The Devil makes work, for idle hands

[twigg]

It has come to my notice that some jobs on our much beloved (and very fast) classic Ventures, just are not hard enough already. You 2nd Generation folk may skip the rest of this thread. Your bikes take longer to complete their journeys, so y'all don't have time for the extra work we need to indulge in!

 

So easy are they that folk are feeling the need to invent a few steps not envisioned when the Workshop Manual was written.

 

So let's examine a few common problems:

 

Removing the Spark Plugs .... Indeed it is fortunate that this operation rarely has to be performed because it is next to impossible without first removing the engine. Rarely has it been my misfortune to encounter spark plugs so difficult to remove, if you discount the one right around the back of the motor of my Ford Windstar. Whose idea was a V4 anyway?

 

So .... engine beautifully balanced on that upturned bucket I found in my shop, and the plugs come out in a jiffy. Why didn't Yamaha think of that?

 

Changing the oil .... This one is dumb. Surely you changed it when you had the engine out to remove the spark plugs! No? Well then you need a hoist. Having removed the idiotic piece of plastic hiding the oil filler from all but the most "investigative" of our membership, and having somehow found just the right sized wrench that will get off the filler cap, because it was too easy to put it somewhere ... you know ... reachable, then all you need do now is hoist the bike, spin it over and the oil will run right out.

 

Or you could remove the drain plug. Nah! Too easy.

 

Shimming the Valves .... This one is tricky. The Workshop Manual describes the process, because it's a Workshop Manual, and that is it's reason for being. It's a simple process although even I will admit that "shims and buckets" sounds more like a Harry Potter spell than a mechanical procedure. There is a fiddly, and very expensive tiny bit of metal that needs inserting where no metal should ever be inserted. For God's sake please don't forget to remove it when you are done! Getting hold of one is hard. It involves a PM to Skydoc_17, and a promise to return it. Thanks Earl

 

Much easier to remove the cams, having carefully measured all the gaps. Oops! Where did that chain go? There are reasons to remove cams, but shimming the valves is not a good one unless, of course, there are other reasons why you may want to spend more time in the shop.

 

Removing the rear wheel .... Here we have a situation where the very best in "Shade Tree Mechanics" do actually beat the pants off the manual. Start by removing the front wheel. Yes, you heard right, to remove the rear wheel one first removes the front. I know, it's crazy. Having removed the front wheel, and tied the center stand to prevent it flipping up, you can then lower the bike onto it's fork ends tipping the back end up so high it gets a permanent snow covering. Handy! Rear wheel is now a no brainer.

 

There endeth the lesson. Meet here next week for "How to adjust the drive chain"

 

ps ... Don't get upset, my tongue is firmly attached to the inside of my cheek!

[RandyR]

don't drink that brown stuff in the tincan again.

[Yammer Dan]

Hard to believe I didn't know all that. I'll be waiting for next week. I really need to sync my carbs!!

[FuzzyRSTD]

I am glad that I do not own a classic first gen. Thank you. I barely can figure out how to hoist the second gen, and getting that last few drops of oil out can be tricky. Do you empty your saddle bags before you hoist her upside down ? The second gen has a very stout latching mechanism on the hard bags, so no need to empty contents. Therefore saving you a little time.

 

Fuzzy

[twigg]

I am glad that I do not own a classic first gen. Thank you. I barely can figure out how to hoist the second gen, and getting that last few drops of oil out can be tricky. Do you empty your saddle bags before you hoist her upside down ? The second gen has a very stout latching mechanism on the hard bags, so no need to empty contents. Therefore saving you a little time.

 

Fuzzy

 

Save time?

 

Nope, that requires doing the job the correct way!

[paysaw]

This is great way to take off the the rear wheel if you have an 83-85 that has no extra parts on the front wheel. If you have disk and rotor covers you still have to take that off and line it up again to install. If you have chrome on the rear end you still have to take that stuff off too.I found on my first Gen 83 it was easier just to take it off the old way.The only thing you dont have to do is to take off the rear fender your way. That it only 4 fender support bolts and 2 fender bolts.If you tilt the bike down on the forks you might need a hand or a jack to lower and raise the rear wheel.It all depends on your extra's:cool10: