Stripped!

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Hey davamb, you going to send some across the ditch for you poor cuzzy bros????
Regards Te Whiu
 
Sheetmetal guy has shut for the year I'm afraid, so nothing doing 'till early in the new year guys.
 
Hi Dave,
I'd been keen for a set as well if you've any spare.
I know your said you had a couple but is that the same amount as when the wife questions you about how many sherbets you had down the pub?
I am only a stones through away from you too. If you can toss them over the Nullabor.
Cheers
Dave
 
Finally managed to get the sheetmetal guy to fold the remaining lasercut blanks:

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Missing one of the small brackets though, have to go back and pester him (again) and see if he's got it or it's lost for good.

Complete assembly:

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So Chuck, Jeff, Brooking and Dave, I'll find out postage costs sometime this week, and if of no significance get 'em under way to you. Please PM me mailing addresses guys. Dunno what I'll do if I can't recover the missing bracket though.

In the meantime, my head has been overhauled - new valves, guides and springs and recut seats after I sent it off 'just' to get an exhaust thread repaired! Pick it up this coming weekend. Have decoked the piston crowns in the meantime:

Stripped!


I note that the pistons are (both) +20 and the bores still have their hone marks, so at least something seems to have been done properly by the engine builder. You can also see my reed-valve unit installed in the engine breather line. Replaced the crank main seal, the old one just fell into my hand as I took the primary drive off, so no wonder the transfer case kept filling up! New one seems to be secure, so I don't know why the old one didn't seat. Strange.... still, should be quite oil tight now.
 
Bought a decent timing light on Friday ($100 at SupaCheap, won't be borrowing my mate's any longer) and built my $20 torque wrench Saturday:

Stripped!


The digital scales are on special at the moment from a certain camping store for $10 (normally $50) and the bit of pipe was $5 from the local hardware. The 13mm combination spanner was sacrificed and makes both an open-ended and ring-end for the wrench. The pipe was cut to 0.5 metre and allowance made for the spanner attachment at the business end. The ends were cross-drilled and tapped M6 for a screw and locknut to locate the spanner piece. The setting you're aiming for is double the stated torque in kg*m (as the pipe is 0.5m). Pull steadily on the scale handle keeping it normal (at 90 degrees) to the pipe as you do.

Wrench worked well and the timing light is telling me I'm reaching full advance at around 2500 rpm, but that's at the limit of its adjustment. Plenty of oil dribbles from tappet covers, so dressed them flat with wet-and-dry on glass and cut new gaskets. Same had to be done for 2 of the rocker shaft end covers. But now oil tight for the first time ever! Carbs off and balanced and resynched on WoodenHead:

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near perfect tickover on refitting them. That's an old pic, I now mount the carbs to the plate upside down above the backbone so that the cables are in almost identical condition to when the carbs are installed. So much easier to synch up off the head!

Investigated the rotor on the Boyer ignition pickup, but can't see how it's installed, think there's a tapered shaft as well as the retaining bolt as it wouldn't budge after the screw was removed. (Further investigation here reveals that it's an interference fit - needs a 5/16"-24 UNF bolt to assist removal.) Filed the adjustment slots a couple of degrees longer in the sensor PCB and this improved the idle still further. (I am assuming that the timing marks are correctly set though - must verify.) She does have one hell of a kick-back and does seem to me to run pretty hot. The latter is subjective though, I've nothing to compare against.

So, now all oil tight and much improved I decided on a run - 8:30pm Sunday night with a storm imminent! Very pleasant quick run out to Warrandyte with a short stop for petrol. Very much improved, but I did get drenched - meh.

Grabbed a couple of 5/16"-24 UNF bolts at lunchtime, will remove rotor tonight and reset the timing. Now fettling instead of fixing. What a joy!
 
Ignition now spot on, guess I better not go for a fang - not coz it's still pissing down, but because 2/3 of the house is now asleep ... damnit!
 
BOM had predicted lotsa rain so I ummed and ahhhed about going for a run after work and then finally decided – sod it, I’m going, don’t care what the weather’s doing. Pissed off from work early (well early for me that is: 6:00pm) and rode across to Tooradin. Total of 133km door to door for the day. Bike ran well. A bit of vibration from the rear somewhere at times - felt through the 'pegs. Might be the rear isolastic has too much play, needs to be added to the "things to investigate" list. Add to that list a tappety sound that I've yet to track down. Think all the clearances are now spot on, so where's it coming from?

