Topic: Time to freshen up the F Model bracket bike

[Tintop]

Had a similar issue with a rear wheel for my sidecar.  Was as close to perfect as a wire wheel can be before I sent it out to have a new tire installed for this past season.  Used it once for a test and tune day (bike seemed to have a bit more vibration), then removed to keep for Mosport.  Installed it before the race weekend, and noticed a bunch of run out (2mm+).  Not only does it have run out, but it's also out of round now.   Going back to a guy I know will get it right.

[MRieck]

Yeah, i know i haven't posted on this thread in a long time but the project is not dead- it just went dormant for a while. With our fearless leader Sam Green  back on the side of  the pond chomping at the bit to race i figured i had get busy again. Decided to make a another run at getting the SS together since  the Sam Green Racing Team plans to make a showing at the Man Cup Race in Bradenton next month. Pulled the cover off the bike, rolled it  out of the corner and dusted it off to see where i left off over a year ago.

I put the bike on the ATV lift and start checkign things over. One of the last things i did before i quit working on the bike is to put a set of light weight wheels on it to decrease the overall weight of the package. Weight is directly related to ET. The less you have, the quicker you go. The lighter the better and the wheels are the key to me dropping some pounds off the package to go quicker since i'm not planning to step the motor up anytime soon. I decided to spin the front wheel to check the wheel bearings and notice that although it spun easily, it seemed like the tire had a lot of runout. Closer inspection tells me the tire does have an issue but it seems i may have a problem with the runout on the rim as well. Darn. That rim was okay when i bought i used because i check the runout when it came in the mail. The only way it cold get bent was during the mounting process. My tire guy did mention he had a hard time with the valve stem and took the tire off the rim at least 4 times to repair the leakage. Given the fact the rim is so thin to begin with, my guess is he bent the damn thing while mounting or dismounting the used tire i provided. Crap. I put a fixed pointer against both the tire and the rim and sure enough, that tire is off radially but so is the freakin rim but not as much.  I'm going to order a new tire, mount it myself and then see what i get. I'm hoping its not so bad once the new tire goes on.

Time is a bit too short to send that rim out but i think i'll be fine.

Geez....I don't know how you bend one of those rims Frank. It's a PM wheel....right?

[dragracer]

Yeah, i know i haven't posted on this thread in a long time but the project is not dead- it just went dormant for a while. With our fearless leader Sam Green  back on the side of  the pond chomping at the bit to race i figured i had get busy again. Decided to make a another run at getting the SS together since  the Sam Green Racing Team plans to make a showing at the Man Cup Race in Bradenton next month. Pulled the cover off the bike, rolled it  out of the corner and dusted it off to see where i left off over a year ago.

I put the bike on the ATV lift and start checkign things over. One of the last things i did before i quit working on the bike is to put a set of light weight wheels on it to decrease the overall weight of the package. Weight is directly related to ET. The less you have, the quicker you go. The lighter the better and the wheels are the key to me dropping some pounds off the package to go quicker since i'm not planning to step the motor up anytime soon. I decided to spin the front wheel to check the wheel bearings and notice that although it spun easily, it seemed like the tire had a lot of runout. Closer inspection tells me the tire does have an issue but it seems i may have a problem with the runout on the rim as well. Darn. That rim was okay when i bought i used because i check the runout when it came in the mail. The only way it cold get bent was during the mounting process. My tire guy did mention he had a hard time with the valve stem and took the tire off the rim at least 4 times to repair the leakage. Given the fact the rim is so thin to begin with, my guess is he bent the damn thing while mounting or dismounting the used tire i provided. Crap. I put a fixed pointer against both the tire and the rim and sure enough, that tire is off radially but so is the freakin rim but not as much.  I'm going to order a new tire, mount it myself and then see what i get. I'm hoping its not so bad once the new tire goes on.

Time is a bit too short to send that rim out but i think i'll be fine.

Geez....I don't know how you bend one of those rims Frank. It's a PM wheel....right?

Yeap, race PM. Very thin and its only 2.5" wide. My guess is he used large hand tools to put the tire on the rim and got careless somehow. It took me 4 years to find the narrow 18" wheel so this is very disappointing to me. It can be repaired but i'm going to get the new tire on first and see how back the runout is then.

[dragracer]

Ordered a new V- rated tire and it should be here by friday. Hopefully once i get it mounted, the overall runout will be negligible. Plan to get to work hot and heavy tearing the bottom end down to install new bearings. If all goes well, i should have it completely back up no later than tuesday.

I was leaning towards getting the frame powder coated but i'll likely just take it all apart and spray it myself to save a few $$$. I can save that money for entry fee at the Man Cup race. Time is running out fellas but i believe i can pull it off.

[Sam Green Racing]

Go for it Frankie. 

Sam.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Put the keyboard down and back away! Reminds me I need to do the same. Screw this I'm heading out to do the main bearings!!

[dragracer]

Put the keyboard down and back away! Reminds me I need to do the same. Screw this I'm heading out to do the main bearings!!

Lol Jerry, it was a bit after 8am this morning when i posted that so i was at work. Still at work but winding down. And you're right, less keyboard strokes mean more wrenches turned. Nothing like your friends to give you a swift kick in the butt to put you right back in focus.

[dragracer]

Oh yeah, and some of us just like to hear ourselves talk and not produce results. Hahaha!

[dusterdude]

Yea,kinda like sam lol

[Sam Green Racing]

ya can go off people ya know. 

[dragracer]

Yea,kinda like sam lol

Hhahaha Mark, good one. But Sam is going to get you for that.

[scottly]

I was leaning towards getting the frame powder coated but i'll likely just take it all apart and spray it myself to save a few $$$. I can save that money for entry fee at the Man Cup race. Time is running out fellas but i believe i can pull it off.

Wait a minute; you are worried about running out of time, and you are even considering wasting precious time on making things pretty??? 

[Sam Green Racing]

That's his GAY side Scott. hahahahahaha

Sam

[scottly]

Then his gay side can go to a beauty pageant, while his dominant hetro side can slap together a race bike.

[Sam Green Racing]

 

[dragracer]

Then his gay side can go to a beauty pageant, while his dominant hetro side can slap together a race bike.

This whole job should have been done last year and the powdercoating was on the list for this season. Its gotten stricken from the list. More of a longevity thing to keep the frame from looking too ratty-lol. Spray bomb paint from a rattle can is all she'll get now but only after all the mechanicals are done and i know i can make the race. Otherwise, i'll keep my gayness in the closet thanks  to our fearless leader Sam. Don't you just hate getting outted. Hahahaha.

[scottly]

Hey Frank, just trying to keep you from falling into the "pretty" trap I recently fell into with the Ascot: a couple of hours to actually repair the rear brake and swingarm bearings, and months to make things pretty..

[joe p]

Never enough time to work on my bike.  PMRA last race this year is Oct 26. Every class is paying $1,000 1st place, and my engine is in four boxes .

[dragracer]

Hey Frank, just trying to keep you from falling into the "pretty" trap I recently fell into with the Ascot: a couple of hours to actually repair the rear brake and swingarm bearings, and months to make things pretty..

Scottly, thats why i appreciate all my SOHC friends. We all have a way of bringing reality to the party. Lol. Made some more progress last night. I had to widen my rear tail support  to accommodate the wider 190 tire so i welded in some flat bars and then cut out the out old stuff. I've got a bit of tweaking to do so the tail goes on easier and need to find a plastic or fiberglas fenderrette to replace the broken one. I'm picking at it everyday now. Hopefully the weekend will net a lot of completed work towards getting the bike done in time.  Still need  to order a replacement steering dampner- the other failed not long before i parked the bike. I can always get one trackside from a vendor  in Bradenton.

If i can't get my bike done, I'm sure my friend Bill Benton will let me ride one of his SOHC's- Lol.

[754]

1000 bux, that would be fun to win..

[joe p]

Yeah! $1,000 S/ET, PRO/ET, SG(9.90), SS(9.50), SC(8.90), TG(8.20). If I can get my bike running I may run PRO/ET and SC.

[dragracer]

Yeah! $1,000 S/ET, PRO/ET, SG(9.90), SS(9.50), SC(8.90), TG(8.20). If I can get my bike running I may run PRO/ET and SC.

That would be a nice pay day.

[dragracer]

Got a few more things done tonight. I pulled the front wheel off, dismounted the old tire and put on a new one. Man was that like real work. I had to move slowly and carefully to keep from bending that thin race wheel. I know now how my tire guy could have bent it to begin with. I also pulled the front forks off the bike. I'm going to disassemble them for new seals and  stiffen and shorten them internally about a 2 inches so i can get the bike lower to the ground. I had to do more fabrication to the back end of the bike so i could reinstall the fender that was on the bike. The bike would squat on a hard launch and it rubbed a big hole in the plastic. I reattached it higher up but now i have to fiberglass the dang hole.

The goal is to finish all i started with the chassis on today (saturday) but no later than midday sunday. I need to get back on my motor work sunday night and have it done by next sunday. I've got to get this thing tested before the Cup race to be sure its ready. I don't want to embarrass our fearless leader and his trusty sidekick Tontoe, umm Bill i mean.

And Scottly, frame painting  is not included on my list this time around. Lol.

Still working boss!!

[dragracer]

I just aired up the new tire I mounted on the rim and its holding pressure. No leaks this time around the steel valve stem because I put a dab of gray rtv between the rim and stem. Happy about that. Spun the tire and it seems to be much better on the run out than the old tire. I might be okay to race it over 120mph .

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Not planning on using 5th gear??