Bought running Venture for 250$ - need help with suspension

[jfman]

Hello guyz.

 

My new fork seals came in and I am trying to pull the fork legs out.

 

I loosened le lower triple allen bolts. I removed the upper triple. I pulled the little clips below the air suspension feed collars.

 

Now the air suspension collars will not budge. They spin on the tube but they cannot move up or down.

 

Is there a trick to sliding the collars off the tubes? It is the only think stopping me from pulling the fork legs off the bike.

 

 

Also: I am going to remove the CLASS system from the bike but I am too cheap for progressive springs. Can I slide something on top of the springs to act as aspacer and have the higher ride height at all times? Fill the air with fluid and cap it?

Edited November 28, 2015 by jfman

[cowpuc]

Good question JF,,, I usually just leave the upper tubes in the tree and remove the lower legs from them. Never have had the uppers all the way out.. My money would be on the seals on those collars are what is holding up the process.. By the way,,, when you go to remove the lower legs - you might find you will need something along the line of an air wrench to spin the bolt out of the innards on the lower legs - takes a little extra speed to spin that bolt out while the innards are spinning too. That is one of the reasons I like to rebuild em with the upper tubes still clamped up on the scoot..

Does all that make sense?

[jfman]

Ok figured it out. There are two o-ring type seals inside the air suspension collar. If you just pull on the collar it doesnt budge. All you have to do I used the lower trip as a slide punch/puller and the collar slides off.

 

I pulled the seals and the nastiest fluid I ever seen in my life came out.

[dna9656]

Ok figured it out. There are two o-ring type seals inside the air suspension collar. If you just pull on the collar it doesnt budge. All you have to do I used the lower trip as a slide punch/puller and the collar slides off.

 

I pulled the seals and the nastiest fluid I ever seen in my life came out.

 

Apparently you and I have traveled different roads.....the nastiest fluid I ever saw had a different source....

 

The TRANSMISSION in my son's '83 Olds Omega.....it was way to thin and Black as tar.

Edited November 29, 2015 by dna9656

[jfman]

Seals are replaced and I am ready to put the fork legs back onto the bike.

 

I used 15w fork oil I already had on the bike and I put two random SAE sockets on top of the OE springs to act as spacers to make it all just a little bit stiffer.

[cowpuc]

OUTSTANDING JF!!!

 

Let us know how adding preload to original springs works for you.. Were you having any bottoming out going on with the springs before you did the reseal job? The reason I ask is that I have found factory springs to be pretty flimsy and easily sacked.. I usually toss in a set of Progressives and then add 3/4 inch of preload on those, run 0 air pressure and find for my kind of riding (which includes some off roading) that its the only way to keep seals in em and to keep em from bottoming. On the same token though, I also run 12.5 weight on my fork oil, have found 15 weight to be to harsh and could not get full travel out of my front boingers when needed.. Maybe running OEM springs with 15 weight will actually be the ticket.. This will be interesting!!!

THANKS for the input on getting those collars off!! Never did that!! Always GREAT to learn something new!

 

Oh, by the way,, I know EXACTLY what you mean about the fork oil being nasty,, probably never got changed in its life and if it didnt - I swear I think they come with some kind of fish oil or something in them from the factory... NASTY STUFF!!

[jfman]

The oil was darker than any fluid I seen. Even a light film on my finger and I could not see my skin.

 

I only rode this bike 30 miles before tearing into the front end on it. The brakes were dangerous so I did not want to ride it the way it was when I got it. It will be hard to compare before and after but hopefully its good enough to get me to my destination.

 

btw its not a super idea to replace the seals from the top. There is a sharp groove machined into the fork tube to insert the retaining clip for the air collar. When you slide the seal over that groove it kinda gets hooked on it.

 

I just did them this way because I had never tried the method pulling the lowers and I was not comfortable doing them that way.

 

Maybe next time.

Edited November 29, 2015 by jfman

[Prairiehammer]

There is a sharp groove machined into the fork tube to insert the retaining clip for the air collar. When you slide the seal over that groove it kinda gets hooked on it.

 

Commonly, one would wrap a length of vinyl electrical tape over that groove to prevent damage to the new seals.

[dna9656]

Kevin we need your savvy committed to the "How To" here on the formum. Maybe even in a book done in the electronic format....

[garyS-NJ]

Nice work Frankenstein in your brakes. Cam you talk more on your antidote work? My bike sometimes feels a little funny on bumps in turns like the front wheel axel shifts and I think antidives.. I resurrected this bike after PO let it sit and haven't touched the front end or suspension. Much better now after some riding with new tires... anyway looks like a pita to get the fork tube nuts off to change fork oil or springs... fairing come off?? & your nuts in the antidives keep it in antidives mode (like brakes are on) but it OK for riding? Anyone else do this with or without progressive springs? I used a 87 front master and split my brakes and front still a little weak

[garyS-NJ]

I have a 76 Harley FL i bought with 2" over front tubes and it has 2" spacers on top of the springs.. think I put progressive springs in there many years back.

[dna9656]

The bearings in the wheels have a maint. period; if they don't get lubed they will wear out and the bike is gonna handle funny so ck'em! If bad I recommend "balls are best" on ebay or amazon.

