Maintenance Tips & Tricks

[robs ss]

Is there a difference between these and a wet bandana?.

No moving parts with the bandana - it's just some kind of gel crystals encapsulated in the long sock.
The crystals go soft when wet.
I think it works on it sucking the latent heat of evaporation (4.2kJ/kg.K if I remember) from your skin.
Cheers

 

[Bonzo]

In another thread our good, and now sadly departed, friend Texas Slick (Rob) started on Tools You Have Made.
I thought one on maintenance hints might be appropriate. I've put this in the Commando section to manage volume and line of interest. Other forum areas may like to follow suit if desired.

I'll start the ball rolling with a small one (because I've just done it!):
To keep the lower pivot on my long RGM kickstart tight and moving smoothly I do two things.
1.Insert a thin belleville spring between the upper boss and the arm to apply some spring tension here. (22.5 x 11.2 x 0.6mm on eBay - cheap!)
2. After putting a plastic bag over the exhaust pipe and frame, I spray TAC2 into the joint as I work the arm in and out. I leave it like that overnight and clean the mess with a couple of pieces of kitchen paper the next day. Lasts me 6 months (say, 250 kicks) before needing it again.

Cheers (...and RIP Slick!)

Hey up Rob.

Like MichaelD, I too ordered the belleville washer from your link, and I'm delighted with the result - cheers

I tried google for solutions to my floppiness but the results were somewhat bizarre

Not wishing to derail the thread (because that never happens on this forum ), how did your tank stud repair go?

 

[robs ss]

Hey up Rob.

Like MichaelD, I too ordered the belleville washer from your link, and I'm delighted with the result - cheers

I tried google for solutions to my floppiness but the results were somewhat bizarre

Not wishing to derail the thread (because that never happens on this forum ), how did your tank stud repair go?

I'm glad it worked for you!
Not so good with the tank unfortunately. One side is perfect but the other seeps very slightly.
I have to pull it apart, reclean the surfaces (more carefully!) and have another go. Stopping the inner, male threaded part from turning during tightening is an issue.
Cheers

 

[Bonzo]

I'm glad it worked for you!
Not so good with the tank unfortunately. One side is perfect but the other seeps very slightly.
I have to pull it apart, reclean the surfaces (more carefully!) and have another go. Stopping the inner, male threaded part from turning during tightening is an issue.
Cheers

Yes, My lad drilled a couple of holes either side of the stud and I used a pair of circlip pliers to hold it while wrenching up the nut.

 

[MichaelD]

Yes, My lad drilled a couple of holes either side of the stud and I used a pair of circlip pliers to hold it while wrenching up the nut.

Errm, doesn't drilling a couple of holes in your tank have unwanted side effects?

 

[Bonzo]

Errm, doesn't drilling a couple of holes in your tank have unwanted side effects?

It was a mount that we made up to replace the leaking tank stud (post #52)...

Post in thread 'Fuel Tank Fun.'

Mar 30, 2025

Its a very nice feeling when your children start doing things for themselves. And then one day you realise they can do things you never could.

He's always been the same actually. I remember when he was really tiny and I asked him to crawl into the tiniest of spaces in our attic to stuff some insulation in there - actually, quite a big job. I can see him now, he was sweating like a pig up there - really grafting, and he wouldn't stop until it was dead right. Getting quite emotional thinking about that now actually.

Yep, proud indeed.

• Bonzo

• 

 

[MichaelD]

I should, on reflection, radius the top of the Z-plate (with a Dremel) where the cable passes over. You know - a smooth groove for the cable!

My cable likes that idea, its carved itself a smooth groove in the z-plate.

 

[robs ss]

An update on the "mod" I did to my side-stand. Now over two years and 5000miles and still zero up/down slop in the side-stand

Buy a few 7/16 hardened flat washers - I got grade 10.9 (unbrako) with OD of 23mm (stock are 19.5mm)
They are flatter, bigger and stronger than the originals.
I used 2 between the bolt head and the bush/stand as well as one under the top nut.

Next is a bit harder - measure the length of the bush and the thickness of the stand where it fits.
Chances are the stand will be at least 1mm less (due to wear over time).
Now file/grind/whatever the bush until it is "just" more than the stand - but flatness is very important.

Now assemble the cleaned bolt, 2 hardened washers and the ground bush with loctite 243 (blue), clamped together overnight. Makes it like one piece - something I think Norton should have done in the first place.

