What did you do to your Vmax today? Part 2

[mundmc]

Today I road my vmax for the first time in almost a year (an accident mid-upgrades threw me off).

New to this maiden voyage were:
18” radials (thanks @Itgoes , it only took me 3 5/8 years to successfully put them on, but they are awesome)
Progressive springs (thanks @one2dmax)
LED’s all around (adding load resistors to either the front or rear helped).

Also, I’m experimenting with aluminum polishing. Better examples to follow.



I gotta say, i was kinda amazed at the handling on this thing after the upgrades.

 

[Fire-medic]

Today I road my vmax for the first time in almost a year (an accident mid-upgrades through me off).

New to this maiden voyage were:
18” radials
Progressive springs
LED’s all around (the load resistors helped)

Also, I’m experimenting with aluminum polishing. Better examples to follow.
View attachment 76360
View attachment 76361

I gotta say, i was kinda amazed at the handling on this thing after the upgrades.

My opinion is going to radials on appropriate wheels is the #1 best handling mod you can do.

 

[mundmc]

My opinion is going to radials on appropriate wheels is the #1 best handling mod you can do.

Thanks Firemedic, you set me up with the forum member who sold them to me!

It seriously felt bizarre and awesome- it physically felt and sounded like my max, but the handling was crazy-different and responsive. I want to try the Furber fix purely because it is SO responsive i want to ensure it’s balances.

Today was a big day.

 

[user 16790]

Depending on how-long you choose to own the bike, you might want to grind a couple of spaces where you can slip-in a drift punch to knock-out the outer race, to make a bearing change easier next-time. If you use a welder to put some bead onto the tapered outer race, and use that as a point to drive-against, then you don't need to do that. Some manufacturers provide that relief-space 180 degrees apart, on the VMax, Yamaha didn't.

thanks for the warning, I had this problem on old GPz305, I'll have my die grinder and dremel close by

 

[Fire-medic]

thanks for the warning, I had this problem on old GPz305, I'll have my die grinder and dremel close by

Yeah, a bit of work grinding in a pair of 180 degree-opposed 'eyebrows' makes things much-easier. I've used the 'cut-off wheel to cut the outer race in-half' method. The 'add some weld bead to the taper of the outer race for a chisel or punch purchase point' does the job, again, you need to do it 180 degrees-apart.

Once you have the reliefs cut, the next-time is so-much easier.

I had a Kawasaki 305 CSR once, I saw it in a carport, dusty and unloved. It took a bit of work to get it operational, but the major parts were OK. It was a flip. I discovered someone had tried messing with the points, they left-out the gasket for the points cover, and apparently, to provide sufficient clearance for the points to work, and to not-ground-out, it's gotta be there. It would start and run OK, w/the cover off, but install it w/o the cover gasket, and no-va! (not the Chevy)

 

[mundmc]

Raining today, so it was time for adventures in stripping and polishing.

Before:

I hoped a mineral spirits bath would take off the paint and anything protective over the aluminum, though I am wondering if that was just really hazey chrome. No matter.


Time to screw around with my washing machine motor-turned-buffing-station.

Black-white-green-blue compund, then Mother’s polish later:

I know you know but i’ll say it anyway, “pics don’t do it justice.”

There are still some scratches, so i’ll probably repeat the process, but it was fun practicing a new skill.

Edit: After reading a little, I’m pretty sure the paint stripper and buffing compound never removed the factory clear coat over the top part of the scoop.

oh well, still looks prettier. No idea what the black stuff i thought was aluminum was from the top half.

 

[Woody]

Raining today, so it was time for adventures in stripping and polishing.

Before:
View attachment 76362
I hoped a mineral spirits bath would take off the paint and anything protective over the aluminum, though I am wondering if that was just really hazey chrome. No matter.
View attachment 76364

Time to screw around with my washing machine motor-turned-buffing-station.

Black-white-green-blue compund, then Mother’s polish later:
View attachment 76363
I know you know but i’ll say it anyway, “pics don’t do it justice.”

There are still some scratches, so i’ll probably repeat the process, but it was fun practicing a new skill.

Edit: After reading a little, I’m pretty sure the paint stripper and buffing compound never removed the factory clear coat over the top part of the scoop.

oh well, still looks prettier. No idea what the black stuff i thought was aluminum was from the top half.

Don't be afraid to use sand paper. After seeing what you've done so far. Use some 200grit. Then go to 600 wet sand.I used the .000 steel wool to final sand. Then polish away.
You're on the right track.
So far so good.

 

[Marauder03]

Today I put new levers on, the clutch lever was super sloppy. About to take it for a test ride. Thanks to Sean for the new levers.

 

[mundmc]

Don't be afraid to use sand paper. After seeing what you've done so far. Use some 200grit. Then go to 600 wet sand.I used the .000 steel wool to final sand. Then polish away.
You're on the right track.
So far so good.

Alright, please walk me through this
200 dry
600 wet
.000 steel wool
Mothers
?

No in-between steps???

 

[Fire-medic]

Alright, please walk me through this
200 dry
600 wet
.000 steel wool
Mothers
?

No in-between steps???

Then the 3 grades of rouge, Mother's is the anti-oxidant after all the sanding/polishing.

 

[Woody]

Alright, please walk me through this
200 dry
600 wet
.000 steel wool
Mothers
?

No in-between steps???

That's the route i used.
All hand sanding.no machine.
Then after the 600
Wet.
Use the .000 wool wet also.
Then use your polish wheel.
When you're done.you will have a new addiction.
Welcome to the group.

 

[user 16790]

got my steering bearing changed, glad I was warned about needing to grind 'drift' passages as it saved me unexpected swearing (thanks), there was absolutely nothing proud on the lower race and about half a mm on the top race, now they are done I can ride on the line I choose at low speed instead of riding a slalom

 

[Fire-medic]

got my steering bearing changed, glad I was warned about needing to grind 'drift' passages as it saved me unexpected swearing (thanks), there was absolutely nothing proud on the lower race and about half a mm on the top race, now they are done I can ride on the line I choose at low speed instead of riding a slalom

I've been able to use a drift punch on the upper, but the lower, no. Not-until the sheering head got the ground reliefs it needed. I suppose that in the manufacturing process, it's one more expense that if you skip it, the $/yen spent doing it stays in your pocket.

 

[user 16790]

could it be that original bearings would be the cup and ball type instead of tapered ones, or are they tapered as standard

 

[Fire-medic]

could it be that original bearings would be the cup and ball type instead of tapered ones, or are they tapered as standard

Tapered.

 

[RMax]

On a different note, decided to put a DRL LED strip light around the headlight to complement the halos!

 

[huw s]

Fitted a Virago speedometer to my gen1 trike - I can't see me going over 110 mph, and everything up to there is easier to read. The Vmax one was semi seized and noisy anyway.

 

[ga_max]

Just went for a short ride (12 miles). Felt the VBoost kick in, got a smile on my face then came home.

 

[desert_max]

Broke my speedometer! Haven't looked yet, but I hope it's the cable. Letting machine and man cool down a bit. Coming back from work and looked down to see the speedo at zero. (I was moving). Dang it.

 

[NHMax]

Started the “Get her back on the road”. Oil drained fork seals ordered. Carbs starting to go back together