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Installing a motor

  • Thread starter Thread starter Racing Geek
  • Start date Start date
R

Racing Geek

Guest
I know some just wiggle the motor in and others put the motor on it's side but I have a question to those of you that put the motor on its side and drop the frame over it. Have you found it easier if you put the motor on one side vs the other? Anyone ever try dropping the frame onto the engine with the suspension still bolted on?
 
The only way I have done it is the frame over motor method. Put the engine on its right side. I use a car tire without rim to hold the motor in the right position ( i.e. engine in the hole where the rim would be). It is easier, I find, if the suspension (front and back) is totally off. It makes the frame lighter (obviously) and easier to manouver. It does help to have an assistant once you try and bring the bike back to level as it gets bloody heavy.

Good luck with it.

cheers,
spyug
 
Get the engine on a platform that is the same height as the frame rails, place a board under the engine and between the frame rails,
walk the engine over and drop into place. Simple one man operation. ;)

DSC04088.jpg


DSC04089.jpg


DSC04090.jpg


DSC04094.jpg


On the other hand, if you enjoy wrestling with it, by all means lay it on the ground and drop the frame onto it.


Daniel
 
I don't have nearly as much room to slide the engine in as everyone else on this forum because I'm not putting the engine in the stock frame. This is why I was wondering if one side worked better then the other. I suppose after looking at the pictures of you frame the motor mounts would be in the way if I were to lay the motor on its left side.

I have about .5" wiggle room top-bottom and about .25" wiggle room front to back.
 
Racing Geek said:
I don't have nearly as much room to slide the engine in as everyone else on this forum because I'm not putting the engine in the stock frame. This is why I was wondering if one side worked better then the other. I suppose after looking at the pictures of you frame the motor mounts would be in the way if I were to lay the motor on its left side.

I have about .5" wiggle room top-bottom and about .25" wiggle room front to back.
Click to expand...

Yup.....engine will only go in from one side.....and out....
 
3/8" bar through the mount holes works well. But then you need two people to lift the lump in.

P1000776-w.jpg
 
I already take the breather cover off so I guess I actually have ~1" of wiggle room top to bottom.

Lately I've been straddling the frame and lifting the motor by the sidecover with my forearms in the opening in the valve cover between the cams. The sidecovers give plenty of room to grab the motor and my forearms allow me to tilt the motor when I need to. Not sure how I'll do it once the suspension is bolted on. I guess take off the back shocks, put the bike on a short stack of wood (no center stand) and straddle the bike from the seat area. Just have to make sure I have a better grip on the sidecovers to tilt the motor.

I have several lengths of 3/8" drill rod laying around so I could do it that way. I would think the drill rod wouldn't flex as much either. Problem with that is there usually isn't another person to help me.
 
7981GS - that is almost exactly what I do but I have a hydraulic table with a piece of slick melamine ( instead of the transmission jack)

allojohn - the rods are a nice touch. Instead of foam guards, I cut open some PVC pipe held in place with zip ties to protect the frame.
 
DSCN3999.jpg


DSCN4000.jpg


DSCN4001.jpg


Yup... It kinda hurts to look at that but it works. I did it all by myself and it was damn heavy! I had to take a couple of breaks before I got it back up on two wheels. Yes, remove as much as possible to make it lighter. I was just too lazy to disassemble and reassemble. :rolleyes:
 
When I'm done with the build my bike will be ~350 pounds wet (full tank of gas). It's going to be really light compared to a stock GS. I've already picked up a ~500# bike without much of an issue after we went sliding down the road so this bike will be cake.
 
my bike will be ~350 pounds wet (full tank of gas).
Click to expand...

Will you really be able to get it down to that? That must be 80/100 pounds of a reduction no? or maybe more then if Gatekeeper is right:

"Entire bike is 471 pounds " He tells us in your thread on engine weight.

I'm not saying you can't but I wonder if its possible.

How did you come to that figure?

Good luck with it.

Cheers,
spyug
 
Last edited:
750gs is 469 pounds and the gse is 471 pounds, this is for a 1983 model, dry mass weight
 
spyug said:
Will you really be able to get it down to that? That must be 80/100 pounds of a reduction no? or maybe more then if Gatekeeper is right:

"Entire bike is 471 pounds " He tells us in your thread on engine weight.

I'm not saying you can't but I wonder if its possible.

How did you come to that figure?

Good luck with it.

Cheers,
spyug
Click to expand...

My GS engine isn't going into a GS. ;)
 
I stick the case's in first and then build the barrels, head, cams and rockers up in situe, same when taking an engine out.

I'm too old and weak to lift them in now a days!
 
When I did my 1150 many moons ago I stripped the bike down to engine, frame, front and rear ends. Then I laid it on it's RHS on an old mattress, took the front and rear ends off, and eventually the frame.

Installation was a reversal of the disassembly process (drop frame over engine, put on front and rear ends then stand it up).

If you're by yourself this is the easiest and safest way IMO.
 
7981GS said:
Get the engine on a platform that is the same height as the frame rails, place a board under the engine and between the frame rails,
walk the engine over and drop into place. Simple one man operation. ;)

Daniel
Click to expand...

Yup! And I am old and weak...:p
engine_install.jpg
 
wow

wow

3 people remove top cover and it will go in easy every time
 
My brother lent me his three wheel harbor freight hydraulic car engine hoist.

I dangle the engine off two pieces of webbing, hooking the opposing front and rear lower case lift points. Slide the engine in from the right side and when the webbing hits the upper center frame rail, I lower the engine onto the right side lower frame cradle.

Balancing the engine in place by hand for a second, I release the webbing from rear lift point behind sprocket cover, lift it over center frame rail, reattached to the rear lift point, re-lift engine off lower frame cradle, and it slides gently into correct orientation. Then just lower it down into lower cradle and bolt it up. Works in reverse coming out. No heavy lifting involved.
 
Let's see,200 odd lbs engine vs a 40 odd lbs frame.I put the engine on it's side and slide the frame on to it.Just did it with my 78 1000 project.
2012_02240005.jpg

Knew I shoulda taken a pic before this:rolleyes:
 
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