Yeah, baby steps for sure. In addition to all the cleaning and ordering of new parts to replace worn out or broken stuff, I am having to take a step back from time to time to figure out stuff that is new to me. That entails researching jobs on the internet (thank Dog for both YouTube and Adventure Rider) and then buying new tools along with the new parts to get the job done. That ordering process has my poor wife slowly losing her mind. She wanders around the house after looking at our bank statement muttering things like "freaking money pit" and my favorite, "yeah, sure...it was SUCH a bargain". I, on the other hand, am always happy to welcome new tools into my garage and the bonus of learning how to do new stuff is always awesome.
I managed to accomplish several things off my to do list before running into another one of those roadblocks which I am now figuring out how to fix. First up, I cleaned up the electrical connections on the lower front of the engine.
This connector was particularly bad. It has a reputation for melting due to the heat that comes out of that front exhaust port. It also catches a ton of roost from the front wheel.
So after washing off around it, I pulled it apart and sprayed it with contact cleaner.
I used a q-tip to get in and scrub it well enough. Then some dielectric grease to prevent corrosion and back together it went. That process has to be repeated on most every single connector on the bike. A lot of work, but worth it to avoid electrical issues somewhere on the trail. I also got to the lower connector on the front right side of the battery box.
Then it was onto the front tire install. The tires I got were pretty stiff and I generally don't do front tire changes very well, but this time I tried a new technique I learned online from a guy named Brett Tkacs. It involved WD40 as a tire lube. I usually use water and dish soap, but the WD40 worked way better.
First, I left the front tire in direct sunlight for an hour to heat up and become a little more pliable. I turned my tiny compressor on to fill up and be ready to go as well as laying out everything I would need for the install close by so that I wasn't stopping mid job to find a needed tool.
Then I put the tube in and inflated it a bit to make sure it was centered and not twisted, before pulling out the valve core so it would deflate and stay out of the way of the tire levers.
I used a neat little Tusk tool to pull the valve stem through the rim. That is way easier than doing it by hand!
Then I sprayed the tire bead with the WD40 and slowly worked it onto the rim. It slid right on and I didn't have to resort to my 14 inch monster levers to manage it. The second side went on just as easily. I was totally surprised. I had expected to have to use a lot of muscle to get it on. Afterwards, the WD40 has the effect of helping the bead set really fast at lower pressure.
Then it was just a matter of using 409 and isopropyl to clean up the tire and rotors (you definitely don't want WD40 on your brakes!).
Pretty bad ass front tire.
The next job was balancing. So I threw the wheel on my stand and added weights to it until it was perfectly balanced.
Sweet, now just to get it back on the bike. Like a dope, I tried to get it on without removing a caliper. After three failed attempts, I realized it would be way faster to just do it the right way, so off came the left side caliper and speedometer cable.
After that, the wheel went on fast and easy. Let that be a lesson to always do it the right way. Shortcuts are bad technique.
Then a quick squeeze of the lever to set the pads and I was done with another job.
Then it was back into the garage for the next job, the rear wheel. First, I removed the axle nut and wrestled the axle out of the bike.
Geeze....look at all that new dirt to clean!
Then, time to pull the wheel and inspect everything...
Yeah, like I said...lots of new dirt to clean, plus those rubber cush drive blocks are looking worn. Swell...another potential aneurysm for my poor wife. If she survives this build, it will be a miracle.
The axle adjuster bolts came out next to be cleaned and antiseized. They have a habit of corroding and getting stuck, so I wanted to avoid that. Thankfully, they came right out super easy.
Anyhow, this was where I ran into my next roadblock...that rear tire. The stock 990 rear rim has huge safety beads to hold it on in case the tire goes flat while at speed. The downside of this is that it is close to impossible to pull it off with normal tire levers. I even broke out both my big levers and wrestled with it for 30 minutes with no luck. So then I remembered the previous owner had included a bead breaker for just this reason...score! I broke that out, installed it and started tightening it. Unfortunately, the threaded rod inside was stripped, so it couldn't grab and tighten. No bueno. I can replace the threaded rod, but with all the social distancing going on, it will take a bit to find the right one with the correct thread pitch. On to idea number three.
I had read you can use the side stand to break the bead, so I rigged a tie down strap to prevent the center stand from collapsing and pulled down the side stand to give it a go. Once again, no dice. That tire hardly moved! I had more luck with the tire levers. Crud, I mean CRAP! Dead end well and truly reached.
After some research, I ordered a set of Motion Pro bead breakers, but they probably won't work due to the size of that safety bead. That leaves me with a couple of options. First, I could send my wheel to Woody's Wheel Works and have a new rim installed with a smaller safety bead, but that's 600 dollars minimum and my wife is close to a break down as it is Obviously, this is what I want to do, since it costs the most and results in a new shiny part! However, she has enough of a twitch going, so I will try something different. Second, I could lace a new rim on myself, but I would need a spoke torque wrench along with new spokes and a rim. That would run about 500 dollars. Hmmm....still a bit steep. Number three, I can take the wheel to a local shop and have them use a professional tire breaker on it for the time being and repair the broken tool I have for the trail. That option is about 25 dollars, but doesn't net me anything shiny and new. Being the loving husband I am, I will be doing number three. I won't tell my wife that I am getting a new wheel later so I don't go through this the next time I change tires. She doesn't need that kind of stress in her life right now.
Luckily, there is a local shop that can do option three for me tomorrow. Cool. Plus, in a couple of days, I will be able to order my next batch of tools and parts. While I'm out tomorrow, I am going to buy my wife a dozen bottles of tequila and some margarita mix. She likes huge glasses of the stuff at night. I have two different blenders on hand to keep her in her happy place in the evenings. I am such an awesome husband....
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