Refurbishing my '99 5th Gen

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by GreginDenver, Jan 13, 2017.

  1. MooseMoose

    MooseMoose New Member

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    Ewww... I know oil gets kind of peanutbuttery if exposed to water and heat. Never considered unmaintained brake fluid. Almost makes me wish I'd rebuilt mine.

    Almost.
     
  2. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Well, all the brake calipers needed was new piston seal sets (the rubber rings) and new brake pads. I used OEM Honda piston seal sets and I ordered in EBC brake pads (EPFA261HH).

    When I rebuilt the Front Brake Master Cylinder and the Clutch Master Cylinder I used OEM Honda parts (master cylinder rebuild kits).

    The Clutch Slave Cylinder rebuild only required a new return spring, a new rubber cylinder seal and a new gasket. I used OEM Honda parts for that too.
     
  3. ksoholm

    ksoholm New Member

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    Greg,

    Just got here, and have poked around in your thread with wonder. Good for you in restoring the Fi.

    The calipers on these bikes are little works of engineering and manufacturing art. I remember loving the linked brakes on my '98.

    Best,

    Kristian
     
  4. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    Hi Greg...
    Havent jumped in for a few years about delinked brakes - but look at all that work you gotta do..... how bout just shit can it, get some VTR1000 (Super Hawk) fork lowers and replace brakes with 954/F4i/RC51 calipers and master. Then you could do a normal brake bleed when you put it all back together, and while its apart, you may as well upgrade the forks with JD motosports fork springs and valves. -- You wont regret the upgrades.....Plus you toss 6 1/2 pounds of unsprung junk off the bike.

    check links below
     
  5. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    I'm right there with you on the Suspension upgrades, I always do both front and rear upgrades to my motorcycles. Right after I purchased this '99 I ordered the Daugherty Motorsports Fork Cartridge Kit and the Custom Rear Shock.

    Here's a pic of all the rear suspension parts, ready to go back on the bike early next week (Tuesday or Wednesday). In the lower left corner of the pic you can see the DMr Custom Rear Shock.
    [​IMG]

    I've decided to keep the brake system stock with the linked brakes. I've added Spiegler stainless steel brake lines and some EBC brake pads. Maybe some day in the future I'll get enthusiastic about further upgrades to the brakes, but I won't be going there during this build.
     
  6. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Wheres the roller bearing pins there for the rear swing arm linkage? otherwise it's Lookin good there. ;)
     
  7. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    I'm going to re-lamp the instrument panel with LED bulbs.

    I got 5 of the Red LEDs so I could simply swap them for all 5 of the original clear incandescent panel backlighting bulbs, but I also ordered in an extra LED in White because I thought I might substitute it for one of the Red LEDs in the area behind the LCD unit to brighten that display up a bit. Is this a good idea? Or should I just stick with all Red LEDs?

    [​IMG]

    As you can see I also got colored LED replacements for the Turn Signals, the Bright Headlight Indicator, the Neutral Indicator and I goofed up by getting a yellow LED for the Oil Pressure Warning Indicator (Oh well...)
     
  8. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    Looking at your pics, understatement of the year contender.
     
  9. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    You mean the parts that the Service Manual calls "Pivot Collars"? They're all there, already installed inside each of the roller bearings.

    Every roller bearing in the suspension (and the rear hub) got thoroughly cleaned and re-packed with grease. I had to replace a few of the rubber bearing side seals because they'd gotten chewed up somehow (I guess maybe a rock thrown up by the rear tire might do that) and I had to replace two of the "Pivot Collars" because they were corroded due to the failed rubber side seals.
     
  10. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Yeah, you're right, it's been a lot of work.

    But here's my reasoning: I bought this bike to get a really good 5th-Gen experience. I wanted to feel what these bikes were like when they were new-ish. Didn't want it to feel or look like just another dirty, tired, 18 year old used motorcycle.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
    96_Sokudo likes this.
  11. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Surprising observation (a.k.a. something I'd never noticed before): This morning I was looking at a video of a VFR800 being ridden in Germany and I happened to notice that the color of the bike's instrument panel turn signal indicators was GREEN. What??? I had to make a quick trip out into the garage to make sure I wasn't seeing things, but yes, the turn signals on my (built for the U.S. 49-state market) VFR800 are YELLOW (or call them AMBER if you want).

    I'm guessing that the German-registered VFR800 in the video was stock, meaning nobody had changed/modified the instrument panel lighting to swap the turn signal indicator color.

    Now that I've noticed this difference I'm wondering whether the U.S. is the only place that specifies YELLOW for the instrument panel turn signal indicators. How prevalent are these GREEN instrument panel turn signal indicators (All of Europe? What about Australia? U.K.?)
     
  12. yellow99

    yellow99 New Member

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    It must be a European thing because every car and bike I've owned has had green warning lights on instrument panels for indicators.

    I also have to say that what you're doing to your bike is amazing and inspirational. I haven't been able to get my parts as clean as that no matter how hard I try. What's the secret?
     
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  13. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    I've been mainly using citrus-based de-greaser spray and scrub brushes (floor scrubbing brushes, cheap toothbrushes, various sizes of bottle brushes for the tight spots, etc.). I'm cautious about letting parts soak in cleaners, I don't do it. I want the cleaner to be on the parts only during the scrubbing, then immediately wash the part off with hot water and dry it.

    Several people have commented that what I've been doing takes a lot of effort and they're right.
     
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  14. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Perfect watching this come apart and back is great.
     
  15. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    Green here too.
     
  16. yellow99

    yellow99 New Member

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    well you get out what you put in, so I need to work harder in that case. Thanks for the tips.
     
  17. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Rebuilt the Front Suspension with a Daugherty Motorsports Cartridge Kit.

    I hate working on forks almost as much as I hate working on brakes. Spending half a day with fork oil up to my elbows isn't fun but the results are good.

    Like everything else on this bike the forks started out messy and somewhat neglected:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Once I had them completely disassembled I found definite signs of wear. Here's a couple pictures of the wear I found on the Slider Bushings (the new replacements are on top and the originals on the bottom):
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Here's a picture with all the old parts cleaned up and the new Daugherty Motorsports Cartridge Kit parts standing by to be installed:
    [​IMG]

    Here's a couple pictures I took while I was driving the new seals into the fork legs. I like to use the Electrical Tape Method for driving in the new seals: Wrap a good amount of Electrician's Tape around the Fork Slider Leg and use that and the old seal to gently press the new seal into place (in both of these pictures the new seal is already in place, so it's inside the Fork Leg where you can't see it)
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    All done, ready to go back on the bike:
    [​IMG]
     
  18. sfdownhill

    sfdownhill New Member

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    That electrical tape trick is brilliant - perfect seal driver for every size, every time! Greg, I have to echo the multiple compliments on your technique and thoroughness. I'll be referring back to your thread many times as I work my way through periodic 5 gen maintenance on my 2001. Thanks for taking the extra time to show us in detail how it's done.
     
  19. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Now it's time for the bike to start going back together...

    I'll be taking and posting a few pictures as I reassemble the bike.

    Here are three that show the new Spiegler stainless steel brake lines and that I've got the exhaust back on the bike:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  20. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Great job, keep it up. It's this photo right here showing the spider web of brake lines, goihg witch way here and there, just another reason for the de-link to happen asap.. Thanks for reminding me ;)
     
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