I have not installed a kick stand spring on my Suzuki yet so don't know how stiff it is, but on my other bike it's more than I can manage to strech it out & slip it onto the lugs - especially so laying on my back.

For you other weaklings, measure how much you need to strech the spring.  Get a stack of coins or washers equal in height plus a little more.  They need to be the same thickness - not mixed.  Use whatever means available (come along, ratchet strap) to strech the spring out enough to insert the coins into the spaces opened up between the spring coils.  Then take the extended spring over to the bike, place it in position, & pull out the coins.

lacon wrote on 08/05/12 at 04:12:58:



That is a great tip!

I don't know if this would work on my Savage's (see signature block) kickstand spring setup, since it is one spring inside another (for a total of two different springs), but, in other cases (like the centerstand spring on my Gold Wing), here's what I do.

Before removing the spring in the first place, I move the centerstand around and find the position whereby the spring is at its maximum extension.  I then grab a handful of washers and, holding said centerstand in that particular position, stuff the washers into the spring until it can't take any more.  Then, moving the centerstand to a different position results in a "loose" spring.

Now, the spring can be removed easily and also replaced easily.  Works great!

[quote author=3325322F37222F34400 link=1203470728/240#253 date=1344444146]Digger wrote on 08/05/12 at 20:39:54:


But Sero...ain't busted knuckles required to prove yer a real scooter tramp?????

I swiped a spark plug boot off a plug wire, works great, & use your antisieze,,

& Now, onto a new shop tip,,
I have ends of boxes filters came in taped to the wall, with a note telling me what it fits,
Yesterday, literaly watching paint Not dry, I decided a New Tool was in order, so,a trip to HF for a heat gun,, & in it, there was a spreadsheet showing what gauge extension cord to use for different applications, say, 5 amps, 100 feet, then what gauge, or 12 amps 100 feet, fatter wire,,so, I cut that out (it was the only No Duuh info in the pamphlet) & taped it up.

I leave notes on things, like the pressure washer. Start that thing up w/o water running into the pump? Wreck the pump, so, I have duct tape
& wrote "DonT Start Without Water" or some such on it,, THen, I put 2" clear packing tape over it to protect the writing.
Ive put instructions on the Junction box on the compressor, which way to turn which screws to adjust Kick OUt & Kick In pressures, covered that w/ clear.

Got a small shop & lots of stuff? When it was being built, I had them put a 8x10 loft in, since Im short, the bottom of the supports are kinda low, but its something a guy Could add if the roof was high enough.

& I hang stuff up. I have a stick with a wire shaped like a fancy 7 & it allows my short self to hang things up outta the way. I bagged the heat gun up & labeled it & hung it HIGH, because Ive never had one, never HAD to have one & I doubt Ill ever try to use it again,
And NO, IT didnt do what I needed. I hadda go down to storage & get the 50,000 BTU Jet Engine lookin heater & set it on a table aimed at the boards & even then it took a coupla hours of off & on, heat them up, let them cool, to get them dry enough to work with,

As for shaping a wire for lifting like that, think cantilever. IDK exactly why, years of messin with stuff, whatever, but I can see a shape in my head & know its gonna work, IDK if others share that, But, if youre needing a model, go to a department store & ask someone to show you a shirt thats hangin up high. They have a tool thats shaped right, IIRC, Dillards does,

OldNSlow aint no dummy,,thats a good tip.. Ill file that away.

The only lithium grease I have is in a spray can,, where you get that? Tube? Bucket>?

Back to the panty hose debate. When I was a young feller, we rode horses all the time and after a few hours in the saddle, we would start to get saddle sore. All except my Dad. When I got older and bought my first bike, I would have the same problem with a chapped butt. That was when my Dad revealed his secret of a nice ride. He wore a pair of my Mothers silk panties under his Levi's when he rode horses and also when he rode his 1934 Indian Chief in his youth. So I started cutting the legs off of my wifes old panty hose and wearing just the pants part. Keeps you cool and doesn't let your butt get chapped. Old former Marine here, and I ain't skeered 'cause its all about the ride.

I see I've been doing it wrong then by wearing them on the outside  

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 06/18/12 at 14:32:17: