72 Combat Proddy Build

I made up some temporary muffler mounts. These will at least hold until I get the real ones. Just enough so I can begin testing the running of the bike.




Fairly even...

Dave ,
Just a friendly thought.
First bike looks great came along way.
On your last pic you show the timing side exhaust hanger with only one exhaust boss captured by a nut.
I'm afraid this is going to vibrate back/forth and continue to loosen up on you.
i'm no fabricator but the more one looks at something the easier the solution becomes.
I thing if you extend the muffler bracket down and stud/nut the second lower boss as well it will be
supported better against to and fro movement and let the rubber do its job better.
Also a nice toothed washer behind the nut on the rubber mount may reduce loosing up as well.
And in this case stainless of course :wink:
Marshal

MarshalNorton said:

Dave ,
Just a friendly thought.
First bike looks great came along way.
On your last pic you show the timing side exhaust hanger with only one exhaust boss captured by a nut.
I'm afraid this is going to vibrate back/forth and continue to loosen up on you.
i'm no fabricator but the more one looks at something the easier the solution becomes.
I thing if you extend the muffler bracket down and stud/nut the second lower boss as well it will be
supported better against to and fro movement and let the rubber do its job better.
Also a nice toothed washer behind the nut on the rubber mount may reduce loosing up as well.
And in this case stainless of course :wink:
Marshal

Click to expand...

Good thoughts. Please note that the brackets are only temporary. I have to see if I can get the right ones from Mick Hemmings and he doesn't do internet. I have to take a training class so I remember how to fax. :mrgreen:

So these will only be on there so I can get the bike running and maybe putt down the back alley. No road work.

Toothed washers won't do much. I have nice stainless acorn nuts I picked up this morning. With some locktite I should be good. I think.

swooshdave said:

MarshalNorton said:

Dave ,
Just a friendly thought.
First bike looks great came along way.
On your last pic you show the timing side exhaust hanger with only one exhaust boss captured by a nut.
I'm afraid this is going to vibrate back/forth and continue to loosen up on you.
i'm no fabricator but the more one looks at something the easier the solution becomes.
I thing if you extend the muffler bracket down and stud/nut the second lower boss as well it will be
supported better against to and fro movement and let the rubber do its job better.
Also a nice toothed washer behind the nut on the rubber mount may reduce loosing up as well.
And in this case stainless of course :wink:
Marshal

Click to expand...

Good thoughts. Please note that the brackets are only temporary. I have to see if I can get the right ones from Mick Hemmings and he doesn't do internet. I have to take a training class so I remember how to fax. :mrgreen:

So these will only be on there so I can get the bike running and maybe putt down the back alley. No road work.

Toothed washers won't do much. I have nice stainless acorn nuts I picked up this morning. With some locktite I should be good. I think.

Click to expand...

I'd think those brackets you made should hold up for shakedown runs. I did my first two shakedowns with no seat, and the third....well.....that is when I started to have what I think is now, ignition issues.

New brake line. Brake system is fresh from top to bottom. I'll rebuild the calipers (the rest of the way) next week.


Tygon fuel line. Found it at a local lawn equipment store. $.17/in so I got 3 feet. I love this stuff. I've had some on my Bultaco for years. Still soft and pliable and same color. Now I have to decide whether to do the H-line or just one tap to each carb. Probably go with the later for now.


I picked up these tank rubbers, they are typically used to cushion Featherbed tanks. I'm going to use them under the front of the seat. I think they will work perfectly.

Trimmed fuel lines.

If your banjo's aren't connected to each other wont you need the H configuration to preserve your reserve fuel tap?

swooshdave said:

New brake line. Brake system is fresh from top to bottom. I'll rebuild the calipers (the rest of the way) next week.

Click to expand...

Have you tried your fender/mudguard with the brake line bracket? I found the mudguard mounts clashed with the standard bracket.

Sorry, two posts on the trot from me and both a bit negative, seriously trying to help not just pick.

Rich_j said:

swooshdave said:

New brake line. Brake system is fresh from top to bottom. I'll rebuild the calipers (the rest of the way) next week.

Click to expand...

Have you tried your fender/mudguard with the brake line bracket? I found the mudguard mounts clashed with the standard bracket.

Sorry, two posts on the trot from me and both a bit negative, seriously trying to help not just pick.

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Both constructive comments and both welcome. Yes, I've been mulling that arrangement. Stay tuned.

