[wingd]

imported post

Hey Wiskerfish, maybe you can answer this one for me? My 81 gl has the infamous rotted center stand cross-member and I yanked the center stand off a few years ago. Now I have the engine top end torn down and while the pipes are offI was wondering if I can take the cutoff wheel and cut the cross-member off. I have no intention's on repairing it and it's a few pounds I don't need. Also may make a future clutch change much easier. I don't think it adds any structural strength to the frame seeing that it's rusted through. What do you think?

 

[wingd]

imported post

Under further investigation, it looks like the cross member does more than hold the center stand. The rear brake peddle return spring wraps around it and the condensation tankis mounted to it as well as the overflow tubesclamp toit. It looks like I can cut off the actual brackets the center stand mounts onto. I really don't miss it, with the bike lift, and when I park it in garage I put a block of wood under the kick-stand and it almost stands straight up.

 

[sandcastcb750]

imported post

If you remove it, will water enter the frame?

 

[wingd]

imported post

I don't think so. I believe it's welded in between the main frame tubes. But like I said, I don't think you can remove it because of the other things the use it, especially the rear brake peddle spring.

 

[Whiskerfish]

imported post

On the 1000 the end of brake spring hits the cross member. If I wanted to live without the centerstand I might cut out the tube but I would replace it with something. Maybe a good piece of angle iron. You could mount the drain line to that and also use it for the return spring. I am not real comfortable removing a piece of frame like that and not replacing it. A frame flex in the wrong spot in a hard corner could have catastrophic results.

 

[wingd]

imported post

I think I'll just cut off the center stand mounts and lieve the cross member alone. It has cracks in 3 differant places so it would be nice to reinforce it with angle iron like you said. Would be nice to have a welder handy. That's my next tool/toy.

 

[glasgowing]

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Like Whiskerfish I wouldn't be happy removing the crossmember and not replacing it with something. The Goldwing swinging arm is held in place effectively between twolarge pinch bolts, not aswinging arm spindle. So you really want a crossmember each sideie above and below in the wing's case, to prevent twisting which would be quite likely on our heavyweights.

GW

 

[goldtop]

imported post

I replaced mine when I rebuilt the frame. I used square section tube and then angle iron to form a stop for the centre stand. I managed to graft the old mounts for the centre stand back on. Once painted all work very well. once cut the frame felt quite flexable in the middle even bare of all the bits. I would suspect that the swing arm bearings would twist and wear badly if this was not present.

 

[goldtop]

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just remembered that when ground off there was a hole where the tube met the main frame loop. The impression is that the frame is solid and this just mounts to this area but I do remember the whole.

 

[goldtop]

imported post

sorry this is a bit disjointed but the cross member also has drain holes in the bottom to drain condisation from the frame hence the holes. This area is the lowest point in the frame and where moisture collects and drains off.