Downeaster the weight difference between the right and left sides allows the motor to hang level with the offset.
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Jim's 1980 SG Miss September
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
Wasn't sure about that, I've always used the "brute strength and ignorance" method: Get the engine near the bike, straddle the bike, brace my chest against the backbone, grab the engine by the head fins and under the side covers, ratchet the ol' grommet up to 11 and heave...
Might still be a good idea to have the top adjustable in case you want to tilt the motor to get it in place.
You have to tilt them slightly on the way in and out, that's just the way it needs to be done. They won't lift straight up far enough before hitting the frame to clear the bottom. So, you lift straight up a little then start tilting the top to the right. The more you lift, the more you can tilt, and also start moving the motor to the right, and eventually, the top gets out from under the frame and out she comes. On my one-man cart, the lift arms tilt the motor as you raise them up and thankfully, it turned out to be enough, lol .....
....very clever and its all painted up so pretty...
...it looks like something Robin or JimD would have built - except that Jim's would be chromed and Robin's would be made of burled walnut - and polished....
...it looks like something Robin or JimD would have built - except that Jim's would be chromed and Robin's would be made of burled walnut - and polished....
REF:644
That is the slickest engine installer yet! What is that base? Shopping cart? My hats(helmet?) off to the designer!
That is the slickest engine installer yet! What is that base? Shopping cart? My hats(helmet?) off to the designer!
Yes, an old shopping cart, but not a full size one, rather one of these "half" carts .....
In fact, I think this was the very one. I cut the baskets and uprights off, lowered the handle, added the shelf, etc. As an added bonus, the tubing from the uprights turned out to be the perfect diameter for making fork spring preload spacers, lol. I'm also working on turning the baskets into a heavy duty grate for my blasting cabinet. Waste not, want not, right?
In fact, I think this was the very one. I cut the baskets and uprights off, lowered the handle, added the shelf, etc. As an added bonus, the tubing from the uprights turned out to be the perfect diameter for making fork spring preload spacers, lol. I'm also working on turning the baskets into a heavy duty grate for my blasting cabinet. Waste not, want not, right?
Swingarm Bushing Lube
I was finishing up the "frame cleanup" on the swingarm and contemplating what to do about the known problem of the bushings not getting adequate grease from the existing zerks.
I know that 5twins installed an extra zerk underneath the pivot tube. That looks like an effective fix but I couldn't help thinkin' I'm missin' sumpin here. So... being one who's fond of the road less traveled, I went about it a little differently. The problem is getting the grease from the zerk, out the grease holes in the bolt, through the steal bushing and into the spiral grooves in the brass bushings. If you look inside the steal bushing, you can see there's a groove cut into it where the grease holes are. So, we have a clear path through the bolt and through the bushing regardless of the relationship between the bolt hole and bushing holes... the grease just travels around the groove. Not the best pic (sorry), but you can clearly see the groove....
The problem lies in getting the grease to spread out into the brass bushing. So... I used the Atlas to cut a groove on the outside of the steal bushing....
The groove is about .025 deep and about 1/4" wide. Since the brass bushing has a spiral groove, the grease now has a passageway to get to the spiral groove and spread out across the bushing faces...
Problem solved. I can now get full lubrication by just greasing the existing zerks.
I was finishing up the "frame cleanup" on the swingarm and contemplating what to do about the known problem of the bushings not getting adequate grease from the existing zerks.
I know that 5twins installed an extra zerk underneath the pivot tube. That looks like an effective fix but I couldn't help thinkin' I'm missin' sumpin here. So... being one who's fond of the road less traveled, I went about it a little differently. The problem is getting the grease from the zerk, out the grease holes in the bolt, through the steal bushing and into the spiral grooves in the brass bushings. If you look inside the steal bushing, you can see there's a groove cut into it where the grease holes are. So, we have a clear path through the bolt and through the bushing regardless of the relationship between the bolt hole and bushing holes... the grease just travels around the groove. Not the best pic (sorry), but you can clearly see the groove....
The problem lies in getting the grease to spread out into the brass bushing. So... I used the Atlas to cut a groove on the outside of the steal bushing....
The groove is about .025 deep and about 1/4" wide. Since the brass bushing has a spiral groove, the grease now has a passageway to get to the spiral groove and spread out across the bushing faces...
Problem solved. I can now get full lubrication by just greasing the existing zerks.
