So this is my attempt to salvage what little there was of my build thread from the old site. There was a bit of advice given, so I will add that in here and do my best to credit the poster as I go. This is partially for my own reference and anyone else searching in the future.
In December 2016, I bought this 1976 RD400C. The previous owner said that it ran, but sat for something like a year. It wouldn't start when I went to look at it though. I got him to throw in some NOS seals and such. Some of these I may not use because of age though. When I got it home and cleaned the carbs it fired up. The tires are dry rotted. The rear brake is frozen. Rust in the fuel tank. This thing needs work. I'll be ditching those cheapo pod filters for UNI foam filters with the stock boots. According to Chuck Quenzler, those are old DG chambers on it. I'll be running those, although they'll get repainted and I'll attempt to pop out some of the dents. Most of the chrome is pitted. Just about everything needs to either be painted or cleaned and polished in the case of some of the aluminum.
I'll update this thread again soon with the pictures to catch up to where it is right now. I haven't worked on it as much as I'd like because my wife had a baby not long after I bought it. I'm hoping to get more done on it this year. Thanks for following along!
I like the Geneva Green. Nice bike!
It won't let me post more than 1 picture per post due to size.
I'll be repainting the tank and side covers. I love the green too, but it's trashed at this point. I've been wanting to do the classic racing scheme with yellow and the speedblock down the side.
When I asked for a baseline for jetting to start with (factoring in the UNI pods and chambers) Chuck posted this:
"Make sure you set timing to 2.0mm for today's crappy gas.
I would use 30-32.5 pilots raise the needle to #4 groove (one rich from middle) start with 240-250-260 range for the main jets.
Stock jets with a restrictive airbox is 25 pilots and 115 mains and we had very good leaded gas back then.
Chuck"
Here's the link to the archived thread in case anyone wanted to see what it looked like the first time.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170716014507/http://www.2strokeworld.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=709f01c3cb0d5bf05ec3a90c8772f9e2&topic=31120.0
I'm not sure what the previous owner(s) were doing with this thing. The chambers look like they've been taken off road.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/2879/34343715476_f44e64b0b6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UjQw6s)IMG_1733 (https://flic.kr/p/UjQw6s) by James Bashaw (https://www.flickr.com/photos/150254775@N06/), on Flickr
Acorns inside. I always find something odd inside expansion chambers. The CR125 I'm working on has dirt in there.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/2850/33543164724_2a16579958_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/T76ufh)IMG_1732 (https://flic.kr/p/T76ufh) by James Bashaw (https://www.flickr.com/photos/150254775@N06/), on Flickr
I got back into the shop after a few months away from the project. I'm still finishing up the engine. I keep finding myself in the dilemma of do I just slap it together so I can be done or do I do it right. The latter was my intention when I started 3 years ago, but life has taken some turns.
I pulled the piston rings to check the end gap. Lo and behold, they're all out of spec. All larger than .030. Since it ran when it was in one piece I wasn't even going to check them. Sigh, gotta do it right I suppose. I'll be placing another order with John at Economy Cycle!
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190610/27419db2910ee8fcdea886f2741003b1.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190610/1f93d3d5559af7005a3b0042ff150b74.jpg)
I've started working on the forks. I got a pair of Mike's XS emulators from TNWillie. I hit a snag tearing the forks when I couldn't get the damper rods to release from the bottom tubes. I tried all kinds of different things. What eventually worked was a variable socket thingy called Gator Grip, a Brad-Man idea that worked perfectly. I did have to sand the finish down a tad as it was getting hung up on the fork tube. Seals, dust covers, and fork oil is on the way and I'll have them back together after I drill out the damper rods.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191112/ef0b58407727822e9d5d72390c3488e5.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191112/4ac4139a2401cc47935217b111fe3e15.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
glad that you had good luck with that gator grip thing. I've destroyed both of mine (gift and personal). They are terrible imo.
Aren't the Mike's XS emulators for 35mm forks? You've got 34mm forks.
Good luck on your project!
Quote from: Organicjedi on November 12, 2019, 07:42:00 AM
Aren't the Mike's XS emulators for 35mm forks? You've got 34mm forks.
Good luck on your project!
Yep, will fit Daytona but not earlier models.
I've been told they will fit 34mm forks as well. I'm about to find out I guess. I got them from a member here that was selling them at a big discount, so if they don't fit, it's not the end of the world.
