Rea Repairs

For all work enquiries, please bear in mind bookings are currently running at 6 to 8 weeks ahead.

On this week's episode of 'Saturday Morning Keyhole Surgery' I'm tucking the control box and coil of a Tri-Spark electronic ignition into the head stock brace so that it's out of sight on an XS650. What fun. 🫤

Done. All the angles, tapers and dimensions I need to fit pins, noses and chucks. 👍

It's surprising how many bits and bobs you need to make life easier for building cranks. In this instance I wanted a centre to fit both the nose and pins for Kawasaki and Suzuki cranks when phasing. Plenty of centres work for truing, but phasing was awkward, so over to the lathe.

A day like this and it'd be rude not to. 👍

Another thing on the pondering list is fuel injection for XS650 engines.

Time to get the back end of the winter service sorted. Chain, sprockets, bearings, seals, pads, clean everything and get some fresh adhesive lube on ready for the nasty weather. Some bits essential, some 'while I'm in there' but overall it's about knowing everything's good to go.

There we are then. Z1000 crank stripped, checked, truing nicely sorted to spec and welded. 👍

Initial phasing of 1 & 4 to 2 & 3. I use a laser as you can get it very close and tweak it from there. Much easier on a four cylinder like this (or twin) than a three cylinder.

Once the centre pair have been indexed it's over to the welding bench. Then I use a tube sized to match the thrust washer. Slip it over the pin and it protects the faces, but also gives a guide for where to end the weld.

Indexing the centre pair is critical as any error there multiplies as you move out. This is the easiest way I could think of to show fixed point indexing, you can also use a DTI. I don't like using a degree wheel as most aren't quite accurate enough for this (IMHO).

Getting cranky today. 😄 A hydraulic table is such a useful bit of kit in a workshop. 👍

The only good thing I can think of for riding in this rain is that it makes wiping road grime off the lights and reflectors easier. 🫤

What're people's thoughts on booking deposits? It seems to be a fairly normal thing now for workshops to take a non-refundable booking deposit, to the point where customers ask if I need one when they book. I don't as for the amount involved it's more hassle than it's worth IMHO.

I'd say a service is definitely overdue. 😄

Now that the bits I've been waiting on have arrived Sunday is a catch up day. Goldwing carbs ready to go back Monday, and the Rickman will be going home next week too.

It was that kind of run in this morning. 🫤

To whoever's hidden my box of 1mm split pins, I'm going to leave the office and make a cup of tea. If they're on the desk when I come back we'll say no more about it. 🤨😄

It's not a shipwreck though is it?