What's done:

[dna9656]

I got both front brake handle and clutch master and slave cylinders rebuilt, the rear master cylinder and rear caliper rebuilt. I have one front brake caliper rebuilt and will have (hopefully) the other (back from Brake Crafters) done this week. I bought a brake bleeder, it's really cool! I can't wait to try it out on the calipers! I got My 83.5 off the HF M/C lift and my 88 up on the HF lift. I'll be removing the rear wheel for servicing the drive gears and checking the wheel bearings out, Also I will be looking at the front wheel bearings while i over haul the forks, I got the hard ware for that job yesterday in the mail. If the tires are young enough(the tread and side walls look good on both) I'll be riding within the month!

Edited July 11, 2018 by dna9656

[dna9656]

I got both front brake handle and clutch master and slave cylinders rebuilt, the rear master cylinder and rear caliper rebuilt. I have one front brake caliper rebuilt and will have (hopefully) the other (back from Brake Crafters) done this week. I bought a brake bleeder, it's really cool! I can't wait to try it out on the calipers! I got My 83.5 off the HF M/C lift and my 88 up on the HF life, all by myself! I'll be removing the rear wheel for servicing the drive gears and checking the wheel bearings out, Also I will be looking at the front wheel bearings while i over haul the forks, I got the hard ware for that job yesterday in the mail. If the tires are young enough(the tread and side walls look good on both) I'll be riding within the month!

 

My friends rotated the HF lift, backed the 83.5 off of it, moved the HF lift in front of the 88 and used the engine to get the bike up on the lift. Using tie down straps we secured the bike so we could stand it up. With a Venom M/C jack we raised the bike up to the point where the center stand could be lowered and properly park the bike. I rebuilt the rear brake Master cylinder and the rear caliper yesterday. Using Wal mart parts cleaner I got a lot of old, greasy (prolly brake fluid) from the underside of the bike. I'll pick up some engine oil (I have several oil filters on hand) and take care of that little (currently over serviced) issue and at the same time take a look at the coolant issues. Soon I will be removing the wheels and tires to look at/replace the wheel bearings and lube the drive shaft ring and pinion and the 5 fingered rubber coupling on the rear wheel. The progressive springs arrived today in a box that measures 6" 16" X 20" packed diagonally and supported with packing paper. I wonder why the just didn't tape the box shut and put a stamp and address label on it! Wifie is picking up the 9 pc hex head (Allen wrench) 3/8" & 1/2" dive set at HF for me on her way home from her work. It has the 17mm hex needed to work on the fork.

Edited July 10, 2018 by dna9656

[7 lakes]

Hey Doug, I'd love to hear what Brakecrafters has to say about why that one piston was so hard to get in.

[dna9656]

Hey Doug, I'd love to hear what Brakecrafters has to say about why that one piston was so hard to get in.

 

Mark's response to what happened: They were snug just to get in. I replaced the seals (didn't see any damage) and the surfaces were very good and clean so it wasn't any fault there. I just greased the seals and then the base of the piston. I then used the palm of my hand to roll the piston while applying pressure (I've done quite a few so I know whats right) and they went in nicely (took about ten minutes) Then gave them a bit of a clean (nothing mega but nice).

And that's all he said; but I can tell you they were pretty tight!

[7 lakes]

Mark's response to what happened: They were snug just to get in. I replaced the seals (didn't see any damage) and the surfaces were very good and clean so it wasn't any fault there. I just greased the seals and then the base of the piston. I then used the palm of my hand to roll the piston while applying pressure (I've done quite a few so I know whats right) and they went in nicely (took about ten minutes) Then gave them a bit of a clean (nothing mega but nice).

And that's all he said; but I can tell you they were pretty tight!

 

Cool, glad you got them all squared away.

[dna9656]

9/01 Oil and filter has been changed this date, the fork rebuild is completed, I have both upper fairing plastic repairs done and they are installed.

I am completing plastic repairs to the lower fairings, cleaned a lot of engine today as well. Next is front wheel bearing replacement.

9/02 I have the kit from ALL BALLS Racing installed and front wheel re-installed, wheel all cleaned up! Just waiting for the brake pads to arrive!

Edited September 4, 2018 by dna9656

[dna9656]

9/03 Since I have the kit from ALL BALLS Racing installed and front

wheel re-installed, got wheel all cleaned up I'm ready to do the rear wheel; I removed the rear wheel yesterday.

and I am attacking it this afternoon.

 

The snap ring on the drive shaft is new to me; There is a lesson here, always check the manual on jobs you haven't done for a while or on

a different year edition bike that you haven't worked on before, this bike is an is an '88, lots of changes from the '83/'85 model bikes I have worked on before.

Replacing the wheel bearings/seals and a couple of O rings, I am changing the gear lube, the pins will get lubed,and cleaning the poor thing up!!

 

This is a great time to clean up all those places you can't get to while the mufflers and saddle bags are on the bike.

 

I like Never Dull polishing wads. If you aren't familiar with Never Dull it comes in a can, it's cotton wadding soaked in some sort of cleaner/polish.

It'll remove road tar but I use lacquer thinner for tar on chrome plated parts, it's really cheap and it's FAST where the commercial road tar solvents is a lot tamer and commercial road tar solvents is what you should use on painted parts but the Never Dull works on painted stuff too, esp. the frame. Never Dull leaves a film on the part that you can buff off with a clean, soft rag. You toss out the wad when it's no longer effective; if it's still useable, put it back in the can. The stuff lasts a LONG time on the shelf, I can't remember when I bought this can but it was years ago! This also a good time to wire wheel some of the nuts, bolts, clamps and other hardware involved. As always inspect you bike for problems/issues while you have the saddle bags off, look at the frame for condition, paint.

Look over everything you can't see when the saddle bags are installed.

Edited September 4, 2018 by dna9656