Opinions and suggestions needed

[Dave M.]

I have a 45" WL that seems to want to stand as oppose to ride.

More often than not when on a ride my kickstand will drop down. I inevitably will pass another rider that lets me know I have a leg down.

Warren at 45 Restoration tells me this in pretty much normal behavior for these old girls but I am hoping some salty dogs in the world have a fix or workaround other than bailing wire to keep my leg up.

So have at this one and help a brudda out. Most suggestions will even be considered.

Thanks.

[L. A.]

sounds like you need a new spring

I had that problem for years...I tied a piece of rawhide onto the frame...when I rode, I just slipped the loop over the kickstand...LOL... Looked like hell but it sufficed until I broke down and bought a new leg spring!

[Dave M.]

Thanks L.A., that beats the bailing wire trick. I bought a new spring but it has less tension than the one that's on there.

I dismantled the works today and found 1/2 the sleeve inside the assembly is missing, this gives alot of play in the stand.

Sunday June 27th is the San Diego antique motorcycle club's annual T-shirt run and at this point I'm going to do what ever I can to keep the leg up and get the bike there and back in one piece!

Keep Ridin'
Dave

[L. A.]

Hmmmmm...baling wire...

...fergot about that handy stuff!

T-Shirt contest????????
Anyway ta get one for me? I'd gladly pay for it...

[flathead1957]

Yo Brudda, whatup...
I was having the same type of problem with my 46WL and seemed to have found a cure.
I routed the spring a little differently than the book suggests. Rather than hook it onto the hole on the cross brace, I hooked it over the top of the stand and onto the brace from there. This method made use of the spring strength and holds the leg up the way it was originally intended.
Good luck with your fix. Brake a leg!!! (Maybe that phrase won't apply here, Sorry.)

[ottoa]

I have a 1946 WL also with the problem. I see that Kurt at 45 PartsDepot has a heat treated leg and spring bracket. I haven't got one yet, but am planning to order one. I'll let everyone know after I get it and install it. Maybe someone has already tried Kurt's.

[Dave M.]

Kickstand issues

It seems the previous owner was inventive as to where the spring bracket was located, as well as discovering the bushing inside the assembly was half missing, and this is why the stand falls at will. Move this, replace that, you know the drill

I bent a nice handy- dandy piece of kickstand holder and secured it to the Clutch lever bracket and made the run.
The WL was the oldest bike on the San Diego Antique motorcycle clubs T-shirt run (and the 1st to run out of gas). Idiot riding it forgot to top off before the run started.