Maintenance woes

[keithj]

G'day folks.

Here's a run-down of my Saturday arvo....

1. My Gas Gas, leaking rear tyre.
Took the wheel to my local mechanics the other day and got him to break the bead. No way I was able to do it at home.
Bought a new tube (valve had torn away from tube, thus the leak). Do you think I could even fit that? No chance! Ending up pinching the tube and putting a hole in it. Threw it into the car in disgust and took it to a local motorcycle place who changed it on the spot. New tube and job done for $30.
Well, almost job done...
One side of the tyre hadn't seated, so out with the compressor and inflate, inflate, inflate. Lubed it up with some slippery stuff, then took it up to 90 psi . Not seating.
So I figured "I've come this far" and switched on the compressor again - 2 seconds later it popped into place. One job done!

2. Cleaning 3x chains after a muddy trial at Emu Flat the other week. I tell you, mud is nasty stuff. The chains were clagged, and that's *after* they were high-pressure-cleaned. Out with the wire brush, then a good soaking in some degreaser. We'll see how they go.

3. Sam's Rev 80 running like a dog after a water crossing. Pulled the air filter out for a clean (OK) and nothing in the airbox. Perhaps it dried up. Pulled the carby off, and stripped/cleaned it. Some minor blockage in one jet. All back together. Put a new plug in as well. Starts and runs beautifully now. Two jobs done.

4. Rev 80, dripping oil from the muffler, so decided to repack it. Old packing oil-soaked and 'orrible. Repacked it without drama, rivetted back together, and all good. Three jobs done.

5. Found a broken spoke on the Rev 80 whilst cleaning it. After the episode with the GG tyre, I'll be dropping this one off at the bike shop and collecting it the next day. Not worth the headaches!

Still a few more tasks to do, but at least I got Sam's bike more-or-less done. Three bikes equals a lot of hours.
Someone tell me it's all worth it!

I can tell you the beer tasted great tonight.

[Neo]

took it to a local motorcycle place who changed it on the spot. New tube and job done for $30.

EVERY time I've done the same they've made a "pigs ear" of it.....but then again, I wouldn't fit a tube to my rear wheel for all the Tea in China either
I must admit Keith, after all that's been written on this forum about tubeless rear wheels, I'm surprise to know that you'd do this??

Oh and breaking the bead is easy....when you have a 5 metre hard wood beam (like me) as a compression leaver

Best of balance.

Neo

[gordonmichaellee]

to break the bead a simple method thats been used on farms for years is as follows.

step 1
get 2 peices of wood, in this case I would say you need them to be about 1 m x 10cm x 3cm

step 2
cut out a curve about 15 - 20cm in length the same radius as the rim

step 3
line them up flat side to flat side with the tyre ( not the rim ) in between.

step 4
support the rest of the wheel in a way that will not damage it when it moves slightly

step 5
run over the wood in a car. don not run over the wheel.

job done

to re seat a bead if you can't get enough air from your compessor. try a tiny explosion made with hairspray/deodorant etc.

step 1
spray the aerosol into the chamber past the bead, then light it. It will blow it back onto the rim and if not it will be closer so you can have another go with the compressor. again an old farm trick.

[yamfan]

Bead Breaking 101:

In the field use a bead breaker.

Use the cars front wheel (carefully) disc pointing towards the ground.

Black and decker workmate (perfect)

Putting the tyre back on:

Buy a doughnut!! and lots of lube

IGNIGHTING HAIRSPRAY!!!!! sounds a bit extreem

[keithj]

EVERY time I've done the same they've made a "pigs ear" of it.....but then again, I wouldn't fit a tube to my rear wheel for all the Tea in China either
I must admit Keith, after all that's been written on this forum about tubeless rear wheels, I'm surprise to know that you'd do this??

Lazy? Dunno... tubes are pretty simple devices.
Why wouldn't I want to put a tube in it?

[Neo]

Lazy? Dunno... tubes are pretty simple devices.
Why wouldn't I want to put a tube in it?

OK, nine times out of ten you'll get away with it....But potentially, as there are no rim locks on the rear rim and as we Trials riders tend to POP! our clutch for the big splatters....etc etc.. The tyre could rotate on the rim, take the tube with it. And rip the valve off of the tube.
Also, puncture repairs are simple on tubeless tyres.

The manufactures designed them like this (and continue to do so) so it's best to use them as intended...Go on Keith...you know it's the right thing to do ....it's fun on the forth attempt too

BTW...I had no luck when I tried the Black and decker workmate.

Best of balance.

Neo

[keithj]

Picked up the wheel with the now-fixed spoke and set about to refit it on Saturday.

Of course nothing is ever that simple!

Discovered the wheel bearings were both siezed, so off to the bearing shop to get a couple of sets. Replaced the front ones as well, although they still turned, but a bit "lumpy".

Replaced the fork oil in the Rev-80 as well. Couldn't find the manual, so I measured what came out and put that much back in. 200ml, hope that's right.

Back to the bearings, I've been scratching my head to figure out how the rear wheel actually turned - the bearing itself was seized, the whole bearing was wedged tight in the hub, the spacers were practically welded inside the bearings - I guess the whole thing was turning around the axle? Anyway it's all sweet now!

Took now-maintained bike for a quick ride around the back yard, only to find I hadn't washed the boots (three sets of!) after Emu Flat - still totally caked in mud.
Does it ever end?!!

Still, if there's one good thing to come from an afternoon of motorcycle maintenance, it's the easy justification for a cold one once the work is done.

[gordonmichaellee]

keith yoy should read my topic wheel bearing grease nipples, it realy is good and will make your bearings last years.

[PA]

Use 180cc oil in each fork leg.

The owners manual is available here.

[Scorpa]

Hey just saw the thread and thought I'd post this comment, ive been running tubes in all our bikes rear tyres for last two years with out bead locks and have never had a puncture or any sort of problem.
2 Reasons I did this:
First I was getting the shits with having to pump my tyre up every time I ride.
Second is that our bikes very rarely get to see the dirt and spend most of there time being riden on concrete. so the problem there was we would always pop tyres off the rims when doing 180's or any sort of flick turns.

Now they still pop off just as often but it allows us to keep riding untill we get a chance to pop them back out (some times a couples hours of riding later,) I would suggest to any one that cant stand their leaky spokes to put a tube in.

Also if you do still run tubless carry a can of aerostart and a lighter in your tool box works wonders for all sorts of bike or 4wd tyres.

Cheer Jack