You ever have a bike fight you every step of a restore?

[45t]

I'm in the process of tearing down my lastest mini bike and it seems that everything I try to do, the bike is fighting me on. I had to walk away a few times or the bike would have become a flying projectile.

Where do I start:

>Bike leaks rusty water out of the frame inside my cars trunk.

>Bike scratches bumper of car on the way out of trunk.

>Had to cut throttle cable off of motor because allen screws holding it on to linkage were rusty.

>got the front axle and the punch I was using to tap it out of the wheel and fork somehow stuck inside the wheel wedged against each other. Finally got it unstuck and both axle and punch out but the punch damaged the OEM axle.

>broke off 3 of the 5 bolts holding the front wheel halfs together.

>Tire was rusted to the wheel, had to cut it off with tin snips. Probably have to do the same to the rear wheel if there is a lot of rust. Did I mention that they are the original double indian heads. :facepalm:

>A previous owner used rounded carrige head bolts for replacement hardware at some point in the bikes life. Well they were difficult to take off the handle bars and brake hardware, when you have nothing to put a wrench on. Had to use a pry bar to get enough leverage and pressure on the bolt, to be able back the nuts off. In doing so with the handle bars I accidentally put the other very sharp end of the pry bar through the seat vynil.

>Got 3 of the 4 seat bolts out and had to rip the seat off to get the 4th. Seat was already damaged and I was pissed so at that point I didnt care anymore.

I'm naming this the "Bad Luck Bike Build" :angry:

Here is a pic of the lil turd.

 

[roccosbike]

:laugh: lighten up francis...Hey mitch put some penetrating oil on all the bolts and let it sit.If you continue to have trouble getting things apart bring it over here and I can heat up the trouble hardware to get it apart.

 

[Outlaw Ace]

Sounds all too familiar, it's why I only build riders now from decent survivors or bare frames. I did a Cat and the wheels suck, wait till you put a coat of paint on em and scratch the hell out of em during assembly. And then there are the stars, they scratch too so prepare to tape the tires and do the final coat while masked and take a little off the stars with a die grinder before refinishing unless you like that sort of thing. I will still buy em and sell the parts though.:thumbsup:

 

[derekbmn]

That's how it can go sometimes when your dealing with 40+ year old things made of metal....Don't worry many of the same things have happened to myself and many others.

The Cat wheels are are notorious for rusting....your tires were shot and the seat and throttle were not original. And someone has jimmy rigged the rear brake set up....should be a caliper on it.

Feel any better ??? :laugh:

Oh yeah....it's a 300TT.

 

[TomH]

Well, you left out drawing blood. I drew blood twice trying...I say trying.. to get a starter relay off of my semi truck..bought the new relay first because I had torn the heck out of the truck trying to find it. Thought it might help to have the new one to go by if I spotted it. round trip 65 miles. Finally took off enough junk to find it, I can see it, but getting to it is another matter. bleeding and bug bit. you guessed it. New part is not the same. I quit while I was ahead :2guns: Get back after it in the morning. Make the trip to freightliner with old part in hand. It probably will end up being the 75 pound $tarter anyway$$. I hate big trucks. It is going bye bye as soon as I get it to start.

 

[buckeye]

I totally understand. Totally! Take tav off, put tav on. Repeat.
Put carb on. Tune it right. Shut it off. Mess with tav again.
Turn gas on. It pours from every hole in the carb.
Take carb off again.
I get it and feel your pain.

 

[manchester1]

:laugh::laugh: Sorry to laugh, but been there with these old mini's. I was trying to get a bolt loose the other day and slipped my grip......backed into a shelf that had a old rabbit cage on it......rabbit cage fell and landed on my DB and put a hole in the seat.:cursing::cursing:

 

[TomH]

don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am feeling better already.:laugh::laugh:

 

[buckeye]

Oh yeah, I feel flippin great. Yep just jumpin for joy. A little skip in my step. Damn tav still isn't right.

 

[jeep2003]

I often find myself yelling "WHO BUILT THIS DAMN THING!" oh yeah.. I did :facepalm:

 

[64fairlane]

45t, I feel your pain! My Fox Doodlebug was a heaper!, I had to cut off my tires too, and I can't tell you how long I spent just trying to fill the pitting leftover after sandblasting. Right now you are "climbing the base off the mountain" and everything is uphill and hard. But you'll likely look back fondly on all the hassles of today when you get to coast downhill at assembly time. The end result is worth the struggle, stick with it. :thumbsup:

 

[george3]

I'm in the process of tearing down my lastest mini bike and it seems that everything I try to do, the bike is fighting me on. I had to walk away a few times or the bike would have become a flying projectile.

