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GS 550L Gets a make over

  • Thread starter Thread starter Redneck
  • Start date Start date
Glad you got some stuff done Paul no matter how small, a little progress is much better than no progress :)

Bugger on the tyres but hopefully that won't delay the powdercoating too long, at least you've got plenty of other stuff to keep you occupied.

Cleaning the contacts in the controls is good, you will most likely notice a huge difference in any voltage drops if you had them before.

Christmas morning here, so Merry Christmas!
 
Merry Christmas!
(Didn't want you to think I wasn't keeping up to date on your build...)
 
Merry Christmas Hoosier...lol. You know I have been shopping around to decide what my next bike will be obviously I want a 1000cc or larger I am currently Torn between the 82 Katana or a Naked Goldwing of the same era. The naked goldwing thing is your fault and the NGC's. LoL. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year.

Paul
 
Okay here are pics of the right hand controls with paint job after rebuilding and giving all the contacts a good cleaning and removing the cobwebs i found inside. Spiders will get everywhere.

Controlforbike003.jpg


Controlforbike002.jpg


Tonight going to try and work on left hand controls.

Paul
 
Okay here are pics of the right hand controls with paint job after rebuilding and giving all the contacts a good cleaning and removing the cobwebs i found inside. Spiders will get everywhere.

Controlforbike003.jpg


Controlforbike002.jpg


Tonight going to try and work on left hand controls.

Paul

Nice work! That green works really well there actually and you'll be thanking yourself later for cleaning the guts :)
 
Well got off early from work today due to the holidays and after a fun filled trip to go buy groceries for the next two weeks, decided to try and get in some garage time. Well it was such a mess I decided it needed to be cleaned up, before I get back to work so that I don't lose any valueable time looking for things I set down in the mess.

Well during that process I gathered up quite a few Items that will not be using on this project, and took some pictures. I will be selling these items in the parts for sale section of the forums.

This is the grab bag of '79 GS550L parts that is up for sale as one big bundle.
BikeParts001.jpg


Then I am selling the sandblasted and powdercoated fenders with shocks seperately
BikeParts021.jpg


My big question right now is does this sprocket still look good?

BikeParts023.jpg


BikeParts024.jpg


I don't have pictures yet but I also painted up the button controls for the left hand the other night but I have not finished cleaning the electronics. I am suprised my blinker switch worked with all the grime that I found on it and I still need to take apart the horn switch. I am not looking forward to that it is the same as the starter switch and that little spring inside was a pain in the behind end. Any way some progress is better than no progress.

Don't forget to take a look in the for sale section if you are interested in those items I have more detailed pictures of the grab bag.

Paul
 
Sprocket looks a lot better than mine but there some wear there.
If you do replace it make sure to replace the other one and the chain too.

Bruce.
 
That sprocket is done. Anytime you see teeth bent over like that or elongation of the space between the teeth it needs to be replaced. Putting a new chain on that sprocket will just accelerate wearing the chain out. And as Bruce said, replace the entire set at the same time.

Sci85
 
Yeah the teeth also have different width in the tips.
They are only what? 20 bucks or so. Turf it. Or use it like a ninja star.
 
HD you suck..lol. My wife would kill me but damn that looks like a hard deal to pass up. lol. Maybe I convince her since I will be making nearly an hour commute so she can live wear she wants to in Jacksonville this summer. Hmmm. Did I mention you suck. :lol:

Must finish current project... but the future one is just waiting to be taken... dooh....

Paul
 
HD you suck..lol. My wife would kill me but damn that looks like a hard deal to pass up. lol. Maybe I convince her since I will be making nearly an hour commute so she can live wear she wants to in Jacksonville this summer. Hmmm. Did I mention you suck. :lol:

Must finish current project... but the future one is just waiting to be taken... dooh....

Paul
Heh heh... just yankin your chain! Wanted to show they can be had, even cheaper than that if you are patient. Most guy's who want a Goldwing are looking for a newer 6-cylinder sofa-cruiser, these old 4's have a small following but are mostly ignored by the custom bike builders.
You know, I traded an old lawn mower for mine... :rolleyes:
 
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Yeah but man that is quite a deal $700 for both of them. One almost road worthy so he says. Unfortunately it does not say where in Maine and I would not be able to do it till after Income tax returns hit the bank. The joy of being broke. Don't we just love the holiday season with teenage boys and little princess girls.

Paul
 
Work wise nothing to update so far. I did get the bike over to my buddies shop so that he can help me get the stuck exhaust bolt out. We are going to pull the engine this afternoon. Then, I believe the next mechanical work will be to find out what size shims I need to get all the valve clearances right. I currently only have one valve with correct clearance, the rest are in contact with the lobes at all times no spacing. You know after reading what I wrote I have to go back and reread the procedure for valve clearance checks something don't sound right.

Paul
 
Celebrate Celebrate

Celebrate Celebrate

The Bolt is out sing it to the masses.... Woot

boltremoval006.jpg


The process was drill it out.. sorry did not get camera out soon enough for that. We drilled a small hole as a pilot hole then used a much larger bit for the larger size easy out. Next we took a butane torch heated up the aluminum around the bolt, and it started coming out and I almost cried.

here is the easy out working the bolt out

boltremoval002.jpg


boltremoval005.jpg


Afterwards we did find that one of my vavle cover bolt holds had been tapped out and a helic coil added. Now I have to get a 6mm helic coil kit.

boltremoval009.jpg


By the way here is a picture of the bike my buddy built from the ground up after he recieved it as a basket case.

boltremoval003.jpg


So now i need to get a bottoming 8mm tap and a bottoming 6mm tap and Helic Coil set. Anyway time to move on to getting the right shims.

Paul

boltremoval004.jpg
 
That must be a huge relief that came out without too much trouble.
Good job. I always imagine the worst when using easy outs.

Bruce.
 
Awesome news Paul! Now you can make real progress... love it when things like that are out of the way, takes a huge weight off your shoulders :D
 
Congrats! That is the way it should work but it usually doesn't seem to happen. ;)
 
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