The Africa Twin thread

[@dreamer]

Thanks everyone for your input but I think that I'll wait for R/R to come up with something specific for the RD04.

Here's another question, has anyone put Zerk fittings into the swing arm linkage? Would the grease even get into the roller bearings? Would the seals be able to handle the pressure of the grease being pumped in?

Thanks for any input
Keith

[GSPD750]

Originally Posted by @dreamer

Thanks everyone for your input but I think that I'll wait for R/R to come up with something specific for the RD04.

Here's another question, has anyone put Zerk fittings into the swing arm linkage? Would the grease even get into the roller bearings? Would the seals be able to handle the pressure of the grease being pumped in?

Thanks for any input
Keith

I don't think the grease will ever find it's way into every nook and cranny via a grease fitting...but it's probably not a bad idea if you do a lot of water crossings. Whenever mine is apart it gets a clean up and fresh grease with a curved tip syringe. It's not as if those needle bearings require a whole lot of grease to begin with. Providing your not driving into the ocean or going crazy with the pressure washer they should last a long time. But yes...it's been done. Thanks xrv.org.


http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-twin/44444-adding-greasing-nipples-rear-linkage.html

[Ladder106]

Would the grease even get into the roller bearings?

NO.

One would have to machine a hole into the outer race of the needle bearing and then insure this hole would line up with the zerk (grease) fitting. Even then the grease would likely be forced out of the seals (which are not great to begin with) before flowing completely around the bearing.

Take a look at how the bearings are made and how little they actually rotate...then look again at the XRV site. It's certainly well-intentioned, but there's no way grease is going into the needles from where he had it being injected. The grease (like air) will follow the path of lease resistance and flow out through the seals (giving you a feeling like you are actually doing something) before ever getting to where its needed. I'd like to see this project about 2 years later and inspect the bearings.

The needle bearings consist of an outer (hard) race and an inner race (that is removable for cleaning and service). The units is then pressed into the aluminium suspension links.

The only Hondas that had grease fittings were the original Transalp (1987) and also smaller XR models like the 250 that used plain bushings rather than needle bearings at the linkage pivots. These bushings had "grooves" machined into them to allow the grease a path of travel to be distributed around the bushing.

So....the only way to clean and service is to spend the afternoon with lots of solvent, clean rags and cleans grease. A word of caution.....the needles are not caged. The only thing holding them in place is the grease and the inner race. Using compressed air to try to speed up the process will have you chasing needles in every crack and crevice in the shop.

Also................

Many DIY riders make the mistake of putting the heaviest waterproof grease in the suspension pivots that they can find thinking that they will be making things better.....this is WRONG!

The pivots are "zero rpm" bearings....they never get through an entire revolution. Putting in heavy grease will result in ruined bearings over time. The heavy grease gets pushed out of the way by the needles and is not thin enough to "flow" back into the bearing surface. I've seen rusty pitted bearings that still had grease inside.

You want a #0 or #1 (depending on climate) grease here or grease that says it's for zero-rpm bearings.

This is a service area universally neglected by both DIY riders and most pro shops because it's so labor intensive. The other interesting thing here is that even new bikes from the factory have little to no grease at these points. I've seen many very low milage DRZ400s with ruined suspension links and on disassembly found almost no grease from the factory.

For those in the market for a new AT, particularly if your in the UK or other countries that ride in the rain or that use winter salt on the roads....pull a suspension link before purchase and have a look. It's a good way to be able to knock a few hundred off the deal since replacing these parts is never cheap and almost always required.

[mas335]

I know I don't belong over here but I couldn't help myself, I have been preaching proper serviceing of shock linkage for a long time.

There is no simple way to service them, it's time consuming. Honda recommends a Moly 40 or higher grease for some of these high load leverage needle bearings but I use it in all 9 swingarm and linkage bearings on the Transalps. I have also found some of the bearings used on Transalps have "caged" needle bearings which results in about 50% fewer needles and you can't remove them from the bearings which makes thoroughly cleaning them difficult. I'm not sure if Honda alternated between bearing suppliers and tried to cut cost but if you order these bearings today they are full needle bearings, no cages.

In my experience with Transalps it is safe to say that nearly 100% of all the bikes I have worked on have neglected un serviced shock linkage bearings. This also leads to the main swingarm to frame support bolt to rust inside the bushings making the removal of the swing arm impossible without cutting through the bolt and destroying the swingarm.

Here are two images showing a worst case example of ruined bearings and bushing. The other image is of the only way I know of to really clean the needle bearings and bushings before re-grease them.

FWIW, The NX650 linkage used zerk fittings.

