Author Topic: What have you done with your bike today? (Read 241346 times)

Brockett · « **Reply #1760 on:** October 11, 2020, 20:00:24 »

It's been a frustrating day.
I tried to strip down the front master cylinder

Bloody thing
The circlip that holds the piston in place is released by fully depressing the piston so the circlip can be closed into a groove at the end of the piston. I spent four hours struggling with it before my circlip pliers bent and died.
I'll take into the dealer and ask their workshop to try and get it out.
I really hate it when such a thing beats me.

Asmith61 · « **Reply #1761 on:** October 11, 2020, 20:13:56 »

I feel your pain Brockett sometimes the simplest of job if it goes wrong can drive you crazy
Hope Orwell’s can get it sorted for you

Mr Nick · « **Reply #1762 on:** October 11, 2020, 21:24:33 »

That's one thing I like about the Brembo master cylinders: the pistons are held in by a spring washer that taps out with a long punch.

Mr Nick · « **Reply #1763 on:** October 11, 2020, 22:49:03 »

A few more parts got the tank treatment: the biggest being the rear brake cam lever from the TS. This part does show a limitation of zinc plating compared to painting as there's almost no filling of surface imperfections. The lever was pretty rusty prior to the original restoration and I'd primed & painted it silver so it looked OK, but not great. Stripping the paint revealed all the little craters left but the rust that the plating just doesn't do anything to reduce, unless you put a thick plate on it, then it wouldn't fit on the splines. From any distance it looks absolutely fine,

it's just close up that it looks a little pock marked.

I could put a normal plate on the whole part, stick a bung in the splines, plate it again for ages to build up the layer, and then polish it back. However, I'm just going to leave it as it is I think: it's good enough for me.

Brockett · « **Reply #1764 on:** October 12, 2020, 21:10:16 »

Quite right Mr Smith... I took it to Orwell's and a mechanic removed the clip and piston in two minutes.

Rusty Nuts · « **Reply #1765 on:** October 12, 2020, 21:34:32 »

You weren't using those universal, reversible, internal / external, adjustable circlip pliers, were you? They are the implements of Beelzebub himself.

Mr Nick · « **Reply #1766 on:** October 12, 2020, 22:28:20 »

Bought a set once: coincidentally, I threw a set in the bin once as well - fairly soon afterwards I recall...

Brockett · « **Reply #1767 on:** October 12, 2020, 23:47:55 »

No, and the maker was so ashamed that it bears no name or origin.

Mr Nick · « **Reply #1768 on:** October 15, 2020, 21:43:23 »

I discovered tonight that I must have caught one of the rear indicators on the TS when I was sorting out the garage as the rubber mounting had torn as they are particularly prone to doing: the originals all fell off just with being ridden and the aftermarket ones seem to be upholding the standard.
The issue I have with the aftermarket jobs is the wires are about 6" too short to plug into the connectors so I had to knock up an extension using the wire from the broken one: luckily I have a box of the correct bullet connectors the Japanese liked so I was able to make it straight plug in at both ends. I was tempted to try some original Suzuki ones but £48 each about against £10 aftermarket isn't appealing, just in case they are no better 40 years down the line...

Brockett · « **Reply #1769 on:** October 18, 2020, 08:17:03 »

Looking at replacing the front brake rotor on the VX800. I notice EBC want £152 while M&P sell an EBC disc for £134. I wonder how that works?

tallpaul · « **Reply #1770 on:** October 18, 2020, 09:01:52 »

It probably works the same as the more expensive one.

Rusty Nuts · « **Reply #1771 on:** October 18, 2020, 10:05:23 »

It offers 11.84% more stopping power per £ than the dearer one. Are postage costs equal?

Brockett · « **Reply #1772 on:** October 18, 2020, 20:08:55 »

Oh!

. I just measured the disc and it is 4.7mm which is just under the minimum thickness of 5mm. It is probably weaker than that as I am measuring across the ridges of a fairly well scored disc.

Steve T · « **Reply #1773 on:** October 18, 2020, 20:54:53 »

Took a wander out once the rain had eased and caught some of the colour changes going on as the frosts start to bite . . .

Strath Dearn

Glen Kyllachy

Dulsie Bridge

Steve T

Brockett · « **Reply #1774 on:** October 20, 2020, 18:34:20 »

Working on the VX and found the front indicators have three wires and the rear ones just two wires. On inspection the front indicators are fitted with bulb holders to cater for double filament bulbs. Indeed they are fitted with 21/5 bulbs. I wonder if this is allow for constant always on forward facing indicators as used to be found on USA models. As I am still installing the "loom" and I've never seen this bike running I can only guess. The 5w side of the wiring is folded back and taped up and so may have never been connected.

Mr Nick · « **Reply #1775 on:** October 20, 2020, 21:59:25 »

That seems a sound deduction Mr B.

After seeing the state of the oil that came out of the engine, and the fill, drain and level plugs on the bevel drive looking grubby, I drained the rear drive on the SP3. The oil was black, but then it has Molybdenum additives so it was always that colour anyway: I ran it through a paint strainer and there wasn't anything untoward caught in the gauze.

The drain & level plugs are plain steel so they got the plating works; the filler is chromed so wouldn't take the plate as well, but Gutsibits sell stainless versions fairly cheap.
Plugs came up well:

230ml of 80W-90 oil is now back in, and I'm waiting for the Moly additive to arrive to put 20ml of that in beside it, so it will be black as a black thing again.

I'm not intending changing the gearbox oil as that got pretty well cleaned out when I broke the clutch mounting rod & took it apart, so I know that's OK. Forks were stripped to powder coat the lowers. Brakes were bled through the other week when I rebuilt the rear master cylinder. I've now flushed all the fluids twice, or stripped & cleaned out everything since I got the bike, so I'm happier that there's no more manky surprises waiting for me. Oh: front right brake hasn't been re-bled - one for the next shift.

Brockett · « **Reply #1776 on:** October 20, 2020, 23:20:41 »

I am impressed with your plating results Mr Nick. Especially as a quite a few parts and fiting on my old VX could do with a coating of shine.

Steve T · « **Reply #1777 on:** October 23, 2020, 20:52:00 »

Couple from a run this afternoon along the northern side of the Spey . . .

. . . abd this one from a favourite brew stop spot . . .

Steve T

Steve T · « **Reply #1778 on:** October 25, 2020, 19:38:08 »

Went east for a change (and to avoid the forecast wetness that was supposed to be heading in from the west). As far as this place . . .

Former RAF weapons range tower at Rosehearty. It over looked a sea range that the Buccaneer bombers used to practice very low level attacks on at sea barges. It was one of my jobs to “clear” the barges of any one-exploded bombs before they, the barges, were scrapped. And before anyone asks “Why didn’t they sink when bombed”, the barges were filled with high density foam . . . that we had to clear out lump by shredded lump.

A little way west along the coast is New Aberdour beach, the grey bit on the left of the picture.

This view is, to my mind, very reminiscent of the views you can experience when travelling along the Irish Wild Atlantic Way (well, it remind me of the bits I rode several years ago)

Steve T

Asmith61 · « **Reply #1779 on:** October 25, 2020, 19:57:01 »

As always Steve your pictures do not disappoint great pictures great scenery