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weekendrider,
Are you sure that clevis is up to the job? Would hate to have it fail drop the engine!
Are you sure that clevis is up to the job? Would hate to have it fail drop the engine!
Yes, an old shopping cart, but not a full size one, rather one of these "half" carts .....
In fact, I think this was the very one. I cut the baskets and uprights off, lowered the handle, added the shelf, etc. As an added bonus, the tubing from the uprights turned out to be the perfect diameter for making fork spring preload spacers, lol. I'm also working on turning the baskets into a heavy duty grate for my blasting cabinet. Waste not, want not, right?
All the abandoned carts around these premises are the full size ones.........
damn inconsiderate people for not using those small ones
Happiness is a tight... er... swingarm.
Swingarms painted... time to install it. The steal bushing tube is a pretty loose fit in the frame and there were no shims when I took it apart. Scrounged around till I found a stainless washer that looked close and got lucky. It's .063" thick and gives it a perfect interference fit. I can slide it in and out by hand with just enough interference to stay by itself....
A washer (shim) on each side would have been better, but I think I can live with a .063" swingarm offset...
Steal bushing tube measures out at exactly .002" longer than the brass bushing faces. Man... that's tight I like tight...
Of course... ol' dipstick here forgot to tape up the swingarm bolt holes when he painted the frame. So...out comes the homemade cylinder hone....
Purged the grease holes in the bolt....
... and put it all together.
My locking tab is trashed so I used a stainless lock washer for now. I'll paint a witness mark on it for "pre-flight" purposes. The book calls for 47 ft-lbs of torque which I think is a bit excessive... especially considering I got an interference fit all the way across the frame. Standard 14mm torque is 33 ft-lbs so that's what I torqued it to.
I have no discernible side play and it rotates with one finger... and other than assembly lube, I ain't even greased it yet. I'm calling this one done.
Swingarms painted... time to install it. The steal bushing tube is a pretty loose fit in the frame and there were no shims when I took it apart. Scrounged around till I found a stainless washer that looked close and got lucky. It's .063" thick and gives it a perfect interference fit. I can slide it in and out by hand with just enough interference to stay by itself....
A washer (shim) on each side would have been better, but I think I can live with a .063" swingarm offset...
Steal bushing tube measures out at exactly .002" longer than the brass bushing faces. Man... that's tight
I like tight...Of course... ol' dipstick here forgot to tape up the swingarm bolt holes when he painted the frame. So...out comes the homemade cylinder hone....
Purged the grease holes in the bolt....
... and put it all together.
My locking tab is trashed so I used a stainless lock washer for now. I'll paint a witness mark on it for "pre-flight" purposes. The book calls for 47 ft-lbs of torque which I think is a bit excessive... especially considering I got an interference fit all the way across the frame. Standard 14mm torque is 33 ft-lbs so that's what I torqued it to.
I have no discernible side play and it rotates with one finger... and other than assembly lube, I ain't even greased it yet. I'm calling this one done.
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Looks good Jim - and nice mounting for the reg-rec unit too!
Pete
Pete
Thanks Pete.
Couldn't help myself... had to add a little "bling."
New chain guard from Mikes.
New chain guard from Mikes.
Really nice work there Jim! That's why you're the Captain!
Thanks Bob.
Man that's lookin' sweet Jim. Very nice work buddy.
The torque spec charts for some years give you a range. I like this '77 one .....
According to the above, anywhere between about 36 and 58 ft/lbs would be good for the singarm. I would base what I used on how tight it was in the frame (easily moved by hand).
According to the above, anywhere between about 36 and 58 ft/lbs would be good for the singarm. I would base what I used on how tight it was in the frame (easily moved by hand).
Thanks Robin.
And that's what I based it on. My 78-80 manual sez 33-36 for a 14mm bolt and 47 for the swingarm... a fair bit more than standard. I think they were taking into account that you might have to suck the frame in a little. Since mine was already "snug," I didn't see the need for the extra torque. Besides, I like to stay on the low end of the torque range with older hardware that's had their threads "polished" a little...
Meddy
XS650 Addict
Coming along very nicely Jim, although I reckon we must have some sort of international channeling thing going on. 
Mike's chainguard, check.
Ebay "KD" shocks, check.
or maybe great minds think alike.
Mike's chainguard, check.
Ebay "KD" shocks, check.
or maybe great minds think alike.
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