[teddy750]

Originally Posted by teddy750

they have these kits for hard side cases but maybe it works for soft ones
http://i1249.photobucket.com/albums/...148_normal.jpg
http://i1249.photobucket.com/albums/...2794-32377.jpg

mayby do something similar to this on your own

[mjuu]

Ok, the bike in question isn't exactly AT but a Transalp with RD04 tank.
When I got the tank both the fuel sensors were broken. There are quite good modification/repair suggestions around including this exellent one:
http://xrv650story.eu/index.php?opti...ings&Itemid=96

My approach was to use float type sensors which came out of Peugeot Speedfight Scooter fuel tap. This is mainly because I happend to have one. The second one I bought from this Dutch seller:
http://www.scootparts.nl/Search/en/page/564/?S=204670

This is the original fuel tap:



First thing was to dremell the actual sensor out of the fuel tap. The sensor has a tiny reed switch inside the brass tube so you have to be super careful not to bend the tube. After some percision dremelling the sensors were out:





Original NTC type elements were easy to remove with soldering iron and some wick. New sensors fit firmly with just bending the original holder around the brass tube and there you are:





I wired two super bright leds with current limiting resistors to the sensors and placed them on the dash. You AT guys would naturally use the original bulbs or replace them with leds.



To prevent blinking of the leds when the fuel level is close to the threshold I soldered together some electrical components around timer circuit 555 and this gives about 20 seconds delay for the leds to turn off and that seems to be enough to stop the led from blinking annoyingly. And just by accident this timer circuit has a nice feature: it turns one or both leds on for 20 secs when the power is turned on so the condition of the leds can be confirmed.

Heikki

[tour]

Farrcall

That AT with the tool tube is my bike in Botswana during 2010 worldcup. Just west of the Okavango delta. They believe that there was an important trade route at that hill a few thousand years ago. Archeologists are digging there and have found some interesting stuff there.

if i may ask where dig you dig up that pic?
rudi

[teddy750]

if you write xrv 750 on google and choose photos you' ll see lots of pics and get lots of ideas good luck

Originally Posted by teddy750

mayby do something similar to this on your own

[novack]

Originally Posted by Twinmike

@Reidy

here a Picture from my mosfet installation on the RD07 Bj. 1994

I have installed the MOSFET R/R too recently and thought that the stock connector for the output of the original R/R (the big white round connector in the middle of the pic above) is a good way to connect additional loads (additional fusebox for examle) as it has direct connection to the main fuse and the ground and it is of sealed type.

Does anyone know what is the type of this connector (brand?) and where to buy those?
Eastern Beaver has similar connector with 3 positions but this one has 4 positions and I can't find it it any online shops that stock different connectors and automotive electrical parts.

[Twinmike]

Originally Posted by novack

Does anyone know what is the type of this connector (brand?) and where to buy those?
Eastern Beaver has similar connector with 3 positions but this one has 4 positions and I can't find it it any online shops that stock different connectors and automotive electrical parts.

In austria we have a electric Store called X-mas they have this parts.

http://www.xmas1.at/xneu/index.htm

scroll down you will find the part number V-14940

http://www.xmas1.at/xneu/KATALOG/200...ler%20LIMA.pdf

if is to difficult for you to order from x-mas send me a PM i have one in my spare part room, so i send you the connector.

[Joz]

Very nice fuel sensor mod Heikki. I'd really like to make a sensor that will show fuel level via LED, not just and LED when you're low. I have some ideas but there are too many other projects taking priority right now.

[@dreamer]

Ladder, thank you for the explanation, that is what I was afraid of, the grease not getting into the bearings and what would make it in would really only just get pushed out. Just trying to see if there was an easier way to keep up on maintenance without having to go to a full strip of the linkage.

Jos, when you have the fuel gauge sorted please post up with a "how to" I would like to see how it comes out.

OK, I know that this is going to sound crazy but I had never heard of an "auto clutch" on a big bike but I was reading Neduro's write up of the KTM 530 excr and it sounds like a lot of people over there are using a Recluse clutch (spelling) and I was wondering , 1. what are the benefits and 2. would something like that be any good if they even made one for the Twin. I thought the left hand rear break was also a good idea when using the auto clutch.

Keith

[boboneleg]

I'm back in the Africa Twin gang

Previously I have had RD03 and RD04 but last week I went to collect this low mileage RD07a. It's in pretty good condition with some good mods so a nice bike all round........





cheers, Bob.

[AckAckFlack]

Originally Posted by boboneleg

I'm back in the Africa Twin gang

Previously I have had RD03 and RD04 but last week I went to collect this low mileage RD07a. It's in pretty good condition with some good mods so a nice bike all round........





cheers, Bob.

Sweeeeeeet Bob and in the fastest colours

[boboneleg]

Originally Posted by AckAckFlack

Sweeeeeeet Bob and in the fastest colours

Cheers Gary, Ii came from up your way (Keighley), I rode it back home, nice smooth easy riding rike