Author Topic: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?  (Read 277622 times)

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Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4050 on: April 21, 2025, 04:31:43 PM »
Joe…… fairly large work list!

Spent the day cleaning up small items on the race car and still lots to do. We’re heading to the track Thursday afternoon so “short week”! Three sets of brake pads arrived today,nothing missing. The fuel cell vent pipe pushes out a bit of gas when we deliberately over fill (1/2 way up the 3” fill pipe). Going to make a catch tank that will fit in the first part of the vertical vent hose. Every little bit helps as we just barely make it through a full 120 minute driving stint…….

Offline CycleRanger

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4051 on: April 21, 2025, 08:38:16 PM »
Today it was new shoes and drums on the Tundra.
It took me longer to back off the adjusters than it did change the brakes. ::)
New drums because I figured at ~276K miles I'd gotten my money's worth out the originals.

Do you have a copy of the Honda Shop Manual or Parts List for your bike? Get one here:
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Offline Don R

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4052 on: April 22, 2025, 03:24:17 PM »
 I started re-piping the fuel pump and carb on the dragster, I had intended to keep everything ready to bolt back on but that didn't happen. The fuel pump to regulator line may or may not reach, that's a shame it's one of the newer ones.
 I did try super glue on the braided hose before the cut and the covering didn't unravel much, I might be on to something.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
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Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4053 on: April 22, 2025, 06:45:24 PM »
Got it pretty much ready! Racing starts Friday morning. Sorting trailer and spares tomorrow, one more set of tires to mount and balance. Charge the radios and go through my gear. It never ends…… Yahoo!

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4054 on: April 22, 2025, 07:03:07 PM »
Don…. I usually use two wraps of stretchy, black plastic electrical tape and find a really new, sharp fine tooth hack saw blade gives best results. The glue is an interesting idea! Will try it.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2025, 12:58:02 PM by BenelliSEI »

Offline Stev-o

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4055 on: April 23, 2025, 07:00:08 AM »
Today it was new shoes and drums on the Tundra.

Hey Ranger ...  I've had four Tacomas over the years and never changed the rear shoes! Only the front pads and my current Tacoma is overdue.  I usually run the Tacos up to 200K miles and trade up...
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline Kelly E

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4056 on: April 23, 2025, 06:34:23 PM »
Today the boy hauled his first load of firewood with the quad that we recently resurrected. 8)
Never Give Up - Never Surrender

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0                                            1971 MGB/GT
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport                          1972 MGB/GT
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD                                   1985 GMC S15
1978 Kawasaki KL 250
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda VF 700S Sabre
1984 Honda VF 1000F Interceptor
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans
1994 Kawasaki Concours ZG 1000A9
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy

Offline Don R

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4057 on: April 23, 2025, 11:33:45 PM »
 I re-made some braided hose for the dragster and installed the low-pressure fuel pump for the carb. I need to make a pressure test rig for my fuel hoses.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline CBJoe

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4058 on: April 24, 2025, 12:55:21 PM »
Firebird has had very twitchy steering for a while on uneven surfaces.... finally broke out the string line and measurement devices and found the front to be toed out almost 8mm.....where it should be toed in around 4mm.

Fingers crossed it has an improvement.  Waiting for a storm to pass and will take to some country roads



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Offline grcamna2

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4059 on: April 24, 2025, 01:10:01 PM »
Firebird has had very twitchy steering for a while on uneven surfaces.... finally broke out the string line and measurement devices and found the front to be toed out almost 8mm.....where it should be toed in around 4mm.

Fingers crossed it has an improvement.  Waiting for a storm to pass and will take to some country roads



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That will certainly make a difference CBJoe.
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4060 on: April 24, 2025, 02:44:39 PM »
Today the boy hauled his first load of firewood with the quad that we recently resurrected. 8)

They both look good!

Offline dave500

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4061 on: April 24, 2025, 03:04:38 PM »
that is an awesome car,i want one!!

Offline Kelly E

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4062 on: April 24, 2025, 03:39:49 PM »
Today I fixed the tractor, Woo Hoo. 8)
I had bought a new gear reduction starter for it but when I installed it all it did was spin. >:(
So I took the 49yo original starter apart and cleaned the hell out of it. I put it back in and it works again. 8)
Never Give Up - Never Surrender

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0                                            1971 MGB/GT
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport                          1972 MGB/GT
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD                                   1985 GMC S15
1978 Kawasaki KL 250
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda VF 700S Sabre
1984 Honda VF 1000F Interceptor
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans
1994 Kawasaki Concours ZG 1000A9
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy

Offline BallAquatics

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4063 on: April 24, 2025, 04:11:23 PM »
Back to working on the mower deck.  It seems as though the bracket, (that holds the idler pulley that toasted the sealed bearing last week), was bent when the belt was launched.  It's like 1/4" steel bar and doesn't show any signs of damage, but once everything was reinstalled it quickly threw a new belt.

