Footrest tightness

[Ozmadman]

Hi
Not sure if anyone has this problem? if I tighten my footrests up tight it also puts pressure on the centre stand pivot points and therefore stops the stand from folding back up once the bike is pushed off the stand. Loosen the footrests and all well again! As far as I can see I have the correct spacers which are on the correct sides and the bar and spring is ok, am I missing something here? As all parts are on the one bar that goes all the way through what is it that allows the footrests to be tightened but prevents pressure being applied to the centre stand pivots?

Paul

[corbal]

Hi Paul

The centre stand spring loops around a spacer tube which fits between two little locating tabs inside the channel. If this spacer is short on length its possible the channel is being squashed inwards when you tighten everything up and the misalignment caused by this could result in the problem you have. I've been sussing out all these bits for this bottom end assembly for some time and have not finally assembled mine yet. My centre stand bushes are missing. Do you know the dimensions of them as I have not found a source to buy yet. I will make them once I know the OD, ID and length. I understand the left and right have different lenghts. Incidentally the spring spacer tube I mention earlier seems to be the ideal ID & OD to make my missing spacers.

Cheers Alan.

[Ozmadman]

Thanks Alan
So I must have this spacer tube in there somewhere otherwise there would be nothing for the other end of the spring to attach to, is that right?. Also if the spacer tube was too short, bearing in mind you said it just locates on two small lugs, wouldn't it just fall off with the spring still attached? I have a workshop manual but the description and picture is rubbish so I can't really see from that. I have read horror stories about working on these centre stands and how you need to take the engine out etc. Do you know how much I can do on the stand etc but still keeping it in place? As for the spacers mine are still on the bike so no idea of the measurements I'm afraid, can you get them from the club, Russel Motors or AMC spares?

Many Thanks

Paul

[Rob Harknett]

Look in your parts list for centre stand, here you should see listed all parts, and sizes of spacers etc. if spacers and washers are not correct and in the correct place, something will stay loose or tighten up too much. Not all models have the same parts.
Same appiles everywhere on the bike where spacers and washers are needed. Tin chaincase another example, it wont tighten or it tightens and pulls in too much so the front and back splays out, wrong spaces and washers again the fault. If the spacer is the correct leanght theres probably a washer missing and so on.

[Malleon]

A spigot washer at each end twixt stand lug and frame? Or are these used only on the heavyweights, dunnow about the lightweights!!.

[corbal]

Paul

Never owned a complete 8, mine is a basket case in very early stage so I do not know how much work you can do on the stand without removing the whole frame bottom, and to do so certainly means removing bottom engine fastenings. I would not think you can leave the engine sort of hanging there by only top fastenings. The little horseshoe shaped plates inside the channel are probably 1/16th thick so you are right in that a substantially short tube would drop down into the channel.

Not much help really I guess. Our friend mentions shims between stand and frame. This may be the answer. I have not got these either so I can see I might have fun assembling mine.

Alan

[Ozmadman]

Thanks everyone, it's not too much of a problem, just need to remember to flick the stand up with my foot before I pull away otherwise it drags along the ground. I am lucky enough to have a side stand as well(the original option part) so maybe I will just get underneath with a torch and play around with the footrest tightness and see if I can work out what is causing the problem. Just had a quick look at the manual and it appears that once the exhaust and footrests are removed, the main rod can be pushed out and once you unhook the stand operating rod the stand will come off, only work on the return spring requires the whole bottom plate to be removed. Another job for the warmer weather so will take it apart and check I have all the spacers etc. I definitely have the two (one each side) behind the footrests but there are two others apart from the one that spans the cradle for the spring that are mentioned (2x 042367) that I may be missing. Will get back with my findings if any..

Paul

[Ozmadman]

Right here goes.. had a long hard look at my stand (still on the bike) today and there is no way that tightening the footrests can do anything other than automatically tighten the stand action. The reason I say this is firstly I do have all the right bits in the right places.. So I tried to look at this logically, you will need your imagination here.
1) The stand shaft/footrest shaft goes all the way through the lower frame and centre stand upper legs from one side to another(simply a square section rod if you like with a thread at either end).

2)Once this goes through the lower frame(which has corresponding square holes in it) it pokes out either side so sticking out you see a section of square shaft with a thread on the end, so if you were to pull the shaft out, the centre stand would technically drop out as well (you would need to unhook the operating bar though)

3)Also going over the end of the shaft and bolted to the lower frame are the centre stand stop brackets, one each side(a dog leg shape bracket)( this bracket sandwiches the centre stand pivot point between itself and the lower frame and also provides a stop for the stand in the upright position) the square shaft therefore goes through this as well.

4)Finally, before the nut is screwed onto each end of the shaft there is a spacer to space the footrest correctly(a thick one on the nearside and a thinner one on the offside), then the splined footrest goes on the remaining square shaft then a washer and then the nut.

Now here lies the problem, when you tighten the nut it pushes the footrest down the shaft, against the spacer, the spacer then pushes against the side of the dog leg shaped bracket which in turn pushes against the pivot point of the centre stand and hey presto all is tight!!. There is nothing to stop this happening...

In my opinion there should be some kind of "stop" on the square shaft that will allow you to tighten the footrest up against it whilst also preventing too much pressure being put against the dog leg bracket which in turn puts pressure on the centre stand. One way out of this I see is to drill and tap the spacer each side, but a bolt in it and then place it over the square shaft in the correct position and tighten the bolt against the shaft so the spacer can't slide inwards any further which will allow the stand to pivot freely and then tighten up the footrests against this spacer. Or, get a bloody strong spring which will probably make it nigh on impossible to get it up on the stand and create hours of work dismantling the bike to fit it!!

Paul

[John Jarrett]

I have been reading this thread with interest.
The only thing I can suggest is that in my experience the spacer/bearing for the centre stand that fits between the centre channel and the outer bracket forming the bearing surface for the centre stand to pivot on is wider than the centre stand itself meaning that when the footrests are tightened the bracket is tightened up on this spacer/bearing meaning that the stand (being narrower) remains free to rotate around the pivot while the footrests are completley tightened. Hope that makes sense. I can only conclude the something is wrong with the dimensions of the spacer/bearing or the centre stand itself meaning that this is not happening.
Kind regards,
John

[corbal]

Hi Paul

Just read the thread again and in particular John's comments. Have you got the two bushes or bearings as some refer to them that fit inside the centre stand bosses. John is right in that they they stick out proud when they are put into the bosses so you cannot lock up the stand itself. I think these are additional to the outer spacers (which I have not got). Incidentally I have got only one of these bearing bushes and need to make another. Those bushes in the parts list you mentioned ending in 67 x 2. I ordered one of those thinking it was my missing bush but its been numbered wrong and turned out to be the spacer tube which fits in the cradle to hold the spring. But as it happens it is the perfect OD & ID to make the missing bush I needed. I suspect it will also be suitable to make two outer spacers I have missing if I can just get the two different lengths for left and right.

Alan