BLOG/FOAK: a damned close run thing, and an enquiry about expansion chamber de-denting

Time to finish putting the new chain (heavy duty non-O-ring RK) on the
SO YZ250 this morning. The chain runs *very* close to the new tyre. Just
as well I didn't try anything wider than the AM23 club race 130/65 I had
spare, or the chain would be chewing away at the chicken strips.

Being the best weather so far this year I pulled it out of the garage
for a mini test up the drive. Despite the 17 inch front wheel and
letting the forks through the yokes it's still fucking tall until I have
my weight on the saddle. I reckon I can drop the forks another 5mm and I
will check the rear sag properly. Whether I can actually get aboard
without a mounting block when wearing racing leathers is debatable.

Started up surprisingly easily, but I suspect from the racket it makes
it could do with at least a top end rebuild. I won't bother though,
unless it blows up, or it shows promise with a view to the lad's
progression in three years time.

Difficult to judge the gearing over just 10 metres, but it certainly
needs a lot more revs to get moving now.

Anyone know somewhere in the West Midlands who could 'blow out' an
expansion chamber? It is obviously an after market one with a much
larger diameter than standard, but has some nasty dents probably caused
by close encounters of the French rock kind. Not worth treating it to a
new one unless I find it has potential (I'm keeping the Boyersen reeds
in reserve as well). I've seen kits with bungs etc. on Ebay and I have a
compressor and blow torch, but I'm not sure I fancy trying it myself.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Fill with water - put in deep freeze? (Or leave it outside) I've heard
it works on dented tanks.

 

I've seen the theory applied to spannies when Googling. Should have got
round to it 'naturally' a couple of weeks ago. Apparently you have to
get the percentage just right or risk splitting the seams. I'm not sure
SWMBO would approve of bunging it in our newly replaced freezer and
doubt it would fit even with all the drawers out.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I had the tank of the Drifter "blown out" after one denting episode. It
ended up in the form of an amusingly-shaped potato. Have you considered
using a slide hammer to pull the dents out?

 

I'm not to fussed about beautiful curves so long as the gas flow and all
that resonance stuff is working OK, and it has one longish crease/dent.
Do you have to weld to use a slide hammer, because it looks like it
could be stainless steel.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Involves drilling small holes AFAIK, screwing in the slidehammer
doohickey, then welding up afterwards. (Or bunging up with a self-tapper
I s'pose).

I have a slidehammer but it would be a bit pricy to post.

 

NNNNNoooooooo. It'll **** it up, but *milk* won't.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

You can use a "Pin-puller". This is a gun onto which one drops a flat headed
pin made of copper plated steel. The job needs to be erfectly clean and then
the gun is applied, the trigger pulled and the pin is welded to the job. The
pin stays behind when you remove the gun and you then fit the slide hammer
and chuck over the pin, lock it in place and "Wallop", one dent coming out.
When you've pulled, you waggle the pin and it drops off the job. Repeat as
necessary until the crease is no more.

I'd do it in about 5 minutes for you if you were anywhere near us, but I'm
sure we're not the only workshop in the world that has a pin-puller. Most
will, in fact, coz they're an indispensable tool. Find one and ask. I do
have to say that I've no idea if it'd work on stainless though, coz I've
never tried it.

Like I say, it's a 5 minute job if the pins weld to the job.

--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Eggcup-ful of petrol, match, boomph, perfect(ly wrecked).

 

Beav took a blunt brush and painted...

Pah, you never offered to pin pull the dents out of my bonnet and wing!!

 

Those are "Dentmaster" jobs I *will* pin pull 'em though, but you'll
have to make good the paint after I've ground it off to allow the pins to
stick.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Beav took a blunt brush and painted...

Dentmaster? More like PartMaster.

No bloody way will that bonnet or wing *ever* resemble the shape it was
originally.

Even more so since I've hammered shit out of both of them to get the light
holes back to their approximate shape so I could fot the new lights.

<recalls the Father Ted scene with the tapped car...>

 

I remember now and youo're spot on

Very correctamundo. The term "mullered" sprang to mind.

I thought that was excellent blacksmithism.

I only ever saw a couple of episodes, so that one's lost on me.



--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19