[misterpepper]

My friend just bought a used TW and with the kickstand down the bike leans over much further than with mine. It looks like it is almost at a 45 degree angle (although I know it isn't, but it does lean quite far). I can't see that anything is bent with the kickstand itself. It does appear to be looser than mine in the hinge, checked with the kickstand up. Is there a common bushing or washer that would cause this lean? Is it possible that the metal has worn. What can I check short of taking both kickstands apart and comparing them piece by piece? Thanks.

 

[lizrdbrth]

First, check the bolt and tighten it. Don't OVER tighten it or you'll cave in the notch and won't have a sqared surface to shim..



Go to an automotive machine shop and ask for some used valve shims. They're hardened steel and paper thin. Try to find some that fit over the smooth part of the kickstand's shoulder bolt. Add/subtract til the slack is gone, but the kickstand swings freely.

 

[misterpepper]

So it's basically just a shoulder bolt through 3 sized holes, with some shims? Sounds easy enough. Shouldn't the shoulder on the shoulder bolt prevent me from overtightening and caving the notch? I take it the shims are just on either side of the kickstand piece itself and it probably isn't necessary to have anything under the head of the bolt or the nut other than what might be on there already. I'll take a look at it next time we go riding and get it solved. Thanks.

 

[lizrdbrth]

Early and late stands are slightly different, some shoulder bolts have a nut toward the inside and some screw directly into inside of the stand and some do both. Each use different shoulder bolts. Some try to put a washer under the head of the bolt, which only pinches the notch. Been so long that I don't recall which are which, but I've used the valve shims on tons of different bikes over the years.