Finally bought a working trials bike

**Screwdriver** · 14-04-12, 20:21

Originally Posted by rockjock

To achieve the correct temperature for bending alloy is easy. Clean it up and rube the edge of a piece of bar soap along where you want the bend to be. Warm it gently when the soap mark turns to black you have got the right temp. The process is called "annealing". Alloys age harden almost back to full strength over about 3/4 weeks. HTH.

Yeah, I think you're probably better off heating it and then applying the soap!

Anyhow, that's not going to help with my broken engine mounting spar, which frankly, I'm going to ignore...

S.

**demographic** · 14-04-12, 20:55

Originally Posted by Screwdriver

Yeah, I think you're probably better off heating it and then applying the soap!

Anyhow, that's not going to help with my broken engine mounting spar, which frankly, I'm going to ignore...

S.

Eh? You sure you haven't got that the wrong way round?
Admittedly Tempsticks are better.

**Screwdriver** · 14-04-12, 21:13

No I'm not but in order to heat something the heater must be hotter than the part, ergo, if soap is on the surface it will be heated by the source rather than absorbing heat from the alloy. It would burn before showing the temperature of the alloy.

Screwd.

**demographic** · 14-04-12, 21:18

Originally Posted by Screwdriver

No I'm not but in order to heat something the heater must be hotter than the part, ergo, if soap is on the surface it will be heated by the source rather than absorbing heat from the alloy. It would burn before showing the temperature of the alloy.

Screwd.

Just heat it from the other side.

**Screwdriver** · 15-04-12, 08:48

Originally Posted by demographic

Just heat it from the other side.

I'll give it a try when I rebuild the death star.

Cheers.

Darth.

**Screwdriver** · 15-04-12, 18:17

Whole back end has to come off to get to the airbox and carb.

Everything is really crammed into a tight space.

Carb was filthy.

Carb off, cleaned, came up nice.

Throttle cable had frayed badly and snapped in my hands. I have a few spare cables lying around and made one to suit.

Big nipple at the handlebar end. Filled it up with flux before the first little blob of solder. Once there's a little blob of solder in there, fray the ends. Without the first blob, you might unravel the cable beyond the nipple.

Fray the ends to form a plug, more flux, fill it up with solder, I used a hot air gun but flame is better because it doesn't blow the solder everywhere!

Tidy up the end with a dremel and/or some emery. A file won't work very well on the steel cable.

All done and now it goes like it should, clutch is excellent, throttle response perfect. The carb had been quite badly blocked so the difference is night and day. Pops the front wheel with the merest whiff of throttle. Lovely.

Now I'm going to sell it. I bought it when I was flat broke and it's a cheap bike. If I'm going to have one of these taking up space and for the odd days fun, I want a better one...

Screwd.

**motopat** · 18-04-12, 12:06

wow, what did you clean the carb with?

also if you find the revs pick up a bit when you twist the bars (cable routing issue) for fucks sake do not tug on the throttle cable with one hand while riding the fucking thing. The cable outer may pop out of the carb and not return freely to it's original position and rev the fuck out of the bike, flipping it then making it do un-manned doughnuts on the drive while you get your shit together, having been thrown off in the flip and try and grab the thing, (remember to grab the clutch or it will just flip again), and find the kill switch does't work as it's over revving so you have to put your hand over the exhaust to stall it. Remember to always wear gloves - a hot exhaust can cause a nasty burn.

Don't ask how I know the above

**Screwdriver** · 21-04-12, 10:44

Originally Posted by motopat

wow, what did you clean the carb with?

I put the whole unstripped carb in a deep stainless oven tray. Poured half a cup of petrol over it and worked it with a stiff brush.

Keep doing it and cleaning out the tray. Only took three or four goes. Then blow out the crevices with an air line.

Could have done it with paraffin for the same effect.

Screwd.

**Tomcat** · 21-04-12, 12:37

That's not bad, these things usually get horribly oxidised and it's near impossible to get them looking decent again.

**Dirtybill** · 24-04-12, 06:53

Congrats Screwd!!

I haven't read thru the entire thread but a friend is a Beta or was it GasGas distributor and made his money from doing alluminum welding. If ya want I can give you his email and I'm sure he'd be happy to help.

**Dirtybill** · 24-04-12, 09:29

Ah.....found his business card

gasgaspacific@telus.net

www.gasgaspacific.com

name is Dave Fair.
He doesn't know the name, Dirtybill but does know Bill. Just say that oand his wife work in the same ministry in the gov't and then he'll clue in. Professional Welder and rides all the time. Both him and his wife are good folks

http://www.gasgaspacific.com/daveswelding/

**Screwdriver** · 24-04-12, 09:37

Nice. Thanks. I might say hello one of these days but this particular bike is a bit of a shed. I have alloy melting capabilities (!), I blew £40 on a stack of rusty gadgets that does a fair job of welding. Thread on it here somewhere.

I may just let this bike go.

Screwd.