My GS500F to E .. "project" (plus repairs)

[Phil B]

Okay, I'm doing an F to E project... not cause i like the E style, but basically 'cause I want a working bike. sigh ....

(I also need to replace a bent fork, and straighten a footpeg .sigh)

Here's a small start. I bought some $10, 10mm Emgo replacement mirrors.
(hurray that the 'F' models still come with the "useless" handlebar stubs for direct-attach mirrors on them!)



waitaminit... I have the mirrors on backwards. sigh.
Not entirely my fault. They came rotated the wrong way.



If you look carefully above the handlebars, and tune out the black hosepipe in the background... you can see the two pointy bits for the subframe for the old cowl, poking up.

Note that the handlebars are straight.
But the subframe, aint.
(the "left" bit, is just above the speedo. The "right" bit.. is above the rightside brake fluid reservoir?!?!!)

The right fork is also bent. Will be replacing it, along with the headlight. which is currently not present in any form. boo.

------ Running total of tools bought on this project -----
"breaker bar" type long thingie, on sale, $9
new socket set, deep, goes up to #19,   $15
  (Need #19 for wheel "castle nut", plus fork tube topper)
screw removal tool,         $9
100-pak of nitrile gloves, $9
1 bent wire coathanger, to pull spring out of other fork, without upending it:  on-hand material

[adidasguy]

Hate to say it - to me your bars look bent. Right is bent down.
Isn't the headlight in the box I'm sending you? Along with a right fork?

[Phil B]

Hate to say it - to me your bars look bent. Right is bent down.
Isn't the headlight in the box I'm sending you? Along with a right fork?

huh. the pic does make the handlebars look bent. But surprisingly, they arent.
Which is why i was so.... "surprised"  (@#$%$!!!)  that the fork got bent 

yes I hope the headlight, etc is in the box. but it's in transit. not "present". at the moment

[Phil B]

parts have arrived. takedown has commenced :-}

Removing the wheel wasnt so bad as I feared.
(although putting it back ON, may be challenging. I had to kind of squeeeeze it out from under the mudguard)

I was confused about instructions there. Key part of understanding for me was:
Bike stays on the centerstand the whole time. You need 2x4's under the front(engine), because normally the weight is slightly forward, resting on the wheel. So when you take the wheel out, it needs to rest on something else!


I'll say one thing: removing the fork tubes is a PAIN IN THE @#$#!.
Some articles say all you have to do is just loosen the clamps and twist, to work it out.
It was not nearly that easy to get them out of the top bits for me.
I was tempted to put lots of lubrication on it, but was worried about how that would affect things after I want to put them back TOGETHER, and want them to stick more :-}
Not to mention, if you do that, then the tubes become more difficult to grip!

I thought that it would just be the bent fork.  But no, the "good" one had problems too.

I ended up whacking them from the top, with some double-hammer action.
A wooden hammer, wood side down, on the top of the fork tube. Then tapping on the top of the hammer, with another one.
I wasnt very gentle with the bent one. It survived pretty well. So I ended up doing the same thing with the second one. albeit more cautiously.
Getting it out of the top one was still a major pain, but getting it out of the bottom clamp, was more of a twist-possible action.


Now, onto removing the "good" fork, and draining it for oil replacement.
Since I have a city provided oil drainer thingie, for this one, I decided to keep it closed, until I had it over the drain thing, and then unscrew it.
Upside down.
(Yes, I did loosen the caps while they were in the bike, first)
This was a poor choice. I should have unscrewed it while it was vertical :-}
It had a mini 'sposion.  Good thing I was wearing disposable gloves. It all stayed in the pan. phew!

I just propped it up against the bike to drain. I guess, overnight?



Now I get to brood about the fact that my wheel cover is cracked, and I have a sheared off bolt for the frame brace.
Will probably go get a screw removal tool.

[adidasguy]

Like the joke can of peanut brittle. Open it an Ka-Sproingy! Out shoot the springs!

Draining for a half hour or so is enough. remember to pump them when upside down to get all oil out.

