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Messages - DayvW
1
« on: October 31, 2019, 08:01:56 PM »
Thanks all. For the GT I used a guy in Bristol that was great - all the right bits masked and a lovely finish. Since then we have moved and there is a place in Redditch that has a great reputation (and do work for National Motorcycle Museum .. so quite a good pedigree!) that I would have previously used (but too far) that I plan to use. I'll check that they mask all that they should - and a great question on thickness and the visibility of the serial number (the GT was fine - yes - less defined - but still clear). I wouldn't use a company that specialises in powder coating garden furniture that's for sure!  . I'll take before and after pics and post them here so you can judge (and share my pain if it goes badly!). Mind you - some way off that stage ...
2
« on: October 31, 2019, 08:07:23 AM »
So brute force  . Ok, thanks.
3
« on: October 30, 2019, 10:51:28 PM »
Ah, I see. Well for the bearings on the frame, but what about the one at the bottom of the stem? Thanks.
4
« on: October 30, 2019, 07:45:20 PM »
Hi,
Many moons ago I bought a 400-4 and rebuilt the engine. it was my first attempt at refurbishing a (bit of a) bike - and it worked out pretty well. The engine worked well - and after lots of help from the lovely peeps in this very forum. However there were a few bits I wanted to do better - and a few threads that need repairing which meant I wasn't totally happy that I should ride it too much before I got to it. Meanwhile I have to confess I have refurbished a Suzuki GT550. Sorry (!). But - now I am back to my 400-4 - and am currently stripping the bike completely and doing the lot - including rebuilding the engine sorting the niggly bits I wasnt happy about (oh - and a new clutch which I should have done first time around!).
So - to my (initial!) question. I'm going to get the frame and some other bits powder coated (I hoped to leave it with its original paint - but now I can see it clearly - its not original .. and badly applied .. so a recommended place in Redditch will get a call soon!). The steering head bearings (balls) all look great - but clearly need to be removed from the frame and steering stem before the powder coating - but I have no idea how to remove them (rookie question I'm sure ... but rookie I defo am!!). Can someone suggest how best to do this?
Thanks everso,
Dave.
5
« on: August 14, 2015, 08:05:58 PM »
Good news Drew ... and the weather looks promising over the weekend down 'ere .. so hopefully you'll get out.
I have just completed a (year long) renovation (my first complete one - my first anything was the 400-4 engine last year) of another 70's bike - Suzuki GT550 - and I've just got my MOT this week too .. feels sooo good to get to this stage (I too have had a few issues .. dont we always .. but pretty much sorted now) .. I guess if it was too easy it wouldn't be so rewarding (I keep telling myself that anyway!!).
Good luck with maiden voyages!
Cheers,
Dave
6
« on: April 21, 2015, 08:56:36 AM »
Ah .. shame your missing this lovely weather. That would not have been me as only got bike in 2013 and rebuilt engine later that year / early 2014.
Agree need to flag down:)
7
« on: April 18, 2015, 08:25:11 PM »
Hi Drew,
Dont suppose you were out on that lovely bike somewhere vaguely near Bampton in North Devon late this afternoon? I was out on my (red) 400-4 having a fabulous thrash and I'm sure a 400-4 was going the other way (I was heading westish so the other was heading eastish) and it looked awfully like yours.
Cheers,
Dave
8
« on: March 09, 2015, 01:54:59 PM »
Questionable whether an original 400F headlight is good for anything else other than daytime in any case.... 
+1
9
« on: March 09, 2015, 01:52:33 PM »
Indeed ... but came to same conclusion .. better with 3.5s. I'll see what the quaility is like on 10 and then may order a shed load as I can imagine needing a few over the years!
11
« on: March 09, 2015, 12:01:12 AM »
Ah indeed - thanks Simon. Well .. I need just the female part this time - so I may be able to adapt them .. but I'll have a hunt for 3.5s .. thanks for the warning.
Cheers,
Dave
12
« on: March 08, 2015, 11:53:25 PM »
The 400F rebuilt blog in Classic Bike mag recently quoted the tappet thread @ 0.5mm (/ turn); or 0.02"
Given all tappets are set to 0.002" it implies 1/10 of a turn to set them.
Not saying its correct - just saying I've read that!
Simon
Ahhhhhh .. THAT'S where I read it ... doh .... of course .. and I was using the article on electrics to suss my alternator problem ...
13
« on: March 08, 2015, 11:47:18 PM »
Many thanks .. I have taken a look and found an ebay shop (Autostar) that seems to have what I need (6.3mm 8 way connector - I can either use the whole connector or use bits I think) and what look likes the right bullet connectors (3.9mm) .. we'll see. I also ordered some PVC loop tape and stuff which is more heat resistant too (currently re-building another bike .. sorry .. not SOHC but a smelly 1975 2-stroke (my other love!) so I needed tape for that too. Hopefully I can get the cable repaired with this, get power to my alternator and hopefully all will be well and I can put some miles on the 400 without running out of juice .. or will my RR let me down .... we'll see .
14
« on: March 08, 2015, 07:58:00 PM »
The wires just werent making contact with the plus .. really odd - so I pulled them apart and want to try to re-afix them. My soldering isnt bad but I'm going to see whether I can find a new spade and bullet connectors that fit .. bullet may not be too bad - but the spade is actually a part of the white connector block ... some goolging needed methinks!
15
« on: March 08, 2015, 06:46:38 PM »
Well .. in the end I resorted to the old tried and tested approach as I found it most accurate - though I did try based on a .7mm pitch (which seemed pretty close - perhaps .8?). I did replace all the tappets last year (along with almost all the valves .. and some point they had all been doing battle it appeared!). It is tricky getting it right - I tend to use 2 thickness gauges and judge it when the correct one goes in fine but the other (a tad larger) wont. But I almost always get caught out by the fact that its best to just give the rocker a nudge each time to make sure its pressed against the valve .. found this by trial as I kept going up and down thinking I was going mad until I realised that sometimes I was testing the gap with it kind of hovering on the spring .. if you get my drift.
Anyway tappets now fine ... my charging is another story - I've found that the alternator is getting no power hence not generating a bean. I have found the dodgy connection in the cable right close to the alternator - but not sure how to fix it .. and found that to replace the cable is an eye watering £60 odd (from DS). So - I'm going to see whether I can repair it .... if anyone has any experience or tips on this .. I'm all ears ....
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