Resuscitating The old Dog

[Esmerelda]

Resuscitating The old Dog  

 I mentioned in my introduction the rear suspension seemed a " little harsh",  to be honest it was harsher than a Russian winter. On closer investigation it was solid!  I rolled the bike up on to the bench and tried to put it up on to the centre stand and guess what, the centre stand was rusted solid too. I recall greater flexibility  from the leader of the postal workers union during the big strike in the seventies!  I put the bike on the side stand shuffled the bikes around the workshop so that I could get to Violet's rear end and pinch her bobbins!  Who is Violet?  Well she is my  high speed touring  touring  bike, I built her to replace the FJR1300.  Violet is based around a 2002 stolen recovered TLR that I bought from an insurance auction site (snowed in at Heathrow with too much time on my hands).  Combine most of the TLR with an  FJR  1300 rear sub-frame an fitting etc and a Bandit fairing .   Powder coat the frame and fitting in signal violet and you have my girly version of the all back and overly macho Vincent!
   

I digress back to the old dog
With the bobbins fitted and the paddock stand hooked up, the strip down begins. It soon becomes apparent that salt feeds on the DL1000 (Yum Yum Burp!), so that every joint on the exhaust system is rusted to nothing (all falls apart as I remove).   Paint is an endangered species around the rear sub frame, the centre stand and the rear carrier. All the plating has deserted the nuts and bolts!  The sprockets are knacked, but the chain is in good condition ("what the phuck").  Time to switch from paddock stand to modified scissor jack and front wheel clamp.  With the back wheel removed (I can't tell you what a joy it was extracting the spindle!) I drop the dog bones and nothing moves!!  Off comes the rear shock swing arm and link.  Too tired and too pissed-off to kick through the heaps of scrap on the floor, I turn off the lights in the workshop and head indoors; it's time for copious amounts of tinto collapso and bed
PS have you any idea how difficult it is to get photos in to a topic when you have been drowning  your sorrows :violin:
Regards
Esme

[suzukiboy]

You know you exist for times like this, bringing it back from the dead is what drives (I think!) Trying to find the owner of a local wee I found in a back alley at the moment, been stood for at least 2 years by the seaside(looks like the Titanic's deck plates on a good day and the chain is like a long brown twiglet) I like a challenge! Did wonder what the hell I was doing when I stuck the envelope under the edge of the seat with my request to buy, and know I will swear more than I ever have if I buy it but what the hell. Been waiting for your posts as you tackle the old girl and look forward to more!

[tallpaul]

Sounds like two very interesting projects there, between you. Best of luck. I'm looking forward to reading more!

[Retraite]

Yummy yummy, winter projects - love 'em.

[Brockett]

[TLPower]

My imagination wasn't as warped as THAT picture.

I think a warning might have been in order. I may struggle to sleep tonight.

[Esmerelda]

OK, the time lines are going to seem a little out of sync in this thread.  I actually tore the bike down about a month ago   ,  dropped parts off at the powder coaters, ordered some replacement parts from E-Bay, worked in the USA for a week and squeezed in a Spanish ride out on Violet down through Spain  to Murcia, St Javier  for golf and a drinkie or two.  Some of the photos will be of parts that have already received a little TLC.  I sort all into the following heaps (Replace/ Repair/Refurbish/Rejoice).  
Top of the replace pile sits this  , along with the  sprockets . Refurbishing the link is not going to be cost effective.  However a quick browse on good old E-Bay  and I have found a replacement swinging arm, dog bones and a link  from a 2007 model for £45 delivered and a front sprocket for £12.  The bearing in the rear sprocket carrier is a bit graunchy  and really needs replacing, along with the sprocket.  Fortunately the blokes with the swinging arm have the carrier and sprocket listed as well and, for another £26, the whole lot arrives while I am in the States.
Refurbish heap consists of  the rear sub-frame, the centre stand and mounting brackets, which take a trip to the powder coating shop. The primary drive and  water pump cover closely followed by the sprocket and generator cover , radiator etc are all work in progress.
The main item in the repair pile is the exhaust system.  I want to moan about quality, but then I take a reality check; it is 12 years old!  It has been exposed to some atrocious conditions, judging by the state of the rest of the bike.  The sockets on  the silencers  and the front socket of the forward down pipe  crumbled to nothing as I stripped of the exhaust;  most of it was being held together  with exhaust repair Gun Gum  and jubilee clips!  Time to bring the welder into play.  Having recently replaced the cans on my Raptor I still had the old damaged  cans, so out with the angle grinder! I perform a quick circumcision on both of the cans  and the 'Italian about town' posing bike donates two sockets before it knows what has hit it!  I fabricated the third from a piece of tube, spark all in to place ordered up the seals and clips; £40 later the exhaust is ready for action again. front section repair    .

