Have you tried to source the pistons yet Bob?
Cost?
Cost?
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Mailman’s XS2 a full on restoration
- Thread starter Mailman
- Start date
I’ve only just looked to see if Mikes carries them. They do, approximately $20 each if memory serves me.
I have not searched any further.
I have not searched any further.
Well, relatively speaking... that's not too bad. Was gonna suggest a brazing rod to fill the pits in....
A LITTLE UPDATE
I have ordered new replacement pistons for my front brake caliper. I also ordered a new front master cylinder to replace the one I couldn’t rebuild due to excessive pitting in the bore. There was some concern about the new master cylinder being different from my stock unit and not allowing me to use my stock brake switch, but it appears to be designed as a direct reproduction. ( From Mikes ) so we shall see.
I have been busy breaking down various components, cleaning and inspecting as I go, looking for worn items that need to be replaced. I cut the tires off of my rims the other day and knocked the wheel bearings out. I really might’ve considered leaving the bearings alone, the bike has no corrosion and really low miles. But the guy I bought it from owned a wrecking yard and he must’ve used a steam cleaner to wash the bike off. There was water inside both the front and rear hubs and bearings. Sort of looked like chocolate milk.
I cleaned the stripped down the wheels , first in kerosene, then in hot soapy water and wiped them dry and blew them out with compressed air. The wheels are in amazing condition, no rust or corrosion at all, and the chrome is shiny.
I have a wheel balancing stand and I intend to true my wheels before taking them to have new tires mounted. I recently scored a nice little spoke wrench on eBay and I’m eager to give it a try.
Broke down the front axle / brake disc assembly and cleaned everything.
I was pleased to see that the little rubber obsolete pads are in very good condition. When I put the front end back together I intend to put a little dab of clear silicone on them just to help support and fill in any voids.
I then broke down the speedometer drive and cleaned it with solvent / hot soapy water, blew it out and repacked with fresh grease and reassembled. Then packed it away for future reassembly.
Oh, and while I’m on the subject of the speedometer drive, I just wanted to show you what I thought was a clever bit of engineering. The drive gear. Look how they machined a way to scoop up grease and feed it into the inside of the gear for lubrication ( photo is of the bottom of the gear ) . Nothing you’d ever see, but just the way Japanese engineers used to think and one of the reasons they drove the old British Marques to extinction.
This is a rather complicated front end assembly, with a lot of parts, a lot of bushings and collars and spacers and seals AND BEARINGS! At this point I realized I failed to notice that the brake disc itself ( which is free floating ) rides on its own two bearings, and I did not order them, so more parts on the old shopping list. Part number #21 , two of them.
So that’s that! More parts to order.
Next up I am going to dissect a failure of mine, so that others may benefit from my mistakes. A combination of inexperience, trying to go too fast, and not keeping track of my parts.
I have ordered new replacement pistons for my front brake caliper. I also ordered a new front master cylinder to replace the one I couldn’t rebuild due to excessive pitting in the bore. There was some concern about the new master cylinder being different from my stock unit and not allowing me to use my stock brake switch, but it appears to be designed as a direct reproduction. ( From Mikes ) so we shall see.
I have been busy breaking down various components, cleaning and inspecting as I go, looking for worn items that need to be replaced. I cut the tires off of my rims the other day and knocked the wheel bearings out. I really might’ve considered leaving the bearings alone, the bike has no corrosion and really low miles. But the guy I bought it from owned a wrecking yard and he must’ve used a steam cleaner to wash the bike off. There was water inside both the front and rear hubs and bearings. Sort of looked like chocolate milk.
I cleaned the stripped down the wheels , first in kerosene, then in hot soapy water and wiped them dry and blew them out with compressed air. The wheels are in amazing condition, no rust or corrosion at all, and the chrome is shiny.
I have a wheel balancing stand and I intend to true my wheels before taking them to have new tires mounted. I recently scored a nice little spoke wrench on eBay and I’m eager to give it a try.
Broke down the front axle / brake disc assembly and cleaned everything.
I was pleased to see that the little rubber obsolete pads are in very good condition. When I put the front end back together I intend to put a little dab of clear silicone on them just to help support and fill in any voids.
I then broke down the speedometer drive and cleaned it with solvent / hot soapy water, blew it out and repacked with fresh grease and reassembled. Then packed it away for future reassembly.
