Project: 2001 XC300 bare frame rebuild

[john01]

Yep great thread and I'm picking up a lot of info; thanks for sharing.

[motogroove]

Here are a couple of before pictures from last year's Stimilon Motocross Challenge. The livery and number change was inspired by my slick gear from last year's sponsor. This year's sponsor may be different, as my contact has moved onward. I have one iron in the fire that would inspire some fun livery. Goofy bikes and goofy riding gear is part of what makes this goofy race so special. I hope nobody is offended.

Wad of sand is from the Southwick Stimilon story found elsewhere.

Eleven days until the race. I hope we get the rain done by then.

-UFO KX plastic on the rear. Modified (defeated) quick access airbox panel. It's either that or trim the KX panel and try to make it fit together. I picked up a replacement panel on ebay, so I can go back to quick access blue.
-UFO late model RM fender up front
-Krylon Fusion on the ratty old radiator shrouds and my headlight.

I'm probably stuck with black plastic this year. Time and funds are hitting the wall.

Full stealth, with the black frame now.

[swazi_matt]

Originally Posted by 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.

or go tubliss?

[Jim Cook]

Originally Posted by motogroove

I'm not positive that there's not a special rubber plug to go under them. Need to find a picture, or get a clue from one of you.

There are rubber plugs to go in the holes on the underside of the swingarm. They should be readily available. If not, let me know. I still have some in my stock of parts.

Great looking frame you have there!

Good Riding and Wrenching!
Jim

[Jim Cook]

Originally Posted by motogroove

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.

I second that on the new Mo-Pro LiteLock rim locks. With them, I can now do like I used to and tighten the rim locks until they squeak.

Good Riding!
Jim

[desertgasser300]

Can't wait to see the end result, should be very nice!

[motogroove]

Originally Posted by Jim Cook

There are rubber plugs to go in the holes on the underside of the swingarm. They should be readily available. If not, let me know. I still have some in my stock of parts.

Great looking frame you have there!

Good Riding and Wrenching!
Jim

Hi Jim!

My bike has 3 rubber ones and the one closest to the front sprocket seems to be a harder material, like the chain slider material.

Looking for a new chain slider BTW...

I got my linkage and swingarm all pressed together.

Jay's method of pressing the stem out of the 3xclamp (in order to remove the lower steering bearing) does not seem to be working without excessive force. I'm pausing for lunch to ponder the situation.

[motogroove]

Originally Posted by motogroove

Hi Jim!

<snip>
Jay's method of pressing the stem out of the 3xclamp (in order to remove the lower steering bearing) does not seem to be working without excessive force. I'm pausing for lunch to ponder the situation.

All set pressing the stem out. Gotta go out the bottom.

The press sure does make things civilized.
Almost done with all my chassis bearing work.

tick, tock...

[PEB]

I have always used a cuttoff wheel to carefully cut most of the way through the race and then break the remainder with a cold chisel.

[motogroove]

Originally Posted by PEB

I have always used a cuttoff wheel to carefully cut most of the way through the race and then break the remainder with a cold chisel.

Me too. This was the first time I've had a press for any of this work. I always had to do it the primitive way. But I was always muttering something about how this couldn't be how the pros do it.

I'm pretty happy with how easy it made everything. I was battling some poor build quality on my brand new Harbor Freight press. The most important part that contacts the work is off square by many degrees. There's no way quality control could miss that, so I must assume that there's simply no quality control at the slave labor factory where they are made. I'll have to have my buddy reweld it.

The All Balls steering bearing kit comes with two nice seals (one shown with an old bearing) that are not on the bike as delivered. Now what, I asked myself. The bottom setup from the factory looks more like shims than any kind of seal, so I used one of the new seals down there. Up top, the O-ring does a good job, so I didn't want to get redundant and add a bunch more friction. The bottom seal might add a little friction. But if I'm dreaming about a steering damper, that shouldn't bother me too much.