I put a couple of flat washers between the bracket assembly and the deck to raise it up just a bit and it seems to have fixed the problem.....  It's a bit fiddly with a shoulder bolt and a tension spring.  I'll probably end up just replacing the lot for around  $150 on-line.  My local Cub dealer is all over the place when it comes to prices.  Some things they are doing okay, and others they are out of site on.

Dennis...  70 SL175  74 CB550  79 CBX  82 Seca Turbo  2011 CBR  2012 NC700X

You will regret the bikes you DIDN'T buy much more than the ones you DID!!!  It's never too late to start a new adventure!

Offline Don R

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4064 on: April 24, 2025, 09:55:46 PM »
 I pulled the 40 chevy out of the shop to swap it for a bike in the storage unit, a friend stopped by and we talked about the storm that want through. He mentioned trees down around his area and said there's still a big limb hanging. It turned out he meant it was hanging over my car!
 it's 4-5" diameter at the big end and directly over my 40. I put the car back inside, got a tree trimmer pole that was too short, a step ladder, a winch cable, a bamboo pole and tape. It made a pole just long enough to get the cable over the limb, I shook the weight down and looped it through the other end, hooked that to my golf cart and started pulling away from my trailer, when it seemed to move I gassed the cart and dropped it right in the driveway with the heavy end where I wanted it. whew.
  The neighbor lady who owns the trees owes me one. I got Asparagus. OK then.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline dave500

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4065 on: April 24, 2025, 10:53:57 PM »
further to who hates the smell of heavy diff oil is who hates dirty dirty brake jobs,i topped up my weeping diff with my new pump I made,only took a cup,then seeing the car was jacked up thought Id try my new ryobi biggest one they make rattle gun and popped of a rear wheel and the drum only to find a leaking wheel cylinder!I had a pair of new ones already so got to work,man brakes have to be the filthiest things on a car?it didnt get on the shoes at all so good catch,I have a spare set of those aswell.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2025, 10:57:31 PM by dave500 »

Offline CBJoe

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4066 on: April 25, 2025, 03:11:20 AM »
I always feel like such a failed mechanic when I work on drum brakes ....no matter how many times I've rebuilt them I never get GOOD at it.....I despise servicing them.

And I'll have to do the jeeps soon when I pull the axles

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Offline dave500

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4067 on: April 25, 2025, 03:34:57 AM »
with drums do one side at a time!,take a photo first,those can be a fickle thing to get back together if a weirdo spring is the wrong way round,drum rears are fine,I like em,dont like servicing em though.,
trick is once done say new shoes or what ever,leave em slack poor adjustment few days,once been used a day or two itll all have self centred etc,then do your final brake adjust,but even then leave em a little slack if you can,most over adjust them,also dont delete the self adjusters,these actually work if clean and good shoes,be sure the winder threads you adjust by hand are clean and free aswell.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2025, 03:53:28 AM by dave500 »

Offline CycleRanger

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4068 on: April 25, 2025, 05:12:44 AM »
further to who hates the smell of heavy diff oil is who hates dirty dirty brake jobs, I topped up my weeping diff with my new pump I made, only took a cup, then seeing the car was jacked up thought I'd try my new Ryobi biggest one they make rattle gun and popped of a rear wheel and the drum only to find a leaking wheel cylinder! I had a pair of new ones already so got to work,man brakes have to be the filthiest things on a car? It didn't get on the shoes at all so good catch, I have a spare set of those as well.
Indeed, drum brakes are absolute filth. When I redid my mine the other day I went through almost two cans of brake cleaner and left black stains on the driveway. I was really glad my wheel cylinders were still holding up.
Do you have a copy of the Honda Shop Manual or Parts List for your bike? Get one here:
https://www.honda4fun.com/materiale/documentazione-tecnica
CB750K5        '79 XL250s     CL350K3
CB750K3        '76 XS650      '76 CJ360T

Offline Stev-o

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4069 on: April 25, 2025, 07:02:27 AM »
Firebird has had very twitchy steering for a while on uneven surfaces....



Great lookin' car Joe...hope that helps the handling.  I feel your pain...
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline Stev-o

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4070 on: April 25, 2025, 07:19:30 AM »
After much research on the front suspension of the '69 Mustang [the vintage Mustang forum is excellent] I decided against an upgrade of a Borgeson steering box, and had OEM components rebuilt by an expert in IL. I bought them used and shipped them, within a week they were rebuilt to show quality and headed to me.
Here is the steering box, control valve and ram...

