Dragmaxster
Well-Known Member
Some really good ideas here----
http://www.bikersassociationofnorthdevon.co.uk/projects/Vmax-renovation.htm
http://www.bikersassociationofnorthdevon.co.uk/projects/Vmax-renovation.htm
Vmax restoration
- Thread starter Dragmaxster
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Some nice work and great pictures
Yes, an interesting read. I only read the first, but will slog my way thru shortly. A suggestion-if he intends to keep it, he should grind some eyebrows into the lower bearing race mounting area so he can just tap-out the outer race next time he has to replace it, in 2035.
OK, I finished reading it, and I took away some interesting points. Like any repair job, the time spent included doing things twice, three, or four times because of leaving something out, like the starter clutch behind the alternator rotor. Another 'bodge' as the author calls them, was a bracket holding the wire loom, or a hydraulic line on the left side of the engine, which is mounted via a engine case bolt from the bottom. When he installed the bracket, it was 180* from where it should be and he had placed it on the engine before he mounted the engine into the frame. When he discovered his error, he ended having to remove the engine to reverse the &^*%U$%!! bracket 180*.
Another one was, the starter wouldn't turn over the engine. While most of us would disassemble the thing trying to find a broken wire, or a bad armature, or contemplating cutting the armature commutator grooves deeper, it was that he had disassembled the starter case for powdercoating. There was no good ground due to the powdercoating. That was easily remidied by grinding off the powdercoating on one of the starter mounting tangs thru which the bolt passed, and ensuring a mating bare metal area on the engine case.
A third, and potentially expensive one, was when he tried to start it, and there was a lot of noise from the cyl head front two cyl's. Removing the valve cover showed the valves all were stuck open the same amount, and would not move. A bad sign! He theorizes that after he had correctly set valve clearances he had installed the cam chain tensioner, but that he HAD NOT CHECKED that it was seated firmly against the camchain. When he started it the first time, it had enough slack in it that the cam gear jumped a couple of teeth, and resulted in valves meeting the piston crown. Sounds plausable, and all that happened was needing to replace the valves for the front cyl's. The piston crowns were marked, but he declined to do anything other than to see that it was what appeared to be surface marks instead of cracks structurally affecting the pistons.
His level of finish was powdercoating the engine cases, the covers, and this of course resulted in a complete disassembly of the engine. He found the dreaded o-ring oil supply piping bulging, he made his own retaining bracket, guess he didn't know Sean's email address! he also made a bunch of other things, like countersunk stainless steel washers to prevent hex nuts from chewing-up the case powdercoating, bushings to prevent control lever holes from wallowing out, stainless steel brake caliper pins he turned-down from 6 mm hex bolts on his lathe to forestall corrosion on the brake pad pins, and to smoothen brake pad action, in conjunction w/cleaning all the buttons holding the floating rotors to the rotor carriers.
He also used some plastic spray-on coating to protect the under the rear fender stamped steel bracket supporting the fender and the taillight.
The author found a goodly share of 'bodges', bad repairs by a prior owner or mechanic, which had to be fixed to make things right, safe, or both. Rounded-off fasteners, too-long bolt used in the intake cracking a casting, front of the engine case bolts filled w/crud slung-off the front tire, corroding the fasteners and making it difficult to remove them, resulting in a need for heli-coils or inserts, frozen caliper pistons which ended up being destroyed to remove them, which he replaced w/custom-made ones to reduce corrosion, (I wonder why he didn't try heating the piston and then looking for a break in the corrosion holding it in place), taking two hours to grind a slot in the lower steering head outer race to remove it, using a Dremel and a diamond bit (he mentioned welding a build-up of bead onto the inner surface of the outer race, and then using that as 'purchase' for a punch or chisel to drive the outher race free; he said he didn't have access to a stick welder), well, you get the idea.
If you are contemplating any of the jobs he did, you should read his reports about the process, because you might find yourself saving time because you read about his mistake, and won't repeat it yourself. Take notes if you must, refer to the parts he wrote on the process you are doing that day, and I bet you find his tips and descriptions helpful in your work. i plan to use his article to help me with my current resuscitation of a 1993 model. I'm not totally disassembling the engine, or stripping the frame down to powdercoat it, because the frame paint is decent. I am planning to avail myself of his tips, and to heed his mistakes. You should too, if you're doing anything similar over the winter. :hmmm::thumbs up:
OK, I finished reading it, and I took away some interesting points. Like any repair job, the time spent included doing things twice, three, or four times because of leaving something out, like the starter clutch behind the alternator rotor. Another 'bodge' as the author calls them, was a bracket holding the wire loom, or a hydraulic line on the left side of the engine, which is mounted via a engine case bolt from the bottom. When he installed the bracket, it was 180* from where it should be and he had placed it on the engine before he mounted the engine into the frame. When he discovered his error, he ended having to remove the engine to reverse the &^*%U$%!! bracket 180*.
