[young-pup]

-Progress- (somewhat)

I started work on both the new jig and on the new 3/8" axle plates... I got the axle plates laid out how I want them and milled one slot before I called it an afternoon. The jig is another story. I have never built anything that requires precision & accuracy in 3D. It is more difficult than I first thought it would be. I know what I want and how the swing arm needs to be constrained during the welding process, but getting there is going to take time.

No pictures. I didn't have my camera with me today.

 

[young-pup]

This has probably been covered before, but does anyone know what the law in NC is for vertical plates on bikes?

 

[irvintat]

GS_20-63

Section G: or who shall display a number plate in other than a horizontal upright position, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Where in NC are you?

 

[young-pup]

GS_20-63

Section G: or who shall display a number plate in other than a horizontal upright position, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Where in NC are you?

Ouch. Not something to mess around with then... Stinks because that is so much cooler.

I am about an hour south of Raleigh, NC.

 

[irvintat]

ahh you're a couple of hours or so away from me then. I see ALOT of bikes around here with vertical plates. I guess it all depends on the cops mood at the time whether they decide to enforce it or not. I think the law has to do with the plate recognition software in the cops' cars. They have to be able to invade your privacy whenever they want I played it safe & went with a horizontal. Not my first choice though.

 

[young-pup]

As part of the build I would love to incorporate white walls... Does anyone have experience with Mooneyes Port-O-Walls? Seems like a pretty cool idea.

 

[topher]

Oh I forgot about the mooneyes white wall, I wanted to get some. Super simple idea, and not horribly priced.

 

[bB2NER]

As part of the build I would love to incorporate white walls... Does anyone have experience with Mooneyes Port-O-Walls? Seems like a pretty cool idea.

They might work. I've still got some Ranger WW paint I need to try out. I've used white Fusion paint in the past and it turns tan if you ride the bike much.

 

[young-pup]

They might work. I've still got some Ranger WW paint I need to try out. I've used white Fusion paint in the past and it turns tan if you ride the bike much.

I was looking at those rings because someone told me that the paint gets soft on our hot Carolina summers if it sits out in a parking lot or something... And then gets slung off on the road. It must work pretty well though since it has been around for so long and so many people use it.

 

[young-pup]

-Progress-

Finished the axle plates this evening. They are 3/8" CRS plate. I am planning on welding threaded spacers into the open ends to create the tensioning mechanism.

 

[brett7777]

...........Nice work.

 

[topher]

I was looking at those rings because someone told me that the paint gets soft on our hot Carolina summers if it sits out in a parking lot or something... And then gets slung off on the road. It must work pretty well though since it has been around for so long and so many people use it.

i think you'd be better off with the rings, less time consuming, and better consistency. imho... axle plates look good too:thumb:

 

[young-pup]

I started thinking today about the possibilities of a bolt-on hardtail like what I am working on. It could be tweaked in such a way (like the VLX 600 swing arm) to make the Rebel a softail bike. It wouldn't take much, more gussets and cross-ties to keep it rigid should just about do it... especially since the bearing surfaces on the stock swing arms are just sleave bushings, no needle bearings like the VLX. I imagine that is due to the higher loads on the VLX due to engine size and expected operating conditions. Depending on the change in mechanical advantage you might be able to get away with using the stock shocks too, just in a different location.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[little dave]

about the whitewalls,
i used this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21WDq0YhUKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
from the craft section at wallymart and a sponge brush. masked with electrical tape.
the first time, yes it kinda turned brown/green after several months. so i washed it real good and i couldnt get it to turn white no matter what i did, so i recoated it with another coat of the same paint.
after 3 months more it looked really grimy, and i thought that i would have to start over and come up with another plan. but when i washed the tires this time the gunk came right off!
seems that the first coat sealed, and the second coat didnt absorb oils from the tire or whatever made it turn color the first time.
it became my theory that even though i washed the heck out of my tire before the first coat, that the paint slowly leeched and soaked up all the remaining oils and etc that didnt come off. and the first coat sealed the area like a primer of sorts so the second coat didnt change colors.

 

[young-pup]

about the whitewalls,
i used this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21WDq0YhUKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
from the craft section at wallymart and a sponge brush. masked with electrical tape.
the first time, yes it kinda turned brown/green after several months. so i washed it real good and i couldnt get it to turn white no matter what i did, so i recoated it with another coat of the same paint.
after 3 months more it looked really grimy, and i thought that i would have to start over and come up with another plan. but when i washed the tires this time the gunk came right off!
seems that the first coat sealed, and the second coat didnt absorb oils from the tire or whatever made it turn color the first time.
it became my theory that even though i washed the heck out of my tire before the first coat, that the paint slowly leeched and soaked up all the remaining oils and etc that didnt come off. and the first coat sealed the area like a primer of sorts so the second coat didnt change colors.

Good to know. Maybe that is the issue at the core of issues with tire paint...

 

[brett7777]

I started thinking today about the possibilities of a bolt-on hardtail like what I am working on. It could be tweaked in such a way (like the VLX 600 swing arm) to make the Rebel a softail bike. It wouldn't take much, more gussets and cross-ties to keep it rigid should just about do it... especially since the bearing surfaces on the stock swing arms are just sleave bushings, no needle bearings like the VLX. I imagine that is due to the higher loads on the VLX due to engine size and expected operating conditions. Depending on the change in mechanical advantage you might be able to get away with using the stock shocks too, just in a different location.

Thoughts anyone?

could be good, easier on the back...would need to look good too

 

[young-pup]

-Progress-

...Finally. :thumb:

Well I have been working here and there for the past week on the jig for the bolt-on hardtail. I finally got it together this morning.

Below is the front end with pins that come out to release the front pivot mount tubes.

I cut off the two upper tubes from my original bolt-on swing arm and stuck them in place to mark for notching and tack welding in place.

The RH upper tube, notched and in place.

I was able to get both upper tubes mounted and tacked in place before calling it a day.

The lower arms are going to be a bit more of a pain because they will only be controlled on one end (notched end) and the other will be free-floating. The jig does not currently address that issue, but may have to depending on how difficult the process is. I also still need to make the front pivot mounts that will fit onto the pins on the front of the jig. More coming next week.

 

[bB2NER]

That's gonna be neat.

 

[Henryinva]

Dont know if I would have slotted the axle plates thru like ya did as that will, in theory, allow the plates to spread. Are you going to weld a plate with a tapped hole in it across there to strengthen that and use that as an axle adjuster?

OOPS!! Thatll teach me to read the WHOLE thread, post 50 you explained that..

 

[young-pup]

That's gonna be neat.

Thanks, bB2NER.

Dont know if I would have slotted the axle plates thru like ya did as that will, in theory, allow the plates to spread. Are you going to weld a plate with a tapped hole in it across there to strengthen that and use that as an axle adjuster?

OOPS!! Thatll teach me to read the WHOLE thread, post 50 you explained that..

You got it.