'72 Interstate Restoration

Yes sir Matt a Commando restore is a real man hood tester any way measured.
I know I'm not fully matured having more than once run out shed screaming and cussing and crying in a tantrum at some new failure by my best repeat efforts.
Get used to HI HEAT before ruining a nut or bolt or pulley pulling. Some times only a real air impact can work it off w/o damage. There may be fasteners plain force won't work on but repeated attacks by heat and banging torquing will win the day, after some days at it. Keep in mind the melted wax method too.

If I had it to do again, I'd be way better off with a 20K CNW wonder and just ride it and pocket the saving for longer trips. But I guess i"d be less interesting to others and still afraid to tear down big mower to rebuiid on my own fairly cheaply.

Hobot,
I'm not sure I know what the melted wax method is.

Matt

I think the factory in UK sent the real problem bikes to Canada to test their mettle.

Dave
69S

Hi high on fastener or pulely/sprocket, then candle placed on it to melt and flow in to lube is out. ATF with kerosene or diesel works as good or better than more convenient spray cans. PBblaster or Kroil oil are pretty good for moderate stubborn stuff.

Well, now the bike is left with only the front wheel attached, I think I will get into the gearbox pretty quick, are there any starting comments or warnings you guys have that may help me dismantle the gearbox. Also, I've been trying to get the swing arm spindle out of the swing arm, I've looked at the Old Brits site and read quite a few swing arm threads here on the forum, but it still doesn't want to budge. Any suggestions?

Old Britts has a good tech article on the gearbox, our member Swooshdave did on here as well with lots of pics. You can also order the Mick Hemmings DVD from INOA. It is the companion DVD to the Heavy Twin Engine DVD, you can buy both for 90 bucks. Not a bad investment and I assume the money goes to some good cause like buying beer.

On removing the spindle. When I did mine last year I did a couple of things. First and foremost you need to make sure the retaining bolt is out of the top center of the cradle tube! I then ran a bunch of penetrating oil into the cavity and clamped the heat gun in place to warm things up. Then I threaded a fine thread 1/2 bolt (1/2-20) into the end of the spindle. I had placed a large diameter socket over the end of the cradle tube first, thus providing a spacer that I could tighten a nut down on to to start pulling the spindle. The process became a contest to get the spacer and threads of the bolt all to the right lengths so that I could continue to pull. Honestly I can't recall the entire process but if you can find some 1/2 fine thread all-thread it will speed things up. I think I ended up cutting the head off a 1/2 - 20 bolt and turning some coarse threads on the other end so that I could get the right lengths. If I remember right I used a combination of large washers, pipe couplings and the large socket to adjust the height of the spacer as I pulled.

Russ

Thanks, there wasn't even a locking bolt in the swingarm for some reason. I'll have to get one! I tried using the socket and a bolt like you suggested but i had to lean on the wrench so hard I thought I may damage the treads. i also added heat but probably not enough so I'll try that with the socket again and add a bunch of heat.

mattthomas4444 said:

Thanks, there wasn't even a locking bolt in the swingarm for some reason. I'll have to get one! I tried using the socket and a bolt like you suggested but i had to lean on the wrench so hard I thought I may damage the treads. i also added heat but probably not enough so I'll try that with the socket again and add a bunch of heat.

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Have you pulled the swing arm and cradle from the bike? Are you doing the gearbox mounted? Are you pulling the inner primary cover? More than likely if you are doing the gearbox. The reason I ask is that if you are doing these things mentioned, all in all it can be much easier to do thing when removed.

Yes, you can change the lay bearing on the bike, and yes, you can change or rebuild the swinging arm on the bike, but if you are doing both then just pull em off and work them on the bench. You really need to get into the iso's anyhow. It you are leaving the motor in, now big whoop. Just three through bolts that you can clean and grease up while you are at it.

If the swingarm and cradle are off, then you can set youself up a mock-up so that you can find someone with a press and bring the setup over and press it out(although if it was right, it would feel buttery smooth moving through the bushings). There are oil feed holes on the spindle. Make sure you tend to these.

As far as the gearbox goes, again, up on the bench in good light will save a neck and back ache. You will find that pulling and putting the gearclusters in and out is a peace of cake when the gearbox is laying on it's side. I cut a 1 1/4" hole for the main shaft to go through on the bench. This is your best chance to get it clean and proper.