So, now that I have the parts, I had the car transported to my buddy's shop, [roadside assist, no charge] he has a lift and all the tools necessary to make the exchange...
Once on the lift, we confirmed that the steering box was the most likely culprit on the steering slop, and 1 missing bolt didnt help! [I have newly restored bolts too]
A close inspection showed cracks on the power steering hoses, so those were ordered and will be replaced as part of the job. 

So nice to have the car up a lift to inspect everything. The undercarriage is rock solid, no rust to speak of, these cars were prone to rust.  I do have a minor oil leak, seems all classic cars at least "weep", I took a little time to wipe down some of the parts under there.

Update on the Mach 1:   the rebuilt steering components are installed along with new PS hoses...



A bad tie rod end was also found and replaced...



A nice long test ride ensued and I am pleased!   

Next issue I need to solve is the dreaded "hot engine - slow crank". Engine cranks great when cold, slow when hot.

'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline grcamna2

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4071 on: April 25, 2025, 07:43:49 AM »
After much research on the front suspension of the '69 Mustang [the vintage Mustang forum is excellent] I decided against an upgrade of a Borgeson steering box, and had OEM components rebuilt by an expert in IL. I bought them used and shipped them, within a week they were rebuilt to show quality and headed to me.
Here is the steering box, control valve and ram...

So, now that I have the parts, I had the car transported to my buddy's shop, [roadside assist, no charge] he has a lift and all the tools necessary to make the exchange...
Once on the lift, we confirmed that the steering box was the most likely culprit on the steering slop, and 1 missing bolt didnt help! [I have newly restored bolts too]
A close inspection showed cracks on the power steering hoses, so those were ordered and will be replaced as part of the job. 

So nice to have the car up a lift to inspect everything. The undercarriage is rock solid, no rust to speak of, these cars were prone to rust.  I do have a minor oil leak, seems all classic cars at least "weep", I took a little time to wipe down some of the parts under there.

Update on the Mach 1:   the rebuilt steering components are installed along with new PS hoses...



A bad tie rod end was also found and replaced...



A nice long test ride ensued and I am pleased!   

Next issue I need to solve is the dreaded "hot engine - slow crank". Engine cranks great when cold, slow when hot.



Good steering-system progress Stev-o.
The starting problem may be the timing just a bit too advanced?
What fuel are you running in the car?
Tough to find Great gasoline anymore..
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline Stev-o

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4072 on: April 25, 2025, 09:46:23 AM »
Quote
Good steering-system progress Stev-o.
The starting problem may be the timing just a bit too advanced?
What fuel are you running in the car?
Tough to find Great gasoline anymore..

We actually just adjusted the timing as it was pinging a bit.  Last time I filled the tank I used "Ranch Regular" but put some octane booster in it.  I'll fill it with 93 next time.

My battery is good, cables were upgraded and now has a high torque starter to help crank when hot.

A guy on the Mustang forum suggested an MSD ignition control that retards the ignition a bit upon start up.
Any of you guys familiar with this?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8987?seid=srese1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUF3VH5tFJSydgRDAQfW8w3aP_SNinujSdmbrA9Tq3lFX_Ejv6h0iyAaAjtuEALw_wcB

'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline grcamna2

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4073 on: April 25, 2025, 11:02:55 AM »
Quote
Good steering-system progress Stev-o.
The starting problem may be the timing just a bit too advanced?
What fuel are you running in the car?
Tough to find Great gasoline anymore..

We actually just adjusted the timing as it was pinging a bit.  Last time I filled the tank I used "Ranch Regular" but put some octane booster in it.  I'll fill it with 93 next time.

My battery is good, cables were upgraded and now has a high torque starter to help crank when hot.

A guy on the Mustang forum suggested an MSD ignition control that retards the ignition a bit upon start up.
Any of you guys familiar with this?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8987?seid=srese1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUF3VH5tFJSydgRDAQfW8w3aP_SNinujSdmbrA9Tq3lFX_Ejv6h0iyAaAjtuEALw_wcB

I might suggest testing/replacing as many old vacuum lines & components as you can,considering the age of those hard rubber parts.
I found that vacuum leaks do weird things to how the carb mixes the fuel,even at start-up;the vacuum leaks keep the carb(less vacuum to suck mixture through the carb. venturis)from nicely atomizing the mixture down the manifold and it spits more raw gasoline into your cylinders,which will pre-ignite/ping.

Edit:how's your timing chain,much wear/miles ?
« Last Edit: April 25, 2025, 10:17:23 PM by grcamna2 »
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline CBJoe

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Re: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?
« Reply #4074 on: April 25, 2025, 04:41:32 PM »
Is it still cranking slow when hot with the high torque starter? 



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'07 Bonneville Black
'15 Moto Guzzi California 1400
CB750K2 Hot Rod Revival http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,171693.0.html
'65 CB77
'66 CM91 (C90'ish)