Ha OK glad you enjoy this sort of thing
Despite managing to fire-up the bike briefly, (ie it’s a runner) the full list of problems on closer examination was a little daunting, bearing in mind that every nut and bolt was corroded and seized:
Clutch cable completely seized
Throttle cable semi-seized
Front brake dragging
Rear brake pedal completely seized
Rear disc and pads worn out
Rear calliper seized
Lower shock mount badly worn
Chain roller seized
Petrol tap semi-seized
Choke seized
Carb full of goo,
And lots of other stuff either badly corroded, full of crud, or just plain broken.
Starting at the front, the tyre removed, the rim cleaned and loose spokes tweaked.
Looks worse than it was and would have pretty much written-off the bike if new rims and spokes needed. Then forks out….
….to check-over and clean out 19 years of mud from inside the gaiters. Seals and chrome still good fortunately, but the mould on the gaiters refuses to come off:
Fortunately the brake pins holding the pads on both callipers came out relatively easily – its quite common for them to seize and be near impossible to get out. However the front brake pistons wouldn’t play ball so some new seals needed to get em moving smoothly again after scraping all the corrosion out the calliper….
Corrosion builds up behind the seals and pushes them out harder against the piston, and hence sticking brakes.
Bleed the brake on the bench with the calliper higher than the master cylinder makes things easier, and then ready to go back on:
The terminal on the brake switch needs a small repair….
So that’s the front-end done, and relatively easily, unlike the back…
Pop the back wheel out, and tyre off. Oh that was easy to say but MUCH harder to do!!! Squeezing in a vice had no effect on the attempt to break the bead, so had to lay the wheel on the ground and run the car’s front wheel up a plank resting on the tyre! Even then it took several runs and jabbing the brakes to shock the bloody thing off! hmy:
Anyway, eventually able to clean the rim, tweak the spokes (we’ve been here before right?), then on goes a slightly(!) newer tyre, thanks to a mate.
Ah yes, well-spotted - we have a cush-drive, a good thing I reckon, but full of muck like everything else and some time needed to clean it up…. But the rubber still usable, good.
Not so good the disk bolts though – completely seized and the cheesy soft allen-heads no use for anything, so had to get the chisel out to free them off. Then a nice thick new disk can go on:
And some new pads of course:
I note slight play in the wheel bearings, <sigh> best order some up then as well….
The rear calliper and piston resuscitated successfully with a good clean and lube, unlike the brake pedal which was well and truly STUCK.
Must’ve taken a couple of hours to get the soddin thing out, beating, heating, and levering. Some fight I tell you.
Closer examination reveals why – not only was it rusted solid, but bent as well!
Bit of repair needed on that then……
So got the brakes working eventually, front and back, now time to give the suspension some attention:
The linkage has to come off to replace the lower shock joint, a spherical plain bearing, on the right.
I hate doing linkages - a lot to be said for KTM’s approach and do away with the blimin things! Cleaned up, and yes, it’s the same thing as the previous photo:
A bit of hot air gun, and the bearing fresh out the freezer, it presses in very easily:
However it was a right pain to get the wire circlip things out as you just can’t get anything behind to lever them out. Learn since that a well-positioned whack with a centre punch can bend them enough to help.
New seals to pop in as well. The bearing is the same as a KTM PDS but without the Teflon nonsense so you can at least grease the sh!t out of it.
And then back on go the original links:
Why oh why you ask! Well, hard to believe but the fractionally longer Kouba link drop the seat by nearly two whole inches, and hence the footpegs and bottom of the engine too. I prefer my bikes to sit tall and out of the ruts and bumps - I’ll deal with reaching the ground as needed.
Shall we move onto the drivetrain? - its not looking very healthy though:
And after soaking in WD-40 several links remained seized solid and it was declared BEYOND HOPE. An old chain is now fitted until final gearing decided on, and a new chain will go with it.
The lower chain roller may seem insignificant but is constantly rotating on these bikes so best not ignored. Needless to say mine was not of the rotating type so it had to come off….
The top roller not so critical so stole a good bearing out that along with a new one that was “just lying about”:
So we now have suspension, brakes, and final drive, but nothing to actually move the mouldy beast, suppose I’d better take a look eh.
The Big DR350 Project. *Updated*
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Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 2, Chassis
P.S. just noticed I put 2012 at the start, actually I lost my job end 2011 - this project started a year ago, beginning of 2012
And I am now out of work again so same situation :unsure:
And I am now out of work again so same situation :unsure:
- Steve
Southampton area
DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
Southampton area
DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
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Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 2, Chassis
Looking good Thedktor. I'm keeping an eye on this one, hoping to pick up some tips.
- boboneleg
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Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 1
Having owned five DR 350's in my lifetime I reckon the SEW is the best model. CongratulationsRedmurty wrote:So am I, I have just bought a DR 350 SEW.boboneleg wrote:I'm watching with interest
cheers Spud
one-legged adventurer
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Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 2, Chassis
I work one day a week (I'd like to work more), perhaps we need to meet up for a midweek ride :cheer:Thedktor wrote:P.S. just noticed I put 2012 at the start, actually I lost my job end 2011 - this project started a year ago, beginning of 2012
And I am now out of work again so same situation :unsure:
one-legged adventurer
Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 2, Chassis
I'm glad someone else uses the high tech bungie cord restraint system. The KTM's front brake has been subjected to it for a bit lately.
The secret of a long life is knowing when its time to go.
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Re: The Big DR350 Project. Part 3 Engine Stuff
Yes, the engine - lots of things needed to make it run, but a spark and fuel always a good start, and the DR offered-up a nice big fat spark with no work required – yay! Japanese electronics are generally pretty reliable.
