Project: 2001 XC300 bare frame rebuild

[GMP]

The nickel plating process is quite harsh to the frame, including the internal areas of the frame tubes. This is due to the acid bath that is neccessary and if not completely flushed is very corrosive. If you like the nickel look, I've seen quad frames stripped to the steel, highly polished, and then clear powder coated. Even a few clear with color tint. A little too much bling for me but to each is own. I did mine in a black/silver hammertone that the guy had a lot of and was cheap, but it looked good too. If you run the frame guards be sure to wrap the frame with tape under them or the powder coat will not last long. Vibration and dirt will make quick work of it, I use the cloth type friction tape.

[motogroove]

Details...
I wanted a new rubber boot between the manifold and carb, and a new gasket for under the reed block. The boot was just starting to dry rot a little. The original reeds looked great once I cleaned them up a bit. No cracks or other physical wear, and they still lay flat. So, I just left them alone.

While I was ordering...
Boyesen was happy to send me a new sticker for the reed block with my order. Don't be afraid to order directly from them. They have a great rider support program that's open to anybody who asks. Prowl their site and you'll find it. Thanks to them for supporting riders at all levels.

[motogroove]

I had been pushing my luck. I never took the top end apart on this bike for nine seasons. Clearly, I didn't ride enough. But that's another story.

Now was obviously the time. She had lost a bunch of crispness the last time I rode her. But I attributed some of that to bumping up the idle screw too much maybe. My best carburetor technique is the hands-off technique.

Anyway, I caught the bad plating just in time before things got even uglier. The piston looked pretty good, considering...

Lancourt was able to replate without any other special repairs (and they can fix some pretty severe damage, I hear). But I was lucky, and they fixed it up nicely. I did need to retap the head bolt holes. As noted about the frame replating, there's a harsh preparation process. I think maybe the etch bath fluffed up the threads a bit. It was an easy thing to clean them up, and there was not significant metal coming out with the tap.

The coated Athena piston was pretty beautiful, like a nice coin from the mint. It was a shame to get fingerprints on it.

[motogroove]

Buchanan's did my wheels. The spoke nipples on my front wheels had turned to rusty barnacles. The rear spoke nipples must have been better quality as they did not turn so badly. But they too were siezed, and much of this work is just to clean up age and weather issues. Things should match, so I sent the set out for rebuild.

Stainless spokes with "blue zinc plated nipples". I'll admit I thought I was ordering some cool blue anodized looking things, for a slight bling factor. But I learned that blue zinc plating compares to yellow zinc plating the way a cold white compares to a warm white. No big deal. They look clean and that was the big goal. Maybe I'll swap nipples over next winter if I feel the need to express myself.

Motion Pro LiteLock rim locks. Better in every way. Full review to be posted elsewhere tomorrow. I'll post a link. Spoiler: get a set with your next set of tires.

Edit: Note the egg-shaped rim lock hole in my rim (middle photo). I filled that with JB weld and drilled a new spot that is similarly referenced to the valve stem hole. I used tape on the outside of the rim and let the JB weld make a flat mushroom head on the inside. The egg-shaped hole happened when I forgot to tighten my rim lock. 15 minutes of practice at Southwick did that damage. See the Southwick Stimilon Spam thread for the full story.

[motogroove]

Athena trivia and markings from Langcourt

[Dave]

Are you going to be ready in time for ISF '11?

[motogroove]

Here's an interesting manufacturing archeology mystery. One of my top motor mounts is a little bit shorter than the other one. So, either the factory corrected it by extending the oval hole, or the bike corrected it over time.

[motogroove]

Originally Posted by Dave

Are you going to be ready in time for ISF '11?

Is that Dave S.?

Actually, I need to be ready in 12 days. A day of practice to shake it down before Southwick would be nice.

ISF would be a lot of fun to do again. I'll dig up some nostalgic photos.

[Dave]

Maybe not that Dave S., but a Dave S. that posts on RMD from time to time. I've yet to make an ISF. There's always next year...

Dave Smith

[HuskyDude]

Great thread keep it coming.
Before you put your tires on are you considering adding weight to offset your rim locks? Makes a huge difference at higher speeds.