Café Commando build thread

I like the OIF idea Jean, it should work pretty well, have you calculated what the oil capacity will be? Also how are you planning to vent the tank? Just though the filler cap, or are you planning on a separate tube?

Webby
 
Jean, this is going to be fun to watch.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add,
but when there is nothing left to remove. -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
splatt said:
And are you actually going to ride this one :?: :?:
Click to expand...

I stand by my record :mrgreen:

Webby said:
I like the OIF idea Jean, it should work pretty well, have you calculated what the oil capacity will be? Also how are you planning to vent the tank? Just though the filler cap, or are you planning on a separate tube?
Click to expand...

Just winging it on oil capacity. The ones who used only the top tube could put 2 liters of oil, I am sure I could add at least one more liter by extending the tank as shown. Venting I will have to work out, but it "should" be fairly straightforwards (famous last words, even the factory took years to get it right)

Jean
 
Hobot: Fournales was (is?) a French co who did shocks with no springs only air pressure and oil. Thunk of the look of the old Yamaha Fazer ....
I had a pair on my Shovelhead FXR and it achieved making my back a regular in chiropractor's offices: even after I bought the special air pump (needs a lot of air pressure!) I was never able to achieve the right mix of comfort and road handling.... Little like a pair of brand new Konis before they set up !
I you need a picture of the Fournales I must have one somewhere .
Philippe
 
Just winging it on oil capacity. The ones who used only the top tube could put 2 liters of oil, I am sure I could add at least one more liter by extending the tank as shown. Venting I will have to work out, but it "should" be fairly straightforwards (famous last words, even the factory took years to get it right)

Jean[/quote]

The oil capacity isnt enough for a bike used for road riding, and will mean the oil will get very hot pretty quickly. Better idea is to fit a larger capacity oil tank, and mount it lower down on the bike, ideally also housing the battery.
 
Bigger lines, filter, oil cooler will add capacity.

Personally I'm not much of a fan of OIF. Cool idea, but have you ever had to clean out the backbone oil tank on a T-140?
PITA
 
The first B44 GP Victors were OIF but had a small supplementary tank where the battery tray would normally go to keep the weight low, I would be looking for 5L minimum, a longer/bigger oil filter would increase the capacity and be in the right spot for weight distribution, there are some large screw on oil filters for VW/Audi diesel engines available.

http://www.aepdirect.com/index.php?opti ... edium=base

Café Commando build thread
 
The steering collumn was too long, so I just cut it in half, took one inch off and rewelded the two together. I am not a good welder, just like signing, in my head I can sing like Pavarotti, but when it comes out it's more like Mrs Miller, my welds are the same, sound, but not good looking. With the welder, I am really cooking, even if bad, before, I had to make the parts, make jigs, take them to the welder, go back later when he has taken time from his other jobs to weld my little parts then go back home to find out the parts moved, then do it again. A 30 minute job if I do it myself, a week to get it done by someone else. If I want beautiful welds, I can at least tack everything together and then bring it to a pro, but when the welds don't show, I get to practice. The top bearing is the stock Commando bearing, fits just nice, for the bottom, I went to my local bearing supplier and they had a bearing matching the Commando's frame and the Kawasaki's steering collumn. I think I will use the spacer tube, but I am not sure since the lower bearing is a tapered roller type.

Café Commando build thread


I built up the front wheel to see how it fitted in the forks I will use. These forks are from a Kawasaki GPZ750, I will cut off the disk mounting bosses and make brake torque arms for the Grimeca 4LS front brake.

Café Commando build thread


Jean
 
Mark said:
Bigger lines, filter, oil cooler will add capacity.

Personally I'm not much of a fan of OIF. Cool idea, but have you ever had to clean out the backbone oil tank on a T-140?
PITA
Click to expand...

Cleaning an oil tank is only easier because you can take it off the bike, it's still a PITA. I will have an opening in the back to make it easier to clean.

Jean
 
Looks like a candidate to try a set of modified CV carbs...

hee hee
 
Jeandr said:
.

Café Commando build thread


YOU are joking right :?: , they make lathes for that sort of thing jean, or did you swap yours and a few brain cells when you purchased your miller :?:
Click to expand...
 
splatt said:
Jeandr said:
.

YOU are joking right :?: , they make lathes for that sort of thing jean, or did you swap yours and a few brain cells when you purchased your miller :?:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

:?: :?: I don't see what I did wrong, please explain. First off my lathe has a 9" swing (no gap bed) and the triple tree is too big to turn in it so I just cut it with a cut off wheel, I chamfered the edge to get good weld penetration. The other piece I turned in the lathe to make it one inch shorter, chamfered on the lathe and then I welded both pieces together. This is not bad practice since the stem does not bear a lot of bending loads neither does it bear a lot of tension load. In the chassis design list there was a question on what to use as a stem and many of the guys in the list who have been building frames for a long time said even a threaded rod would be fine.

Jean

PS I won't have my milling machine until march :( And I lose brain cells every day :cry:
 
Ive seen your work on your other bike and it's better than that.
MILLER welder.

So what tranfers the the load from the rake angle to the frame :?:

Sorry not picking on you, I just didn't believe some body would cut and weld somthing their life may depend on when a more satisfactory ,and just better allround method is easily done.
 
splatt said:
Ive seen your work on your other bike and it's better than that.
MILLER welder.

So what tranfers the the load from the rake angle to the frame :?:

Sorry not picking on you, I just didn't believe some body would cut and weld somthing their life may depend on when a more satisfactory ,and just better allround method is easily done.
Click to expand...

The bearings transfer the load, as long as they are secure, it will be OK. Look at the chopper guys, they cut frames at the neck to rake them, then weld the thing up. There is a lot more stress put on the neck than there is on the stem. Peter Fonda didn't look too worried on Captain America, well maybe he was really stoned and he didn't even realise he was on a bike :wink:

What would you have done?

Jean
 
How about turning an inner shaft to put inside to keep it true during the weld.

I've never tried to remove that shaft, it would be a bitch. A very powerful press and some heat should do it though. Then it could be rethreaded from the bottom and new bearing boss (your choice of threads).
 
RennieK said:
How about turning an inner shaft to put inside to keep it true during the weld.

I've never tried to remove that shaft, it would be a bitch. A very powerful press and some heat should do it though. Then it could be rethreaded from the bottom and new bearing boss (your choice of threads).
Click to expand...

Like this??? :D
Café Commando build thread
 
What would you have done?

Jean[/quote]

Machined a center in the bottom, or spigot, pushed up betwwen centres ,cut new thread and bearing surface , as long as it was't already to small, or machined it right out and pushed a new stem in place.

Chopper guys, 5mile stints between pubs is a big ride for them
And what applies the load to the bearings :?:
So an 1'' spigot on each clamp and a 2ba threaded rod between them to keep the bearing preloaded :?:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top