Summer Session #5: Epic Paint Day Three

Had been both looking forward to and dreading this day, as I was eager to get the bike back together but wasn't sure how smoothly it would go.

Started with clear coat on the frame, bridge and steering head.  The clear coat actually needed an hour to dry to the touch (and a full 3 before handling, supposedly).  Let it dry for the hour and busied myself getting the empty motor together.

Used the Monkey crankcase, the CT90 jug and cylinder head, the Sheng carb and a newly arrived K&N vent filter.


Then, finally, got started on the re-assembly.

• Thought I was smart by first installing the brake pedal so that when I then added the main stand and spring, the spring could already wrap around the pedal and I wouldn't have to jam it in later.  But that was the first mistake, because the free-swinging pedal caused all kind of havoc.  In the end, put a pretty huge scratch in the main stand paint.
• Added back the swing arm.
• Then the cushions... but realized I had forgotten exactly how the various washers had originally been arranged.  Just went with what seemed right.
• Added the rear wheel.
• Steering head assembly
• This was a nightmare.  My biggest mistake was trying to do everything with the forks still attached to the wheel.  I had forks flopping around all over the place as I tried to get the steering head back in place.  
• Fork slipped and put a very nasty gash in the top of the tank.  Good thing that was the test tank otherwise it would have been a very, very bad day...
• Also forgot to put in the metal fork caps until after I'd already put the steering into the frame once.
• Added moly-B to the top and bottom races.
• Very, very precarious trying to get the steering back into the frame.  Need to figure out a more reliable way to hold the bike steady in order to lift the front up enough to get the steering column in.  As it was, I was trying to balance the bike in one arm and get the steering in with the other.  Very nearly toppled the whole thing over.
• Realized that what I really should have done was to add in the steering head FIRST!  Then add the forks, then add the wheel.  Which is all probably already documented!!!
• Added the steering head top (had to run back up to get the pin wrench).
• The forks were falling so far short of the bridge that I was sure I'd done something wrong.  But I used the long bolt to snag one and dial it up.  Then was able to pull the other one into place and bolt it in.
• Added the handlebars back.
• Laid the bike down and mounted the mocked up crankcase.  
• Then seat and tank.
• Finally the headlight but the mounts are so fiddly that I'd rather just replace them.  Inserted a bolt without a nut and that seemed like it would hold them temporarily.