78 GS 750 Rebuild

[Sam 78 GS750]

Nice work.
I hadn’t thought of using pipe insulation to protect the powder coat. Will be doing the same soon.

Definitely helped. I had no worries about just resting the engine on the frame while I got the jack in place to line up the bolts. Can't claim credit for the idea though. Someone on this site had pics of them doing the same thing in a rebuild thread. Just one of many great tips I got from TGSR...

[chuck hahn]

My best time inserting an engine was 13 minutes and 28 seconds. from setting on the stand next to the bike to taking the support jack out from under the oil pan. All bolts in and tightened. And I do this alone. I use the Eric Bang method and they slide in and out like butter. I use a 2X6 on my floor jack under the pan to lift the engine even with the top of the frame and slide it out onto my custom made stand. Reverese the process to insert into the frames.

I take off the cam cover for another inch top clearance and Im not quite as brutal on extraction. Just a little wiggle and pull and shes out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1dRAJX9Pvs&t=1s

Installation....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIv9wonIViY

[Sam 78 GS750]

13 min 28 sec is impressive, Chuck. I thought about the motor on the side/install the frame onto the engine method. Parts availability, etc. made it so I moved on to getting a rolling chassis going before the engine was ready to go in...frame's way too heavy at that point.

I've seen the removal video before, but not the install one. Looks easy enough, but I didn't have enough confidence in the VHT engine paint on the oil pan to slide the engine around like that. Thought it might chip off. Would the paint really hold up installing the engine that way?

[chuck hahn]

Not gonna see the oil pan so to me it doesnt matter. And i dont recall seeing any silver smears on my board. I have a dedicated plank for on top of the floor jack.

[Sam 78 GS750]

Brakes all cleaned up, and ready to be masked for paint.
20180310_194244 by samL9, on Flickr

[GSXR7ED]

Wow!

I did a break job a while ago...but not to this extent! Nice job!!!


Ed

[Sam 78 GS750]

All prettified...went with a satin black. I figure it will make the polished forks, etc. pop a bit more than a gloss on the calipers. Same thinking is why I used a flat clear on the rims. That ended up looking really good, so I went with the same idea here.
20180312_125503 by samL9, on Flickr


unmasked and ready to go. Now I just have to wait for new seals, etc. to come in. Ordered them around the same time I started digging in to these guys. I hate waiting for parts...
20180312_132228 by samL9, on Flickr

[chuck hahn]

Have you baked them yet? Helps cure and harden the paint. I had an old rectangular electric roaster like everyone has at a pot luck dinner...used that for baking parts. Start out at around 150 for 1/2 hr and then go 200 to 250 for 1 hour. Set aside to air cool and put in the next batch.

[GSXR7ED]

OMG!

Definitely bake them...I didn't do that and my caliper peeled. Good job, though!


Ed

[roeme]

Have you baked them yet? Helps cure and harden the paint. I had an old rectangular electric roaster like everyone has at a pot luck dinner...used that for baking parts. Start out at around 150 for 1/2 hr and then go 200 to 250 for 1 hour. Set aside to air cool and put in the next batch.

°F or °C ?

[Sam 78 GS750]

I haven't baked them yet, so maybe they're not completely 'ready to go'. I did the engine parts and the rotorsa at 200 for an hour, but had them sit in the oven while it slowly got up to temp (about 10 mins or so). I'll try 150 first and see if that makes a difference.

[chuck hahn]

Farenhiet degrees.

[DucatiDave]

Hey Sam;

What clear and black did you use on your rims? I will be doing the same very soon... any other words of wisdom regarding polishing methods or compounds for the 'spokes" and outer rim?

Thanks!

Dave

[Sam 78 GS750]

Hey Sam;

What clear and black did you use on your rims?

I used VHT Wheel Paint. SP183 Satin Black, and then SP190 Matte Clear on top. I really like the way they turned out. Time will tell how well it holds up, but folks on here seem to feel the VHT paints last... I would have rather had them powder coated, but I couldn't find a powder coater willing to do them 2 toned like that. None of them wanted to mask the polished areas.

any other words of wisdom regarding polishing methods or compounds for the 'spokes" and outer rim?

Yup. Don't polish the 'spokes' and outer rim...

Seriously though, masking took forever...now I know why none of the PC guys wanted to touch the job. If you want the 2 tone look, consider just polishing the outer rim and painting the spokes. Masking the outer rim went pretty quickly using 1/4" fine line masking tape and following the curve. After I had the curve masked off regular masking tape just slapped on covered the rest. To do the spokes I ended up using 1/8" fine line which was a b*tch to find and is expensive...and like I said took forever.

Polishing the spokes was also a pain. I ended up doing it by hand with progressively finer sandpaper because I couldn't fit my polishing wheel in there. I tried a Dremel with polishing attachments, but didn't like the results. The outer rim can be done with pretty much any polishing wheel very quickly.

I was bound and determined once I started, and I love the way they turned out. If I had to do it on another bike though, I'd probably just paint the spokes and call it a day.

If you're set on polishing the spokes I can offer some more advice as far as what I would do differently having already done it once. Maybe some other folks can chime in and tell me I'm an idiot for doing it by hand, and there's a much easier way lol

[DucatiDave]

Thanks Brad... great recommendations and I think I will consider painting the spokes but really would prefer the polished look like you have. Your wheels look awesome!

Did you bake the wheels to fully cure the VHT paint? I am thinking of making a "curing oven" using my bike lift as a base (as it is mobile and can be pushed outside as needed). I would enclose the top/sides with insulation with several heat lamps inside, with fans to move the air around (basically a convection oven). I need to test heat lamps to see if I can get enough heat from them to make this work. I want to paint both my frame and engine with VHT so I need a very large curing oven to accommodate, and this would also work for the wheels.

Thanks again for the info, looking forward to seeing your project when complete.