Where do I start:

>Bike leaks rusty water out of the frame inside my cars trunk.

>Bike scratches bumper of car on the way out of trunk.

>Had to cut throttle cable off of motor because allen screws holding it on to linkage were rusty.

>got the front axle and the punch I was using to tap it out of the wheel and fork somehow stuck inside the wheel wedged against each other. Finally got it unstuck and both axle and punch out but the punch damaged the OEM axle.

>broke off 3 of the 5 bolts holding the front wheel halfs together.

>Tire was rusted to the wheel, had to cut it off with tin snips. Probably have to do the same to the rear wheel if there is a lot of rust. Did I mention that they are the original double indian heads. :facepalm:

>A previous owner used rounded carrige head bolts for replacement hardware at some point in the bikes life. Well they were difficult to take off the handle bars and brake hardware, when you have nothing to put a wrench on. Had to use a pry bar to get enough leverage and pressure on the bolt, to be able back the nuts off. In doing so with the handle bars I accidentally put the other very sharp end of the pry bar through the seat vynil.

>Got 3 of the 4 seat bolts out and had to rip the seat off to get the 4th. Seat was already damaged and I was pissed so at that point I didnt care anymore.

I'm naming this the "Bad Luck Bike Build" :angry:

Here is a pic of the lil turd.

that sounds like the last 3 bikes I worked on, not mine. others bought them I fixed them. todays bike after fixing the brake assembly that was bent to hell, (azusa) now moded and improved. I finally get it running finger tight bolts falling out everywhere, lol not my work. main jet unscrews falls on the ground, fork bolt nut is non locking falls on the ground, shocks in rear rattle loose, clutch drags, you can almost push start it. all of this happened in one spot not driveing it. and thats just part of the list. what a POS. After hours of repair it might be safe to test ride :laugh::laugh::laugh: Forgot to mention Thanks seller. what a freakin gem, Just glad I dont own it.

 

[KustomKartKid]

do what TRK would do...tie a big old chain to it , hook it to your pick up truck and drag it around the block a few times...after it has learned not to f* with you....then you can commence to working on it...:laugh:

 

[cheezy1]

I just apply my mad skills and never have any problems what so ever.:blink: Ya here in the real world..it is very common on most rebuilds to run into half a dozen issues. I just let them sit till they realize they are heading out for scrap unless they co-operate with me better.:laugh:

 

[buckeye]

A Fox is about to head that way soon. I am going to buy a big hammer and set it beside of it and see if it takes a hint.:laugh:

 

[Richard Trotter]

The hardest one I've had was trying to get a tire off the rim. The tire had been filled with urethane so it wouldn't go flat. Just wanted to save the rim, had to cut the tire into pieces.

 

[45t]

Thanks for the support guys. I don't think I've cussed a bike this much so early into the build. I'll keep plugging away at it. I ordered some parts today, so I'll wait til they come in until before I start wrenching again. Right now I can start sanding the frame down for paint. Nothing can go wrong sanding it, right? :shrug: Unless I break off one of my lee press on nails.

 

[TomH]

:doah::laugh::laugh:

 

[toomanytoys]

I always have the habit, every bike I do. I get my mock fit up done. Then I take it back apart for cleaning, sanding, painting, ect after I already had it running. Then I get excited near the end. I forgot to tighten bolts, and other various things.

My Super Bronc. I was SO EXCITED it was just about ready. I had it rolling, motor mounted, chain hooked up, controls done. ONLY THING LEFT. Was to put the seat on. So I slapped the seat on, stuck bolts in top of the seat shocks, and then I tightened the front bolts. Well I forgot to put nuts on the back.....Idled around the yard once, went a little quicker, opened it up and the seat bolts rattled out, and I went off the back off it. The ole super bronc drove without me right into the side of the garage. Bent the front fender, scuffed up the paint, cracked my OEM TAV cover. I could of cried. All because I was in a hurry :surrender:

Now that same bike is sitting all taken apart again, waiting to have the engine plate welded back together.

 

[TomH]

Forgive me for laughing..but that was funny right there^^. Just be glad the wife didn't have the camera out.:laugh: