Side-stand Spring

[banquo]

Another tensile spring tip, used for the centre stand on the Guzzi, but applicable for others too. Put one end of spring in vice. Bend spring into a curve, and all the coils open up. Fill the gaps between the coils with washers, then bend the coil the other way, and fill the opposite side with washers too. You now have a long spring, that's much easier to slip on.
Mine wasn't long enough that way, so plan B:
Get old car scissor jack, and drill top and bottom to take two self-tappers, so that the spring can be slipped over them when the jack is down. Make sure the screws are large enough and well screwed down, before step 2 . Screw the car jack up, until the spring is extended enough to get loads of washers in place, and you now have a very long spring, that should slip straight on.

Take the washers back out, and Robert's yer pop's brother.

[The Dude]

I thought that my sidestand spring was fekked, and indeed the local steelership was kind enuf to sell me a new one!
I had exactly the same with the new one, so I had a good butchers underneath and discovered the "other" pin. I duly fitted the spring to this one and guess wot? Yeah, never had a problem since!
gsdude

[little_dave]

It's wonderful what you learn here!