CB400F Centre Stand Top Tube Fix

[AshimotoK0]

I restored my '75 400F in 1986 and then it was in storage in a barn for 15 years.
Fast forward to earlier this year ad I repaired and had powder coated quite a few centre stands including a lovely CB400F one that I got with a stash of parts. I decided to replace the stand on my 400F with the nice one because, during storage, the pin had totally seized in it.
 
I tried my trusted method of drilling out the old pin and succeeded, only to find that the top tube of the stand was really badly corroded internally and hence quite weak.

I have always wanted to have a go at replacing those top tubes so that's what I just did today.

I firstly ground away all of the welds to remove the old rusted tube. I couldn't find a suitable dimension tube but hit lucky that the wheel nut wrench from my wife's long gone Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 was the correct dimensions and so I cut a section from it and welded it into the stand. It just needs powder coating black now.

UPDATE: I think the Vauxhall / GM wheel brace part no. is 13107800

I also made a new solid pin from a bit of scrap 316 stainless steel from work and I was going to fit a grease nipple but...... right at the end of drilling down the pin, my long-series drill broke off. So waiting for some alum off eBay to come, so I can attempt to partially 'dissolve' and remove the broken offdrill.

[Sesman]

Welcome back Ash. 👍

[Lobo]

Nice job Ash; always pleasing when you can source bits from your own work shop.

My 750 interestingly too had a SS pin in the centre stand; only by chance did I ping that it was non-standard. It was clamped each end by 2x40mm #8 bolts / pinching. I then noted the OEM pin has a flange one end, and a split pin the other in addition to the pinch bolts - presumably a fail-safe to the stand falling off and potentially fouling the rear wheel. Long winded - sorry, but perhaps worthy of note due safety. (I’ve reverted to OEM now)

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Good to see your posts again, what a stroke of luck with the old wheel wrench being the right size tube for the job.
I love it when I use something that I have kept for years thinking it would come in handy one day.
Like many here I have hoarded bits in the hope they might be used in the future - had a massive clear out - only to need what I chucked out a few weeks later.

[Laverda Dave]

Welcome back Ash. Nice repair, are you going to be putting the bike back on the road soon? An old mate of mine who I used to hang around with sometimes in the early 80's and who's yellow 400/4 I used to lust after got in touch a couple of months ago, a real blast from the past! I asked him if he still had his 400/4, he siad yes but it has been off the road for at least 20+ years. I'm going round in a couple of weeks to have a look at it but he warned me he customised it in the late 80's into a cruiser/chopper type thing. Its been stored in a cold, damp shed for years so I can only guess at the state it must be in, worth a look though.

[Laverdaroo]

Nice to see you on here again, Ash. Nice read and a fab use of stashed gubbins, what a result when you found that.