Topic: Stretching Stiff Springs

[moham]

So, this is kinda goofy but kinda cool. Was trying to get the return spring for the kickstand back on and was having a hell of a time when Maynard came over and saw what I was doing, bloody knuckles and all, and said "put some pennies in it"... So, after thinking for a second (about what the hell he was talking about) I got a handful of change and started sliding pennies and nickels in between the spring coils. Brought it over to the bike and shazam, spring was just long enough to slide on the kick stand, yanked out my .19US and I was done, no more blood, no more cussing.

I'm sure some of you have seen this before, but Maynard continues to blow me away with these clever, dead simple fixes to otherwise annoying little quandaries.

[MCRider]

Same for taking it off. Rather than pring and scratching. Extend the stand. Insert something. Pennies will be too thick. I used folded over strips of flashing. Once you have something in every coil, just fold up the stand and the spring falls off. And its ready to be reinstalled.

[Don R]

Or, use a brake spring tool.

[mono]

i pried mine free with a screwdriver while crouched down next to my bike while it was on the jack.  spring came off, bounced off the floor, and directly into my cojones.   i can only imagine what my neighbors were thinking if they saw me rolling around on the ground in my garage, cussing and laughing.

pennies it is!