Progress!!! 1978 GS1000E Restoration/Performance Rebuild

[IanC]

Absolutely fantastic build! Love the zinc plating and may look at trying it myself. Next time you're in Sevierville and fancy a beer give me a shout. I'm in Maryville.

 

[busa1300]

Folks,



Frame, AMA-style bracing and custom swingarm brace, de-tabbed, a few minor tube repairs
(Framecrafters)

What is their charge for various types of work on frames?
I emailed them several weeks ago, about a GT750 project that I wanted some frame changes done to it. But have had no response.

 

[philosopheriam]

Absolutely fantastic build! Love the zinc plating and may look at trying it myself. Next time you're in Sevierville and fancy a beer give me a shout. I'm in Maryville.

thanks buddy - my folks retired out there and unfortunately I don't get to visit them as much as I'd like :-(

 

[philosopheriam]

What is their charge for various types of work on frames?
I emailed them several weeks ago, about a GT750 project that I wanted some frame changes done to it. But have had no response.

Randy and Karsten are good people, and sometimes they are out of town for racing events. Best way to get in touch with them is to call or stop by their shop.

 

[80GS850GBob]

Forks are completely DONE! Put some MAAS cream on all of the freshly polished aluminum to protect it and make it look even more beautiful.

Specs:
Custom-machined fork caps
Racetech .95kg/mm springs set at 20mm of preload
Fuchs Silkolene 10w oil set at 140mm
New Tarozzi fork tubes
New Racetech upper bushings (lowers are not used on this year of forks)
New seals/piston rings/small parts/etc

Somehow I missed this post....who did the fork caps?...and no interchangeability from non-air models?

 

[philosopheriam]

Somehow I missed this post....who did the fork caps?...and no interchangeability from non-air models?

I had a local machinist fabricate the caps for me - I explored options of other caps from non-air Suzuki forks but they didn't appear to be interchangeable.

 

[jsandidge]

Any chance that machinist would do another set of fork caps? Me likey...

 

[80GS850GBob]

I had a local machinist fabricate the caps for me - I explored options of other caps from non-air Suzuki forks but they didn't appear to be interchangeable.

I've got a friend who has a machine shop off of Farnsworth, but he been kind of busy with real paying customers{lol}, maybe I can ask him to do a set ...what material did you use for those?...7000 series, 6065....?

 

[philosopheriam]

Any chance that machinist would do another set of fork caps? Me likey...

It depends - this machinist was referred to me by my frame shop and he is a good guy that does excellent work, however, his pricing and motivation are mood-dependent. If you want a set made, he will insist on having the tubes you intend to use and one of the original caps. HE makes the threads a much tighter fit than original which requires the threads to be matched to the tube.

 

[philosopheriam]

I've got a friend who has a machine shop off of Farnsworth, but he been kind of busy with real paying customers{lol}, maybe I can ask him to do a set ...what material did you use for those?...7000 series, 6065....?

Honestly Bob, I'm not sure which grade of aluminum he used.

 

[philosopheriam]

PROGRESS!!!! Sorry, work and the holidays have a tendency to get in the way of things. I accomplished this stuff today:

Cleaned, fixed a couple small cracks near the rear mounting holes, and filled all of the gouges/nicks/dings with Bondo plastic bumper filler. I then sanded everything down until smooth and scuffed the fender with a p800 scotch pad before painting it.






Refurbished the rear tail light - new bulbs, new rubber bits, new lens, powdercoated bracket, painted plastic housing, new SS lens screws



Painted the ignition switch cover

 

[jsandidge]

It depends - this machinist was referred to me by my frame shop and he is a good guy that does excellent work, however, his pricing and motivation are mood-dependent. If you want a set made, he will insist on having the tubes you intend to use and one of the original caps. HE makes the threads a much tighter fit than original which requires the threads to be matched to the tube.

Well, that rules him out for me. Don't want to send my tubes out.

 

[philosopheriam]

Well, that rules him out for me. Don't want to send my tubes out.

Very few machinists will turn male threads without having the female piece with them...

 

[JJ]

Very few machinists will turn male threads without having the female piece with them...

As a journeyman tool and die machinist, I have to disagree. Most modern threads are made to international standards, and with the correct tooling, both male and female threads can be made without the mating part.

 

[jsandidge]

As a journeyman tool and die machinist, I have to disagree. Most modern threads are made to international standards, and with the correct tooling, both male and female threads can be made without the mating part.

That's what I thought. JJ, are you equipped to make set?

 

[JJ]

Sorry, I don't have a home machine shop. Now, if they were out of wood, I'm equipped for that.

 

[philosopheriam]

As a journeyman tool and die machinist, I have to disagree. Most modern threads are made to international standards, and with the correct tooling, both male and female threads can be made without the mating part.

So, can you name the international standard to which a set of threads from 1978 *supposedly* conform? Here's another thought - I as an end user am going to bring a threading job to you, and if you thread the male piece at the top end of its tolerance and the female piece is already at the top end of it's tolerance (which you do not have in your possession), the male piece will not thread into the female piece and I will come back to you as the machinist and request that the job be re-done at no additional cost to me.

This is why every machinist with whom I have ever dealt wants the female piece in their possession for measurement - unless the threading is for something uber-common, such as a 1/4-20, 1/4 NPT, m6-1.0, etc...

 

[JJ]

So, can you name the international standard to which a set of threads from 1978 *supposedly* conform? Here's another thought - I as an end user am going to bring a threading job to you, and if you thread the male piece at the top end of its tolerance and the female piece is already at the top end of it's tolerance (which you do not have in your possession), the male piece will not thread into the female piece and I will come back to you as the machinist and request that the job be re-done at no additional cost to me.

If both pieces are at the top (or bottom) end of their tolerance, but not OUT of tolerance, they will fit together. It is done millions of times daily in the world of manufacturing.

Do you think the original sets of forks and caps for motorcycles are hand-mated for fit at the factory? NO WAY!

I'm sure that the threads on the fork caps is a modern standard metric thread diameter, pitch, and form. If the caps are made to tolerance, and they don't fit together, then the problem is with the threads in the fork.

This is why every machinist with whom I have ever dealt wants the female piece in their possession for measurement - unless the threading is for something uber-common, such as a 1/4-20, 1/4 NPT, m6-1.0, etc...

As stated earlier, I am sure that the threads on our forks and caps are both based an international thread standard. You have been dealing with some ****-poor machinists if they can't machine threads without having the mating part in their possession. A possible reason for that is that they doubt their own abilities at turning threads.

BTW. great work on your bike!

 

[philosopheriam]

Christmas Eve progress:

Installed rear fender and liner and license plate bracket.




Sealed intake boots to head using gas-resistant RTV (from a company called Silicone Solutions). Liberally applied break-in lube (again) to cam lobes and tappets and bathed top-end in oil. Sealed valve cover end plugs (w/same RTV), installed breather cover gasket and valve cover gasket. Filled crankcase with oil.

 

[Guest]

I've never heard of anyone using RTV for the intake boots, is there a reason why you did that? project is draw dropping as usual. Nice touch with the intake boot bolts.