in over my head again

soturi said:

bondo would just fill in the dent, right? certainly an option, but i was thinking one of these:

a) cut off bottom. push out crease/dent from inside while de-rusting and sealing.
b) taking the tank to a body shop and having them pop the crease out... i hear they can work magic with their ding-removing tools and such... and then just fill the tank w/ screws to de-rust it.

...i'm inclined towards a) because it seems like it would get the best results. thoughts, everybody?

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The way is to use a rod with a steel ball end in a vice , fed in through the gas cap. and tease the ding out .

1. has anyone had this issue with RGM front isolastics:
the rubber literally has a larger diameter than the OD of the tube. is that right?? i got the rear one in, but this front one was NOT going in that tube. lubed it with lithium, even tried compressing it with a hose clamp.

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Yeah, the rubber has to be in compression in the tube to work properly. If you lube it up with some silicone grease and push it down hard into the tube and sort of squeeze the rubber donut around the leading edge into the tube it will squish in. It ain't easy but that's how it goes. If you push the center rod into the tube it will deform the donut slightly (making it concave) and then work around the edge with your fingers. Lots of silicone lube is your friend. Thread one of the outer adjusters onto the shaft to give your hand a nice big flat surface to press on. Plus it protects the threads. Stand the tube on it's end on the floor and push it in from above.

soturi said:

OK. so it's been a while.

the bike is here: http://www.nashvillemc.com/ and i'm finally getting parts in and putting things together. huzzah!

so here's a couple questions:

1. has anyone had this issue with RGM front isolastics:

the rubber literally has a larger diameter than the OD of the tube. is that right?? i got the rear one in, but this front one was NOT going in that tube. lubed it with lithium, even tried compressing it with a hose clamp. WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO HOME?! THAT'S YOUR HOME! ARE YOU TOO GOOD FOR YOUR HOME?!

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Yes they are tight alright. I think I got mine in using a home made funnel shape compressor made out of sheet metal. lots of rubber lube.

Just a thought, but if I were to do it again, I'd remove any sharp edge from the inside of the tube using a Dremel tool or a file to prevent it from digging into / catching the rubber donut.

I file the tube inner sharpness off then. I put wood block on iso tube and whack it hard with 3lb sludge *Bang mostly all the way in with enough energy the cushions easy take that compression up which is similar to what they do for engine motion, then a few more bops to center and move on. If this breaks the bonds on your cushions then be glad you caught it now and buy decent ones you couldn't break free to save your life. Oh yeah ya might be extra pleased if taking some mass off the big cushions which helps them enter tube sweeter too.

I used a long threaded bar and lot of lube... Yes they are very tight but do fit!

mschmitz57 said:

Just a thought, but if I were to do it again, I'd remove any sharp edge from the inside of the tube using a Dremel tool or a file to prevent it from digging into / catching the rubber donut.

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hobot said:

I file the tube inner sharpness off then...

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seems like a decent idea, will try.

here's the dampener rod somewhat cleaned up; still interested to know if anyone thinks this is going to cause trouble:

here's the dampener rod somewhat cleaned up; still interested to know if anyone thinks this is going to cause trouble:

[/quote]

That should be fine. The rod is not a precise oil-tight fit through anything. As long as there are no cracks (stress risers).

the other stanchion and damper rod were bent; i ended up replacing both of each. so it goes.

inventoried my engine/tranny mounting fasteners and did a test fit... here's the worst of the pitting on two of the six, after a good media blasting:



should i be worried about bolt integrity or material strength? doesn't look terrible to me for what it is, but i'm sure someone here is smarter on this than i am.

and here's how she sits now:



spent an hour trying to get that f***ing front isolastic in. finally, while just kinda holding it there and thinking about how to get it done (and after putting a few totally awesome marks on the frame and engine case), it just sorta... fell into place on the engine. bolted it up and then levered it onto the frame easy. live (work) and learn.

