how to lubricate side-stand & centre-stand?

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

how does one lubricate the side stand and the centre stand?

 

they are supposed to be done every 6000miles / 10000 km at service. should be a no-brainer right? i did my 20km service and/but when it came to this task

i tried to force some grease into the crack with my finger and work it in by moving the stand(s) but it seems what i did was pretty ineffectual . i finally ended up oiling the moving parts but suspect oil will get washed away pretty quickly due to the wet (from the snowmelt) streets.

 

(i searched and got no hits -sorry if repeat post)

 

cheers - thanks!

[Selden]

I haven't tried the side stand, but I disassembled and lubed my center stand during the Atlanta tech day last Saturday. In addition to one of the allen keys that comes with the toolkit, you need two 10mm allen keys. Use the small one to remove the outer cover bolts (I have no idea why BMW felt it necessary to introduce this unnecessary complication).

 

First, unhook the springs (the hardest part of the job) Then use the 10mm allen keys to unscrew the center stand pivot, which should slide right out. Two large flat washers are likely to fall off. Clean everything (including the flat washers), then re-lube with molybdenum grease, and reassemble. This is a job where thin rubber gloves are a big help; it's a dirty area of the bike, and the moly lube is black and nasty to get off.

 

You may need to replace the O-rings (6), so best to have these in hand before hand or, if they're not in too bad a condition, pull one off and go to a hardware store. My closest BMW dealer had only 2 of these o-rings in stock, but Ace hardware had exactly (or close enough to never mind) the same size in their plumbing supply section.

 

If you have some surplus rubber or vinyl tubing of the right size, you may want to replace the sleeves that come with the springs, as they are probably deteriorating. These are just to prevent rattling; no big deal if they are gone.

 

Other than the grime, the hardest part of this job is getting the springs off and back on.

[creekstone]

I'm lazy...

WD-40

Lotsa newspaper

Drench

[Laura]

Greasing the sidestand is a snap. Get yourself one of those grease guns with the pointed tip that they use for greasing bicycles. I got mine at the bicycle store.

 

There is a little hole on the top of the sidestand that you can see when you have the stand down...it's near the spring...just squeeze a little and move the sidestand up and down a few times and you're gold.

 

 

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

thanks everyone.

[philbytx]

The spring issue can be easily resolved by the use of coins (lots of pennies) inserted between the spring coils when the sidestand is extended. Simply retract the sidestand and Voila!

 

 

[Bill_R]

The spring issue can be easily resolved by the use of coins (lots of pennies) inserted between the spring coils when the sidestand is extended. Simply retract the sidestand and Voila!

 

The he!! you say. One of life's mysteries solved!!!

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

re: "...use of coins (lots of pennies) inserted between the spring coils when ..."

i just checked - the pennies are available from the dealer - part number x445699930: 2.51$ each. :^p

[Rocer]

Cameron - don't forget that's U.S. dealer price. We pay $3.14 here in ON.

 

Paul

[honest Bob]

I just took mine apart to see how it was doing. (R1100RT 97) I had srayed WD 40 on it followed by some oil, about a week before. The two bushings that bear the weight of the bike on each side have two O-rings at there outer ends about "3/4 apart. the O-rings keep all the road dirt from getting on the bush. My left side O's were damaged so the oil had penetrated in there. My right side O's were OK, so the oil did not get in there. Didn't need to since the original lube was protected by the O's. WD 40 would seem to be a stop gap until you can find time to rebuild. Also, I found a brake spring tool would take the springs off likety split, for you guys who have one. Bob...

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

"Also, I found a brake spring tool would take the springs off likety split" hold-on! did you say we get to buy tools for this. Now you're talking! OK OK I know I'm gonna be getting the grease gun tip (Laura said I could!) for lubing the side stand - but you can never have enough tools.

 

so i looked on the internet - it shows that there are different kinds of 'brake spring tools' - the only version that i could see how it might be used is the plier version.

 

so honest bob, to which kind of brake spring tool do you give the thumbsup ":thumbsup: " ?

 

(picture or link would be awesome ( as would a video of how to use - kidding about the video) ! cheers

[honest Bob]

Sorry for not getting back sooner. The tool is a standard automotive brakespring remover from Canadian Tire (any auto tool store). There may actually be one specifically for bikes, (a smaller one would work a little better) It looks somewhat like a pair of pliers. The plier end is designed to one job while the handle ends are designed to do other jobs, one of which is to take springs off and on when they are hooked over a shaft. The end of the one handle is hollow and can fit over the little shaft the the spring hooks onto. Then the small projection sticking out to the side can be slipped in behind the spring hook by rotating the handle and it just lifts the spring hook away from the shaft. Then you can just pull the handle away from the shaft and the spring follows. It goes back on in pretty much the same manner. Sorry no link, (technically challenged) (read; work on motorcycle so much, no time to learn computer)

[Jeepster]

Sorry for not getting back sooner. The tool is a standard automotive brakespring remover from Canadian Tire (any auto tool store). There may actually be one specifically for bikes, (a smaller one would work a little better) It looks somewhat like a pair of pliers. The plier end is designed to one job while the handle ends are designed to do other jobs, one of which is to take springs off and on when they are hooked over a shaft. The end of the one handle is hollow and can fit over the little shaft the the spring hooks onto. Then the small projection sticking out to the side can be slipped in behind the spring hook by rotating the handle and it just lifts the spring hook away from the shaft. Then you can just pull the handle away from the shaft and the spring follows. It goes back on in pretty much the same manner. Sorry no link, (technically challenged) (read; work on motorcycle so much, no time to learn computer)

Let me try to help-- It is the plier type thing shown HERE

+1 very useful for many different jobs

[honest Bob]

That's it for sure. The one at the top. Thanks

[RTme2]

Here's a cheap grease gun for the side stand.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93486

 

Dave

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

finally got around to the center stand. . much cursing indeed to get the springs off. thanks for the tip about the brake spring pliers - indispensable. if i did not know it could be done i might have given up. still ended up with a nice pile of tools around the bike though (no hammer was used though...

 

unknown when last done but when got it apart i could see service was not really needed (though action is a bit more smooth after the re-grease). i think this is a bit of a make work project - not needed every 12000 miles - once every 3 - 4 years might be enough. the design is a bit weird - and those small (5mm?) outer hex head bolts - whats up with them - not sure what they do - but i reinstalled them anyway.

 

as for the side stand - went at it with the grease gun tip but i am not convinced that the grease is going where it needs to and that perhaps might be better, next time left hand tupperware is off - to just take sidestand apart and 'do it right'.

 

thanks all.