Really nice job !

Fabrizio Di Bella said:

Really nice job !

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Thanks.

It was really hot today. But we managed to get some more work done. Front brake is fully assembled. Using the "pin the brake lever overnite" trick so we'll see what it does in the morning. Put some oil in the tank. It leaked immeditately from the big banjo which I obviously didn't tighten down. Picked up a 1 1/8 socket and tightened it up. Will check it also in the morning for leaking.


Front brake and front fender finally mounted.

I also went with straight 50w oil. I think this is what is recommended by the factory. Here's my theory: I think most people use 20w50, which would be very thin when cold... and that's when it wetsumps. The multigrade oil was designed, I think, to help cars with their crankcases full of oil, to be able to spin over when starting. With the Norton there shouldn't be much oil in the crankcase (dry sump and all) so there really isn't a need for a multigrade.

Luckily the local NAPA has Premium 50w by the quart. So it's not even hard to procure for me. Let's hope it works like my theory.

Tomorrow is the seat bracket, charge the battery, reheck the wiring, double check the pilot jets, check the carb sync, double check the timing... maybe give it a kick?

Give it !

for me today is the first workin' day after a short holiday, so I like to start to do my job in the workshop in a smooth and progressive way. :wink:

I''ll save a little time to give another check to my Commando PR (lookalike or true..I'm still waiting infos from UK :lol: )

Best wishes for your works on your Commando, too.
Stay in contact.

Cheers

Fabrizio (from the Italian Alps)

Dave,
I run Castrol HD 40 wt and have no problems all season long in my combat.
I ride from low 50's till 80's in Penna.
She goes away at freeze time as no sense dumping her on the pavement after all the work gone into her.
50 wt the Harley sportsters ran for years in shovelhead style motors so allot of bike shops still carry a quality 50 wt oil.
In one picture I see allot of different colored objects lying on a box.
They wouldn't be your assistance crayons would they? :shock:
You can't get the bike done if you coloring all the time :wink:
Looks good my friend. An able bodied assistance is always a plus at "can you hold this thing for me while a tighten it time".
You need 3 hands to finish a Norton some days. ie... slides and cable replacement.
Marshal

MarshalNorton said:

In one picture I see allot of different colored objects lying on a box.
Marshal

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Color coded T-Handle Allen Wrenches. You can get them on sale from Harbor Freight for about $5. :mrgreen:

Luckily my dad is out visiting from NC and helping out. The kid is not quite helpful yet. Unless we need additional sound effects...

Dave, if your oil tank banjo still leaks after tightening, use some Permatex #2 on the banjo and washer surfaces. That stopped my very small leak in the same area.

Coco said:

Dave, if your oil tank banjo still leaks after tightening, use some Permatex #2 on the banjo and washer surfaces. That stopped my very small leak in the same area.

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Yeah, I remember reading that. I'm hoping that if the oil tank gets hot I'll tighten it then. These are not new washers so that could be it too.

swooshdave said:

Coco said:

Dave, if your oil tank banjo still leaks after tightening, use some Permatex #2 on the banjo and washer surfaces. That stopped my very small leak in the same area.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I remember reading that. I'm hoping that if the oil tank gets hot I'll tighten it then. These are not new washers so that could be it too.

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I used new alloy washers and a new banjo and it still leaked. The Permatex #2 stopped it. That banjo has to be tight though. If you go that route, let everything sit overnight and tack up before you put oil back in. That crap gets real tacky like tar after it sits for a while.

Next problem is that we can't get the brake to work right. Everything is new with a sleeved master cylinder. Lever goes back to the grip. Pistons are moving. Fed fluid from the bottom, then tried regular bleeding. Hasn't changed. Not firm. Sigh.

Seat is finished. I'll update the other thread.

View from the driver's seat. :mrgreen:

Thanks to Marshal for the tach. Looks awesome and matches perfectly.

swooshdave said:

Next problem is that we can't get the brake to work right. Everything is new with a sleeved master cylinder. Lever goes back to the grip. Pistons are moving. Fed fluid from the bottom, then tried regular bleeding. Hasn't changed. Not firm. Sigh.

Seat is finished. I'll update the other thread.

Click to expand...

You may still have air in there caught up somewhere. Have you tried a cheap brake fluid vacuum pump? I use large syringes from the vet supply store since I'm too cheap to buy a vacuum pump. I was in your situation and almost got the pump but just bled a few more times and that did it.