Bringing the old girl into the new millennia

[ribbert]

OK Fred, I've never been able to get my head around this.
Noel

OK, FJ Johnnie, Bones, Giantkiller, Arnie, Fred, everyone is right, the confusion lies in talking about different different things.

It is a geometric fact that if your brake arm is connected to the frame, the caliper must be allowed to rotate.

So, with the axle tight, if the design of the hanger allows the caliper to rotate, you can mount the arm on the frame (or swing arm)
If, the hanger is designed to lock up when the axle is tightened, like mine, the brake arm must be mounted on the swing arm.

It seems with the 17" conversions and a number of different donor bikes, we have a mixture of both. I for example have an FZR600R assembly that clamps tight.

Don't you love a happy ending.

Noel

[Urban_Legend]

I love a happy ending Noel.

With the Calliper hanger (carrier) on my conversion (92 GSXR), the hanger is movable with the axel tightened.

Mark

[Arnie]

 

[Urban_Legend]

All fixed now.  Just needs to be painted.

[FJmonkey]

Looking good....

[Urban_Legend]

Hopefully now a can get the refurbished 89 FJ front end onbthis weekend. Looking forward to decent brakes and suspension.

[Urban_Legend]

Well the front end is fitted up and the brakes are bleed. How ever I forgot one tiny detail, I didn't get a new brake leave for the 89 master cylinder. I discovered my old 84 MC wasn't up to the task and may have been the cause of some of my braking issues.

[FJmonkey]

Looking good....

[Urban_Legend]

Hello fellow FJer's. Here is a bit of a build report.

Well today I finally managed to take the bike for a ride with all the new bits (only about 20km). Now, how do I put this. Ummmmm........ Holy Sh#t. F&*k me. Wow!. Last year I used to own a 2004 Triumph Sprint ST with all the fruit. The old FJ now handles and stops every bit as good. To put it into perspective. I was coming up to a stop sign in a 100km (65mile) speed zone, and as an experiment, I applied the brake where I used to with the original brakes......and.....I stopped nearly a full 20m short of the sign. 20m shorter stopping distance is a HUGE improvement. And with the old brakes I was using all fingers to apply the brakes, now 2 fingers easy. Only now do I really understand how crap by brakes were. So the brakes now are - Fully rebuilt 89 FJ callipers with new pistions and seal plus HH pads and new disc rotor and a FJR (at least this is what Richard - Roverfj1200 -  thought it was) Master Cylinder.

The front suspension (89FJ items donated from Richard, thanks again mate) with the Racetech springs and Gold emulators, now feels planted and confident. In Short it is a whole new and different bike to ride . I think the bike might stand a little taller now too, because the side stand now seems way too short. It always seemed short, but even more so now. I will add a bit to the bottom of the stand in the near future, but for now I am one happy camper. Next job now is to give the motor a bit of a freshen up.

In the meantime, keep it shiny side up guys 


Mark

[Urban_Legend]

It has been a big day in the "Oily Rag Garage". i have finally got one of Randy's detent shift kits installed and just need to take it for a test ride now. Checked to clutch while it was out, and it still looks in good shape (though i no expert in such things). The old girl also got some nice fresh oil and i bleed the clutch and rear brake (had no feel at all - much better now).





Since my last post on this project i have also given the carbies a quick overhaul to try and make the bike a bit more responsive. I think i have achieved this.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=14676.0

I am also trying to save some dollars to get a 1200 motor and a 1200 parts bike. (moditis is a curse sometimes)
I am getting there slowly with all of my objectives with this bike, and every change i make to her is an improvement.

Mark

[Urban_Legend]

Hey All.

Been a while since I put anything up about the old girl. Not much to say unfortunately not much has changed. I have been working on contract which may give me more money, but I am usually knackered by the weekends and as such I am doing less riding. The bike has had a few unfortunate events happen to it, like losing the center nut from the triple clamp. don't ask me how. It was there before I went for a ride with Klavdy and Handsome Pom and not there when i got home. Another thing to happen was when i had the fairing off to fix a dodgy wire my step son (aged 6 ) ran into the shed chasing the cat and stood on an broke my screen. I was not a happy camper, but it is replaceable and he later apologized, so one new screen is now on order.
In preparation for our Aussie FJ Rally I have decided to put some clear wrap on the tank to protect it from scratches from my tank bag and some Carbon Fibre look wrap for my fairing to hide on previous sins. After fighting with the plastic for 4 hours it is on. I am not really happy with the result but it will do for the time being.