This can be a relaxing and satisfying process, rather than "run out shed screaming and cussing and crying in a tantrum at some new failure by my best repeat efforts".

I took everything off the bike, the swing arm included, the transmission is out of the cradle and the engine is out as well, i want to tear into the gearbox pretty quick, and ill probably try cutting a hole in the bench for the mainshaft.

Hey Matt, that background imaging looks like it could be in a garage near Toronto ? What's the mileage by the way ? My Crazy had to have the swingarm pin heated up and extracted with a sledge after soaking in WD 40 for a month. Do not attempt to save the headsteady. The horn looks good all cleaned up and will make a nice paperweight. A good horn pointed forward and up front on bike essential to health and wellness . Build the electrics around the horn with a relay to the strong battery.Gel types are more resistant to vibration. Secure well.Tear into gearbox to install roller layshaft bearing using heat to shell and frozen bearing. Rear tire pic. appears bald. These are safety concerns that must be addressed before others. Enjoy ,Peter.

It is a garage, but on the other side of the country! I'm in Calgary. Yes, the tires are obviously going to be replaced, and there are about 18000 miles on the bike. The headsteady is cracked so it will be replaced as well. Hopefully Ill get the swing arm spindle out soon. I've also looked into some CNW stuff, maybe the oil tank mod. the X ring conversion kit , because the rear sprocket is chipped on one tooth and the chain is rusted solid and probably the head steady they offer. Any opinions on any of these?

gawdammmit yer' in cowtown. But u have more serious winters = more time. All grease has dried out by now so pull all cables out of their sheaths and re - lube , no grease near the delicate instruments. Chain garbage. Hooked sprockets?

Oh yes, Cowtown. Yeah, one of teeth from the rear sprocket has a healthy chip taken out of it, so the x ring kit seems like a pretty good option. It'll fix the chain and the sprocket.

Also, Old Britts has a socket to remove the clutch operating lever lock-ring, but it is $85. they also show a home made tool using 1 1/2'' pipe, but being as impatient as i am, i would love to know if there is a easier, or more convenient way to remove the lock-ring.

First responce might be a screw driver and hammer. But, for $30 buck or less you can get an angle grinder and a cut off wheel. Mark it up on a proper sized piece of pipe and cut it out in minutes.
I made this out of a 1" black pipe coupling.

When Old Britts says 1-1/2 pipe they are talking about the outside diameter, which is not how pipe is usually measured. If you buy 1.5 inch pipe it will be too large, but it just happens to fit the rear hub when you get to removing those bearings!

Nice job pvisseriii. The pipe coupling is a good idea as the tabs cut from regular pipe seem a bit flimsy and soft.

Mick uses a punch in his DVD. I think the punch works better than the 1 1/2" iron pipe tool I made. I made mine with a hack saw. It's not like you have to put 80 yard tons on the thing.

Dave
69S

This is true DogT...I was rather surprised at how easy it was to unscrew after I went thru the process of making the tool.

As for other stuff on the list: CNW headsteady is made by our member comnoz. Top rate stuff, lots of threads here on headsteadies. You might as well look at modifying the cases and putting on a breather. Lot's of threads on that as well. Old Brits has a tech article that shows how to modify the Combat case to improve oil pick up, and as for the breather, I think CNW gets the nod despite the fact that many don't want to spend that kind of money on one. My Combat cases are still waiting for their chance to be modified, and when I do that breather will go on mine.

Russ

Thanks, I guess I'll make a trip to grab some 1" pipe pretty soon, the only reason I don't want to use the punch is beacaase the old Britts article says not to, but if you guys have done it with no problems I'll give it a try. And as far as the breather goes, Ive heard good things about it but the price is quite a hit to a fifteen year old budget. What problems does to CNW breather fix from to stock one?

pvisseriii said:

First responce might be a screw driver and hammer. But, for $30 buck or less you can get an angle grinder and a cut off wheel. Mark it up on a proper sized piece of pipe and cut it out in minutes.
I made this out of a 1" black pipe coupling.

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Vary Nice ! I love hand made alternatives to the factor tools. I am going to make one for myself. Can you tell me how wide and deep the pins need to be. Also how are you spinning your tool, pipe wrench?
gary