1982 GS300 Project - Where do I start

[Guest]

Deja-vu!

Looks like a few years ago when mine lived in Rubbermaid containers

The engine is fine resting on the blocks or on the fin's. They are pretty tough.

 

[hjacobmiller]

Deja-vu!

Looks like a few years ago when mine lived in Rubbermaid containers

The engine is fine resting on the blocks or on the fin's. They are pretty tough.

Mechanix! To whom I owe all of my GS success! The Dynatek works amazing thanks to you! Well, now it sits in a zip lock bag, but... :lol:

How are you?

 

[Guest]

Rollin' right along Jake, nice!

 

[hjacobmiller]

Thanks Pete, but I would say this bike is anything but rolling haha

So here is a bit more of my progress:

First pass at stripping the paint from the frame. After about twenty minutes of the wire wheel drill combo I said the hell with it - they have to blast it anyways to prep for powder coating.

A little bit of polishing with a denim wheel and various compounds. Not a great picture and have to get a drill adaptor, but I'm pleased with the first try with it.

Before:

After:

I'm actually going to try to drop it off at the powder coaters on Thursday! I can't believe its happening this fast, but I figured I might as well while things are moving a long. Plus, I'm really nervous about it being all apart. Makes me wonder if I can get through putting it back together!

So some questions for prepping. I can't get the top race of the bottom steering bearings out. I've read a few threads about it (cutting with dremel, pounding it out, etc.).

Is there any permanent terrible damage I could do to the bearing cavity while tying to get it out? It is in there pretty good and I haven't been able to get past this point:

Along that same train of thought, how can I get the swing arm bearings out without destroying them? I'd like to preserve them if possible because they are in great shape.

Finally, I know that the engine grounds to the frame, and I'm guessing that powder coating the frame will reduce its conductivity. How can I make a good spot for ground? Just ask them to tape an area off? How much space to I need? Just a side on one the engine mounts?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Guest]

Ooooh shiny!

I didn't remove the bearing races on mine as I brushed POR 15 on, so no tips on getting those out I'm afraid, but you will definitely ruin the swingarm bearings by removing them as you will need to drift them out with a long shaft of some sort and a hammer.

At least they're not overly expensive...

As for grounding, you want at least one good clean connection to bare frame, so you can either tape something off or sand that part back later, although again I have no experience with powder coating so not sure how easy/difficult that would be...

 

[Guest]

1 don't remove the bearings, Its more headache than its worth. Have them tape it off really well. Clean them well when you get it back though and re-grease. You can use paint stripper to remove any over spray. Its just a matter of being careful when they media blast it to not get any grit in the bearings.

2 don't worry about grounding for now. You can add one later or just wait until you get it all back and burnish a few brackets for a good connection.

3 For the stem bearings you can remove the races but then they usually shatter. I think when I did mine it was around 45$ a bearing to replace them. IT all depends what you use. A cut with a dremel wheel will help it to break.

 

[hjacobmiller]

Awesome! Thanks for the input!

The guys are actually frame fabricators too, so they'll know how important it is to properly mask and such.

Any color suggestions? I'm really torn between black, dark steelish silver, or silver.

Any thoughts?

 

[Guest]

This is the gloss black from the factory.

 

[Guest]

You'll be at this point next week

Before you bring it in you could clean up all the little weld spater balls so it ends up smooth.

 

[hjacobmiller]

You'll be at this point next week

Before you bring it in you could clean up all the little weld spater balls so it ends up smooth.

Ha! I wish! No time unfortunately. Have to start studying for my next CPA exam, but hopefully I'll have the frame back and everything. Going to have them do the triple trees, foot pegs, brackets, kickstand, centerstand, swing arm, and.... I can't think of anything else.

I was thinking like a dark silver but in the hammertone finish like Jimmy did for his tins.

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=...4&tbnw=206&ndsp=59&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:714,i:106

Update - can I do any damage to where the bearing seats in the stem while trying to get it out? What should I avoid doing?

 

[Guest]

I even did the brake perch with mine.


I tried to get the race out by tapping it from the top with a bent pribar but it was stuck in there. I managed to chip a corner of it and then it shattered into pieces. I don't think there is anything to really hurt. It is a strong piece of tubing. You could just leave it in there. and make sure it doesn't get blasted or painted. That way you could reuse it.

 

[hjacobmiller]

I even did the brake perch with mine.


I tried to get the race out by tapping it from the top with a bent pribar but it was stuck in there. I managed to chip a corner of it and then it shattered into pieces. I don't think there is anything to really hurt. It is a strong piece of tubing. You could just leave it in there. and make sure it doesn't get blasted or painted. That way you could reuse it.

Ewwwww shiny So you did the engine mounts too? Is there a chat or a message on here? Feel bad for just lengthening this thread out over this small stuff....

 

[Guest]

Just Private Messages, I think there was a chat on here before but I can't find it,

 

[hjacobmiller]

Well, been working a ton this week, but unfortunately not on the bike.

But, I did get a little surprise before I left work on Friday - a little call from the powder coater :

Went down and picked up all the parts and loaded it up in my trunk:

Brought down into "my underground lair" "

And, like a little boy on Christmas, I unwrapped everything. I am COMPLETELY thrilled with the results.