Found that one of the nuts that support the cross-brace for the sidestand had disappeared along the way, no big drama, just more parking lean angle! Heard some choofing on the way home and found that one of the head studs was loose. Very strange, I did two passes of torqueing and checking on the weekend, but this was almost finger tight. No thread damage, I torqued it up when I got home. Will keep an eye on it and check all the fasteners on the weekend.

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(Funny to think the old man used to take us camping there when we were kids – it’s now almost suburbia. I remember cooking a meal on a gas burner in the little hut and swimming in the inlet.)

Had chucked a lamby on the seat, but after the foam compresses it's still mutton dressed as lamb, ok for the first hour, but not much chop after. Sent a query off to ACM seats will see what sort of money they want. Would be nice to have a bit of a hump there to brace your bum against.

Love the headlight, it's a car H4, left-hand lens. Has a great spread on low and a terrific beam on high. Say what you like about modern bikes and their looks or aero, but you can't beat a farkin' great lens. Also really enjoy how the bars and mirrors are totally vibe-free at cruising speed.

Now all in all, I reckon with a decent seat, this thing could cover serious distance. It gets over a billion miles to the gallon and has a humongous fuel tank. Just miss having that instant arm-stretching acceleration that makes overtaking on the TRX so effortless. Maybe worth considering changing the overall gearing...

So with the run out to Yarra Glen the night before (70km) and then this run to Tooradin, that’s 200ks in 2 days and nothing broke. Although not perfect, I declare this bike ready for use. Dog bless all who sail in her.

Just beat the rain home.
 
Great stuff to lose my mind in on another gestation coming to mature road life.
The new list of thingstododoo tests my sense of maturity and manhood to just run around normal and stay ahead of the decays. All Nortons ring their head for a loose tappet sound. Check lash and cam chain if ya must but if its running good the only warning of bad failure will be a few 10th seconds of no mistaking loud tickle sounds then Cang<Clank so only locked tire sounds, till clutch pulled so just wind and drive chain whirl slowing up fast. Once ya get an Interstate Commando set right for ya, you can merge with bike as you comfortable body for hours/100's miles at a time, depressed you have to break the trace a few times a day to top of another 1,2,3,4,5,6 gallons of joy juice.

Its always a leap of faith for me to hop on and get back w/o some misadventure.
 
hobot said:
Its always a leap of faith for me to hop on and get back w/o some misadventure.

One thing I really like about this bike Steve, is that every trip is a memorable event. I hope it stays that way. Can do without the "mis" and just have the "adventure", but whatever way it goes - it is always interesting!
 
A Norton and nowadays especially a Commando is an instant ice breaker everywhere ya goes and often enough its someone asking if ya need help on side of road or, ugh my case, at their front door to beg a phone on gas or oil or wire etc. I find it takes about 1000 miles to shake down the weak or over looked stuff. Don't trust any blinds so be out the way ahead of time eh.
 
Glad it's going for you Dave, maybe you can finally enjoy Nortoneering?

Have you thought about Airhawk seat cushion?

Best to get the seat redone to suit you.

I would recomend John Moorhouse at Ergo Seats (07) 3245 3979 in Brisbane,,,,,but a seat is a personal thing that you need to sit and try as it's getting made. (and look)

John uses high quality foam and coverings that are hard for the first 1000kms but very good after that. He's done all my bike seats and it pays. (not expensive either)

graeme
 
hobot said:
I find it takes about 1000 miles to shake down the weak or over looked stuff. Don't trust any blinds so be out the way ahead of time eh.
I hear ya. Replaced all the nuts on the sidestand assembly with nylocs tonight. It's not going to lose any more. This is it:

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I wanted something bolt-on after painting the frame and came up with this. It is working very well. You can change the angle of the stand by adjusting the threaded rod between the main tubes. It's all in tension and is pretty strong.

GRM 450 said:
Glad it's going for you Dave, maybe you can finally enjoy Nortoneering?
Long overdue Graeme, waaay overdue.