THEY WILL FIT. Have them in mine actually. have pics of the install somewhere..
Quote from: m in sc on November 12, 2019, 04:19:58 PM
THEY WILL FIT. Have them in mine actually. have pics of the install somewhere..
[/quote
:patriot:
Yes, they will fit...
C
Okay RD gurus, I've hit another snag. I assumed these fork emulators I got would drop right into the damper rods. They do not.
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191116/41fcd244c0cf5059db0d2aedc9ee48b6.jpg)
As you can see from the Mike's XS instructions, it would appear that the damper rods for the Daytona and XS650 are different than the 400c's rods. What do I do? I read on another forum that you need to have them machined. The Race Tech website mentions something about adapters for them that comes with their setup. Any advice would be appreciated
No, they don't fit without a bunch of work and make a adaptor to fit...done several and did have it posted on the old forum in space now.
I suppose I have to start another 'How To' in Team Scream section...
You have to machine the ends of the stock rod to below the holes, then make a aluminum collar to sit on the newly machined dampner and on the top side to fit the gold valve.
I'll post a couple of pics here after I upload them to my host.
C
You could also buy a pair of adapters from Race Tech. Just don't tell them you are using copy cat parts. They sell them with a seal or plain spacer design.
BUT the tops of the damper rods have to be modified to allow oil to pass through to the emulator.
BTW 35mm forks on E and F models sold outside the US use that same damper rod shown in your picture from MikesXS. I fitted a pair in a TZ350 (or a TD3 I don't remember which) a few years back. RD350 has open top damper rods similar to a TZ but RD400 are closed IIRC. Racetech used to have a page showing how to modify damper rods IIRC
If Mark can't find his details I'll see if I can dig up any pictures of the last time I went through that conversion. Chuck posted a thread on the 400 conversion which I dumped as a pdf print. I can send that to Mark if he needs it or if Chuck can't resurrect it
You have to cut the domed top off and then drill two extra holes of the bottom of each damper rod. The emulator will now sit on the top and be able to flow oil through the rod.
The RaceTech ones come with instructions and you can probably download the PDF off of their site. It was easy enough where I could do the cutting and drilling myself.
Ok thanks guys. I'll do some more digging. It does suck that we can't search the info on the old site anymore. I'll go to the archive of it and see if I can locate anything.
Edit: I found Chuck's old thread on doing this mod here: https://web.archive.org/web/20170705055141/http://www.2strokeworld.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=709f01c3cb0d5bf05ec3a90c8772f9e2&topic=32182.0
Thank the 2 stroke gods for the Internet Archive!
Here's the PDF instructions from RaceTech
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://racetech.com/download/InstructPDF/IP%2520FEGV%2520S3002.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjZ6uyD--7lAhUMbq0KHQZXBvgQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1WcHO63wWEFGQczH85RhNJ
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191205/709ba557745ba19c5b5e67215e440ae8.jpg)
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Made a bit of progress on the damper rods. I decided I would try the ol' hacksaw method instead of having them machined. It's kinda funny. Looking back the Race Tech instructions actually make sense, but I had to read them a few times and talk to people on here until it clicked. Slow learner I guess. Anyway, next will be making the spacer. The only thing about that is figuring out the length of it. I'm assuming it just needs to take up the length i cut off the top of the damper, minus the height of the emulator, leaving the same amount of space for the spring. Race Tech will sell me the spacers for $20 a pair, but that seems a little silly to me.
I'm a bit to annel I guess, $20 for gold valve spacers is WAY cheap. Took me 1 1/2 hours in a lathe to make them with finding all the tooling and material. :umm:
I'll have to start another 'HOW TO' post.
Here's a few pics...
Pipe material for spacer
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_163238.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_163528.jpg)
Face it
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_163750.jpg)
Turn it down.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_164356.jpg)
Bore to fit Gold Valve bottom.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_165733.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_165819.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_165816.jpg)
Cut off for length.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_170459.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_170707.jpg)
Cut a step for self centering to fit the rod I machined.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_172735.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_173451.jpg)
Rod was cut like this.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_144442.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_150139.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_173444.jpg)
Finished spacers.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_174800.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_174841.jpg)
Chuck
Added the extra holes in the lower portion of the rods.
