I like to stick the engine bolts in from the side that is shown on the frame parts drawing. Some insert from the left, some from the right. I'm not sure how much it really matters but I just like to do it that way. If you're going to lay the motor on it's right side and drop the frame down over it, the only bolt that may be an issue is the long bottom one. It is shown going in the right side, which won't be possible with the motor laying on the right side. You may have to stick it in from the left temporarily, then switch it around once the frame and motor are set back upright .....

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/yamaha/motorcycle/1972/xs2/frame-engine-bracket

Yeah you’re right. I had forgotten, before I pulled the motor, I had removed that long bottom bolt first for exactly that reason. It’s funny I have that very image printed out and laying on my workbench.
 
COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE ARIZONA DESERT !!!

345 days a year of sunshine here , and today it’s this,
View attachment 132490
Ah well....we are forging ahead. Today is engine setting day!
I’m all set up and awaiting my fellow forum buddy, Daniel Black to arrive.

The first thing I did was to hang my chain hoist and skooch the workbench with my engine on it foward until it is directly below the chain hoist. I had bought a 3 foot length of chain that I have bolted to the foward top motor mount boss and the top rear motor mount location , I’m trying to achieve a balance point roughly directly above the top rear motor mount .
View attachment 132492 View attachment 132493 View attachment 132494 View attachment 132495

As soon as the engine is lifted just off of the workbench, we will push the bench back to the wall and lay out some moving blankets to set the motor down on, on the floor.
More to come, stay tuned! :cool:


Looks good Mailman - but there is still a wrinkle in that towel.....;)
 
This is for Mailman but maybe someone else knows.

Mailman's fork lock got melted during the powder coat treatment.

I have a 1972 frame with a fork lock in it but as of yet have not located the key for it, not even sure if I ever had one.

What I was really wondering was do I need the key to be able to get the lock out of the frame? I did remove the swing cover and rivet. The lock seems free in the frame, as it will move in and out maybe 1/16 of an inch. But as I have never seen one out of the frame I don't know if there is something holding it in place that needs the key inserted to let it move out of the way and let the lock move out of frame.

Well I went back several posts and looked at the pictures posted of the lock and it does look like it should come out without the key so I'm a bit stumped as to why this one is not moving more that the little bit it moves. I was hoping that if I could get it out there might be a chance Mailman could make it work with his key. I know on the seat lock for my `78 I managed to swap parts around to get a lock with a different code to work with my original key. Not sure if the number stamped on this lock "406" is the key code or not.
 
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Well the engine installation could not have been easier! This really was an instance where planning made all the difference. I spent an inordinate amount of time figuring out the logistics of this.

So, my new chain hoist worked Superbly! It took no effort at all to lift the motor from the bench, then we just scooted the bench back to the wall and out of the way.
7CA4A3B1-11DD-457B-9DE9-7826F271D373.jpeg


Put down a folded up moving blanket and just gently set the motor down and laid out all the hardware.
6AD94818-7B68-4B6F-B529-71E3FA0624DF.jpeg


Got the frame ready to go
42C7FEBE-68FA-4775-ADEB-0DC3D4859506.jpeg


Set the frame over the motor and threw the mounts and hardware on.
D530181E-028C-48F2-8FF2-0A64D75213FF.jpeg


Then used one of my new lifting straps to place the whole assembly up and on the bike jack.
2C95FF03-A662-4103-8B93-D2F333C75578.jpeg

2B9DFB5D-DF9C-46A8-8B6C-78C3F27DA38C.jpeg


All strapped down and now I can work on it at my leisure, and it can easily be rolled around the garage on my jack.
3F947143-D5D9-4E3A-B9D0-0AFEC0F653F7.jpeg


I just could not be more pleased with how well this went. Every one has their own method for doing this, and I drew from other members experience. Honestly Daniel and I spent more time catching up and just enjoying hanging out than working. Seriously though, anybody thinking about his job, that chain hoist is worth its weight in gold!
I’m really looking foward to starting the reassembly process.
Till next time!
Bob
0C90E7E9-AA64-4482-BB77-E17FD33CD6E3.jpeg
 
This is for Mailman but maybe someone else knows.