My guess is the triple is out of alignment. Loosen the steering stem screw a little so you can line up the upper and lower triple when you reassemble. Those forks should have dropped out with the upper and lower bolts loosened.

TIP: Sometimes you need to remove the bolts then pry the clamp open a little with a screw driver wedged in the gap. they can tighten around  the fork tube and not want to let go. Do that before putting them back in. They will slide in real easy.

Be very careful putting the caps back on. It is possible to cross thread the ends. Push down square with your palm. Turn a little. Try again and again until it catches. Then use your wrench to tighten  them more.

[Phil B]

Urrr.  another annoyance: my wheel guard thingie has gotten torn up in a corner.
Tempting to get another one. but those thigns are expensive, if I recall. bah.

Superglue, I guess?

[adidasguy]

So you're saying you need a front fender?
I got plenty if you can handle a rattle can.
Don't sweat that right now. Get your forks back on. Use the cracked frender until you get another one - either from me or somewhere else.

[Phil B]

It's actually so badly cracked it's out of shape. So i needed to trim it down, etc before I can properly put it back on


I'm going slowly, because I'm also kiddie-watching. Maaaybe I'll get things mostly back together sometime today!
My hope is I'll have something ridable by tomorrow
Need to take a trip to the store for glue first

[Phil B]

With the help of my children I have so far removed the forks, changed the fork oil on both, and resealed them up.

here is a brief photo of me, taken by my son Matthew, where I have both fork legs off, and am attempting to get one of the sheared bolts out.



Ran out of time, more tomorrow

Am also going to be updating first post with running total of tools bought

Annoyance: screw removal tool, does not come with directions.
And my power drill sux!! Keeps getting stuck on the direction I dont want it to turn in

[adidasguy]

One thing for sure - we're all glad you're fixing your bike rather than getting rid of it. We're here to support you.

If you want a fender, I have them. If you can't get the bolt out, I'll help you with a replacement fork bottom.

Yea! Pictures! You know how much we love pictures!

[comradeiggy]

I know everyone says use 2x4's, but whenever I have to get both wheels off the ground I put a can of paint under the exhaust to hold it up. It's the perfect size.

[bombsquad83]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel comfortable supporting the bike on top of the exhaust pipes.  That's like pulling on your cylinder head via the exhaust header bolts with the weight of the front end of the bike.

[adidasguy]

You're not really supporting the bike. It is on the center stand. You're just tilting it because there is a little more weight on the front than the back. I'd be worried with the full weight on the exhaust, but not just a little to keep it tilted.

You can tilt it back in many ways. a block under the frame; a block pushing up between the pipes; a fat woman on the tail; a strap from the ceiling pulling up the front; and so forth.

[Phil B]

If you can't get the bolt out, I'll help you with a replacement fork bottom.

Possibly. But not for quite a while.
My problem is: It's now officially a challenge.

There's a great quote from something that I sadly cant remember the name of, but the quote goes something like this:

  Want a sure-fire way to achieve the impossible?  Just tell an engineer "It can't be done".


As I mentioned above somewhere, the screw extractor thingie I bought, did not come with instructions. But
this page seems to indicate it should be used pretty much as I thought.
I'm just a bit discouraged how slowly my stupid drill is taking, to make even the slightest dent in the broken off bolt so far. I'll have to spend some "quality time" on it tomorrow.

[Phil B]

GAAAAA this was a pain in the bit to remove. umm. butt. whatever :-/

First of all, I find out that the screw remover "kit" thing.. was only the drill bits n things. it didnt come with the actual tool to HOLD the freaking removal thingie. What the heck?!!!?

And no directions, as I mentioned. But I find some general ones, and try to do the traditional, "drill down into the hole, to prepare a space to whack the actual reverse-removal thingie".
But... the mud splash thingie got in the way. And it does not rotate!!

So then I tried the dremmel trick, to attempt to put a slot in the top, and use a flathead.

Too soft! didnt work properly.

Then I decided, the heck with it, the bottom is open.. drill from the other side!

So I did.

Took a freaking long time. apparrently too soft to hold a flathead slot, but too hard to drill through easily.
and I broke one drillbit. luckily i happened to have another metal-rated one around.

Attempted to shove the removal tool in the top... but it wouldnt stick right, because of the mess I'd made!



but, finally, a ray of hope. I noticed that the slot I'd etched in, had TURNED!

And note that, when you drill from the BOTTOM... it turns in the CORRECT direction!

So I decided, what the heck, I'd try it from the bottom.  And made some progress.
Even though the "removal" tool is technically designed to turn it the OTHER way, and I was turning it clockwise !



So kept at it.
Here's the "victory" pic, when I finally got the WHOLE #@$! thing out. And you see the hacky wrench job I had to attach, turn 1/4 turn, then take off and re-attach.   
This has been a loong. effort.
Just for ONE SCREW!! Arrg.

But.. victory.  I feel vindicated

[Phil B]

I had to whack the top a bit, to line up the top and bottom holes of the fork.

but a quick question before I tighten things up:

Do the handlebar wires,etc. go THROUGH the forks, or not (ie: they stay on the tank side of the forks)?
For an 'E' style model, I guess I should remind folks.

[Phil B]

Eh, I shoved it in middle. fingers crossed :-/

New update:


Hurray for having a proper fork brace on, with ALL FOUR bolts in it!
(I think I didnt even have that on the first day I bought it 2nd hand. Grrr.. bozos sold me a story on that one)


It was tough to get the fork tubes back up, even after the straightening. One side went in kindasorta easy, but one was still very difficult.
I had to resort to the "whack with a hammer, with 2x4 as cushion". but this time form the bottom. with the springs  absorbing the shock.
(and a kid sitting on the bike for counter-weight;)

happily, mission accomplished so far   

But still so far to go...  still needs wheel, and headlight, and handlebars reattached...

Ride your bike to work day tomorrow! I gotta move it!!

[adidasguy]

I don't see the headlight brackets there.
So.....
The way to get them on is to remove the top triple. Its the 2 bolts on teh top triple and  the steering stem bolt. Take that off then slide the headlight brackets on. Then put the top triple back on. (Don't feel bad - I forgot them on Phenix! That's how I got them on without completely removing the forks and front wheel.)

If the clamps on the fork tube are tight, pry them open a little with a large screw driver after you remove the bolts on the top triple.

NOTE: The speedo cable must be removed from the bracket on the outside of the fork. It has to be routed inside between the forks due to the headlight bracket.

Watch the wires so they do not get caught in the steering column - especially the stop just above the lower triple.

These should show a little how things go...

[Phil B]

I don't see the headlight brackets there.

eh.. they;re there. they just dont show up with "black on black"

Thanks for the pics though!!

So.....
The way to get them on is to remove the top triple. Its the 2 bolts on teh top triple and  the steering stem bolt.

I... dont have a nice wrench to take off the top triple.
Which made realigning things... difficult.
I ended up doing a few padded whacks at the top, with the tubes "almost in", until the holes lined up :-/

NOTE: The speedo cable must be removed from the bracket on the outside of the fork. It has to be routed inside between the forks due to the headlight bracket.

huh.
erm.. I "made it fit" somehow. dont remember any more

More to come in a min..

[Phil B]

So... some tips I found, with my work, subproject "replace fork oil, the 'proper' way" (fully removing forks and drain them):

1. (it may have been mentioned somewhere else, but)
When doing it "by the book", putting in fresh fork oil after having removed springs:
It's dark down there!  So, it can be nifty to take a brightly color straw, and cut half-way across it, at the height you want to leave the oil at.
You can then bend the straw over the rim, and it is easy to put it in and out to see if it dimple the surface of the oil.

2. When putting on headlight+side thingies, to the fork-tube attached holders:
It's much much easier to take the front light off, and assemble things with just the back-endof the lamp.
you can then keep the two side bolts loose, while you adjust the four main ones.
I had a tough time getting things to line up right, until I did this.


Wow, it's a tight fit!

3. When you are doing an "F to E" conversion...
PUT THE INDICATORS ON BEFORE THE LIGHT!

(yes, I had to take down the lamp,  to remove it, so I could put the indicators on... sigh... cant get at the nut holding the indicator on otherwise)