What Did You Do With Your Commando Today?

Richard Tool said:

Better watch out or the original paint gang will be after you…

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CanukNortonNut said:

I had a conversation back in 2016 with Jim Comstock about these Mushroom Adjusters and I believe there was a bad batch made so this isn't the first time I have seen this. I took mine off when I rebuilt my RH10, 850 head and these were fine with about 80,000 miles on them. No pitting whatsoever. I had a Mega Cycle Cam N-R-560 if my memory serves me right. 0.013" tappet clearance with flat lifters. Not sure if cam shafts made the difference. They are glass hard though. I found that out when I put a slotted screwdriver on the slot of one of the adjusters and a small chunk broke off which I had to fish out for with a magnet. Here is a link to that conversation:

Post in thread 'Crunchies on the drainplug %^^&*&('

Sep 10, 2016

CanukNortonNut said:

pete.v said:

Seems we've had a few mushroom failures lately. Better have a look at mine.
Maybe not welcome news, but appreciated just the same.

Thank you, Jim.

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Yes Pete
That is why I asked. I have two types of mushroom tappets: One from Walridge which are US made with slotted flat screw driver adjustment, the other is from BCS which have a copper wash coating with socket head or Allen type 06-7546/B. I have the American type in my workhorse Interstate 850 with 19256 miles from the rebuild. I will look at them close when I pop the head.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN

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Mine have the slotted...

• comnoz

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Post in thread 'Crunchies on the drainplug %^^&*&('

Sep 10, 2016

CanukNortonNut said:

pete.v said:

Seems we've had a few mushroom failures lately. Better have a look at mine.
Maybe not welcome news, but appreciated just the same.

Thank you, Jim.

Click to expand...

Yes Pete
That is why I asked. I have two types of mushroom tappets: One from Walridge which are US made with slotted flat screw driver adjustment, the other is from BCS which have a copper wash coating with socket head or Allen type 06-7546/B. I have the American type in my workhorse Interstate 850 with 19256 miles from the rebuild. I will look at them close when I pop the head.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN

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Mine have the slotted...

• comnoz

concours said:

LOL, sokay. I had to de-rust the inside, and now blast the outside prior to pressure testing.
I have pics somewhere, before the strippers cameView attachment 118867View attachment 118868View attachment 118869View attachment 118870View attachment 118871View attachment 118872

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YING said:

Post in thread 'Crunchies on the drainplug %^^&*&('

Sep 10, 2016

CanukNortonNut said:

pete.v said:

Seems we've had a few mushroom failures lately. Better have a look at mine.
Maybe not welcome news, but appreciated just the same.

Thank you, Jim.

Click to expand...

Yes Pete
That is why I asked. I have two types of mushroom tappets: One from Walridge which are US made with slotted flat screw driver adjustment, the other is from BCS which have a copper wash coating with socket head or Allen type 06-7546/B. I have the American type in my workhorse Interstate 850 with 19256 miles from the rebuild. I will look at them close when I pop the head.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN

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Mine have the slotted...

• comnoz

Bob,
I really think you will like that Interstate tank.Did it come with side covers? I have some fiberglass ones that you are welcome to have if you like.
Mike

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concours said:

LOL, sokay. I had to de-rust the inside, and now blast the outside prior to pressure testing.
I have pics somewhere, before the strippers cameView attachment 118867View attachment 118868View attachment 118869View attachment 118870View attachment 118871View attachment 118872

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jan nelder said:

just started to check a ‘71 frame for straightness: not good news so far. Distances between front and rear Iso Mounts on the two sides are both different to spec, and from each other. And both front down tubes are bowed forward a little, and headstock is pointing to right of vertical.
I shimmed it on garage floor so that rear Iso holes were vertically in line and then measured from there.

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concours said:

LOL, sokay. I had to de-rust the inside, and now blast the outside prior to pressure testing.
I have pics somewhere, before the strippers cameView attachment 118871View attachment 118872

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Schwany said:

Honda Trail 90 is the biz. Wish I had one.

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Johnsred850 said:

Took the seat off the 74 and replaced the pass. Grab bar. From Andover. Shoulda bought the bolts and brackets too. It was not looking good someone put the wires for the tail section through the brackets and pinched them. Still everything is working. Found out the ignition bracket to the air box back plate is broken. Thinking about drilling a hole and bolting it. Any reason l shouldn’t do this? I know it vibrates more that usual from the single carb mod. Not mine l just got the bike. And, l need to put it back to stock. Would like the new Amals but l don’t know which ones to get. So that’s what l did today.

