1975 RD350B

[NoRiders]

rdshaw is transforming an RD with biblical speed...meanwhile, back a my ranch I'm screwing the pooch left and right. So impressed with myself for sussing the bearing spacer for the TDR/FZR/FZ rear wheel, then ordered FZR wheel bearings with 17mm ID...and the OD is too big for the TDR hub. Of course. Yamaha spec'd bigger bearings for the FZR wheel with its 17mm axle than it did for the TDR with its 15mm axle. As Mr. Know-it-All would have said: I truly should have known.
Then, I confidently found an aluminum 520 conversion rear sprocket for the CBR wheel destined for my RZ, and it arrived with one stud hole too few.  Don't know yet what went sideways there, but it was probably me.

Damn....I struggled to find bearings to suit the rear NSR wheel but thicker axle.....ended up using a thinner axle with stock bearing i/d and spacing the jaws of the swingarm/adjusters to take the thinner axle.

[85RZwade]

I've decided to seek professional help (insert joke here). I'm taking my bearing dimensions to a local industrial supply house this weekend and see if there's an easy way to get this done.

[dgorms]

Soooooooooooooo, you're gonna come diggin through my stuff again?

[85RZwade]

If you've got bearings, I've got calipers! Still haven't seen your latest acquisition yet, anyway.

[85RZwade]

  this is how I feel today. After my little hobby lathe and I proved unable to make concentric front wheel spacers for this project, I handed the job off to a friend of a friend with a real lathe. No hurry, I said...here's the axle, just need 'em bored to 15mm so they fit snug on here. Apparently, those directions were, um...difficult? Friend 1 called me and compared the just-completed fit to a hotdog in a hallway.
Hopefully, I can use the now too-big-for-15mm spacers on the rear 17mm axle...or the 20mm axle of the CBR wheel going onto the RZ. Either way, I need to buy more aluminum bar stock.

[NoRiders]

this is how I feel today. After my little hobby lathe and I proved unable to make concentric front wheel spacers for this project, I handed the job off to a friend of a friend with a real lathe. No hurry, I said...here's the axle, just need 'em bored to 15mm so they fit snug on here. Apparently, those directions were, um...difficult? Friend 1 called me and compared the just-completed fit to a hotdog in a hallway.
Hopefully, I can use the now too-big-for-15mm spacers on the rear 17mm axle...or the 20mm axle of the CBR wheel going onto the RZ. Either way, I need to buy more aluminum bar stock.

Hmmm...finding a tame turner is tricky, luckily I have one on stand-by. He's recently knocked up a few spacers for the engine mounts out of stainless and bumper mounts out of Delrin  :)

[m in sc]

just an option. at least the id is bored, so all you would have to do is the length and OD https://www.mcmaster.com/spacers/id~15mm/metric-press-fit-drill-bushings-9/

[85RZwade]

Holy buckets, that might be the path of least resistance

[85RZwade]

Early this week, I got to see the aforementioned spacers. They're bored too large for a 15mm axle, but too small for a 17mm, so in my infinite wisdom I sent them back along with my 17mm and 20mm axles. This time, I'm hoping one spacer will be bored to 17mm for the RD rear wheel and the other to 20mm for the RZ/CBR rear wheel conversion, and a new set will be made for the front of the RD. 15mm, 15mm, 15mm...I'm putting it out there into the universe.
I also re-ordered a rear sprocket for the RZ/CBR conversion, and a set of UPP intake manifolds for the RD. Maybe this weekend I'll get the cylinders and head ready for paint? We'll see, the honey-do list is long and deep. I also want to repaint the GSX-R lower fork legs and the triple clamps, but agonizing over the color; I'm afraid of too much black. Thinking about having the lowers anodized, but I don't know if that process adds, for lack of a better word, thickness. I'm concerned the anodizing will make the inner diameter smaller, causing the inner tube/outer tube to be too tight. I'll try to do some research this weekend.
Something else: can conventional, chrome-plated fork tubes be treated with diamond-like coating? It was all the rage at one time, and I wonder it it's an appropriate (read: less expensive than replating) fix for less-than-perfect fork tubes?

[rodneya]

Hang this up to deal with the Honey do list. She will understand, no problem.

[85RZwade]

  ouch; that one hit uncomfortably close to home

[NoRiders]

Early this week, I got to see the aforementioned spacers. They're bored too large for a 15mm axle, but too small for a 17mm, so in my infinite wisdom I sent them back along with my 17mm and 20mm axles. This time, I'm hoping one spacer will be bored to 17mm for the RD rear wheel and the other to 20mm for the RZ/CBR rear wheel conversion, and a new set will be made for the front of the RD. 15mm, 15mm, 15mm...I'm putting it out there into the universe.
I also re-ordered a rear sprocket for the RZ/CBR conversion, and a set of UPP intake manifolds for the RD. Maybe this weekend I'll get the cylinders and head ready for paint? We'll see, the honey-do list is long and deep. I also want to repaint the GSX-R lower fork legs and the triple clamps, but agonizing over the color; I'm afraid of too much black. Thinking about having the lowers anodized, but I don't know if that process adds, for lack of a better word, thickness. I'm concerned the anodizing will make the inner diameter smaller, causing the inner tube/outer tube to be too tight. I'll try to do some research this weekend.
Something else: can conventional, chrome-plated fork tubes be treated with diamond-like coating? It was all the rage at one time, and I wonder it it's an appropriate (read: less expensive than replating) fix for less-than-perfect fork tubes?

Re: Fork tubes. I had a rusty spot on  my CBX tubes, so changed them for repro, from a trusted source, as the cost outweighed having them rechromed....it's hard chrome to different to show quality.
Check out 'Super finishing', I think it's a new method of polishing/treating metal surfaces, bothed in beads and vibrated to a superhigh shine finish.
Example website: https://www.pbm-ltd.com/services/superfinishing-inspection/

As for your fork legs, I've used rattlecan 'stainless' wheel paint (from your regular auto store), much subtler in final colour, more gunmetal/dark silver than bright silver....looks factory but not.



My Suzonda lower legs in 'stainless or steel' rattlecan. Turned out nice....my neighbour is using it now too :)

Carry on....

[85RZwade]

Here's what I hope will complete the front brake system:



16mm radial master from a CBR1000RR, of 2018 vinatage. I think I even have a brake line!

[85RZwade]

This project is not dead; merely dormant. What is the consensus about these shocks for my application? Seller says they're 13.5" eye-to-eye.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1032396134559655/?mibextid=6ojiHh

[m in sc]

too tall IMHO but a good price indeed.