Bryan's 1989 FJ1200 rebirth in Poplar Grove, IL

[RPM - Robert]

When you order them just let me know that they are for the blue spots. I have them change the bottom fitting to a straight instead of the angled that the stock lines take. Either way they fit fine but the straight keeps the line a bit tighter to the caliper and looks a bit better IMO The ends swivel to allow proper fitment.

The kits that are non stock and "require" a different banjo bolt. Such as the two line, Spiegler includes the double banjo, the lower two they do not. Stock setups they do not include them either.

[Millietant]

It's interesting, my USD front end came with a single braided line to its right caliper, which had a double banjo bolt, and a single line from the right caliper to the left caliper. I considered using it, but also thought about the "high spot" over the top of the mudguard when bleeding.

But, to be honest, I just like the symmetrical/stock look of the setup using the brake splitter a have never had any problems bleeding my FJ brakes in over 30 years.

Mind you, $20 per banjo seems expensive !!!

[fj1289]

The Spengler lines RPM sells have adjustable banjos - they can be rotated as needed.  



Two more replies I didn't see ...

[Waiex191]

 Thank you Robert for the comprehensive reply.  Glad to see my thread has generated some interest and I appreciate all the advice and comments.

One of the mods suggested I use the gallery rather than embed pictures directly.  I'll give that a try.  I'm going to break my post into two and just do one picture on this one.

Here is my clutch slave all back together.  Wait, what is that spring - whoops. At least this time it came apart a lot easier.

[Waiex191]

Ok, my gallery picture worked.  

Before I chucked the slave back on, I cleaned up this area a little bit.


The snap ring in the master was much harder to get than in my dead brake master.  Still, with some judicious plier grinding I was able to get it out.


One thing I found hard about the disassembly - the metal ring in the dust boot had rusted to the snap ring and washer.  It was slightly damaged during removal.  Ultimately I did get everything cleaned up and ready to put back together.  I found the snap ring had yielded a little bit, so I used some pliers and tweaked it out.  I greased all the pivots.


In keeping with the theme for forgotten springs, I found this in the bag of clutch cylinder parts after I had everything assembled.  I figured it must be a return spring like the brakes have.  I took it apart but couldn't see where it went.  I tried sneaking it between the lever and the master anyway and it only restricted travel.  I am thinking it is my lost idle adjust spring - I must have put it in a bag so as to not lose it, then put the bag aside.  


With that sorted I put everything back together.  I used a vacuum bleeder to pull most of the fluid through, and did a few cycles of pump/crack the bleeder.


My clutch seems to work now.  And this concludes the first part of the rebirth that has not been too much of a disaster.  

[Millietant]

Hi Bryan - do you have a Haynes Manual for your FJ - there are exploded diagrams of most parts so you could see if the spring was part of the set up.

I got my clutch m/cyl repair kit from UK FJOC and they included an info sheet explaining how to do it. Perhaps RPM have something similar ? It might be good to check. 

[Waiex191]

Dean,
I have a factory service manual I bought from the dealer back in '89.  It is actually an FJ1100 manual, and in the front of the book they have appended on the various FJ supplements for the different models.  The top supplement is for my 89 FJ1200.  There is nothing about the clutch until I get to the oldest 1100 stuff, and it does have a poor exploded parts diagram.  Says something about a spring, but I couldn't make it out.

I am pretty sure it is the tension spring for the idle speed adjust.  I misplaced it earlier in the project.  Apparently I had put it in a plastic sandwich bag.  I reuse the bags because I'm cheap, and it finally resurfaced.  I've put it in my carb parts pile.

Speaking of carbs, Pete's carbs have made it as far as JFK (the airport) according to Canada Post tracking, as of a couple of days ago. 

Should my clutch give me problems later I'll certainly buy some RPM rebuild kits.  That $100 slave cylinder seems like a bargain!

[Millietant]

Ha ha, sandwich bags and plastic take away food containers are my downfall too.

Good luck with the work, I got a clutch m/cyl replacement seal kit for £23 here, which I thought made it a done deal that I'd just replace, rather than just clean and repair.

I've never gone with the Yamaha Manual.....in the days when I got my Haynes manual, getting a pukka Yamaha one was more difficult than winning a Isle of Man TT race 

[FJ1200W]

Well done!

[fj1289]

Best way I've found for bleeding brakes (or any hydraulic system).  One of those "why didn't I think of that?!"

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=18653.msg188783#msg188783

[Waiex191]

I've got teflon tape on all my bleeders.  Between the vacuum pump and the teflon tape it's easy to get good results.

I didn't work on the FJ today but my kid got plates for his V30 Magna and a learner's permit for himself.  First ride on the road for him. I was on the mighty GN.

[fj1289]

That's awesome!   

[Waiex191]

Thanks!  First time I've ridden with someone since - well before kids. 

Time to attack the rear brakes.  They sort of worked - I could spin the rear wheel, but when I pressed on the lever I couldn't.  Felt draggy though.  Here is the fluid I sucked out:


Rear caliper off.  It had EBC pads, so they have been changed at some point.


Using my trick to pop the piston:


It worked on the outside piston, but the inside one is stuck fast.  I may try the torch tomorrow. 


I don't need awesome rear brakes.  I need them to work safely, not leak, and keep the bike from rolling at a stop when I take my hands off the bars.  In my opinion all the magic belongs up front.

[Millietant]

Bloody hell Bryan....first ride on the road.....just got learners permit.....and riding a V30 Magna !!!!!!!!!!!!!  Your rider licencing training laws are wayyyyy more relaxed than ours !

Our youngest had been riding MX and Enduro bikes, off road, for 12 years, since he was 4 (up to and including a Suzuki RMX 450), but before he could even take to the roads on his learners permit/licence, on a 33mph restricted moped, he had to go through and pass a days training at an approved school and a skills examination.

After a year riding that moped, he had to do more training (both arena and accompanied road riding) and pass 3 exams (1 theory, 2 riding) before he was allowed to ride a bike of maximum 33 bhp power on the roads. He was limited to that for a further 2 years before being allowed to ride any bike he could get insured on.

To get insurance as a learner on any unrestricted bike (I realise V30's aren't "that" powerful, but a 500cc V4 ain't that slow  ) is simply impossible here, as well as being illegal.

Don't know whether that makes you lucky over there, or unlucky ?

[Waiex191]

Dean,
Many people here get a big bike as their first bike. I think that's really bad. I had a coworker who was going through a divorce and bought a ZX11.  Horrible first bike.  

My kid spent a bunch of hours riding my GN400 around the hangars.  Good low speed skills practice but of course no traffic experience. I would not want him on a moped or similar on the roads here.  In the states I think being slower than traffic is dangerous.  People here are oblivious. Where I grew up in New England, the roads were a lot different. Slower speed limits, curves and such.  Great for a small bike even mixing it up with cars.  Here the roads are straight and speed limits are generally 45-55 mph.  Heck bicycles are dangerous here.  

We are not cruiser people.  The Magna would not have been our first choice, but a neighbor gave it to him. Had been sitting and needed some TLC.  Less than 400 lbs, plenty of ooomph to be faster than traffic, but not superbike fast.  

I am not worried about him being irresponsible with the power and acceleration he has.  I am worried about the paranoia and judgement that he has not gained from experience regarding other drivers and road conditions.