FJ 1100 from 85 total resurrection

Ok, so now while I am waiting for my rear brake pads, I have reached the forks and clutch lever and clutch housing. For the forks I am still looking for the right oil. People say to just use engine oil 10w30 (also mentioned in the old manual), others tend to disagree, since engine oil will wear out your fork bushes and fine holes earlier...

Fork oil 10w seems to be a good start. As for opening the forks I just used an allen key from the downside and so I could open the whole thing. Now special tool from the inside necessary.

Btw since there is no chain guide (the one screwed to the reak arm left hand side) available for reasonable prices I built one myself using a cutting board from a famous swedish furniture company (...) called HOPPLÖS. I could cut it exactly like I wanted it to be by using a chop saw or sth like this. With some heat I could bend it around the swing arm a bit. For the first try it is ok, but the next one will have to be a little better thought out.

I had quite a nice experience with getting rid of the yellowed clear coat on the fork tubes. They were very dirty and yellow-brown. Water has crawled under the clear coat I guess. I read about this product called "grüneck power" from Germany (where I live). A simple white creamy "stripper" that worked very very well. I cleaned the tubes roughly with pressured water and some soap und fat remover. After that I put a thick layer of the stuff all around the tube and wrapped it in cling film. After 6 hours I could not wait any longer. It was great! But should have waited til the next day. So I applied it another time and gave it time until the next day. After a short wash with the water hose, I held the cleanest fork tube in hands aver seen. Just great and shiny. A little alloy polish and we are done.

The swing arm and its bushes (47e) around the rear supension thingy: I changed every single bushing/bearing since the old ones were definately worn out totally. I just bought some fittings. I do not know whether it lasts or not. It is worth a try. I hate to say it, but due to the lack of money I cannot afford a decent rear suspension, so I installed the original 47e one without all that adjusting things on the right hand side.

The engine is already in the frame which has been torqued down. Cylinder and head yet to come. Generators large o-ring seems to be worn out because the generator slides in very easily. We will see.

Question: what are your experiences on the starter relais? It is not meant to be opened for any service. I do not want to buy an expensive original one (if applicable) nor do I want to buy new 3rd party china stuff.

Thats it for today.

Markus