Amazing what they will do to shave some weight and ££££ off the machine!
Good find tho Raymond if a little disappointing.
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2003 Royal Enfield 500 Deluxe
- Thread starter Raymond
- Start date
Good find tho Raymond if a little disappointing.
That's one way to keep manufacturing costs down... one missing ball at a time.... Clever Indians.
One naturally wonders where the 'missing' balls have gone? Close inspection shows little misshapen bits of metal among the remaining ones. I'll be sourcing British or Japanese replacements. As yet, haven't looked at the two rear wheel bearings, or for that matter the front ones, but I've got a feeling that new ones throughout will be a Good Idea.
Hopefully they're a standard size, Raymond, and you can pick up Timken, Koyo or FAG replacements.
Yup. Back when I was a student with an SR500 I learned that bearings is bearings.
One of the camshaft bearings needed changed so went to the Yamaha dealer in Dundee. The parts guy looked up on his microfiche - 'Yes, this is the bearing you need, C6003C, it'll cost you £36, plus the VAT of course, and if it's available at our distribution depot in Holland we'll have it in a week. If it needs to come from Japan, it'll be three weeks.'
As a student, back in them days, £36 + VAT was a lot of money. Too much. So on advice from my friend Calum, went to the local Koyo stockist. Where I timidly asked if they could supply a single 6003C. 'Oh dear, that's a very specialist bearing, it's a fine tolerance see, we don't have that in stock. In fact, I won't be able to get it for you until tomorrow.' Price was about £6, but the man asked where I worked. 'Uhm, I don't work for anybody, I'm a student.'
'Right, student, eh? With our university discount, that will take it down by 50%. - best I can do for you . . .'
I was immediately a convert to buying bearings from bearings suppliers.
The Bullet has standard size bearings, front wheel 6203, rear wheel 6205 and sprocket carrier 6005.
One of the camshaft bearings needed changed so went to the Yamaha dealer in Dundee. The parts guy looked up on his microfiche - 'Yes, this is the bearing you need, C6003C, it'll cost you £36, plus the VAT of course, and if it's available at our distribution depot in Holland we'll have it in a week. If it needs to come from Japan, it'll be three weeks.'
As a student, back in them days, £36 + VAT was a lot of money. Too much. So on advice from my friend Calum, went to the local Koyo stockist. Where I timidly asked if they could supply a single 6003C. 'Oh dear, that's a very specialist bearing, it's a fine tolerance see, we don't have that in stock. In fact, I won't be able to get it for you until tomorrow.' Price was about £6, but the man asked where I worked. 'Uhm, I don't work for anybody, I'm a student.'
'Right, student, eh? With our university discount, that will take it down by 50%. - best I can do for you . . .'
I was immediately a convert to buying bearings from bearings suppliers.
The Bullet has standard size bearings, front wheel 6203, rear wheel 6205 and sprocket carrier 6005.
Will you get a mature student discount on that lot Raymond?
Parts ordered from HItchcocks arrived this morning - l/h nut for mainshaft, couple tab washers, sprockets and chain. Time to blow some of the dust off one question
The chain supplied has 95 links, thehalf-arsed half-link is just left of the gold-coloured split link. Don't understand this but has been suggested to me that the snail-cam adjusters perhaps don't give enough to-and-fro to get tension correct with a 94 or 96 link?
Time for a shrug of the shoulders, the chain is certainly going to be strong enough for the less than massive torque of the Bullet.
Thought of a name for the bike, instead of Nirvana Express, too clunky, or TNG, The Naughty Girl. Occurred to me that a synonym of bullet is slug? Which also kind of describes the performance of a 500 Bullet . . .
Now affectionately referred to as the Slug.
The chain supplied has 95 links, the
Time for a shrug of the shoulders, the chain is certainly going to be strong enough for the less than massive torque of the Bullet.
Thought of a name for the bike, instead of Nirvana Express, too clunky, or TNG, The Naughty Girl. Occurred to me that a synonym of bullet is slug? Which also kind of describes the performance of a 500 Bullet . . .
Now affectionately referred to as the Slug.
I’ll grant you that I lived at Daytona Beach, but my new XS650 went through the original drive chain faster than the tires if memory serves. It’s price point stuff. Fortunately, most of the motorcycle wasn’t made that way.
Ordered a bearing to replace the one that eat itself, Koyo 6005 sealed unit via ebay.uk for an outlay of £5.85, that includes the postage. Could have gone to Hitchcocks, would've cost £16.20 plus the postage so just over twenty quid. Now, I will say here - Hitchcocks provides a great service, they're nearly indispensable for Enfield owners in Britain, particularly owners of discontinued bikes, and internationally, But bearings is bearings.
