WaveyDavey Enters the World of VF500F

Well this is chicken shit. Is there a secret to getting this Hose guide loop out/off of the fender. I need to repair a small crack in the fender, and I will be doing the fork seals soon. I don't want to force this thing off as I am not wanting to break $$$ Fender.

 

It's tight, but it is possible. Squeeze the split post on the back side and try and get one side started to then lever it out of the fender. Some are tougher than others.

 

Warming the plastic up first might help, also some silicone spray as lube.

 

Thanks to all of the above! Took a tad bit of heat gun to it, and some silicone, it popped right out. Already fixed the crack with some AC glue and activator with a couple of polycarbonate gussetts. Had pretty good luck with AC glue on my other bits of crashed poly. Once I am happier with the carbs , idling, petcock, and balance I am going to start on the front end and work my way back.

 

Race Tech Spings are in the shop, I am going to start the spring install preload setup, and seal install this week. The weather has been good so I have been riding this week. Next week it dives into the low thirties. . Bye Bye ride time? Debating a tail tidy that won't destroy the backend for resale? Not sure it matters. I am going to install front signal stalks on the rear to pull those floppers in closer to the tail. I like the 80's esthetic to some extent but also am fond of stuff that looks leaner and doesn't flop around.

WaveyDavey

 

Absolutely install front stays on the rear. Mandatory mod.

Get yourself another rear fender to mod or reverse engineer for something more extreme. The design does lend itself to both because it is a separate unit, not part of the whole inner fender. Then you have the original in a box for the next person.

 

That is beautiful! Your mod is exactly what I am hoping to achieve. I did this to my KLR, but wasn't afraid to sawzall some plastic in this case.

 

For those interested... Here is a link to some correspondence with other Members while I was first getting into my 86 500 that I was lucky get into my shop via a friend in Colorado. I think I have most of the details of the find in this link. The gist is that I am trying to consolidate the information that I have already compiled for the work completed on the bike. Questions are welcome. I will attempt to keep this thread as a legacy of work completed as well as a list of mods that I would really like to have for the bike while maintaining its design character.

Link: https://vfrworld.com/threads/carb-air-tube-connects-to-what-on-the-bike.62080/

Regards WaveyDavey

 

So Fork Day. I have the tubes off the bike and partial dissassembled and have a question. Regarding the left side manual page below shows the Oil lock piece being attache or at least coming free.

What I have been able to get free from the lower tube is this:
No oil lock piece as describe in manual. It looks like it is stuck in the lower tube and did not come free. Is this correct or am I missing something? I have been following he manual, to replace springs and seals I would not need to take this apart, but I was wanting to check on the oring that is supposed to be in the oil lock piece? I am not sure where to go from here at the moment. Any comment? Slider bushings are both beautiful. So no issues there.

On a side note I had to make this custom wrench to remove the cap screw on the right side, damn that shit be tight!



Check out the crust on this circlip, my amazon motion pro knock off tool work excellent worth $10.00


Race Tech Springs are considerable shorter than the stock progressives

WaveyDavey

 

Oil Lock often stays stuck down there. Many times it comes loose when you start flushing to clean up the fork lowers. If it never comes free, not the end of the world, at least you know it is in the right place.

Good job and proceed.

Not sure if you got lucky or did it in this sequence, for anybody following, I loosen the bottom hex bolt before disassembling anything else. Keeping the springs in place and not disturbing the "system" has always helped a lot. Also, rounding out the bottom bolts when trying to loosen is also not the end of world. They drill out super easy. The already have a "center" for your bit. Just get a bit slightly bigger than 8mm and drill until it releases. The way the parts are assembled, as long as you stay somewhat straight you can't damage anything. Have had to do it many times. I don't even get upset anymore, it's too easy. The remnants can be removed from the damper rod with your fingers.

Also, from everything I've read, stock springs are not really "progressive", they just look like it.

 

Yes it would be much better removing the cap screw while the tubes are still in the triple clamp. Look at the difference in spring length! Psuedo Progressives eh? I guess I have everything I need to put her all back together tomorrow. I got a late start today so will continue then with setting preload (20mm) and mixing my 15 and 10 wt oil to get equal parts of each.

 

Well, that too. I was referring to the bottom hex bolt that you made the "special tool" for.

 

I am getting ready to put the sliders back on the forks. Hoping this looks correct.

 

Looks correct to me. If the "R" bottoming cone want to slide off when assembling, just put a small dab of grease to hold it.

 

Sweet thanks.

 

Did I not see somewhere that fork oil leverl is measured with the springs out from the top of the tube? Can remember who told me or where I saw it.

 

I told you.

Springs out, forks fully compressed. Top of fork to oil level. Add some oil and cycle the tube and damper rod a few times to remove air bubbles before finalizing the level.

 

Having a hard time getting the hex bolt at the bottom of the left for to get sufficiently tight? It is just spinning the piston. Hints? Kawasake has a for tool to lock the piston form the inside while tightening the hex bolt.

 

It is just spinning the rod. Almost always you can get it tight enough not to leak while working on the forks, then when the springs are installed and the caps with preload are installed, they will tighten properly. At least for me that's the case. Sometimes I use my 3/8" Blue Point air impact to spin it faster than the rod can go and it will catch and tighten.

 

Well I did put the old spring into the tube and put the cap in to put some pressure on it I got it tight enough to work on, I will certainly follow you procedure when I get them assembled thanks again Cap!