side stand spring replacement

[Idaho]

Ma Kaw put really heavy springs on these things for some unknown reason. They put undue stress IMHO on the frame and actually wear out an oblong hole where the kickstand pin goes through, especially if they are not lubed regularly. One day the spring will fall off onto the garage floor if you are lucky, on the side of the road twenty miles from home if not.

Mine fell out on the garage floor. I went to an autoparts store and bought the heaviest replacement spring I could find. It was still lighter than the original. One end had a hook and the other was straight so that it could be used universally. Very easy to install. Bent the straight end around the kickstand post and my problem was solved.

[fatrat45]

Does the spring hook to the two post with grooves? The one on the kickstand, and the one next to where the kickstand bolts to the frame? Once it's installed is it supposed to be loose when the kickstand is up?

[Idaho]

The spring retracts when the kickstand is up and stretches when the kickstand is down. Get someone to hold the bike or put it on a jack (use my adapter of course). Put the hook end of the new spring on the kickstand stud and with the kickstand in the folded position pull the tag end of the new spring around the post on the bottom of the frame. Then use dikes to cut off the excess.

Mine is smooth as glass.

If you ordered a new Kawi spring it may fall off anyway if the frame hole that the bolt is through is worn out.

[jmorrow]

My spring came off in June 08 in Spruce Pine, NC. Never found it, used a strap to hold it up until I got to a Kawasaki Dealer in Ashville, NC. but they didn't have one. So, as I passed thru Boone, NC. I saw a Lowe's and went in and bought a variety box of springs. One of them actually worked (quite well). When I got back to Arkansas I had my Kaw dealer order a new K.S. spring for me. Then in June 09 as we were leaving Custer, SD. the spring came off again and my wife saw it so I went back and found it. I put some rags on the ground, laid the Nomad on its right side, took a pair of pliers, put both feet on the frame and pulled with all I had and re-attached the spring. When we got home the spring came off again just before I pulled into the shop. So I took the spring I got at Lowe's and put it back on and it hasn't came off since and it was only half as hard to put on as the OEM spring.