My GSX1400 Restoration

[KiwiCol]

It looks superb Baz. 

[gsxbarmy]

The way you're going with the detailing of this bike you'll end up in a situation similar to mine. I love riding in all conditions but because detailing my bike is a two day job I refuse to take it out if there's the slightest chance of rain. ATM it's covered in dust and that's the way I like it.

BTW, that two days to detail & polish is done on a bike lift. If I had to work on the ground like you it would take a week.

Yep that's where I got to Pete, and it got the stage with the UK weather that I hardly rode it at all. Since swapping to the Triumph - and now BMW - just piling on the miles, bling is good on a show bike but has no place on a road bike (ye gods did I just say that  )

[SA14]

The way you're going with the detailing of this bike you'll end up in a situation similar to mine. I love riding in all conditions but because detailing my bike is a two day job I refuse to take it out if there's the slightest chance of rain. ATM it's covered in dust and that's the way I like it.

BTW, that two days to detail & polish is done on a bike lift. If I had to work on the ground like you it would take a week.

Yep that's where I got to Pete, and it got the stage with the UK weather that I hardly rode it at all. Since swapping to the Triumph - and now BMW - just piling on the miles, bling is good on a show bike but has no place on a road bike (ye gods did I just say that  )

Hopefully my ceramic experiment will change all that for all of us.

[SA14]

Went for a fantastic ride today while the sun was out and a glorious warm mid 20s day. Covered 300kms on an aimless ride down the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsular south of Adelaide. Fantastic roads, perfect for riding. Tight and twistie openeing up to magnificent high speed sweepers. My skills doubled I reckon (from a pretty low base admitedly) but never once went too hot into a corner and I was riding the best I ever have.

These are just fantastic machines!! I feel like king of the road. I even pushed past the seat pain and managed a whole hour of riding without pulling over. That's a first. It hurt like hell for a while but then I kind of got used to it. I had to pull over about 20 minutes from home but once I was fine to continue I was filled with even more confidence. Not one turn, bend or u-turn startled or worried me. I'm loving this growth in riding skills.

And now, some pics and a video! Sadly I don't have a GoPro so couldn't capture any riding footage but I did snatch this walk around at Cape Jervois lookout.

[gsxbarmy]

Great pictures - but you really do need to get that collector box on the buffing machine 

[SA14]

Great pictures - but you really do need to get that collector box on the buffing machine 

Yes Sir. Might have to put my new yoga mat to good use. I saw a video once of some sort of pickling spray then autosol. I gave it a bit of a touch once just to see how baked on it is and it should come up pretty easy. Collected some bugs on this ride so I'll be in a Mr clean mood today.

Above I detailed how much trouble I had bolting on the front wheel and lining it all up and then not spinning far after watching a few movies from Dave Moss and Delboy I've bolted it all up wrong and will be loosening everything, cleaning my calipers properly and fully and bolting it all up in the correct sequence including "the bounce". Hopefully that'll solve my rattle which @steve porter suggests might be a stuck piston again.

I'll pay myself for the effort by cleaning and lightly polishing (just with my $5 tube of Autosol) the collector box. I'm also getting what I think I can hear is a slight "puff puff" from there so I might need some muffler gasket goop there as it's running metal to metal since I removed the bazooka for the rego inspection when I bought it.

Here are the videos which told me I had bolted the front end up totally in the wrong order...

[grog]

SA, good videos. Pretty much my way of doing. Tighten top clamp bolts,  fit everything loose, put on ground, lift up, tighten from top down.My rear adjust marks are spot on, checked with vernier long time back. Pretty much old skool rule with car suspension, fit up, drop onto ground then tighten. Puts all bushes etc in middle range of their movement. I know bike is about aligning but same sort of thing.

[Mick_J]

I found Dave moss contradicting himself in his vids, vid 1 says tighten brake calliper first then fork bottom (wrong), second vid tighten fork bottom first then brake calliper (correct).

[SA14]

Just watched them again and I'm a bit confused so I'm going to revert to common sense. I'm going to fit the calipers on and do them up finger tight. I've loosened the axle and all pinch bolts are now loosened as well. I don't have paddock stands so I have to use a tie down and suspend the front end from the ceiling which will make this a bit of a hassle.

00) Suspend bike from ceiling hanging from handlebars
0) Remove and clean calipers using a bucket of warm water and dish washing soap. Dunk calipers into warm soapy water and brush with nylon brush (and maybe some light brushing with a small brass or stainless brush for stubborn spots). Rinse with hot water in spray bottle and blow dry.
1) Tighten axle nut side pinch bolts
2) Tighten and torque axle - spin wheel to ensure free wheeling.
3) Loosen axle nut side pinch bolts
4) Release bike from the ceiling
5) Return bike to ground off centre stand
6) Bounce the front end 6 times and return bike onto centre stand
7) Torque axle nut side pinch bolts
8) Torque Axle spin side pinch bolts and spin wheel to test for free spin
9) Suspend bike from ceiling
10) Install calipers and pads finger tight only
11) Tighten pad slider pin and torque
12) Spin front wheel and pump brakes until it stops the front wheel and hold lever.
13) Torque caliper bolts
14) Spin wheel to ensure free spin
15) Tighten mudguard bolts last
16) Release bike from ceiling and push bike to test brakes and listen for clacking or ticking

Side note: I pushed the pistons in with my fingers to see if any were stuck. Although it did take some pushing I believe they all moved a smidge so I'm happy that none are actually stuck. Still, it was good to give everything a good clean. Looks much better although some paint is missing - a job for another day.

I'll go and do all that and come back to report. If I've got anything wrong please post a reply and I'll come back and check for replies before going for a ride.

[SA14]

Please forgive the editing tom foolery. But it's all back together but noisy against the pads and does it free spin enough?

Took it for a quick spin around the back yard, seems to brake well and the lever has a great feel to it and I don;t have to pull it much before the brakes are there. Going to go for a quick spin around the block and will return to report.

[KiwiCol]

much cleaner, but looks like something is dragging, I'd of thought it would spin better than that meselph, wheel sea wot others sei.

[SA14]

Yep happy with the clean but just went around the block and around a few local streets doing 1st gear runs and hard braking and...I don't know I can hear pad noise at low coasting speed and when trying really really hard braking I'm getting a low growl loud noise right at the end like a shuddering grabbing...not sure how to describe it and don;t have a gopro to film it. Kind of like a low frequency "squeal" if that makes sense. Definitely wasn't there before.

The klacking is gone though. I tried to reproduce it by lightly tapping the brake a few times with the clutch in and it seems to be gone so that's good. The lever feels firm and the brakes come on very early, I barely have to touch it and I'm on the brakes. I tried a few emergency grabs (not squeeze like I would in a real emergency stop) and it grabs really hard.

But that emergency squeal and pads scraping as I roll along - not happy. Not sure what it could be but it doesn't feel perfect. Good enough to ride around and take to a proper mechanic (if I could find one I trust). The main thing is I tried and they sort of work well so...this is a new experience for me.

[SA14]

A few pics from the process. Yeah, scratched my mudguard with the hose holding mount - spewin'

[grog]

Not spinning freely, not near good enough for me. My opinion is pistons need to come out, overhaul calipers. Lets see what others say, i might be totally wrong.

[SA14]

Yeah I agree, They're coming off and going in for an overhaul by Suzuki. They said I can take them in and they'll charge 1 hour per caliper plus parts. Don't trust any other mechanics with my life at the moment. It's back in the shed and will come out again only with brand new brakes. Got no confidence in my work this time. Happy I gave it a go though. Quite an enjoyable afternoon.