Front end rebuild (inc new steering lock)

Having now painted most of the front end and cleaned up the wheel as best I could it was time to rebuild the front end as the best way of not losing anything is to rebuild it into as few pieces as possible!

Lock removal had clearly destroyed it so I ordered a new one. It simply slipped in using the key. 

I refitted the escutcheon, tapping the pin home so that it can swivel.

I reassembled the front fork frame. Firstly replacing the grease nipple in the swinging arm. This was originally a friction fit push-in zerk fitting. I enlarged the hole and tapped this so I could fit a threaded nipple. I had to use an offset nipple so that its thread could be shortened to clear the swinging arm pivot without affecting the sprung nipple section.

Swinging arm repainted and new nipple inserted. I used a canted nipple as you need to trim the thread to avoid fouling the swinging arm pin.

I made up new bottom bushes for the shock absorber pins as these were absent in the bike. I made these out of acetal (Delrin). Turning them down to 11mm and centre drilling to 6.5mm.

I pressed them into the swinging arm. This caused them to close up a little so I reamed them to 7mm and achieved a good sliding fit.

New bushes reamed to 7mm in place.

I fitted the shock absorbers to the fork frame.

New pivot pins though- I could have made them but I'm not sure what grade of metal was required.

New E clips fitted on internal sides

The frame was then inserted this into the front mudguard. The swinging arm was refitted by sliding the well-greased swivel pin through from the outside of the mudguard, screwing it into the frame unit on the left side. Finally I refitted the nut and washer to hold the mudguard also to the fork frame. 

Swinging arm fitted- greased with grease gun until excess grease squeezed out of both endcaps.

I also fitted the steering lock stop and screwed replacement bolts with new spring washers through from inside the mudguard.

Fork section fitted  through the mudguard to steering lock stop on top. Used new bolts and spring washers

I renewed the steering bearings with 21x 5mm stainless steel bearings. I stuck these in the frame headstock races using grease. It was awkward to stick them into the fork frame race as this is obstructed so although I filled this race with grease I actually stuck them in the lower race again with grease and this held them against gravity long enough to insert the steering stem and attach it to the frame headstock, by fitting the grease-filled upper race with its cover and the headnut.

21 5mm balls stuck top and bottom of the headstock. Put a suitable energy absorbing material underneath to catch any balls that drop and kill any bouncing. If they get away it will be the devil to find them!

Headstock fitted and adjusted for smooth turn with no play.

Front end ready for cables and wheel.

I also cleaned the speedo unit thoroughly as it was quite gritty. This isn't made to disassemble so I flushed it though with carburettor cleaner and WD40. I also replaced the nipple as the old one was gritty. Finally I made a new wheel side oil seal out of neoprene cut to fit and pumped new grease through the unit until it emerged clean.

 

Speedo unit cleaned with new grease seal

Speedo- opposite side.

Cables (front brake and speedo) routed through holes in mudguard tied to fork frame and clipped along the swinging arms using cable ties. 

Speedo cable clipped to front swinging arm

Front brake connection and tube cover

Front end rebuilt

Routing the throttle cable I took it into the nacelle and down and out at the back beneath the handlebars. The cable is routed outside the fork struts so that steering the bike doesn't pull on the cable.

The cable then passes backwards, through the horn mounting bracket and into the carburettor.

At this stage I reverted to working on the fuel tank and the rear of the bike. (see other post)