Topic: Starting off.

[LWATCDR]

I am cleaning out my garage and have started to work on my K8.
I pulled the tank off last night but that is about as far as I got. I tore up my right hand Monday so it hurts to get too much grime on it. I guess I need to find some gloves.
Well I found some surface rust on the frame. and some duct tape on the wiring harness.

So should I plan on taking everything apart?
Should I get the frame media blasted or try to do it by hand.
How much will it cost to get it powder coated or should I just do a paint job on it?
If I have to strip it all the way down for powder coating should I plan on upgrading the swingarm bearing?
And how scary is it going to be to pull off the font end?
The tanks looks like it has some surface rust and some bubbling paint but no leaks.
I plan on cleaning it out and using some evaporust on it. Then probably Kreem/POR the tank for good measure.
I have worked on cars but not bikes and that was a while ago.
The nice thing is the parts are a lot lighter.

[mystic_1]

So should I plan on taking everything apart?

Depends on what you're going for.  If all you want to do is to get it on the road, you can just address the most pressing issues, do a quick de-rust and touch up on rusty areas, and slap it all back together.

If it were me, though, I'd go ahead and strip it as far down as possible (short of cracking the engine unless it needs it) and get everything taken care of at once.  Far less chance of something coming back to haunt you some day.

Re: stripping the frame, if you have media blasting services available to you and it's within your budget, I'd go that way.  If you want to save some bucks you can strip it yourself but it's tedious and time-consuming.

Powdercoating prices will vary, but if you want the ultimate in durability that's the way to go.  Paint will certainly be less expensive but will scratch easier (particularly during engine installation ) however paint can be touched up, whereas powdercoat cannot.

You can drop the whole front end as a unit if you want, just pop the top triple tree and remove the steering stem hardware, then slide the fork assembly out of the headstock.  Of course, if you need to service the forks you're better off pulling the legs off and before pulling the trees off.

You don't necessarily have to do anything with the swingarm bearing unless you want/need to.  If yours is worn you'll need to get that sorted but painting hte frame does not necessarily require a swingarm bearing replacement.

If your tank has bubbling paint, check it carefully for leaks AFTER using the evaporust.  You may find that the rust is all that's holding the tank together in places.  Hope can tell you how much it sucks to have a leak develop after you've got the tank repainted.

cheers
mystic_1

[LWATCDR]

Yea I intend to test it after the evaporust. I really don't want to hunt down a new tanks.
If it is still tight I am going to use POR and the get it media blasted. Re test and then deal with the painting.

If I am going to take the thing apart anyway it would seem like a good plan to replace the swing arm bushing. I hear that it really helps with the handling and I have no idea what condition it is in now. Plus the thing is apart.
The forks will of course get new fluid since I have no idea how old it is. And I was planing on doing the brakes as well.
There is an old saying in flying. Takeoffs are optional. Landings are mandatory.
When it comes to motorcycles stopping is mandatory.
I have pods on it and I have a friend that will clean the carbs for me. So the question is will I need to rejet them to run right.

[mystic_1]

I agree that if you take everything apart it would make sense to replace the swingarm bushings, which are pressed into the swingarm itself not the frame.  I'd also consider upgrading the steering head bearings with tapered bearings from All Balls and you may as well to your wheel bearings while you're at it.

It couldn't hurt to replace the bushings in the swingarm where the shocks mount, too.  May as well cover all the bases for a nice steady, wobble-free ride.

I have pods on it and I have a friend that will clean the carbs for me. So the question is will I need to rejet them to run right.

Most likely, yes.  If you have the stock airbox, I'd try to get it running on that first, and then after everything else seems ok convert to pods and start fiddling with the carbs.  That way you're starting from a known starting point.

cheers
mystic_1

[Hush]

Can you post some photos for us please, we work better with a visual clue and it is always nice to have a before and after shot of a project.
I always start by getting the motor running first so I know how much $$ its gonna cost me to put it on the road.
Frame/handling are things you can do while the engine is being repaired/replaced.

[KB02]

The tanks looks like it has some surface rust and some bubbling paint but no leaks.

Bubbling paint is usually an indication of a small leak, or at least a seep. It would be a good idea to seal it.

[LWATCDR]

If there is a leak should I just get a replacment. I found one for $50. Seems like a solid tank is a good thing.
It looks like new tanks are still available from Honda. At least the online catalogs seem to list them but they are not cheap!

[mystic_1]

If you can get a good solid tank for $50 than that's the way I would go.  You'd likely spend at least $50 trying to fix up a rusty tank, probably more than that really.

mystic_1