But the fuel another issue, and like most bikes that have been stood a while the carb was in a bad way. Quite how it ran initially is a miracle as every jet was blocked, the choke seized, the pumper jet seized, and the float jammed open!
You will notice how often the word “seized” appears in this DR story, but there are no apologies- it’s just an unrelenting fact!
No carb pics apart from this one showing the pumper-jet piston stuck down in its tube :
Had me concerned for a bit, but a lot of soaking in petrol, followed by aerosol carb cleaner, interspaced with squirting air through all the little air and fuel passages eventually freed it and all the blocked jets.
Unfortunately the pilot/fuel screw adjuster remains seized, and hence “un-adjustable”. Will it matter? We will see….
The throttle cable not very healthy, and seized in the housing….
Had a go as can be seen, but need to source another before applying any more force and mashing it completely…. Fortunately WD-40 got the inner cable working nice and smooth again, and no fraying evident. Yet.
The clutch cable was a bigger problem. Due to the over-sized header fitted to this bike you can’t get the blimin cable off!
Well, you can, by taking the header off, which means…. undoing this very unhealthy-looking clamp:
Amazingly, it put up little fight, phew…
A new cable already at hand, but out of curiosity the old one goes in the vice and WILL NOT MOVE even with a lot of force. Never seen one that bad before!
The new cable goes on, then gets taken off again as its rubbish with a stiff gratey feel. For the record a not-so cheap £25 from WEMOTO who gave a no-quibble refund. To save hassle I just bought a Suzuki one @ £35 - expensive, but good quality, with a nice smooth action. You pays your money and takes your choice….
With the header off its only a couple more rusty bolts to take off the silencer and try to catch the rot before its too late.
Fortunately no deep rust, and a quick wire-brushing and coat of rust-proofer until a more permanent finish at a later date.
The clutch freed up surprisingly easily rolling the bike back and forth in gear, and brings us to the next important item for an engine – THE OIL.
Always a nervous moment on an old bike, but seen much worse come out a sump. Of importance however, no water, moisture, or metal bits! Some cheap oil goes back in to flush things through before treating the ol’ girl to some better stuff, once its had a good run.
I noticed a slight cam-chain-like tinkling with the engine running, and to check wear you take off the auto tensioner and see how extended it is:
The spring is removed first to stop it ratcheting out as its removed. To double-check, extend it fully, and see how far in the tensioner is within the engine:
Oh dear, its maxed out, looks like that will need doing soon…
And that completes the main highlights from the initial “rebuild”, but does the bike actually go?? Well, that will have to wait for the next chapter.
But the fuel another issue, and like most bikes that have been stood a while the carb was in a bad way. Quite how it ran initially is a miracle as every jet was blocked, the choke seized, the pumper jet seized, and the float jammed open!
You will notice how often the word “seized” appears in this DR story, but there are no apologies- it’s just an unrelenting fact!
No carb pics apart from this one showing the pumper-jet piston stuck down in its tube :
Had me concerned for a bit, but a lot of soaking in petrol, followed by aerosol carb cleaner, interspaced with squirting air through all the little air and fuel passages eventually freed it and all the blocked jets.
Unfortunately the pilot/fuel screw adjuster remains seized, and hence “un-adjustable”. Will it matter? We will see….
The throttle cable not very healthy, and seized in the housing….
Had a go as can be seen, but need to source another before applying any more force and mashing it completely…. Fortunately WD-40 got the inner cable working nice and smooth again, and no fraying evident. Yet.
The clutch cable was a bigger problem. Due to the over-sized header fitted to this bike you can’t get the blimin cable off!
Well, you can, by taking the header off, which means…. undoing this very unhealthy-looking clamp:
Amazingly, it put up little fight, phew…
A new cable already at hand, but out of curiosity the old one goes in the vice and WILL NOT MOVE even with a lot of force. Never seen one that bad before!
The new cable goes on, then gets taken off again as its rubbish with a stiff gratey feel. For the record a not-so cheap £25 from WEMOTO who gave a no-quibble refund. To save hassle I just bought a Suzuki one @ £35 - expensive, but good quality, with a nice smooth action. You pays your money and takes your choice….
With the header off its only a couple more rusty bolts to take off the silencer and try to catch the rot before its too late.
Fortunately no deep rust, and a quick wire-brushing and coat of rust-proofer until a more permanent finish at a later date.
The clutch freed up surprisingly easily rolling the bike back and forth in gear, and brings us to the next important item for an engine – THE OIL.
Always a nervous moment on an old bike, but seen much worse come out a sump. Of importance however, no water, moisture, or metal bits! Some cheap oil goes back in to flush things through before treating the ol’ girl to some better stuff, once its had a good run.
I noticed a slight cam-chain-like tinkling with the engine running, and to check wear you take off the auto tensioner and see how extended it is:
The spring is removed first to stop it ratcheting out as its removed. To double-check, extend it fully, and see how far in the tensioner is within the engine:
Oh dear, its maxed out, looks like that will need doing soon…
And that completes the main highlights from the initial “rebuild”, but does the bike actually go?? Well, that will have to wait for the next chapter.
Last edited by Thedktor on Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Steve
Southampton area
DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
Southampton area
DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
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- Posts: 623
- Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:15 pm
Re: The Big DR350 Project. Updated- Part 3 Engine Stuff
What about the frame ????
Tell me you're gonna powder coat it and not slap on hammerite
Tell me you're gonna powder coat it and not slap on hammerite