you're welcome to the old one (it's got a stud welded in place of the original tang and works fine - I'm replacing for strictly aesthetic reasons).

 

[9842]

Center Stand

Hi David
Thanks so much for the offer. Sounds like your in the same boat as me. Trying to bring your center
stand back to stock condition. Will gladly accept your offer when the time comes. You mentioned southern Maine, I have a house in Bridgton Maine and we might be neighbors. When the time comes maybe I could pick it up. Just curious, are you getting a new stand, and where are you getting it? Reason I am looking for a fix is used stands I have looked at are in the $150 range and reproduction ones are in the $250 range.
Thanks again
Brian

 

[20774]

Dave/Brian -

If you guys want to do a deal of some kind, please do that using the Private Message function. Thanks!!!

 

[HankPfister]

9842, a good way to repair your tang is to get a 6" or so skinny bolt approximately the diameter of the tang. The bolt should have short threaded part, not threaded all the way. Then grind off the remnant of the tang. Drill a hole thru the center stand, the exact diameter of the bolt. Slide the bolt thru the hole and have it welded in place. Cut off the threads. Mount the stand and bend the bolt/tang to suit.

 

[9842]

Tang fix

Hi
Thanks for the bolt idea. What type of metal on the bolt. I don't know what welds to what. A regular bolt and not stainless or zinc right. And to keep from rusting I hope the engine weeps just the right amount to keep the stand coated in a light coat of oil haha. Funny you mentioned a bolt as I'm servicing my Amphicar for the season and pulled the seats out to clean, oil, and paint. I noticed they used a bolt for the seat adjuster lever from the factory. Not pretty but functional.
Thanks again
Brian

 

[pauls1150]

The tang broke on my first /5 (I was the second owner), so I simply drilled and tapped the remaining
nub to accept a 10-32 bolt. My bolt was stainless, I forget if I used a 2" or maybe longer, put a nut on it, screwed it into the stand with a drop of blue Loctite, and snugged down the nut against the stand (not too tight). Worked great.

 

[9842]

Tang fix

Hi gang
I ended up getting a ride off stand. Going to put it on the bike and repair the old stand and keep it as a spare. I have a local welding shop I will take the old stand to and have them weld a new tang out of bent round stock like the original. I won't get into the pros and cons of stock vs rideoff but the rideoff is a little easer to live with. Thanks for the ideas.
Brian

 

[Omega Man]

Great
OM

 

[20774]

I agree that the rideoff is a good thing to have...there are certainly opinions out there. I would say use it for the ease of getting it up and off the center stand as well as it's general stability. But IMO don't "ride off" the stand. That puts extra load on the clutch as well as the center stand bushings. Use it only as a ride off when you're heavily loaded or have mistakenly parked the bike heading up hill.

 

[9842]

Center stand

Hi
Received ride off stand with springs and hardware. I attempt to pull off stock center stand and springs and I'm stuck. Right side spring came off ok but not the left side. To unhook spring at the engine mount end, the spring has to be moved/swung toward the oilpan and it stops, the hook end of spring won't come out of the hole. I stopped there and put right side spring back on. I wanted to cut old spring and move on but thought I would check with you guys first. Also stopped incase ride off did not fit and had to put stock stand back on. Any words of wisdom out there?
Thanks
Brian

 

[James.A]

You might try positioning the stand so that the spring is stretched as far as possible and then stick pennies in the gaps between the coils. This essentially lengthens the spring.

 

[9842]

center stand spring

I unhooked the end of the spring at the stand so the spring is loose and hang down. Did not need the penny trick. I swing the spring back and forth to unhook it at the engine mount end and the hook is to long and will not come out of the hole. My thought is cut down the hook, or bend it back a little, or both.
Thanks again
Brian

 

[9842]

Hi again
It's been a few years but Ride off stand is on my R75 and its to short, damm. I had a tune up done at an independent shop and he installed ride off and the bike is not planted and rocks back and forth a little to much for my comfort level. The good news is now I can weld up the tang on the old one now that it is off the bike.
Stay tuned and hopefully I get this done in the next few years.
Thanks
Brian

 

[20774]

Glad you're making progress. Bummer that the rideoff stand isn't quite right. I wonder why size tires you have on the bike? As it turns out, the original inch-size tires, 3.25 and 4.00, are larger in diameter than the nearly equivalent metric tires. It might be possible to use 90/90 and 110/90 metric tires to lower the bike a bit. Or maybe find the right rideoff stand. Possibly the independent shop could track one down for you.

Keep us in the loop!