so... anyone feel like letting me borrow the right taps/dies for these fasteners? they're all originals: the two large iso-to-frame bolts, six bolts around the engine (one smaller than the other 5), and two keeping the tranny in its cage. will pay for shipping both ways... the dies in particular, some of these threads aren't doing so well. not as worried about the tap, all new nuts may be a good idea anyway.

so this thread is pretty rambling. i figure i'll keep it as a consolidated build thread of sorts, and use it to index other threads about specific issues/questions.

carburetor rebuild attempt:
carb-nage-t21446.html

bill said:

hobot said:

Looks like cream of the Norton crop Combat and should be if you see oil breather baffle down between cases and tranny.

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NOT TRUE all 72 and 72 750s had rear breather BUT not all were combat.

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But it will indicate if it truly is a '72 production combat or not. There seem to be a lot of '72 titles on '71 production machines.

LAB set us-me straight that there is nothing firm can be said about the engine configurations Norton sold on either side of Combat era but if its got narrow head seam gap for 10 CR, low down rear breather baffle and 2S cam * a real Combat will hurt you to kick if ignition set much above 28' full advance. Dynodave has a number chart for crank degrees and 2S cam lift expected which I did to verify my 1st Combat was one. Oh yeah we did have a many page long reporting thread this year by folks with bikes across this hybrid era to only get a few that looked like a Combat outwardly but lacked one of its essential features. So I'd bet its a Combat if I was a risk taker. When I first asked other older groups how to tell w/o tool, was told the front should lift off entering red zone at end of first couple of gears. My pre-peel Combat did. Still all factory Commandos are pretty close matched in real world performance.

illf8ed said:

bill said:

hobot said:

Looks like cream of the Norton crop Combat and should be if you see oil breather baffle down between cases and tranny.

Click to expand...

NOT TRUE all 72 and 72 750s had rear breather BUT not all were combat.

Click to expand...

But it will indicate if it truly is a '72 production combat or not. There seem to be a lot of '72 titles on '71 production machines.

Click to expand...

I left the comma out - will indicate it is truly a '72 production, combat or not.

re: wheel bearings

wheel-bearings-t22148.html

Hi soturi.
When hobot says "...Do not use comma shaped oil hole pistons..." he specifically means the ones that have a slit behind the oil rings that interconnects the 'commas' (crowns can separate from body). From my experience, the standard Combat comma pistons are just fine.
Ta.

i know everyone here was a HUGE fan of the bike, but does anyone happen to know the p/n or original application of the tokico caliper Federal Moto put on their Norton?

i'd also accept nissin or other jap p/ns or applications - something with a bolt pattern amenable to an adapter plate. the brembo p4 30/34 is nice, but it looks like i can get a jap caliper for 100 or less with little noticeable performance reduction (er - compared to a brembo, that is).

thanks in advance!

more from the slowest project ever!

started on the primary:



realized just putting the wheels on and using the brake to torque those nuts would be MUCH more reasonable, so:



first time she's been on wheels in about 5 years. woo!

i might *actually* get to ride before the end of summer, folks.

Well, my basket case ended up on my doorstep in 2003, and is still underway, so it it makes you feel better, you are moving along right quickly, I would say.

Life gets busy for all of us so some projects get started then thing happens and the projects get pushed a side then before you know it the planned year rebuild turns into 3 years or more, the worst thing with my project build is now I have retired and surpose to have the time to do things in my workshop, after 2 years I still haven't had the time to get back into my Manxman rebuild the frame , front end and rear end all done and the motor is still on the bench in pieces, I had all the parts for the motor rebuild but I used the new main bearings on a mates Commando engine rebuild and now the price for the bearing have gone up with the drop of the Aussie $$$.

Ashley

soturi said:

more from the slowest project ever!

Click to expand...

Not even CLOSE!!!

The BEST thing is, you've done some significant work on it, it's a roller, and you posted PICTURES!

What's not to like?