Regards
Esme

[Esmerelda]

Hi Tl Power
re

I think a warning might have been in order. I may struggle to sleep tonight.

I find Tinto Collapso helps  :sleeping-yellow:

Regards
Esme

[TLPower]

I see you are a fellow Cagiva custodian. Therefore you are forgiven.

My kind of engineering solutions.

[Esmerelda]

Scary!   Just It's been a long time since I last experienced a George Orwell  moment,  then, suddenly, it happened again; the 'Thought Police' really do have powers to control.  I start my thread well-oiled on a Sunday night and I am new to this site and can't get the picture to load.  It's close to midnight, so I post the words and intend to have another go tomorrow.   I get some encouraging response; however, I get one "this thread is useless without pictures"  and the thread is locked! (strike one to the 'thought police').  Do I get a pm saying "Please get a few pictures in the thread as soon as"?  No, It is just locked because they can, without explanation.  Okay, so  I re-launch new improved with pictures and an explanation of my faux pas.  Thinking all is well, I prepare my next post.  All seems to be going swimmingly, then in come the 'Thought Police' again and I am charged with double posting. Well blokes, you had locked the original thread! New improved is the locked and its contents added to the original thread and original thread is flung open once again! Praise be my heart is filled with joy; I have been forgiven. How wrong can one be; its just a show of power.   Then to show who is boss on this board!!! the 'Thought Police' deliver the coup de grace by banishing my thread to the Blue Oyster Bar!
Well, a woman's work is never done, so it's back to the workshop.  The back end of the old dog is now back up together and  cutting quite a dash, with  powder coated sub-frame,  2007  swinging arm, linkage, sprockets and carrier all fitted along with freshly repaired exhaust (along with a sprinkling of  new nuts and bolts).
 
Like I said, the engine side casings are work in progress.   Paint stripper ain't what it used to be and that's not making the job of removing the scabby remains any easier. The smaller  water pump casing has a crack on one of the fixings (if anyone has one for sale, please pm me).

I have also been adding a bit of stainless steel here and  there in an attempt to slow the ageing (rusting) process,  I could not bring myself to refit original stepped fixings for the chain guard,  so I turned up some top hat  spacers to prevent the new stainless bolts crushing and splitting the plastic.
Regards
Esme

[Esmerelda]

Managed to  make some progress with the engine cases today, despite a late start.  I mentioned in the previous post  that I was looking for a water pump cover;  after poo pooing  dozens of offers from fellow Strom owners full of the esprit de corps,  rushing to the aid of a fallen comrade   , I chose to step toward the "Dark Side".  Whilst searching through the scruffy back alleys of Ebay, I found a rogue trader looking to part with a "lightly seized"    (slightly dead, more like!) but complete SV1000 motor.  We set up a covert exchange  operation to take place 5 doors down from Finchley tube station  under cover of the hedge in my contact's front garden: I circled the block twice, claiming that I was checking that I wasn't being followed!  In reality, the house numbering made no sense and Lieutenant  Zumo 660 was not feeding me good intel   . Consequently,  I  missed number 82 twice, as I approached the agreed exchange location for the third time, I caught sight of my contact's SV1000 languishing in an alley at the side of what turned out to be number 82.  It had just turned 10 am as I backed the Alhambra up to the kerb.  At that moment my contact  decided to break cover in the best disguise I have seen! Far from hooded ruffian that I was expecting to appear from under the hedge, he chose to step out from the front door bleary eyed in dressing gown and pyjamas claiming that he had been woken by some pratt driving round and round the block   ! I handed over the 33 quid    and the slightly dead motor was bundled in the back of the black transporter. Quicker than you could say "don't forget to leave positive feedback"  Lieutenant  Zumo had set course for Ash and we were heading West on the A406 as fast as  Zumo's 'Fixed Speed Camera' alerts would allow .

