Well, I bought the bike! (pics, etc.)

[GNEPIG]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

.. for those of us with more time than cash, i would keep an eye on this if i needed one

[knewsom]

hey, the toughest part is gettin' the durn piston out!

Ya know, I'm now inspired to get that bloody thing all the way out!

Thanks guys! I'm pretty sure I'll go with the leather strap and pliers option - if this thing is so tough to get out, I have a good feeling that the seal will still be good as well, and that it'll be worth doing to get the gunk out of there for good.

Thanks for all the continued encouragement, I truly appreciate it! Sadly, I seem to have more money than time (which is really pathetic, considering how broke I am , so I think I'll just shell out for a new MC.

Here's something funny - the brakepads on the baboon have like NO wear on them - practially new.

[pathfinder]

When I've had a stuck caliper, I remove it from the bike and leave the bleeder screw in. Thru the now open hose hole put compressed air to it and it comes out like a rocket. Put a piece of wood between the caliper and the back side DO NOT have a finger in the way or it will smash it. Don't ask me how I know that, just take my word for it.

[81XS1100-2006]

Knewsom

seems you are about 2 or three (or 20) steps ahead of me. All this stuff is great info for when I finally do get into the brakes....

thanks

[knewsom]

Ya know, I think it's about time for me to get a compressor. it seeems to that a readily available supply of compressed air is invaluable. I've got a birthday in June - maybe I can convince SWMBO that I need yet another tool.

81XS1100-2006 - good luck man, I'm glad that this thread has collected such a great ammount of information, and that it's become more than simply therapy for me.

[81xsproject]

Hey congrats on the bike. I wan't really watching this thread too much. Then all the sudden I realized it was on the 125th post and was feeling a little excluded. I like the pepsi trick, too. As for little dudes on these big bikes, I am 150 w/ a naked bike. It just makes it that much quicker The down fall is the falling down. Every time I have tipped my bike has been moving it around in garages and such. Once that baby start to fall away from you, there is no muscle'n' it back, and I'm no skinny little dude.

In the beginning you talked about it not being that hard to press out a new fibergalss lid for your trunk. If that is the case you could make some side cash pressing out replica side covers like nobodies buisness. They would just have to be more reasonable than the $80 buck they want a Merrium Cycle. Just a thought. Good luck with the bike. I'll try to keep up now that I have caught up.

[pathfinder]

For you little guys trying to turn the these things around in a garage. Put it on the center stand push down on the read end and spin it. It's alot safer and easier. That is if you have mastered the technique of putting it on the center stand.

[81xsproject]

The only prob with that is that I wasn't always in a nice cement floored garage. When I did the initial restore, I was in a barn. I wasn't too bad at putting it on the center stand until I got new shocks. They are 12.5" progressives, but they seem to sit a little lower than my old ones. Now, I back the bike up onto a 2x4 and then go onto the stand. Man is that easier.

[knewsom]

MAN, I'm itchin' for a ride!!!

Thanks, 81XS, glad you've enjoyed the thread so far.

Of note about the cola trick - I would only use DIET cola - the real suff has high fructose corn syrup, and I hear sugar can be very damaging to the fuel system, so if ANY of it gets left over, that could POTENTIALLY be bad.

Sheesh, I wish I had a garage! that'd make things way easier - I tipped my bike once on gravel - I was trying to open the gate on the side of the house so I could get it out back where I can work on it. I reached forward, barely holding onto one of the handlebars, and over she went. Not too hard to pick up though, just walked around the beast and treated it like I would a deadlift.

Good note about the lids, could use extra $$, but I haven't seen 'em at ALL at Merriam, otherwise I'd be tempted to not even bother making 'em myself!

Good note on the centerstand trick, pathfinder - next time I have the bike parked on smooth concrete I'll have to try that; for now, it's on brick, so it's just lots of back and forth. And as for GETTING the bike on the centerstand, I actually found that harder than picking it up off the ground and I'm a strong 200lbs. What's the trick to that??


Ok, so here's an update:

I got my parts! Nobody stole 'em! heh, course, I did leave a sign on the fence saying "drop package over fence" with a bigger sign next to it that read "beware of dog", with an 80lb (totally cowardly but intimidating looking) wolf mix on the other side.

SO, now I have individual cone filters, 2 HD muffs off of a fatboy with no baffles, new needles valves and seats and gaskets for the carburators, a new lens for the cracked right side turn signal (I know, such a minor thing, but for $2, why the hell not?), new front bearings (but no seals?? WTF? where am I gonna find THOSE?), and new fork seals and dustboots.

Next on the agenda to order are a new MC for the brakes, and rear bearings (although, I might have to stick it out with the ones she's got, if they're still any good at all - hopefully the big gnar-gnar one will be alright, and I'll only have to replace the wee one). I'll also be ordering a new fusebox from TC on friday (payday) - I was hoping to have funds earlier in the week than that, but the SOB's I sold my car to (a dealership) won't cut me a check for what they owe me 'till they have the title in hand, and apparently there's a waiting period before my credit union will even SEND the check - so I've got no cage 'cept my gas guzzlin' bronco, and a bike that won't work till I have more dough for parts. ARGH. All in all, I think this bike is going to end up costing about $2k, so really, not so bad, considering what I'm saving in car payments and insurance (about $400 a month total, not even counting gas and maintenance). heh, I might shell out eventually for more shiny chrome bits though - I've got my eyes on these rounded rectangular mirrors, and the chrome controls/grips over at mikesxs. SS brakelines are also going to happen eventually, but there's so much info on the site about it, I'll have to read through it and distill a bit before taking the plunge.