Oh, and while I’m on the subject of the speedometer drive, I just wanted to show you what I thought was a clever bit of engineering. The drive gear. Look how they machined a way to scoop up grease and feed it into the inside of the gear for lubrication ( photo is of the bottom of the gear ) . Nothing you’d ever see, but just the way Japanese engineers used to think and one of the reasons they drove the old British Marques to extinction.
This is a rather complicated front end assembly, with a lot of parts, a lot of bushings and collars and spacers and seals AND BEARINGS! At this point I realized I failed to notice that the brake disc itself ( which is free floating ) rides on its own two bearings, and I did not order them, so more parts on the old shopping list. Part number #21 , two of them.
So that’s that! More parts to order.
Next up I am going to dissect a failure of mine, so that others may benefit from my mistakes. A combination of inexperience, trying to go too fast, and not keeping track of my parts.
Interesting - I’ve never seen a disc mounted like that.
Instead of silicone on those little rubber pockets I wonder if red rubber grease would be better....
Pete
Instead of silicone on those little rubber pockets I wonder if red rubber grease would be better....
Pete
I’m not looking for lubrication , but rather to support an irreplaceable part. They are known to wear and develop play. My thought with the silicone is that it would solidify and fill in any voids and help to eliminate any movement in an attempt to reduce wear on those small rubber pads.
MY WHEEL BEARINGS INSTALLATION
Kind of.....sort of......not really.
I had a brand new set of wheel bearings that I bought for my ‘77 and never installed. After doing a little checking to make sure that they would fit, I got organized and ready to install my bearings. This was my first time installing wheel bearings on a motorcycle and I wanted to be prepared. I watched videos and read how to articles and I felt ready. I have a new bearing driver set that until now have never found a use for, I was happy to see that they fit my wheel bearings exactly.
I cleaned the bearing pockets on the wheels and smeared some grease, both inside the pockets and on the sides of the bearings. Then tried tapping them in with the bearing driver. I was having difficulty with the bearings tilting and getting cock eyed in the hole. So I tried laying the bearing on top and using a small ball peen hammer and gently tapping around the outer edges of the bearings until it was going down straight.
Then once it was straight, I switched to the driver and drove the bearings home.
I was so focused on driving the bearings in straight, and happy with my successful installation. That’s when I saw this lying on my bench.
Yup! The spacer that was supposed to go inside the hub between the bearings. S.O.B. !!
Ok .....ok.....put it behind you, there’s still the rear wheel to do. Just keep your focus and remember the spacer this time. And I did, the bearings went in beautifully, the spacer was installed. But wait! WTH? The spacer should be snug in the center, but it’s rattling around!
I’m looking around everywhere trying to figure out what I did wrong, then I spotted it. I had the old bearings stacked on the back of my work bench and I realized that under some old caked on grease, there was a little top hat shaped bushing still stuck in the old bearing! Number 17 in the diagram.
So...there I am .....two for two! New bearings have been ordered and I feel properly humbled. I really had this internal debate whether or not to come clean about this little episode, but I kept thinking this is how people learn and perhaps my example will help someone else avoid the same mistakes.
Thinking back over thirty years ago, I think I made a good decision to be a mailman instead of an aircraft mechanic!
Haha! You’re welcome air travelers! 
Lucky with those 2 disk/hub pads...........Yamaha superseded those pads with an O ring..............just saw it recently and can't remember where..........Sure 2M will have the Yamaha update bulletin............
Ya made me chuckle Bob
. Here's how we do it on airplanes. First you watch somebody that knows how to do it, do it.... then they watch you do it, and correct you as you go. Then we let you do it by yourself. That way, we don't have airplanes with hundreds of passenger crashing into school buildings with the attendant mayhem that accompanies said crash..... You, on the other hand are teaching yourself (YouTube don't count for training).... world of difference. You have the integrity to admit to your mistakes. Not only is that admirable.... it's absolutely necessary on airplanes. Don't sell yourself short. I woulda taken you on one of my crews anyday
Ya made me chuckle Bob
Haha! Thanks Jim, I appreciate that. It’s all enjoyable for me, even the mistakes. I hope I never get too old to learn something new.
650Skull posted the XS2 front wheel bulletin in post #416.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/mailman’s-xs2-a-sympathetic-restoration.51520/page-21#post-545675
Here's more XS2 front wheel bulletins.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/mailman’s-xs2-a-sympathetic-restoration.51520/page-21#post-545675
Here's more XS2 front wheel bulletins.
Bob,
Have you tried Super Glue to fill the pitting??
It works on fork sliders.
So why not here??
GW
View attachment 117852
MY WHEEL BEARINGS INSTALLATION
Kind of.....sort of......not really.