Mailman's fork lock got melted during the powder coat treatment.

I have a 1972 frame with a fork lock in it but as of yet have not located the key for it, not even sure if I ever had one.

What I was really wondering was do I need the key to be able to get the lock out of the frame? I did remove the swing cover and rivet. The lock seems free in the frame, as it will move in and out maybe 1/16 of an inch. But as I have never seen one out of the frame I don't know if there is something holding it in place that needs the key inserted to let it move out of the way and let the lock move out of frame.

Hey Ken,
5 Twins wrote about that in post #1629 of this thread

http://www.xs650.com/threads/mailman’s-xs2-a-full-on-restoration.51520/page-82

He said the key has to be inserted and turned to the open position and it will slide right out.
 
Hey Ken,
5 Twins wrote about that in post #1629 of this thread

http://www.xs650.com/threads/mailman’s-xs2-a-full-on-restoration.51520/page-82

He said the key has to be inserted and turned to the open position and it will slide right out.

I saw that and I guess I'm not understanding what "the open position" means. Are there more than two positions? I was thinking that "open" meant the unlock column position and the "closed or locked" position would be with the lock pushed in to engage the steering stem and "lock" the steering.

Hate to sound too dumb but as I have never had a XS650 with this type of lock I'm not familiar with how a "normal" one works.
 
"Open" means unlocked, so yes, you need a key or you have to "pick" the lock so it "opens". Then the lock assembly should slide right out of the neck. The assembly is a 2 part affair. It consists of the actual lock cylinder slid inside a tube of sorts. A roll pin driven into the lock cylinder through a slot in the tube retains it in the tube and also holds the assembly in the neck when in the "locked" position. Here you can see the roll pin removed and the lock cylinder pulled out of the "tube" .....

PeFoTPD.png


Here's one assembled and in the "locked" position. Note how the roll pin doesn't align with the raised boss on the outer tube .....

hUs2Euh.png


When like this, the roll pin locks into one of two slots machined into the sides of the hole in the neck and that holds the lock assembly in. Here's that neck area split open. You can see the 2 slots perpendicular to the hole for the lock assembly .....

vbhzGv2.png


Here's a lock assembly in the "open" or unlocked position. The roll pin rotates so it is in line with the raised boss on the outer tube. Then the assembly will slide right out .....

ohzGVHj.png
 
So from looking at the second picture I'm needing to try turning the tumbler counter-clockwise to get the roll pin lined up to remove it.

I may try playing thief and see if I can pick the lock. Bet it's not as easy as they make it look on all those TV shows!

That is unless I stumble on the key, looked quick but do not seem to have the ignition switch for the bike the frame was part of.

Well guess I need to keep looking as you can see in the picture below the key was in the ignition when I got this sorry looking bike!
key switch.png


PS: anyone need some slightly used gauges?
 
Yes, the lock needs to be turned counterclockwise to open it. It won't rotate a whole lot, not even a quarter turn. In the "locked" position, the key slot is probably about horizontal, pointing at 3 and 9 o'clock. "Open" will only move it to 1 or 2 o'clock. Looking at it in the "locked" position, the sliding plates, or "wafers" as they're called, will need to be pushed or slid to the left.
 
Well the engine installation could not have been easier! This really was an instance where planning made all the difference. I spent an inordinate amount of time figuring out the logistics of this.

So, my new chain hoist worked Superbly! It took no effort at all to lift the motor from the bench, then we just scooted the bench back to the wall and out of the way.
View attachment 132517

Put down a folded up moving blanket and just gently set the motor down and laid out all the hardware.
View attachment 132518

Got the frame ready to go
View attachment 132520

Set the frame over the motor and threw the mounts and hardware on.
View attachment 132519

Then used one of my new lifting straps to place the whole assembly up and on the bike jack.
View attachment 132521
View attachment 132523

All strapped down and now I can work on it at my leisure, and it can easily be rolled around the garage on my jack.
View attachment 132522

I just could not be more pleased with how well this went. Every one has their own method for doing this, and I drew from other members experience. Honestly Daniel and I spent more time catching up and just enjoying hanging out than working. Seriously though, anybody thinking about his job, that chain hoist is worth its weight in gold!
I’m really looking foward to starting the reassembly process.
Till next time!
Bob
View attachment 132524
Very nice mailman!
 