Stock rods pic
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_175015.jpg)
Then drill above the stock holes.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_181328.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_181339.jpg)
Drill twice... so you have 4 more holes to double the volume. Debur well, I used a small chamfer bit.
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_183203.jpg)
(https://photos.imageevent.com/supertune/rd400goldvalves/large/20190807_183209.jpg)
Chuck
Awesome. Thanks Chuck! Maybe I'll just buy RTs spacers. I think the ones you made are nicer than theirs.
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Ive seen guys make the spacers out of 3/4" PVC pipe or bronze bushing as well.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191222/8bcfb380eebc293d6427b1fd888fd9bf.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191222/07b9e9d695f73cf8f7dd32f69dcef7c5.jpg)
I finished the spacer for one side. I wasn't going to, but decided to cut a step into the top of the damper rod. Next time, I'll definitely have it machined (or buy a mini lathe). It took more hours than I'd like to admit to do all that and cut the spacer with basic tools. Now I need to do the other side and drill out the holes on the bottom of the rods.
I also got my $50 S&W rear shocks in the mail today. I'll post pics when I can.
Nice bit of hand-milling there!
Wade
Quote from: 85RZwade on December 29, 2019, 03:11:17 PM
Nice bit of hand-milling there!
Wade
Haha, thanks. I'm trying to do as much of this build myself as I can. Having someone machine it would be a lot cleaner though.
I finished drilling out the holes on that rod the other night. 1/2 way there!
I fiiiiiiiinaly finished the front forks. Mike's XS emulators are in with spacers. Definitely not the prettiest work I've ever done, but they should operate just fine. It was incredibly satisfying slipping those new dust boots on!
Seems to me that the emulator springs are rather heavy, which males sense for an XS650 which weighs close to 500 lbs wet in stock condition. Those emulator springs definitely are much beefier than the springs on the RT emulators I have on my 350. You may experience more high speed compression damping than you anticipated.
I finally found out why people call their RD's Chef Boy. From the crappy canned ravioli by Chef Boyardee. Who wouda thought
Quote from: rodneya on June 19, 2020, 02:50:13 PM
I finally found out why people call their RD's Chef Boy. From the crappy canned ravioli by Chef Boyardee. Who wouda thought
I never saw that until this thread! Wow, I've sure been living under a rock...
Quote from: JB Weld on June 19, 2020, 08:13:11 PM
Quote from: rodneya on June 19, 2020, 02:50:13 PM
I finally found out why people call their RD's Chef Boy. From the crappy canned ravioli by Chef Boyardee. Who wouda thought
I never saw that until this thread! Wow, I've sure been living under a rock...
Hahaha! I saw it in an old British motorcycle magazine article.
Hey all. I'm looking for some feedback on the look I have going on here. Forum member 1976RD400C hooked me up with some awesome fiberglass parts a while ago. The batch includes this Airtech Don Vesco Big Butt seat. I love the look of it, but against the 400 tank the seat looks so big! I'll be mounting a Dunstall 1/4 fairing as well. I haven't gotten around to mocking that up yet. It's possible the fairing will balance out the look. What do y'all think? Seat too big? Just right? Thanks in advance!
I like it!!
I think the fairing will bring balance
That seat unit looks to be part of a set inc tank......the stock tank is too small for it alone, maybe offer up the fairing (or a cardboard mock up?) to see if it balances?
As the unit is f/glass, you could section it down 2-3" so it's level with the tank?
It might look more balanced with the bigger more square Euro 400 or later Euro 250 tanks.
It will look fine as is though especially with a fairing.
Thanks for the input y'all!
Quote from: NoRiders on July 17, 2020, 05:55:53 AM
As the unit is f/glass, you could section it down 2-3" so it's level with the tank?
Do you mean essentially lowering the seat?
I mocked up the Dunstall fairing and it looks good with the big ol' seat. I always forget to take pictures! I'm working on a mount, another new adventure for me. I'm basically just copying Airtech's mount. For most people, the $210 for their's would be a good deal. I've already spent many hours on it. I'm learning to weld, so it's been fun. Here are a few pics of the mount so far and my terrible looking welds. I did get good penetration though. The bracket will mount to the frame with hose clamps for now. I wanted to weld a lug onto the frame, but it'd likely cover the frame serial number, and I didn't want to do that. More to come!