Edited December 2, 2015 by dna9656

[diversity48]

You have a lot of ingenuity and creativity! Those are two very important attributes to have when working on and maintaining a 30+ year old bike. I'm not sure about the '85 but my '86 and another '86 I had years ago required that the bike be on the centerstand AND in the accessory position on the ignition to operate the compressor for the suspension. Someone may have already mentioned this on here, so pardon me if I'm being redundant. BTW, if your ride hasn't already been completed and you're coming to Vegas, let me know and I'll show you around and take you to some of the local hangouts (which are perfect for cheapskates like you and me). I don't need another bike in my garage, but if you want to leave it in Vegas, there are several charities around here who would take it and give you some kind of receipt for it to use as a tax deduction for the donation. Obviously, if someone on the forum here wants it, he or she should get first shot at it. If not, the charities I mention would put it to good use helping others who are less fortunate than you and I. Just a thought, and BEST OF LUCK on your ride! Sounds like a blast, and I'm sure we all hope you'll post a few interesting stories about your trip!! RIDE SAFE!

[jfman]

Nice work Frankenstein in your brakes. Cam you talk more on your antidote work? My bike sometimes feels a little funny on bumps in turns like the front wheel axel shifts and I think antidives.. I resurrected this bike after PO let it sit and haven't touched the front end or suspension. Much better now after some riding with new tires... anyway looks like a pita to get the fork tube nuts off to change fork oil or springs... fairing come off?? & your nuts in the antidives keep it in antidives mode (like brakes are on) but it OK for riding? Anyone else do this with or without progressive springs? I used a 87 front master and split my brakes and front still a little weak

 

 

I cant comment on the effectivness of my engineering because as soon as the brakes were done, I started tackling the front suspension. And now it is snowing outside.

 

I did not remove the fairing to pull the tubes. For the lowers, I used an allen key that I cut down(the short end) to make it possible to fit between the fairing and the lower trip. For the top triple i pulled the little plastic grills off and loosed the nuts with a regular 12mm wrench.

 

The front end with the anti dive locked in, 15w oil, and extra sockets on top of the oem spacers. It feels very stiff. Dont know how it will perform. I also bolted the tubes in 1/4in lower in the the triples. This will give me a little bit more clearance for Mexican topes if I go there.

 

If I wasnt set on ditching the bike, I would have put the progressive spring. I am certain they are worth the money.

[jfman]

Thank you for choosing WestJet. You can find details about your booking below.

 

 

Cancun (CUN)

 

 

Montreal (YUL)

 

 

WestJet

 

Fare type: Econo

Non-stop

 

Merry Christmas to me

[jfman]

I am tidying up the loose ends right now.

 

Ran into a problem when I went to rewire the front brake light switch.

 

My new front master cylinder has only two wires going to it be the switch on the original master has 4 wire going to it.

 

I guess I will have to keep the old switch chilling there as a dummy and I will have to splice two wires off of it to run them to the new master cylinder.

 

But which two wires?

[Prairiehammer]

I am tidying up the loose ends right now.

 

Ran into a problem when I went to rewire the front brake light switch.

 

My new front master cylinder has only two wires going to it be the switch on the original master has 4 wire going to it.

 

I guess I will have to keep the old switch chilling there as a dummy and I will have to splice two wires off of it to run them to the new master cylinder.

 

But which two wires?

 

Just remove the four wire switch from the old master cylinder and transfer to the newer master cylinder?

The extra wires are for cancelling the cruise control.

[jfman]

Just remove the four wire switch from the old master cylinder and transfer to the newer master cylinder?

The extra wires are for cancelling the cruise control.

 

 

The 4 wire switch will not physicaly fit the new master.

 

I need to wire up the two correct wire to the pigtail on the switch for the new master and tape the old switch shut.

 

My bike does not have cruise control.

[Prairiehammer]

The 4 wire switch will not physicaly fit the new master.

 

I need to wire up the two correct wire to the pigtail on the switch for the new master and tape the old switch shut.

 

My bike does not have cruise control.

 

Brown wire and Green w/yellow stripe.

 

Why don't you have cruise control? Someone remove it or disable it?

[jfman]

Brown wire and Green w/yellow stripe.

 

Why don't you have cruise control? Someone remove it or disable it?

 

 

So those are the two wires I need to splice into the new master cylinder?

 

 

The bike has a manual throttle lock on it. I dont think it has cruise but my I missed it.

 

It took my a few weekes to figure out the CLASS system

[Great White]

I had a look a a couple of your pics (kinda fuzzy) and it looks like the selector lever is there on the throttle housing for cruise.

 

If you've got a manual lock then the cruise is probably not working and that was someones fix.

 

The four wire brake switch is also an indication of cruise control (originally).

 

An 85 should have "Venturecruise" written in green on the tachometer and a green light just above the writing.

 

If you've only got two wires on the Fz6 housing, it's just a simple switch. There's several posts on the forum that have wiring diagrams, just find the two that go to the brake light and not the cruise.

 

Looks like the brown wire and the green/yel stripe from what I can see on a couple 85 diagrams. So PH seems to be right on the money.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Great White

[jfman]

I wired up the front master switch but had to use the yellow and brown wire.

[jfman]

Btw its 12 days from departure.

 

I test rode the bike on my street but only in first gear because its completely covered in snow.

[Kiwiroyale]

G'day, ok here's what you do, container it to Auckland Harbour, fly yourself there, jump on it and TOUR NEW ZEALAND, then ABANDON it very near to my place in Mosgiel Otago, where I will take you to the airport for your flight back home...

 

Just sayin...

[jfman]

G'day, ok here's what you do, container it to Auckland Harbour, fly yourself there, jump on it and TOUR NEW ZEALAND, then ABANDON it very near to my place in Mosgiel Otago, where I will take you to the airport for your flight back home...

 

Just sayin...

 

Sounds fun but not very economical

 

I will go ride New Zealand one day, looks like an amazing place!