I had a brand new set of wheel bearings that I bought for my ‘77 and never installed. After doing a little checking to make sure that they would fit, I got organized and ready to install my bearings. This was my first time installing wheel bearings on a motorcycle and I wanted to be prepared. I watched videos and read how to articles and I felt ready. I have a new bearing driver set that until now have never found a use for, I was happy to see that they fit my wheel bearings exactly.
I cleaned the bearing pockets on the wheels and smeared some grease, both inside the pockets and on the sides of the bearings. Then tried tapping them in with the bearing driver. I was having difficulty with the bearings tilting and getting cock eyed in the hole. So I tried laying the bearing on top and using a small ball peen hammer and gently tapping around the outer edges of the bearings until it was going down straight.
View attachment 117853
Then once it was straight, I switched to the driver and drove the bearings home.
View attachment 117854
I was so focused on driving the bearings in straight, and happy with my successful installation. That’s when I saw this lying on my bench.
View attachment 117855
Yup! The spacer that was supposed to go inside the hub between the bearings. S.O.B. !!
Ok .....ok.....put it behind you, there’s still the rear wheel to do. Just keep your focus and remember the spacer this time. And I did, the bearings went in beautifully, the spacer was installed. But wait! WTH? The spacer should be snug in the center, but it’s rattling around!
I’m looking around everywhere trying to figure out what I did wrong, then I spotted it. I had the old bearings stacked on the back of my work bench and I realized that under some old caked on grease, there was a little top hat shaped bushing still stuck in the old bearing! Number 17 in the diagram.
View attachment 117856
So...there I am .....two for two! New bearings have been ordered and I feel properly humbled. I really had this internal debate whether or not to come clean about this little episode, but I kept thinking this is how people learn and perhaps my example will help someone else avoid the same mistakes.
Thinking back over thirty years ago, I think I made a good decision to be a mailman instead of an aircraft mechanic!
View attachment 117857 Haha! You’re welcome air travelers!
Bob,
Nah, I think you would have done well in Aeronautical Engineering.
Look at Jim he did OK and also I had a go at it for 30 years, do not under estimate yourself you are meticulous in what you do and when you find that something is not right you source the fault and rectify it.
Geedub
Stick at it Bob - you’ll get there.
P
P
Endeavor to persevere.
I swear there are days when the only gear in my transmission is reverse.
Yeah admit it or not we all have daze like that.
Did I ever tell my cleaning the chainsaw chain with a wire wheel in the grinder story?
I swear there are days when the only gear in my transmission is reverse.
Yeah admit it or not we all have daze like that.
Did I ever tell my cleaning the chainsaw chain with a wire wheel in the grinder story?
I've got a couple, unused, 1/2 sets of bearings around here myself.
Scott.
Scott.
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Mailman, I have spent a lot of time this year re-doing many jobs on my bike that I originally did far too quickly because I wanted to get out and ride. I have replaced those wires were I could not wait until the correct colors arrived and completely rebuilt my regulator because my original had haste written all over it. We live and learn. When I think of what I did or didn't do to my XS1B back in the mid 80's I feel shocked. I never touched the carbs at all because I knew they were just a convenient route to get fuel to the engine. About the only thing I did properly was timing and tappets. If the plugs were black I replaced them and never addressed the cause. Now I am very fussy and research everything before I start and happily redo a job if not happy with it.
Have fun and keep busy.
Have fun and keep busy.
Igg-nernt question here: Why new bearings? You can't get the "old" new ones out without damaging them?
I refer to such exercises as "practice". Do it, notice one of those pesky extra parts, take it back apart and do it again.
Like the time I had the bottom end of the engine back together and all torqued and noticed that "No, Dumbass, you CAN'T put that seal in after the cases are torqued down. See that little lip, Genius Boy?"
Or, more recently, this little exercise in Repetitive Maintenance: http://www.xs650.com/threads/dodged-a-bullet.51954/
There are two kinds of mechanics out there: Them what HAVE done something like that, and them that will...
I refer to such exercises as "practice". Do it, notice one of those pesky extra parts, take it back apart and do it again.
Like the time I had the bottom end of the engine back together and all torqued and noticed that "No, Dumbass, you CAN'T put that seal in after the cases are torqued down. See that little lip, Genius Boy?"
Or, more recently, this little exercise in Repetitive Maintenance: http://www.xs650.com/threads/dodged-a-bullet.51954/
There are two kinds of mechanics out there: Them what HAVE done something like that, and them that will...
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Yep, I'm both...