Meanwhile, decided to 'ave a go tidying the battery cover. Looks like it's been hand-painted, the RE sticker is off-centre - annoys me but ain't done nuffin about it till now - so decided to pull the sticker off and flat the paint back a bit. Used wet emery paper and went at it, but just found how bad the paint was. Ended up using a leccy sander and taking back nearly to the metal. Then rattle-can primer, just one coat plus light dusting so far.
No before picture.
Not sure if it's worth lightly flatting back rattle can primer? Not sure if it needs further coats either. Then I'll spray some gloss black.
Ordered a nice new sticker too - found a design I like better than the old 'un.
Meanwhile, decided to 'ave a go tidying the battery cover. Looks like it's been hand-painted, the RE sticker is off-centre - annoys me but ain't done nuffin about it till now - so decided to pull the sticker off and flat the paint back a bit. Used wet emery paper and went at it, but just found how bad the paint was. Ended up using a leccy sander and taking back nearly to the metal. Then rattle-can primer, just one coat plus light dusting so far.
No before picture.
Not sure if it's worth lightly flatting back rattle can primer? Not sure if it needs further coats either. Then I'll spray some gloss black.
Ordered a nice new sticker too - found a design I like better than the old 'un.
Just remember that any roughness in the primer will (somewhat) show through the topcoat. Gloss black is especially bad for that. I'd take some 400-600 and lightly smooth off any roughness.
Must have applied about 8 light coats of primer-filler with some gentle flatting back between. Tried the finest emery I have, used wet, but found it too rough. So ended up using a spot of T-cut on a duster and a finger tip to gently work at smoothing out.
After two coats of black:
Now, that's not perfect by any means but I'm happy enough. The tab at the bottom is untidy but the lock fits there and will hide the lumpiness.
Big improvement on how it was, plus will largely be hidden under a sticker. Can't find a jpg version of the sticker, so you'll have to wait.
After two coats of black:
Now, that's not perfect by any means but I'm happy enough. The tab at the bottom is untidy but the lock fits there and will hide the lumpiness.
Big improvement on how it was, plus will largely be hidden under a sticker. Can't find a jpg version of the sticker, so you'll have to wait.
While waiting for the sprocket bearing, clean and inspect gearbox outer cover and associated bits.
The clutch operating arm felt slightly gritty, pulled it apart and washed out loads of old grease, reminded me of black ear wax.
The light alloy cover and housing have worn grooves on the working face that holds the clutch arm, must be due to bits of grit or sommat, so gave the curved faces a light rub with emery wrapped round a pen. Didn't want to rub too long and make the arm a loose fit, just wanted to remove any high points. It'll be fine, put it back together with lashings of grease. There's a grease nipple at the top of the arm, which can be pumped from outside the gearbox without removing anything.
The bits all cleaned up. Might go over the outside of the case with a spot of Solvol, I mean, why not? But can't do much more until I have the chain and sprocket back on, so the mainshaft can be held to fit the l/h thread nut on this end.
The fun bit is gonna be the little change mechanism, a pile of plates, spacers and a ratchet affair. Has to be assembled onto the inner gearbox cover and getting the angles right so the 'box will shift up and down is said to be awkward, some people advise against disturbing the mechanism but needs must so I'm sure it'll go back together somehow and be persuaded to work someday . . .
The clutch operating arm felt slightly gritty, pulled it apart and washed out loads of old grease, reminded me of black ear wax.
The light alloy cover and housing have worn grooves on the working face that holds the clutch arm, must be due to bits of grit or sommat, so gave the curved faces a light rub with emery wrapped round a pen. Didn't want to rub too long and make the arm a loose fit, just wanted to remove any high points. It'll be fine, put it back together with lashings of grease. There's a grease nipple at the top of the arm, which can be pumped from outside the gearbox without removing anything.
The bits all cleaned up. Might go over the outside of the case with a spot of Solvol, I mean, why not? But can't do much more until I have the chain and sprocket back on, so the mainshaft can be held to fit the l/h thread nut on this end.
The fun bit is gonna be the little change mechanism, a pile of plates, spacers and a ratchet affair. Has to be assembled onto the inner gearbox cover and getting the angles right so the 'box will shift up and down is said to be awkward, some people advise against disturbing the mechanism but needs must so I'm sure it'll go back together somehow and be persuaded to work someday . . .
