85 FJ1100 refurbishment/custom

[Joe Sull]

Thanks Craig, I'll look for them. Since you guy's are in the mood for the detail work
I have revisited a few parts that I thought buffed out lousy. They still showed some casting
pits that I didn't like.

The upper clamp is made out of an alloy what I'll describe as "The hardest material known to man"
It laughs at 100# grid sandpaper. Again, I sanded the living piss out of it. I finally got it right.
It will only be getting a clear coat I decided. It ready for the polishing wheel.






I got the sprocket cover ready.




I went back to 100# grid and came up through to 600# with the clutch slave too.
I didn't like the way it looked. ready for polish and clear coat.





I ordered my frame paint. Hot rod red acrylic enamel and it's on the way.
Getting closer!

[andyoutandabout]

With all this sanding, one wonders how much weight you've shaved off? Every little bit helps. You've obviously a vision with this bike. It's going to be quiet thrilling to see the finished article.
Andy

[Joe Sull]

Thanks for the kind words Andy.
I guess that I have a vision of what I want this bike to look like. It's not like I had a dream or anything .
The way I look at it, you buy a bike that you like. It's a package that's pleasing to the eye but it's basic. They make
any number of them and except for 1 or 2 color scheme differences there the same. A lot of people put a lot of thought into
these machines. I think there great just the way they are except for the details like rough castings that are covered with
thick black paint. I'll just want to make it my own. I have Hot rod red paint coming for the frames. I'm looking
at something much brighter for the body. Here some links that I've been looking at. They my be usefull.

Hot rod red.
http://www.colorcodehex.com/d20117/

Coral red.
http://encycolorpedia.com/ff4040

These site take some time to get to know your way around. I've learned a lot.

I was looking at the complimentary color, Cyan. I might try to fit that into my scheme.
I might just finish sanding and polish the wheels. I'm already 2/3 of the way there.
I got 3 months till I need the bike running.
My idea is to make it look different, maybe radical but still pleasing to the eye.

[fj johnnie]

 The amount of time and effort you are spending on your bike humbles me. Keep up the good work.

[Joe Sull]

Johnnie, It's just cause I've got nothing to do at this time of year. All our work is seasonal and we just hunker down for the winter.

A little story;
I went up to a auto supply store to buy some paint a couple of weeks ago. I told the guy I wanted some bright red paint and he asked me for the code. I told him that I had already called before hand and someone said just come up and we'll look it up for you. So he found some bright red paint and said how about hot rod red and showed me a page on his computer. "That looks good" I said. He goes back and mixes up the paint. 20 minutes later he comes out with the quart and pops the lid. It looked like some sort of pinkish, mauve, kucky color. I said "That ain't the color you showed me." "we'll , it looks different on the computer" he Say's. "You don't expect me to pay for that do you?
I walked. I came home and looked up hot rod red on the TC Global site and they had it. It's the color I wanted. I ordered it and started looking into another color for the body of the bike. I want the frame hot rod red. I searched on google " hot rod red"  images. There must be 100 shades of this color and most of them looked like the color the guy mixed at the store.
I got cold feet and tried to call and change my order but no answer. I tried emailing. Two days went by and I got an email saying it was to late, the paint was already in route.
I figured, with my luck, it's going to end up the same kucky color as the guy mixed me in the store. Well...It came in today and it exactly what I wanted. I'm happy as a clam with it and it's going to work out with my color scheme perfect. Here's a couple of pics.



The little dot on top says it all.




I got some other stuff done.

I took the white connectors on my coils apart and cleaned good.



I sanded the hell out of the rotors and the swing arm will be metalcast green or red, I will think it over.

It's getting good now!

[Arnie]

If you want to specify a color (colour for those of UK bent) use the Pantone system.
It is the most widely used set of standard colors available and every printer will know and be able to match to it.
Here's a site to start with:   http://sumerdigital.com/pantone_colour_chart.php?tabs=0

There are also supplimentary pantone charts for gloss and metallic colors

Arnie

[Joe Sull]

  I've turned the corner and moving toward the bike going back together. I was all ready to paint the frames today but the wife through her back out and she's hirt'n. At the moment, I don't have to much time to myself so it will wait a little. I am able to work at the kitchen table and have been doing some painting.
Denatured alcohol for cleaning and painting with rustoleum has very little odor. So I'm just sitting down generating eye candy.





It's a nice warm day and I have been able to spray some metalcast. The parts really sparkle
in the sun and I like it.



I painted the starter, the steel part, in the middle with rustoleum and the alum. ends are metalcast.
The generator has some rustoleum in the insets in front.




The front wheel looks really good. I taped off the areas I'm going to polish, basically the same as it was.



