[arsenic]

I didn't even notice that MD, gezz, do you notice everything

[DumbLuck]

Huh, true or false? i was told at one point that it is NOT a good idea to spin bearnings in their races with compressed air. the air will spin them faster than designed causing damage. What i was instructed to do IF i was gonna hit them with air was to put a finger or rag or somethin in the race to keep them from spinning as the air pressure forced out the gunk. was i told right?

[arsenic]

yes, why would you spin bearing with compressed air anyway I highly doubt it will damage the bearings or the races. why you would do that I don't know?.

[87vert]

yes, why would you spin bearing with compressed air anyway I highly doubt it will damage the bearings or the races. why you would do that I don't know?.

I think he's trying to use the compressed air to clean them out.

[ctandc]

I think he's trying to use the compressed air to clean them out.

That would be correct.

And if it's true that using brake cleaner, then compressed air to clean out bearings, then I've been extremely lucky over the last 20 years or so LOL

All I know is how much CRAP came out of those bearings while cleaning.

If it's any consolation, my buddy does it all the time...he's a mechanic at a paper mill. Where the bearing sets can be bigger than your head and cost thousands of $$$ to replace. They spray 'em with a cleaner, and use the compressor to blow 'em out, then they wipe / brush em out and regrease 'em.

If the bearings aren't moving when you are cleaning them, then you aren't getting the dirt and gunk built up on each side of the bearings themselves.

All I know is after cleaning and greasing I couldn't believe the difference in how smooth they were. In fact, they moved easier DRY after cleaning than they did before with old grease still in 'em.

I'm working on the lever rods now.

[DumbLuck]

i use air to blast the crap out of the bearings after rinsing well with WD40 all the time, you have to or you wont get all the crap out. my whole point was being told to NOT let the bearing be spun up by the air pressure as the high speed spinning can harm the bearing when dry. Thats what i was askin comments on.

[arsenic]

I would scrub them with a wire brush and kero, I wouldn't use air. Maybe not a wire brush either, maybe nylon.

[benzo007]

I think that rule of thumb applies to smaller bearings. You know, something that can actually catch high rpms with the compressed air.

Your buddy at the papermill and the HUGE bearings are probably to heavy to rotate fast enough to be a concern, but I have myself, ruined a automotive wheel bearing by cleaning it with air pressure

I was however, using a 50 hp 2 stage diesel compressor. So that migh have been the culprit.

Anywho, my personal opinion is, pass on the gas, (air).

[ctandc]

I think that rule of thumb applies to smaller bearings. You know, something that can actually catch high rpms with the compressed air.

Your buddy at the papermill and the HUGE bearings are probably to heavy to rotate fast enough to be a concern, but I have myself, ruined a automotive wheel bearing by cleaning it with air pressure

I was however, using a 50 hp 2 stage diesel compressor. So that migh have been the culprit.

Anywho, my personal opinion is, pass on the gas, (air).

I wasn't using the air in a way that had the bearings spinning at a high rate. It was more like this:

Blow out to get loose crap.

Use clean paper shop towel, use finger to rotate inside bearing, repeat with clean piece of towel, repeat, repeat, blow it out some, repeat etc etc etc.....


Anyhoo......


Started working a bit tonight.

Rear cushion lever rods cleaned and painted. Still have to clean out the bearings some more and grease 'em up. It's like 20 degrees outside right now, so I'm keeping the garage warm, warming up the spray can by my space heater, then opening the garage door, shooting a coat of paint, close door let dry etc..

Also cleaned and painted the torque link while I was at it.





Used brake cleaner, then carb cleaner, then scotchbrite pad, then dremel with wire brush then drill with wire brush to clean the NASTY swingarm.

This is the first coat of ceramic high heat alum paint ( I had it laying around leftover from another project) I'll let this dry and then fog another couple light coats on it... Already MUCH better.



Got the new Z6 mounted today at lunch. Found a local shop that specializes in sportbikes and especially Ducati's. Nice guys. $25 to mount and balance and take the old tire. Plus a free bumper sticker for my toolbox and a coupon to take the Kat on the Dyno to check out the air / fuel mix for $50.

Finally bit the bullet and ordered my Creese bracket and my mini turn signals so I Can start surgery on the rear fender. Still debating on flush mount signals for the front.


Slowly but surely.

[arsenic]

that's what I have. You'll be happy, your stuff looks awesome BTW.

[ctandc]

that's what I have. You'll be happy, your stuff looks awesome BTW.

Thanks I appreciate it.

I've learned enough from previous project cars, that if I start thinking about everything that needs to be done, everything kind of gets cluttered in my mind.

But if I just take everything one by one, it will slowly but surely get done.

[benzo007]

I have the flush mounted signals on mine and luv em. BTW you should use a grease n wax remover as your final prepping step. Right before you paint. It's super cheap and works like a champ. EVERY body shop and body man will tell you the same.

And I don't know if it was just me, but I had problems with chipping when I went to install my parts. All bumping around as I was trying to fit them into place caused a bunch of little knicks and chips.

Not super terrible, but soooooo sucky after so much work. Next time I think I"m going to clear coat everything. Not so much for the look, but to see if it helps with the chipping.

You might want to think about that.

[arsenic]

that's my problem, I have a ground up build going right now. I have everything organized into 5 sections. Brakes and Suspension, Front End, Engine, Frame and Body, Fuel and Exhaust, and Tail end, if I didn't separate sections that would be a lot of stuff to remember. Thats for parts, I have another folder for appearance, Paint, Powder coat, and polishing.

[ctandc]

I have the flush mounted signals on mine and luv em. BTW you should use a grease n wax remover as your final prepping step. Right before you paint. It's super cheap and works like a champ. EVERY body shop and body man will tell you the same.

And I don't know if it was just me, but I had problems with chipping when I went to install my parts. All bumping around as I was trying to fit them into place caused a bunch of little knicks and chips.

Not super terrible, but soooooo sucky after so much work. Next time I think I"m going to clear coat everything. Not so much for the look, but to see if it helps with the chipping.

You might want to think about that.

I use brake cleaner and a tack rag, never had a problem.

As for chipping during assembly, I use rubber gloves and I wrap the painted parts in clear plastic. Works likes a champ.

Bike parts are easy. You can handle 'em by yourself. The last vehicle I painted, we painted it while it was apart and assembled it after it was painted. We wrapped 'em in plastic and taped all edges with masking tape.

Worked well.

[benzo007]

So simple.... yet so f%^&ing obvious. I had painted alot of my parts with rattle can. Spent A LOT of time grinding everthing down to bare metal. I used etching primer, ceramic primer, and high temp paint. All to have it get chipped up at install.

I'm to the point where I'm seriously contemplating having it all powder coated...... Not sure yet though.