81 GS550T Full Rebuild...In Ohio

[cowboyup3371]

It does Pete. We're pretty tight on the budget right now as everything extra is going to the truck. I am really trying hard not to spend much more than a few dollars for things but I keep eyeing that engine and wish I could get it back together.

A few more paydays.

[pete]

I hear ya', and it's definitely good to be able to make even the smallest bit of progress

[gustovh]

Can't tell from the pictures, but do you have a seal under that bearing?
V

[cowboyup3371]

There isn't a shim under there but the race is put up into the neck. I've been told I'll be ok so we'll see.

[cowboyup3371]

Well, I finally got tired of sitting around working all weekend to prepare for our phone upgrade at work and decided to work on the bike instead. It was a scalding 37 degrees outside so I turned on both heaters. The garage heated up to the low 50s and I painted the Swingarm bolt first. It looks better, not great, so I might redo it again next weekend. I then moved both heaters over to the engine case and after warming it up more i laid down three coats of paint.

From what it looks like to me I think it will turn out nice. I need to remove the engine covers to strip and paint them; especially since I got some paint on the oil sight glass

No pictures today since my phone doesn't have a flash and the garage lighting isn't the best. I will try to get some next weekend if my phone upgrade at work goes smoothly.

[pete]

Good stuff Scott, looking forward to the pic's!

[gsrick]

Today was bearing installation part deux with an attempt on the steering bearings. I started by trying to heat the lower bearing on my stove top. It's the radiant heat kind so I put it on medium low for about ten minutes. Unfortunately I didn't leave it long enough so that even with a frozen stem it stopped at the bottom ridge.

I thought I'd try to have the base auto hobby shop use their press but once I finally got there they didn't have a long enough piece of pipe. So a stop by Lowes found me a piece of galvanized pipe 1-1/4" by 18". Using the side of my claw hammer I managed to pound the bearing into place without breaking it.




Then it was time to install the races. Again even after the freeze trick for three or four hours I had to beat them in place. Sorry about the quality of pictures but there's no flash on my phone and the light isn't great in the bedroom.





Thanks for looking.

There isn't a shim under there but the race is put up into the neck. I've been told I'll be ok so we'll see.

Inase you don't go back to the other thread I copied and pasted it here.

Fix it the way it came from the factory. If your lower bearing splits or drops down the stem your going to have a dangerously loose steering stem. Your in no hurry anyway. DO IT RIGHT. Do you want to take the chance your wrong? Look up a parts fisch and see if it's suppose to be there.

Parts fiche

http://www.boulevardsuzuki.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=93558&category=Mo torcycles&make=SUZUKI&year=1981&fveh=2116

Thank Eric not me.

[Johnny Drummond]

how I did mine

HI Cowboy,just found your thread again(my little one hogs the computer),I know this has come too late but heres what I did when I put in new races:- I measured the length of the headstock tube on the frame and the bearings,then went to the local farm supplies shop and got them to cut me a length of M14 threaded bar,4 nuts and 4 washers that had the same outside dia. as the races.When I got home I put 2 of the nuts at the bottom of the bar(locking them together) along with 2 of the washers,put the bottom race on(with a smear of grease on the bearing and frame) then simply put the bar up the tube from the bottom so the race was just touching the frame,then put on the top race(again greased) and the other 2 washers and the nut.When it was all lined up all I had to do was get a spanner and slowly wind down the nut until the washers were hitting the frame,unwound it ground a few millimeters off the washers so they fitted inside the frame and wound it up until the races were as far in as they would go.this way you can go slowly and make sure the races go in square.Ah well sorry that I was too late ,maybe this might help with the next one.Johnny

[cowboyup3371]

As The big phone system upgrade project at work was successfully completed last Saturday, I finally got to concentrate on the fun work at home today. We were expecting 50 degrees by this afternoon but I wasn't waiting around. I started heating the garage up, taped up parts, and painted away at the cylinder and head. I then stripped the paint off the engine side covers and took the wire wheel to them in preparation for polishing tomorrow (I hope). Of course, it didn't happen if I didn't take pictures so here's the taped up stuff:

Cylinders:



Top of the head


Bottom of the head:


And then pictures of the engine painting I did a couple of weekends ago.






The paint booth with the cylinders and head in there



I also stopped over at Steve's for some help polishing the foot peg brackets as I didn't do a good enough job with the polish I bought. Using his buffer we managed to get a decent shine on part of them so I'll see what more I can do before putting the frame back together.

[cowboyup3371]

Went over to Steve's tonight to borrow his buffing wheel. I see why he trips so much



The gold color is the reflection from the light, they are still silver. I'm going to buy the decals for the signal generator and stator covers.

[pete]

Wow she's lookin' purty Scott! Good work

[cowboyup3371]

Moving weekend

Well it was bound to happen - finally got some good news in my life when uncle Sam decided I should get a refund check for the first time in three years. So we decided to find a bigger and nicer place to stay. So yesterday two guys from my work helped the wife and I move to miamisburg into a 4 bedroom mobile home. The only issue though is I don't have a garage again and no shed yet so any bike maintenance is out the window.

Or so I thought. One of the guys offered me the use of his garage. He already has a Suzuki boulevard in there as well as a race bike so at least mine won't be lonely. The wife also gave me the go ahead to start getting gaskets and such. So after dropping the pieces and my tool chest off at his place I'm about ready to go full bore on finishing this thing. I'll start my order this week after we get Internet here or if I decide to take the laptop over to McDonalds

[pete]

Excellent news Scott! Had to come your way at some point soon right? Lookin' forward to the progress

[duaneage]

I've had a long list of friends in my climate controlled garage with a great stereo and every tool imaginable. Mine can't always need work so it all goes to great use.

You might be able to learn some stuff from the other guy and lend a helping hand from time to time. That's what old motorcycles as a hobby gets you.

[cowboyup3371]

Agreed Duaneage. In fact, I offered to include his parts with a connector order I need to make. He's working on a cb550 for another fella from the hospital and trying to sort out its electrics.

I found out today his race bike is a Suzuki SV1000. Pretty nice looking too though I doubt I could sit in that position for long