Another suggestion I'm going to make is that you re-check the head bolt torque now before you put the top motor mount and carbs back on. Those new gaskets may have compressed some now that the motor has been sitting assembled for a few weeks.
 
Sometimes "anti-climatic" is a good thing.... ;)

Haha! I know, the first thing I said to Daniel was “ Ok, let’s see if we can pull the ceiling down.” Fortunately that’s not what happened.
I’m sitting at breakfast with my wife , but all I can think about is getting out in that garage!
:D
 
Things will progress and the excitement will build quickly now. All the hard stuff, the cleaning, rebuilding, polishing, painting, is done. Nothing left to do but the careful re-assembly. I get excited during this part too, lol.
 
I really need to get an organized plan of attack on the rest of this build.
13C8FEC7-C098-483D-AF6D-807002FDF9C8.jpeg

I wanted to install my steering head today, but before I started that , I wanted to install a zerk fitting on the side of the neck.
A44AC863-32AC-4CF4-8B2D-6BDE5218116C.jpeg 7597AE62-2244-4665-8532-3D55BD489779.jpegF73DDD67-7B41-4EEB-B3FE-CF191CB937E4.jpeg6C03B4E5-C368-4638-BBDE-95C090555AED.jpeg

Then I went to install my new tapered steering head bearings.
B5B251B5-1E1C-47C1-A0E1-DA664B15501D.jpeg


This is where I ran into my first delay of the day. You may recall when I was prepping my frame for powder coat, I commented that the top of the steering neck looked like someone had gone around the top of the neck with a small hammer, I couldn’t figure it out and 2M suggested that the Dreaded Previous Owner May have let the steering stem get loose and the dust cup on top hammered around when the bike went over bumps.
B982B17A-777A-4BE4-A4F9-E3089206B1B7.jpeg


I think he was probably right about that. When I went to install the races, the bottom had to be tapped in with a hammer, but the top, I could just drop it in and spin it around with my fingers. Not super loose, but not a nice tight fit. I decided to apply a liberal coat of red locktite around the race and then clamp it in there for a few hours to set up.
D0E04BF6-72A7-461F-9B14-C5A06F5C19E9.jpeg


Periodically I went over and hit the steering head with my new heat gun to warm things up and expedite the curing.
After a few hours I installed the steering head.
216AC21B-C0EA-453E-B124-9D94977EC665.jpeg


These early steering heads are odd ducks. Lots of pieces , overly complicated and frankly I’m a little unsure about the proper procedure for tightening this whole thing up. First you have what you see above, just the bottom tree, the bearings, a dust cover and that collared nut with the notches.

Then this goes on. The top tree, that has a pinch bolt to grab onto the collared nut, then on top of the tree, goes a thick washers a tension spring and another nut.
1F674B30-AF86-4184-B7AA-295E361F71F4.jpeg
655FFD28-A5B5-4309-AE73-DDEA02120F43.jpeg
3BF8A2A8-87B0-4374-A6F9-A3A33F522FFB.jpeg


Then , thru all of that, the long rod of the steering damper and it’s associated hardware.
BF3572A9-E900-4BCE-B04D-DA9FACE70580.jpeg

DC1E9C08-FE64-46AA-8BD8-1191858BF2BB.jpeg


I mean...phew! That’s a lot of parts! And a little confusing as to the tightening procedure. There are a lot of components that tighten up. Once you put the top tree on, you kinda cover up that notched steering stem nut.
So how tight should that be before you put the top nut on, because you can then add additional friction with the steering damper. The later steering heads were much simpler!
 

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