You’ll get it Raymond, you’ve done a terrific job so far. That old bike will be like new when you get done!
What he said!!
Last night, the sprocket bearing finally turned up. Aksherly, beautiful late afternoon, was sitting in the garden and the postie (mailman) came up the garden steps with a handful of letters - mail has been a bit slow since the Bank holiday - but no bearing. Ten minutes later, having been down to the bottom of the street, postie came back again a bit sheepish, 'Sorry, this got in the wrong bunch!' and passed me the little package I have been waiting for. Bearing => freezer.
This morning, Koyo bearing freezer => battered into a heated sprocket carrier, wheel in, front sprocket and chain.
Time to stop and think. Good job there's no time pressure.
I need to tighten the l/h threaded nut at the far end of the gearbox main-shaft but I can't hold it still using the drive sprocket nut coz there's two concentric shafts so main-shaft is still free to turn if you hold the sprocket. Doh! Need to wait until the clutch is back home again.
Never mind, another small step for Man.
This morning, Koyo bearing freezer => battered into a heated sprocket carrier, wheel in, front sprocket and chain.
Time to stop and think. Good job there's no time pressure.
I need to tighten the l/h threaded nut at the far end of the gearbox main-shaft but I can't hold it still using the drive sprocket nut coz there's two concentric shafts so main-shaft is still free to turn if you hold the sprocket. Doh! Need to wait until the clutch is back home again.
Never mind, another small step for Man.
Fitted the primary drive. The real PITA is the alternator - lob the rotor on the end of the crankshaft, yup, easy enough. Then fit the stator over the rotor and secure with three nuts. Ensuring there's at least 6 thou clearance between rotor and stator . . .
That rotor and stator need to be concentric, but they're not.
Should be able to insert a 0.006" feeler anywhere around the gap but it's loose at the top and tight at the bottom.The angle the camera is at makes it look well off but it's not that bad. The book says a gentle tap will centre it but not doing it for me right now.
Another book says use six non-magnetic metal strips approx 6 thou thick, insert as you put the stator over the rotor. Uhm, I don't happen to own any such strips so I used a piece of acrylic, looks about the right thickness, but it's hard to get the stator on over it and if shoved on too hard, the plastic is not going to pull out.
I know I've done it in the past but no idea how. Enough for today. Maybe tomorrow try cutting up a beer can into strips?
That rotor and stator need to be concentric, but they're not.
Should be able to insert a 0.006" feeler anywhere around the gap but it's loose at the top and tight at the bottom.The angle the camera is at makes it look well off but it's not that bad. The book says a gentle tap will centre it but not doing it for me right now.
Another book says use six non-magnetic metal strips approx 6 thou thick, insert as you put the stator over the rotor. Uhm, I don't happen to own any such strips so I used a piece of acrylic, looks about the right thickness, but it's hard to get the stator on over it and if shoved on too hard, the plastic is not going to pull out.
I know I've done it in the past but no idea how. Enough for today. Maybe tomorrow try cutting up a beer can into strips?
First Raymond, did you spin the motor and see if the gap stayed in the same place? IE... make sure the crank end isn't bent slightly?
Prolly doesn't say to in the book, but the nuts holding the stator need to be just slightly snugged up and then tap it for alignment. Once it's where you want it, then you tighten the nuts.
Beer can as a shim would be my go to. Tried and true. Even Robert Persig would approve.
No Jim, I didn't do that. It's the same old story of what order to do stuff. At the moment, I have no clutch, no kick-start, no way to turn the engine.
Trying to plan for tomorrow. I still can't fit the l/h threaded nut at t'other end of main-shaft. So after playing about with strips of beer can, even if it's not right, I'll have to leave getting the alternator right another time.
Tomorrow, fit and tighten the clutch centre nut, then I can hold the main-shaft and put the l/h nut on. Then rebuild change mech under the gearbox cover - that might be interesting. Then rebuild the clutch so I can turn the engine, by rear wheel or kicker. If the gear box works, that is . . .
Enough for today.
Spin it using the nut on the end of the rotor? With the spark plug out, should be easy enough to spin it that way.
Yes, that's the way to do it. Of course, with no clutch, haven't fully tightened the rotor nut yet.
If the gap does not stay put, it means the crank is out of true or the rotor is off somehow? Maybe it'll better once that nut is fully tight.
If the gap does not stay put, it means the crank is out of true or the rotor is off somehow? Maybe it'll better once that nut is fully tight.