So, now I don't what to do, other than stare....

 

[jfman]

Finish pron! :drool:

How did it set you back?

 

[Guest]

Very nice Jake! Love the colour...

Now time to start getting it together again

 

[hjacobmiller]

Thanks! I do really like it. You can't really tell in the pictures, but its got this metal flake that really gives it a nice finish.

So, a little more work - just putting little things back on like the grommets, etc.

Figuring out how to get the frame situated so that I could work on it with it toppling over proved to be interesting, but fortunately I had some spare boards and an old TV cart to make a stand-in lift. Just have to be careful I don't put too much on it and break the cart.

Little background on the plastic fender - I sanded it down (200 400 600) and gave a couple coats of black plastic paint and clear coat over the weekend. Think it turned out pretty nice - nice enough to put some Z1 and Dynatek Stickers on at least.

Installed:

While I was waiting on the coats to dry I fired up the grinding/polishing wheel and derusted a box of bolts, then hit them with the clear coat to prevent rust. Just for kicks I tried polishing up the fork lock. Think it turned out kind of cool.

Probably my favorite piece that I got back from the powder coaters. I think it will look so nice accenting the rear fender.

I did notice one spot that the coaters went over that I wish they hadn't. Its where the outer race of the bottom steering bearings sit. Does anyone think this will be an issue?

I need some advice on how to re-grease things up. I think I'm going to just get new steering bearings (AllBalls). None of the originals are cracked/distorted from what I can tell, but there are some minor grooves in the races. I'll try to remember to take some pictures and see what everyone thinks.

I also need to get new/remove and clean my swing arm bearings. Although the PC left them in and didn't get any powder coat in there, he didn't plug them off while they were media blasting so they're all gritty. Can't have that...

Until next time....

 

[Guest]

Any fasteners that you got powdercoated or painted will have marks on them if you use just sockets on them. Worse with 6-12 pt sockets.

Here's the trick. Sandwich bags! Take a plastic sandwich bag and double it up, then put it on the bolt or over the socket.
It will chew up the bag but the bolt will look fine when your done.

Anything you polish will need something to protect it otherwise it wil oxidize or rust.

If your going to paint or clear coat you need to do it on a part that is super clean so the paint can bite well. I've tried painting two bolts. One was cleaned with Isopropyl alcohol and then painted right after and the other one I just played around with in my hands to get some fingerprint grease on it. That was enough to stop the paint from sticking well and that bolt rusted after a while.


If there is anything that is exposed metal, Like threads that are part of the frame, Use anti-sieze or heavy grease that won't just fall off. Sticky-er the better.

For bearings, Use axle grease.

Clean first to make sure there is no grit anywhere in the tube before you put the new races and bearings in the tree.

Make sure there is no overspray that will stop you from setting the bearings in place.

You can usually get them 80% of the way on by hand and the rest by tightening the top nut.


For the GRIT anywhere and in the swing arm, Spray nine, soap and water, wd40 Repeat 20 times

Keep spraying them and rotating them until you get all the grit out.

It takes time and they do come clean.


Have you tried to fit the swing arm in place? Does it still fit with the powdercoat and all the bushings?


Powdercoat does come off with paint stripper and also Permatex gasket remover.

So If you have to remove overspray it won't be hard.



I don't think the bearing on the stem be a problem. All it means is that the nut on top of the stem that holds it all together just won't be tightened down by maybe half a turn.

There's no risk of it hurting the bearings if it sits a few thow higher because of the paint.


What are you planning on doing with the seat?

Heater pads from a car seat cover fit and work nicely

All I can think of for now.

 

[hjacobmiller]

Thank Mechanix!

Here's a couple quick questions I have.

First has anyone bought these before? I'm trying to figure out if it is a set or if you have to buy two (top and bottom). I know it says that it includes upper and lower, but I always like to confirm with GSR'ers.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...tem-Bearing-Kit-1982-Suzuki-GS300L-Parts.aspx

I'm not entire sure I need to replace them, but I'm a little worried about these:

Sorry for the crappy pics, but there are essentially tiny little perpendicular grooves in the surface of the race over where each BB sits. They're not really that deep, but I'm confused as why they exist. I would have thought any grooves would have been around the circumference as the bearings rotate in the direction of the steering column....

Also, back to the painting/finishing note. What do you folks think I should do with the rear shock mounts/triple tree stem that were blasted but not coated?

@ Mechanix -

Here is what I have so far with the seat. I have that old pan that I stripped down and cleaned up, and I was thinking of slimming down the "pillion" (I think that is what Pete called it???). Just so it doesn't have the sharpness of the L step.

Maybe I could even fashion a little hinge/clip for a tool bag... Hmm, I like the idea of that - like run two eye hooks out through those holes?

I also want to get rid of the chunkiness on the sides of the pan.

The only problem is that the side lip chunkiness is what covers up the frame there...

Anyone know what this mount is for?

 

[Guest]

That mount is probably for attaching a cargo net that goes over the seat.

The grooves in the bearing races can be caused by over tightening the stem.