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jan nelder said:

well, progress so far: bolted rear of frame down to garage floor ( on its side) with all-metal rawlbolts set into floor and heavy duty angle across two tubes, with spine supported behind headstock. Then a 5 foot lever ( large tube) through headstock , with me boucing on other end, which was enough for subtle movement of frame loop relative to headstock/ spine.
Then set it up on a levelled Festool worktable: shimmed frame so that headstock was pointing directly forward above a ‘centre’ line marked along table, checking that centre of rear iso mounts was above that line. Then checked whether rear ISO mounts were horizontal- if not, retweak headstock.
Then check whether front and rear ISOs are in line across the frame ( one not forward of the other) These were out of true, so worked out where to make ISO holes oval so that overlong 1/2 inch rods lay correctly, AND correct spec apart from each other. Now for returning holes to 1/2 inch, with copper backing plate and mig weld partial fill-ins and filing….!
( I re- read the very useful Ken Augustine World’s straightest Commando article first.)

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SteveA said:

There isn't one.......

Allen key adjusters are a good idea....other than that....standard fit.

Weight saving nuts are also a bad idea.

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Johnsred850 said:

Took the seat off the 74 and replaced the pass. Grab bar. From Andover. Shoulda bought the bolts and brackets too. It was not looking good someone put the wires for the tail section through the brackets and pinched them. Still everything is working. Found out the ignition bracket to the air box back plate is broken. Thinking about drilling a hole and bolting it. Any reason l shouldn’t do this? I know it vibrates more that usual from the single carb mod. Not mine l just got the bike. And, l need to put it back to stock. Would like the new Amals but l don’t know which ones to get. So that’s what l did today.

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johnm said:

Good going. Had that done with my 1974 850 too about 6 years ago.

I'm sure your checking it too but the biggest error with my bike was a very twisted swinging arm.

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johnm said:

Good going. Had that done with my 1974 850 too about 6 years ago.

I'm sure your checking it too but the biggest error with my bike was a very twisted swinging arm.

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BERT said:

Were you able to straighten the swinging arm?

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SteveBorland said:

What's the problem with the lightweight nuts? Do they strip or loosen off or what? I do like the idea of less weight on the tip of the adjuster.

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nortonmargie said:

I came back from a ride which led through a tunnel with concern that my lights weren't working. Proceeded to check things out, and found that the head/pilot switch was not quite on either settling. Once pushed to "head," the headlight worked, but not the taillight

I pulled the reflector off and found that the tail light filament in the bulb was broken. Off to auto parts store for new light. Installed bulb, but that didn't fix the problem. The brake lights worked, but not the tail light.

I started pulling the bike apart and opened the service manual to the electrical schematic. Could NOT find the tail light! Yelled for help on this forum. Someone was kind enough to post a schematic of just the tail light wiring, which is all brown/green. Back to the fray, I found that the tail light assembly worked, but that power was not getting to the tail light. Friend suggested I take a hard look at the "main switch" - the brown/green wiring goes to the "main switch." I had no idea what the "main switch" was but was eventually told that it is the IGNITION SWITCH. I looked at the schematic in the repair manual, and there it was, "main switch." The only purpose I can see for using this alternative terminology is to confuse amateurs like myself. Friend also said, "You know, maybe it's just a blown fuse."

I got a mirror and lights and checked out the bottom of the ignition switch carefully. Everything was tight. Earlier Mark III's like mine have three fuses in the headlight shell wiring, so I opened the headlight shell and found the culprit - one of the fuse holders had come apart. The fuse was fine, just not connected. I put the fuse holder back together, and the light worked. Buttoned everything up, checked the light again and left the garage with A Feeling of Accomplishment.

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nortonmargie said:

I came back from a ride which led through a tunnel with concern that my lights weren't working. Proceeded to check things out, and found that the head/pilot switch was not quite on either settling. Once pushed to "head," the headlight worked, but not the taillight

I pulled the reflector off and found that the tail light filament in the bulb was broken. Off to auto parts store for new light. Installed bulb, but that didn't fix the problem. The brake lights worked, but not the tail light.

I started pulling the bike apart and opened the service manual to the electrical schematic. Could NOT find the tail light! Yelled for help on this forum. Someone was kind enough to post a schematic of just the tail light wiring, which is all brown/green. Back to the fray, I found that the tail light assembly worked, but that power was not getting to the tail light. Friend suggested I take a hard look at the "main switch" - the brown/green wiring goes to the "main switch." I had no idea what the "main switch" was but was eventually told that it is the IGNITION SWITCH. I looked at the schematic in the repair manual, and there it was, "main switch." The only purpose I can see for using this alternative terminology is to confuse amateurs like myself. Friend also said, "You know, maybe it's just a blown fuse."

I got a mirror and lights and checked out the bottom of the ignition switch carefully. Everything was tight. Earlier Mark III's like mine have three fuses in the headlight shell wiring, so I opened the headlight shell and found the culprit - one of the fuse holders had come apart. The fuse was fine, just not connected. I put the fuse holder back together, and the light worked. Buttoned everything up, checked the light again and left the garage with A Feeling of Accomplishment.

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