Xbr centre stand: remove and refit

[welland99]

My centre stand is looking quite shabby and I'd like to tidy it up. If I could get it off,  it would be much easier to clean and paint, but I can't see how to do this.  I can't see any bolts- it seems to be pressed on somehow.  Does anybody know how to do it?

[SteveC#222]

I tried to get mine off but it didn't seem to want to move.  I ended up wire brushing and painting it in situ - not ideal but it came out ok.

[xbally]

There's a pivot pin which goes through the stand and frame mounts but unless it's previously been removed and greased can be very difficult,if not impossible to remove!

[timbo]

Yes, there is a hollow spindle, with a split pin at one end. It slides inside the top tube of the centre stand.If it hasn't been maintained, and kept well greased, it will be seized solid. Previously I have used an angle grinder with a very thin blade to cut the the spindle at one end between the frame eyelet and the stand. Then pull the stand out, and soak its top tube in diesel or similar to try and free it up. Then drift the spindle out of the stand. Even this may not work. So the next stage is to put a large hacksaw blade through the hollow spindle and cut it lengthways in a couple of places. Then it will come out in two bits, once you've beaten it to death with large hammers and drifts. Replace it with a length of tube cut to length, and drill each end to take an R clip, ( I fkn hate split pins!).
I've even come across frames where the stand was removed by cutting off one of the frame eyelets. This is repaired by welding on a large washer or two to act as an eyelet for the spindle. As you can see this a common XBR problem. Have fun 

[welland99]

OK thanks for the replies.   That's helpful, so I'll have a closer look to see what I can see. 

Does the spindle seize onto the Frame lugs or to the stand?

[welland99]

Yes, there is a hollow spindle, with a split pin at one end. It slides inside the top tube of the centre stand.If it hasn't been maintained, and kept well greased, it will be seized solid.

A-ha. I saw what looked like the hollow spindle.  It looked like it had a flared end - presumably opposite end to the split pin?

[timbo]

That's it mate. Flared at one end, which is the end to cut through, inside the frame eyelet, if you are going down that route, and there is a split pin at the other end. The spindle seizes in the stand, and so the whole thing rotates on the two frame eyelets, wearing and ovaling them. Obviously try all the easy options first, such as spraying loads of releasing agent, such as Plusgas, or even WD40.
Its funny, but I enjoy these sort of jobs, cause I'm not a trained engineer, but just a bodger really. Its great to recover old knackered parts   

[welland99]

Thanks Timbo. 

[xbally]

I managed to get the pivot pin out of the centre stand of the XBR project i bought from Moto63 just by tapping through with a drift after removing the split pin but from past experience i know they are usually seized solid and need cutting through.

[welland99]

Is there easy access below the Frame and swinging arm to tap the spindle out?

[timbo]

I think you can get at it ok, but it also depends on your exhaust fitment 
Much easier if you can lay the bike on its side, or if you have the bike stripped down to the frame. Obviously, it will only come out one direction because of the flared end.

[xbally]

Is there easy access below the Frame and swinging arm to tap the spindle out?

I was lucky on my project bike that access was easy as the bike was largely dismantled but as Timbo has said even then access was much easier by turning the remains of the bike on to its side.

[welland99]

I had a quick look after work tonight and found that there may be a big enough gap above my exhaust.  This is not top of my priority list,  but I will begin to soak it with release fluid for when I have the time.