I'll be clearcoating all the metalcast soon.

[FeralRdr]

.........

Thank you! Yes if you have time next week please post or PM me with a picture or two. Last week I built a shock spring compressor which works fine for home use. Good idea on starting a "tool" thread. TNX have a good Xmas.
George

Sorry George for taking a little longer than anticipated to get these posted up. 

As you can see, the tool has been modified again.  In order to make the tool more single user friendly, my friend cut off the T-Handle, and welded on a large bolt.  This allowed him to use the tool in conjunction with his drill press to compress and hold the valve springs.  This does mean that the head has to come off, and he does have to rig up a bracket to align the head in a way that places the valve stem perfectly in alignment with the tool, but it does make it easier for one person to use the tool.  Of course an actual dedicated valve spring compressor tool would work even better and easier, but the cost of a good one is prohibitive for him, and this works well enough for his needs.  Also, he figures that if for any reason he needs to compress the valve spring with the head on the engine, he could always weld another handle on an appropriate sized nut and just screw it on to the bolt.

The tool on the left is just a U-shaped piece of square stock with half of a washer welded to one end.  This is what we used to get the old valve stem seals off.  With that tool, all we had to do was just slip the tool down along the valve stem, and just hook the half washer end under the old seal and just gently lift it up.  This prevents damaging the seal as you remove it.  Our concern was having the old seals come apart on us as we pulled them out and ending up with debris in the valves. 

[movenon]

Thanks I will give that a try when I get caught up on the FJ. Got 3 little current mods going all at once on the FJ. I would like to get one or two done before I do the valve stem seals. But I do have a start on it .....


3/4 inch thin wall deep socket, fits nicely on a 25 mm shim.

Sorry about hi jacking your thread Joe.... Back to regular programing....
George

[racerrad8]

3/4 inch thin wall deep socket, fits nicely on a 25 mm shim.

George, that might be too big, the valve spring retainer is smaller then the bucket & shim.

I am not at the shop to measure a retainer to confirm.

Randy - RPM

[movenon]

I am short on data there Randy. The only work in that area of the FJ that I have done is adjust the valves. I think what happens is that washer you see in the photo gets welded to the bottom of the modified socket thus providing a shoulder to rest on the keeper retainer, the hole is to let the stem and keeper through.
At least that's the way I visualize it ?

The best way is to just remove the head and change the stem seals but I am up for a challenge    I guess.....  Have to design an adjustable rod or attachment for a controlled levering point. I am resisting pulling the head off because of my "nature"     If the head comes off it will be a financial avalanche..... Then the whole top end.... etc..

My compression gauge has a air coupler on it with a 18mm plug fitting on the end and a while back I ordered some adapters to convert the 18mm to 14- 12 and 10mm plug threads. So I can just couple the hose up via the 12mm adapter to my air compressor with the piston at TDC. Might be a bad think if the air pressure pushed down the piston  I will lock it and keep the PSI down until I get warm fuzzy that all is well.

I will order the seals when I get that closer Randy.  I have some other irons in the fire to get out first.
George

[FeralRdr]

I'll try to double check the actual measurement of the tool's diameter tomorrow if possible (if my buddy is in his shop).  Though I did not design the tool, I do recall we used one of my buckets as a guideline for the dimension, and my previous statement of a 25mm diameter was based on the size of the FJ's shim size.  Also, I'll double check on the recommended PSI for keeping the valves closed. 

George is correct for how the washer on the bottom of the tool is the part that pushes against the spring retainer (at least that's what the design was intended to do).

[movenon]

The outside diameter of the socket is the same as a shim so it should slip down fine. I can dress the outside diameter a bit if needed ?
Thanks.
George

[FeralRdr]

OK I heard from my buddy and he sent me these picts, and reafirmed that 25mm should be fine.



As you can see, the tool is a hair over an inch (1 inch = 25.4 mm).  If I remember correctly, the bucket is a just a little bit larger than the shim, as there is a raised rim that holds the shim in place on top of the bucket.  I can confirm that this tool easily fits in the bucket's hole.



Unfortunately, in regards to how much PSI is needed to keep the valves closed, I can't give you a firm number.  My buddy couldn't recall what it took, but he did recall putting a 2x4 through the rear wheel to keep the crank from turning.  He suggested starting at about 60 PSI and working your way up if necessary.

[movenon]

Thanks   The OD of the Craftsman 3/4" deep thin wall 3/8" drive socket is 25.14mm. A piece of sandpaper would trim .14mm in a heart beat. But it looks and feels perfect setting on top of a shim. Probably work as is.

And thanks again to Joe for letting us jump in on his thread. Keep the pictures coming Joe  
George