'91 Honda CBR600F PC25 - Part 2 - Service for front shock absorbers

Here's a short story about how I rebuild my CBR600F front shock absorbers. Other side of them was leaking quite a lot so I decided to rebuild them with Pyramid Parts Front Suspension Overhaul Kit made for Honda CBR600 F2 F3 1991-1998 (IB11 & OB22). You can find part diagrams for '91 CBR600F for example from CMS. Here's part diagram for front fork which helped me for this small project. First step of it was to lift up the front end of the bike and to get the front shocks out.

Hoisting up front end of my bike
with Chain Block & Tackle

I tide a cargo/load strap around front end frame beams and secured it with a knot which I then attached to the chain block and tackle. Piece of wooden block helped keeping the strap away from cables running aside frame beams.

Closer look of cargo strap tide around
upper frame beams

Front brake calipers had be removed
to get front wheel out

Front fender is secured with two bolts on each side of the fork
and other one also holds brake line hose

Both of those bolts can be loosened with front wheel still in place.

After getting the front wheel off I was able to remove forks out of yokes. I started by removing securing circlips (5) from top of each fork and removing clip-ons. Each fork is secured to top and bottom yoke with two bolts (21) and (11). After getting them out forks just slide out.

Front forks are off!

First step of rebuilding them was to drain out
the old fork oil. Oil drain screw is
located below brake caliper mounts.

I used a small screw driver to remove
old dust seals...

...and circlips which secure oil seal below it.

Then I secured front shock absorber to a vise...

...and used an impact driver to get the lower tube bolt out.

After removing circlip and lower bolt tube can be separated
from stanchion just by pulling them apart.

Condition of old slide and guide bushes.

I disassembled the rest of the forks after removing the lower tube and cleaned them with brake cleaner. Springs inside the stanchion are loaded so be careful when you take out the top cap. I applied bit of pressure to them while unscrewing to stop them from flying off. They are made out of aluminum so those fine threads which keep them in place can be easily damaged if you're not careful with them. I decided to reuse old O-rings in them together with copper washers in lower tube bolts.

I used brake cleaner to clean parts of shocks.

Pyramid Parts Front Suspension Overhaul Kit for
Honda CBR600 F2 F3 1991-1998 (IB11 & OB22)

Fork oil seals

Slider and guide bushes

Stanchions rebuild with new parts.

CRC Soft Lock threadlocker...

...for securing lower tube bolts.

Since I don't own any special tools for rebuilding forks I made a washer looking thing out of nylon sheet which I placed on top of oil seal when I hammered them in with a small punch. It kept them undamaged while hammering.

Nylon washer to keep oil seal undamaged
while hammering it in with a small punch.

Circlip back on to secure oil seal.

I used a rubber mallet to gently
hammer in dust seals.

Rebuild shocks ready to be put back to the bike.

Remember to add threadlocker also to brake
caliper bolts. They can easily get loose without it.

I bought 2 litres of Belray 10W fork oil...

...and measured roughly 0,508 litres for each shock 
which was recommended by service manual.

Small funnel helped with refilling shocks with fork oil

Ready for a test drive 😎

RADALLE.com Drifting @ Ahvenisto Race Circuit - 15th of June 2019 - Hämeenlinna, Finland

Here's couple pictures from pit of Radalle.com Pro & Pro2 drifting competition held in Ahvenisto Race Circuit and Show & Shine car show. I also took plenty of video clips from the competition and uploaded few of them (#1 & #2) to my Instagram account. Have a great weekend! 😎

Nissan Silvia @finndrift

'73 Suzuki GT250 - Part 9 - Front wheel size conversion from 19" to 21"

For this project I decided to change the front wheel diameter from the stock 19" to 21" which is normally used in motocross and enduro motorcycles. I started by masking both sides of GT250 front wheel hub and sandblasting it at our university's workshop. I got it painted with matte black at the same time as few other parts like rear wheel hub and triple clamps for front forks. Before taking those parts to the paint shop I cleaned them with acetone. I left same masking for painting which I used during sandblasting to protect areas I didn't wish to be painted. After that I installed pair of 6302 (DDU 2RS) (15x42x13 mm) front wheel bearings to the hub together with front hub spacer.

Masked and sandblasted GT250 front wheel hub

Hub after after painting

I used a file to cleanup edges of paint

New front wheel bearings 6302 (DDU 2RS) (15x42x13 mm)

#54730-18400 Spacer, front hub,
to go inside the hub between bearings

I decided to replace the stock front axle spacer and speedometer drive with aluminum spacers. I'm gonna use a modern speedometer in this project, which uses a magnet instead of a wire drive. Dimensionwise the front hub is symmetrical so I was able to use same sized spacers on both sides. Only difference is that hubs for axle seals are different and I needed to buy two types of seals (25x42x6 mm and 25x43x8 mm). Otherwise I'm going with stock parts in the front wheel axle assembly. I replaced the old spacers (#09180-15034), which go underneath the axle holders, with new ones. I will use this setup together with GT550 front forks I purchased a while ago. More about that swap later 😎

Front axle spacer (#54740-18402)
and speedometer drive (#54600-18402)

Dimension drawing for new front axle spacers

Turned new spacers for front wheel in a lathe out of aluminum

Pair of axle seals (25x42x6 mm & 25x43x8 mm)

Pair of spacers (15x22x30 mm), #09180-15034

GT250 front wheel axle

Front wheel axle assembly

To achieve the look of a motocross bike and to match the RM rear wheel I ordered a new 36 holed and undrilled 21-1.60 Excel rim (#ICS402U). It had a silver coating on it, but I polished it to match the look of the rear wheel. I only used polishing paste to get rid of the coating, which was quite soft. Only bad side of that method was that it tends to clog up the buffing wheel. Rim itself will not tolerate as much abuse anymore without the silver coating, but for more show than go bike it looks better in my opinion.

New 21-1.60 Excel rim waiting for unboxing

Product data on the box

Stamping on the lip of the rim

Seam...

...and the other side of it

Buffing wheels and polishing paste

After getting the rim polished I packed it with hub, spacers, reference nipple and instructions and send them to Wheel Factory Finland Oy. They designed new spokes for it, drilled the rim and laced it according to my reference. I went with polished stainless steel spokes and nipples. I'm very happy with the result. Only bad thing about the work was that it took 5 months for them to finish it. I send it in beginning of January and got it back during May. It was also quite hard to get in contact with them during those months after initial chat about specifications of what I wanted. If you're thinking to use their services like I take that into account. Luckily my projects aren't in too much of a hurry 😄

Assembled front hub waiting to be packed with spacers,
reference nipple, rim and instructions

Shipping address for Wheel Factory Finland Oy

Finished wheel waiting for unboxing

GT250 wheel hub laced with stainless steel spokes
and polished 21-1.60 Excel rim

Malmi Street Drags #1 @ Helsinki-Malmi Airport - 6th of June 2019 - Helsinki, Finland

Here's a pack of photos from Malmi Street Drags #1, a drag racing event meant for street and hobbyist cars and motorcycles. It is organized together with Finnish Hot Rod Association (FHRA) and Riceracing Team. Agenda also included a monster truck show by Raging Bull Monster Truck Team and Burnout party (video #1 and #2). Check out my pics from the pit and car park from below 😎

Plymouth Road Runner