I'm really chomping at the bit for a good ride on the baboon - still haven't had one (just a quick turn around in the street), but not much longer 'till I can! At this point, I may hold off on putting the new mufflers in, until I get the chance to take her on a nice cruise to let everything settle a bit. That'll also give me time to fabricate some adjutible baffles on the muffs. (I'm already coming up with some ideas to make it look spiffy. I'll post pics when I get 'em)


Questions:

Should I put some Marvel Mystery oil in the bike NOW and turn it over a few times, then let it sit for a few more weeks, or should I just wait until I'm ready to ride it before putting it in? Also, would it be better to just put a bit in each cylinder and THEN just leave it a bit?

What am I gonna do about wheel bearing seals? Since I have indiviudally sealed bearings, do I not NEED them anymore?

Filter oil - do I need to put oil on these filters? they're steel mesh with chrome caps, and it looks like a thin layer of foam inbetween the steel meshes. Can I just use WD40 for that, or do I need special oil?

Does anyone in the area with a vacum gauge want to cruise by one of these days for a carb sync session? I'm low on dough, and I don't think it'll be in the cards to shell out for yet another tool until next month, but I need the baboon runnin' before then. Worst case scenario, I'll just have to make do with a bread-tie sync for a bit. In any case, there'll be a six pack of cold beer and lunch in it for anyone who's interested.

I just had the thought that I should probably get my new muffs on the bike before syncing the carbs - am I right on about that, or am I totally nuts? Also, should I try to fabricate a crossover pipe with the new mufflers since I'm using the stock headers, or is it not necessary at all?

TTFN,
Kris

[randy]

Kris,

If you're really careful pulling the wheel seals, you can re-use them for now, but next season replace them. BTW, the big rear bearing is the cheaper of the two. Here's some tricks that will save you heartache when driving out the rear bearing(s):

Remove the hub from the wheel, six bolts, they may be hidden if the wheel still has the little rubber caps over the bolts. When you remove the hub, the expensive bearing (roller bearing) will be in that, then you'll have a clear shot at the other bearing from inside the wheel, just drive it out with a drift, work around, a few shots then move the drift. Before you start removing, put the new bearing in the freezer, makes it a breeze to drive it in. Clean out the roller bearing with solvent and pack it with wheel bearing grease. If it's not already burnt up, should be good for another season.

Put the new muffs on before synching the carbs.

Don't know about oil on cone filters, sorry.

Center Stand: Get the bike steady with both stand feet on the ground. Left hand on handlebar. right heel on lever. Now STAND on the lever with all your weight and simultaneously pull frame straight upward. You'll be surprised how fast it comes up. That stand is designed as a lever to lift the bike. No reason you should have to do all the lifting.

Marvel: Has the bike been run recently? If so, no problem, wait. If not, MMO can't hurt. A spoonfull down each plug hole will do the trick.

[knewsom]

AWESOME tips Randy, thank you so much! I seriously don't know what I'd do without you guys.


Another small update:

Having diassembled one of my calipers, I've realized what a snap it is, and just how simple disc brakes are. I will NEVER EVER pay ANYONE to do brakes for me AGAIN, on the bike OR on my bronco.

SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE, heh, just a PITA with the wrenching and all. But really, not hard in the slightest!

The piston and seal in my caliper looked brand new after a wipedown with a clean cloth and DOT3. There wasn't even as much sludge as I thought there would be in the caliper, but enough to cause potential problems, so I sprayed it out with brake cleaner, wiped it out with a cloth, let it dry, and wiped it with DOT3, then reassembled.

EASY PEASY, JAPANEESY. Domo-arigato gozaimasta, brilliant Japanese engineers!

Ok, off to work.

[81XS1100-2006]

I was running K&N's on my KZ650, I had to occasionally oil the paper filter with this red goo.

My thought is it repels water & restricts some airflow....

[knewsom]

*scratches head* but... mine doesn't have any paper..? just a thin layer of foam... and sadly, it didn't come with ANY instructions whatsoever.

*sigh*

[DiverRay]

I would just buy a can of the K&N filter oil, and use that on it. The oil is sticky, so the dust, etc. will stick too it. You just spray on a THIN coat, let it dry a bit, and ride away.
Ray

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Kris,

Don't feel bad about the pod filters, check out this thread:
Ignorance about Pod Filters

EASY PEASY, JAPANEESY. Domo-arigato gozaimasta, brilliant Japanese engineers!

"Do ItashiMashte", or like we used to say
"Don't Touch the Mustache!

Glad you didn't have any pitting on the piston. Yes they are fairly easy to work on. It's the "bleedin" bleeding that seems to cause folks the most trouble!
T.C.