I have deliberately kept the engine casing refurb down to one side,  let's face it, one salt eaten chunk looks much the same as another.
Stripped
 
Etched Primed
 
Primer needs 24 hours so watch this space!!
Regards
Esme

[mjc506]

This is better than most novels I've read.

[tallpaul]

Pass the popcorn, this is getting good!

[greywolf]

I wouldn't have painted the inside of the water pump.

[mjc506]

I suppose not, but it doesn't worry me. The amount of paint that has flaked off from the inside of the radiator connections alone dwarfs the amount that could possibly come off there!

[Esmerelda]

I wouldn't have painted the inside of the water pump.

 Hi Greywolf
I can't deny It may not be best practice in the operating theatre but it’s never going to develop in to a an artery clogging thrombosis. To be honest I was more concerned about leaving fluffy edges by masking and inviting the salt back in for a feed. There are enough problems caused by the electrolytic action around the dowels and the rusty bolts on the water pump and primary drive cover; I am fittig stainless bolts and dowels with a liberal coating of water proof grease for assembly.
Regards
Esme

[greywolf]

That's a gasket surface around the perimeter. That should handle intrusion of outside elements. It's needed to keep the coolant inside too. I think installing the water pump on a clean surface and painting with the pump in place would handle your concern better than paint on a gasket surface and locating pin.

[Esmerelda]

Weeks just seem to fly by and I have been distracted from the old dog by my latest purchase!    I treated myself to an ABI Cat D 2008 DL1000 V-Strom in a rather fetching black and silver ensenble,  with less damage than a kid gets from falling over in the school playground   .  I collected the bike from the auction yard with car and trailer (were it not for the legal requirements, I could have gone on the train and ridden the bike home).  I will share more of the tale of  "The Bird With The Broken Wing" (Wing =Indicator) in another thread, once the Old Dog is ready for a new Kennel.  Just to wet your whistle, I  am already engaged in mortal combat with a Sh-te Stream screen and I have the Six Pot calipers and Pilot Road 4's at the ready!  
Back to the dog:  hours have been spent rubbing the rust and crapola from the corroding bracketery and much spraying of said parts has been going on (I like to use Simonize Satin Tough black  for these small parts and for the oil cooler and the radiator).  
The engine cases are at long last painted but still soft (they need a little more time on the plate warmer) and, just for Greywolf, I have posted this photo complete with "Hot Naked Gasket Surface Action" fully exposed , as a thank you for the information and photographs that he posted in my introduction thread.
     

Regards
Esme

[greywolf]

just for Greywolf, I have posted this photo complete with "Hot Naked Gasket Surface Action" fully exposed , as a thank you for the information and photographs that he posted in my introduction thread.

It's too bad I'm getting too old to get very excited, but the effort is appreciated.  

[Esmerelda]

This old bike  may  never look brand new again.  However,  it no longer looks like a beaten and abused dog!   It is starting to look  and work like it has been shown a little love ; casings are all finished and back in place, radiator and oil cooler and various mounting hardware and looking all the better for a good rub down with the sporting life and a lick of paint.  Nature demanded that  I stopped at Membury Services today on my way to Bristol and, after taking care of nature, I visited Starbucks  :wtf:  Christmas had arrived; red cups and muzak jingling over the sound system .  I was so infected with the festive sprit that I sprinkled a little more stainless tinsel (casing screws)  in for good measure and, tomorrow, I will be pouring in the spirit of goodwill to all bikes with fresh oil and coolant.   Cheers!

I mentioned in a previous post that I had treated myself to an 08 Strom (The bird with the broken wing).  Thought you might like a look at the first stage of my six piston Caliper conversion . These plates are just a mock up (a couple of pieces of soft old scrap)  to give me the hole centres and rough shape (okay for a quick test) and then I will mill up a set  from a decent slice of T6 aircraft quality aluminium . Once it is all anodised and hung on there with unobtainum mounting bolts for discs and calipers, etc, the unsprung weight will come in close to the original ineffective 2 piston soggy handful   and replace it with two finger braking that will look splendid and stop!  
 
And for all of you rubber fetishists, that is a fresh unsullied pilot road 4
 
Regards
Esme