Squidley

The one in the pic I put up is the spacer that goes into the rear wheel. The smaller step goes in towards the bearing and the flat surface is what the caliper brace sits against.

Myself, I have always been a WIX filter guy. I have been around heavy equipment long enough that use them and I've been sold on them. The WIX filter that fit's on to the spin on adapters for the 1st gens is # 51334

I need the help of the brethren on this one... I am looking for a decent (read not harbor freight) parts washer. I have a 55 gallon drum so I really only need just the top tub. I want to get a reasonably deeper tub to hold larger items, and something that has a recirculating pump in it with a brush. I have looked at new complete ones, but they are on crack with the prices starting at $500. I know some of y'all have a bit more time to search for thing on the web than I do. So if you run across some deals or things that fit this bill, could you post them up here on this thread please

Did you check your float levels to make sure they were right while you had them apart? If the floats are set high it can lead to the bike running rich.

Russell, I know you feel you needed to come on and present this apology. This also is not to belittle what some have felt from the 2013 committee. I dont know all the details, but I will say 1 thing. Besides Freebird, you are the 2nd hardest working moderator on this site. I know how much more you do behind the scenes to help this site along and manage numerous accounts, all for the good of this site. It might not need to be said by me, but THANK YOU for everything you do and just plain out handle with our website. I personally appreciate you being here and helping us out

Woody, That is a beautiful trike! I really like the newer tour trunk on the back. Enjoy it to the fullest extent

I totally understand Paul, I hate when folks claim to be mechanics and really dont pay attention or just do crap work. I suppose it's personal because in real life I AM a mechanic, and folks like that just give people a bad taste for people who really are professionals. If you tackle it yourself and run into issues or have questions, my # is in my profile

Pledge, Behold, Plexus, they are all "Polishes" and I have been using them for years as well on the shields and bodywork. I use the Behold now because it's $2 a can at Dollar General, where Pledge is $4. You can use the high dollar ones from Honda and Yamaha, they are good stuff, dont get me wrong, but $2 a can for Behold and $12 for Honda isn't even a question for me. $10 in the gas tank....

George, Have you thought about mounting them in individual gauge pods on the handlebars with P clamps?

Paul, It looks to me like you may have other issues as well. Make sure that you have the bearing spacer in the rim (pics below) your pic doesn't show it really well, and compared to the pics of my '83 it looks like the caliper arm is about the same distance out. So it may be there, but check that out. Your definitely missing the washer, which is a buffer between the aluminum caliper bar and the steel axle shaft so it doesn't dig into the aluminum and deform it. It also allows level surface pressure to press all of it together squarely on the rear wheel bearing. Personally this is why I never let anyone work on my bikes, way too many hacks out there that think they are mechanics. If you decide to do this yourself, it's not a huge deal. You'll need to take off the right muffler to pull the axle out, which you dont need to pull it out all the way. Slide the new washer between the swing arm and the caliper bracket and slide the axle shaft back in. Tighten the 12mm pinch bolt up, torque the castle nut to 110 ft lbs and cotter pin it again. Loosen the 12mm pinch bolt up so the swing arm will come back to it's neutral position and tighten that back down.

Kurt, Very well written and inspirational story, and I say inspirational in the fact of how you felt towards the bear. Very unfortunate that the bear lost it's life, I can empathize with you and how you felt seeing the bear in that state. As is said in life, the things that don't kill you, make you stronger. It sounds to me from the numerous adventures you have had in your life, that you shared in this story, that your a pretty strong person. It's good to hear the "The Bear" will make it to be ridden again. As you already know, things happen for reasons that make no sense to us. Thank you for the great read, I can appreciate your time into putting down just how you felt

I dont know what that 4 letter word is down here in TEXAS!!!

If it's not broke....it doesn't need fixing....

Absolutely! A Carbon One lift adapter with legs... http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3729&title=carbon-one-freestanding-lift-adapter&cat=24 I have owned 3 of them, and worth EVERY penny that Larry sells them for.

Ah! we'll be fine we have a couple of months to get creative with it. I think most of us are procrastinators anyhow, we do our best work when were under pressure

Rich, Unless I'm grossly mistaken, you do not have to remove the forks to change the springs, or the oil in your RSTD. The RSV it is probably easier to pull the tubes as you would have to pull the outer and inner upper fairings to gain access to the tops of the tubes. You "should" (and this is memory of how the RSTD forks are) be able to loosen the top of the triple tree and screw out the top retaining caps to access the springs. There should be a small phillips screw at the bottom of the fork tube that you can drain the oil from. The majority of the bikes I have worked on are like this. IMPORTANT remember to bleed off the air pressure before you take those screws out. If you dont you will have one hell of a mess when it sprays oil out under pressure

I have always checked my clearances 180 out, on every vehicle internal combustion motor I have owned. I know there is the "Yamaha super secret way" that the manual talks about, but I dont buy into that with this machine. I'm with Carl above, exhaust change it, intake let it ride....

Owen, Is there an auxiliary fuel tank on your trike?

It's been quite a ride Paul, I know that 1st hand with you. The messy parts over with, move on with what you have and let it go. I did that with my 1st wife, gave her all of it. Took my belongings, my bike and truck, as many have mentioned it will pass. If you need something keep my # handy, I know we will talk again. Take care of yourself my friend and here's to a new, better beginning

Cleveland is a nice area, my wife and I looked to moving there back in '06. If I wouldn't have had Gunboat here in Texas offer to take us in while we were looking for work, we would probably be in Cleveland TN.

If you have rebuilt the slave and bled the system, there is only a couple other things it could be. You mentioned the master cyl on the handlebars, do that. Check the flex line at the top and bottom, the rest of the line is hard. Or replace the pressure plate springs, other than the steels and friction discs being excessively worn, thats about all you have left in a nutshell...

Rick, That end in the differential isn't supposed to have oil in it as far as I know, there should only be grease. If there is "Oil" and I say that in quotes for a reason, it could be that the grease broke down and left an oily residue. I have had some of the shafts come right out of the diff, but others I had to fight with. How dirty was all of it?

Herb, Thats about normal, crap gas and as windy as it gets here in Texas 37 is reasonable. All my Ventures, 9 of them now, got between 38 and 42 depending on how I was with the throttle. I know some say they get 50, but I have never seen that on any of my bikes ever. I personally think it's a combination of taking off easy and keeping it under 70 mph and if you can get REAL gasoline without ethanol.....

It is sad to hear of your nephew's untimely departure, God must have needed another angel. I echo what Master Guns has said, I appreciate David's sacrifice in protecting our country, and from fellow Vet....Thank You.

They were right....he isn't going to wave at us anymore