Another one was, the starter wouldn't turn over the engine. While most of us would disassemble the thing trying to find a broken wire, or a bad armature, or contemplating cutting the armature commutator grooves deeper, it was that he had disassembled the starter case for powdercoating. There was no good ground due to the powdercoating. That was easily remidied by grinding off the powdercoating on one of the starter mounting tangs thru which the bolt passed, and ensuring a mating bare metal area on the engine case.
A third, and potentially expensive one, was when he tried to start it, and there was a lot of noise from the cyl head front two cyl's. Removing the valve cover showed the valves all were stuck open the same amount, and would not move. A bad sign! He theorizes that after he had correctly set valve clearances he had installed the cam chain tensioner, but that he HAD NOT CHECKED that it was seated firmly against the camchain. When he started it the first time, it had enough slack in it that the cam gear jumped a couple of teeth, and resulted in valves meeting the piston crown. Sounds plausable, and all that happened was needing to replace the valves for the front cyl's. The piston crowns were marked, but he declined to do anything other than to see that it was what appeared to be surface marks instead of cracks structurally affecting the pistons.
His level of finish was powdercoating the engine cases, the covers, and this of course resulted in a complete disassembly of the engine. He found the dreaded o-ring oil supply piping bulging, he made his own retaining bracket, guess he didn't know Sean's email address! he also made a bunch of other things, like countersunk stainless steel washers to prevent hex nuts from chewing-up the case powdercoating, bushings to prevent control lever holes from wallowing out, stainless steel brake caliper pins he turned-down from 6 mm hex bolts on his lathe to forestall corrosion on the brake pad pins, and to smoothen brake pad action, in conjunction w/cleaning all the buttons holding the floating rotors to the rotor carriers.
He also used some plastic spray-on coating to protect the under the rear fender stamped steel bracket supporting the fender and the taillight.
The author found a goodly share of 'bodges', bad repairs by a prior owner or mechanic, which had to be fixed to make things right, safe, or both. Rounded-off fasteners, too-long bolt used in the intake cracking a casting, front of the engine case bolts filled w/crud slung-off the front tire, corroding the fasteners and making it difficult to remove them, resulting in a need for heli-coils or inserts, frozen caliper pistons which ended up being destroyed to remove them, which he replaced w/custom-made ones to reduce corrosion, (I wonder why he didn't try heating the piston and then looking for a break in the corrosion holding it in place), taking two hours to grind a slot in the lower steering head outer race to remove it, using a Dremel and a diamond bit (he mentioned welding a build-up of bead onto the inner surface of the outer race, and then using that as 'purchase' for a punch or chisel to drive the outher race free; he said he didn't have access to a stick welder), well, you get the idea.
If you are contemplating any of the jobs he did, you should read his reports about the process, because you might find yourself saving time because you read about his mistake, and won't repeat it yourself. Take notes if you must, refer to the parts he wrote on the process you are doing that day, and I bet you find his tips and descriptions helpful in your work. i plan to use his article to help me with my current resuscitation of a 1993 model. I'm not totally disassembling the engine, or stripping the frame down to powdercoat it, because the frame paint is decent. I am planning to avail myself of his tips, and to heed his mistakes. You should too, if you're doing anything similar over the winter. :hmmm::thumbs up:
RempageR1
Well-Known Member
Very nice article! The author give a very in-depth report of his restoration works, the bodges by the previous owner and also his own mistakes.
I`ve found some stuff in this article I can do to my bike this winter. Thanks!
I`ve found some stuff in this article I can do to my bike this winter. Thanks!
My wife thought I was looking at porn.. But then again maybe I was.. It was a very interesting article to read and see how he went at some of the things. I would never have thought about laying the whole frame on it's side to get engine out....lol and I like how he painted then used sand paper to get bright aluminum.. A lot of work and time in to the bike and the restore info... Did this bike make it to the 30th party over in France?????
Hamkaas
Well-Known Member
I bet you will start doing both your switches [emoji6]
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The 'lay it on its side' engine mounting method has been around for generations. I recall seeing it done in the 1970's when I was first working on my own stuff and was hanging around shops from time to time. One of my friends from childhood w/whom I attend Daytona, just yesterday mentioned the 'lay it on its side' method for installing a SOHC Honda 750 in the frame. We have a 'project bike.'
The last time I painted my VMax out of the frame, I used the sandpaper method to get the 'fins' of the engine bright after the entire lump got shot w/black. He used a narrow belt sander that auto body guys pull-out when working around confined spaces like door jambs. A Dremel w/the proper grit 'barrel' sanding disc works quickly.
The last time I painted my VMax out of the frame, I used the sandpaper method to get the 'fins' of the engine bright after the entire lump got shot w/black. He used a narrow belt sander that auto body guys pull-out when working around confined spaces like door jambs. A Dremel w/the proper grit 'barrel' sanding disc works quickly.
RempageR1
Well-Known Member
Crap.... you got me :clapping:. Switches and other handlebar items.
sdt354
Well-Known Member
Good read, I'm not crazy about powder coating cases or heads. If done up perfect, it's a tough finish, though you're likely to have PC were you don't want it. And that will cause major problems.