GRM 450 said:
Have you thought about Airhawk seat cushion?
Yeah, I have, but would rather improve the existing seat. But then again an airhawk could be used on the TRX too I s'pose. Hmm, must cogitate.

GRM 450 said:
Best to get the seat redone to suit you.
I would recomend John Moorhouse at Ergo Seats (07) 3245 3979 in Brisbane,,,,,but a seat is a personal thing that you need to sit and try as it's getting made. (and look)
John uses high quality foam and coverings that are hard for the first 1000kms but very good after that. He's done all my bike seats and it pays. (not expensive either)
Yeah I had the TRX seat reprofiled and that improved things there, but I still run a lamby most of the time. Certainly for days when you're trying to cover 500+ ks it's got to be right. I've taken some pics and I'll send 'em off to ACM and see what sorta money is involved before I go any further. I'm thinking something like this overall shape (not the fiberglass bit) to suit the square-profile at the rear of the Dunstall seat:

Stripped!
 
Dav, you can find that shape seat w/o the fiber glass after thought piece at Old Brits site for like $150. Indeed the back lip helps a lot on long rides and really really quick short runs too. Btw if ya put a cross piece where a fork brace goes it gives long leggers a foot forward stretch perch that fools the big bagger till ya pass em in ease. Crash bar rests are too close to straighten legs out on a Cdo.


Your side stand may have solved what's stumped me on how to hold Ms Peel up w/o a tree or wall like my P!! dragger.
Point me to source of it please as Ms Peel stands a couple inches tall than normal and Norton type weighs a ton won't adapt d/t sticking straight out way more than down.
 
[quote="davamb]I'm thinking something like this overall shape (not the fiberglass bit) to suit the square-profile at the rear of the Dunstall seat:

Stripped!
[/quote]

Dave, I would be most interested in what you come up with for a solo arrangement for your original Dunstall seat. I would like to head in that direction, have a few ideas, but it seems you might be putting your ideas into action before me.
 
hobot said:
Dav, you can find that shape seat w/o the fiber glass after thought piece at Old Brits site for like $150. Indeed the back lip helps a lot on long rides and really really quick short runs too. Btw if ya put a cross piece where a fork brace goes it gives long leggers a foot forward stretch perch that fools the big bagger till ya pass em in ease. Crash bar rests are too close to straighten legs out on a Cdo.

Thanks, I'll look into it.

hobot said:
Your side stand may have solved what's stumped me on how to hold Ms Peel up w/o a tree or wall like my P!! dragger.
Point me to source of it please as Ms Peel stands a couple inches tall than normal and Norton type weighs a ton won't adapt d/t sticking straight out way more than down.

Afraid it's made out of bits and pieces I bought from the local hardware - 3mm steel brackets, U-bolts and M6 thread stock (allthread). I can sketch out what I did if that's any help Steve.

pvisseriii said:
I do not wish to be alarming, but to be effective at least 1 1/2 threads ought to be through the nyloc. I see a negative 1 thread.

Nope that's a parallax error Pviseriii, It has just on 1 thread through the nylon, the nylon is just shy of the end of the nut by about 0.5mm. Don't fret, all thoroughly checked (and all the other normal nuts replaced with nylocks now). The 2 nuts half-way down the thread stock are there just to adjust the angle of the stand by the way.
 
Dave

Your side stand mod is certainly intriguing !

Looks great ~ I have never modified mine but simnply like so many others, I just endeavoured to repair..

As you and Grm know I am no originazi ~ 8)

Without reading back on your posts ~ haVE You considered the seats out of Vietnam, a USA company base d in California and listed on Ebay ? I have seen soem very positive feedback .
 
Afraid it's made out of bits and pieces I bought from the local hardware - 3mm steel brackets, U-bolts and M6 thread stock (allthread). I can sketch out what I did if that's any help Steve.

Say What! You invented it, way way cool and even better for me as my special will sit rather higher than normal bikes, so will need, ugh, more special attention. Please don't blur your lines when drawing out your contraption I couldn't conceive : )
I will attempt to do it lighter than drilled out too much factory stand, if I can. The Combat lug is at unique angle form anything else I've looked at, but one of the few hard points made to take it. I'd planned to slice it off and start again, somehow.
 
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