Finally assemble the lot using a good, viscous lube (I use TAC-2). I re-lub about every 6 months.
Cheers

 

[YING]

An update on the "mod" I did to my side-stand. Now over two years and 5000miles and still zero up/down slop in the side-stand

Buy a few 7/16 hardened flat washers - I got grade 10.9 (unbrako) with OD of 23mm (stock are 19.5mm)
They are flatter, bigger and stronger than the originals.
I used 2 between the bolt head and the bush/stand as well as one under the top nut.

Next is a bit harder - measure the length of the bush and the thickness of the stand where it fits.
Chances are the stand will be at least 1mm less (due to wear over time).
Now file/grind/whatever the bush until it is "just" more than the stand - but flatness is very important.

Now assemble the cleaned bolt, 2 hardened washers and the ground bush with loctite 243 (blue), clamped together overnight. Makes it like one piece - something I think Norton should have done in the first place.

Finally assemble the lot using a good, viscous lube (I use TAC-2). I re-lub about every 6 months.
Cheers

Rob,
With these instructions are you basically securing the bushing to the sidestand?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[robs ss]

Rob,
With these instructions are you basically securing the bushing to the sidestand?
Thanks,
Mike

No Mike, It is making the bolt, bottom washer(s) and bush into one piece.
Although it is probably doing what you say when tightened.
I think the important bit is the length and squareness of the bush together with the bigger, hardened washers.
Cheers

 

[YING]

No Mike, It is making the bolt, bottom washer(s) and bush into one piece.
Although it is probably doing what you say when tightened.
I think the important bit is the length and squareness of the bush together with the bigger, hardened washers.
Cheers

Thanks Rob,
So when you complete this,the sidestand will have less slop,correct?
Mike

 

[speirmoor]

An update on the "mod" I did to my side-stand. Now over two years and 5000miles and still zero up/down slop in the side-stand

Buy a few 7/16 hardened flat washers - I got grade 10.9 (unbrako) with OD of 23mm (stock are 19.5mm)
They are flatter, bigger and stronger than the originals.
I used 2 between the bolt head and the bush/stand as well as one under the top nut.

Next is a bit harder - measure the length of the bush and the thickness of the stand where it fits.
Chances are the stand will be at least 1mm less (due to wear over time).
Now file/grind/whatever the bush until it is "just" more than the stand - but flatness is very important.

Now assemble the cleaned bolt, 2 hardened washers and the ground bush with loctite 243 (blue), clamped together overnight. Makes it like one piece - something I think Norton should have done in the first place.

Finally assemble the lot using a good, viscous lube (I use TAC-2). I re-lub about every 6 months.
Cheers

Any pictures ?
I think I get it but that slop has done my head in forever.

 

[marshg246]

No Mike, It is making the bolt, bottom washer(s) and bush into one piece.
Although it is probably doing what you say when tightened.
I think the important bit is the length and squareness of the bush together with the bigger, hardened washers.
Cheers

Slightly confusing me. Let me say how I think it works and tell me if wrong.

Normally, the bush (actually called the pivot spacer) is locked to the frame lug and the sidestand pivots on the bush. There is no washer between the bush and frame lug. If the bush ever gets loose, it will wear into the frame lug which is soft steel, become sloppy and the bush ends up being too short to do the correct job.

There are three possible fixes (that I can think of):

1) File the frame lug back to flat and install a new bush correctly and tight. This is how I've been doing it - PITA.
2) Put a hardened washer between the bush and frame lug that snugly fits the bolt and has an OD large enough to span the damage. Probably need a longer high tensile bolt.
3) Do 1) and add the washer of 2). In this case the washer does not need a large OD but still needs to be snug on the bolt and the standard bold should work.

 

[olympus]

I think what Rob is saying, that over time the inner surfaces of the stand yoke wear, and as the bush is clamped to the lug its length doesn't change... so by reducing the length of the bush the clamping force will act on the face of the stand yoke as well as the bush, thus taking out any play (wear)

 

[YING]

I think what Rob is saying, that over time the inner surfaces of the stand yoke wear, and as the bush is clamped to the lug its length doesn't change... so by reducing the length of the bush the clamping force will act on the face of the stand yoke as well as the bush, thus taking out any play (wear)

That explanation helps me understand what Rob has detailed.
Thanks,Mike

 

[cliffa]

A picture says a thousand words - just saying.