2 Strokes Down Under

ged wrote:Swingarm pivot is stuck? That shouldn't hold up a man of your skill and determination for too long Ozzy!

Ah flattery will getya a ride

The 'bearings' are rubber bushes and the pivot bolt is a one off special and I don't want to damage either, that is the trick.

I'm relying on penetrating oil and patience - I give it a squirt each time I walk past. It seems to be going somewhere (or evaporating )

ged wrote:Rickman obviously left all those welds very prominent deliberately to show off the neatness and artisan quality of their work. Beautiful and very much testament to the era.

Rickman were sold as quality items and chassis artistry. There is a strange sensual pleasure and a growing sense of responsibility with this resto (my wife really doesn't understand me)

ged wrote:I always thought those frames were 'bronze welded', which to me is actually a form of brazing, but some of those welds certainly look like steel welds. A beautiful thing indeed!

That is my assuption - hence the

ged wrote:It would be a real shame to have to paint it...... like really.

Vandal - you can go and stand in the corner with Jon .

Painting was never on the radar. It was to be left as is (patina) or maybe re-plated - but I was thinking it was too far gone to re-plate. Now it is more likely I clean it up initially and re-plated it in the future.

Haha. JW and I will have plenty to talk about!

I'm all for preserving original finishes and their patina, as long as long as you can make it serviceable and keep the elements from getting at that Reynods 531.

I've been reading a blog over the past few days of a guy (in Aussie) doing his own nickel plating, and he seems to be achieving some pretty good results I gotta say.... That's despite my own experiences with a plating kit I got about 10 years ago.

http://yamaha-ls3.blogspot.com.au/2015/ ... e-diy.html

I home plated a fair bit of stuff on my Beeza which I've mostly since replaced due to its deterioration, but old mate has some different preparation techniques to what I used and I'm thinking it might be worth re exploring.

If you can stop nickel plate deteriorating it can be beautiful.

ged wrote:Haha. JW and I will have plenty to talk about!

What, discussing the lyrics of Macc Lads

I

LOL! too funny.

I was going to suggest you derusted any nasty bits of the frame and had it re coated, Ive read that most of the coatings are happy to coat up to the old coatings and you can then brush them (called carding apparently) and get an even finish.

Any plating or re-plating can only be as good as the surface to be plated. I initially thought the frame was too far gone and too awkward to get in to re-polish surfaces. But I've done a reassessment of that and think maybe, mostly certainly can be made presentable.

Plan A is now to take of the swing arm and have a guesstimate on cost and doable from Bluchrome at Bankstown.

ged wrote:
I home plated a fair bit of stuff on my Beeza which I've mostly since replaced due to its deterioration, but old mate has some different preparation techniques to what I used and I'm thinking it might be worth re exploring.

I thought of doing my own plating (various) but dismissed it based on cost (ongoing and set up) and dangerous (to me. dogs and grand kids - all go uninvited into My Space ) chemical (to use, store and dispose of) - and having it done is cheap enough.

Recently I had 2 Monty kickers (six parts) stripped, polished and chromed for $66, and a box full of odd parts (30+ pieces, springs, rods, nut, bolts, cables. plate, foot pegs) bright zinc plated for another $66 (Minimum at BluChrome).

I gave it a couple of good whacks today for a nil return.

Not wanting to do any damage I thought I would go to the local bike to seek professional help. The talk went to $100 an hour, special machined plate so as to not damage the frame and I went feint and the eyes start to roll. Just then a ute flew into the car park and the mechanic said 'hey ask this guy, he got 7 Rickmans, he'll know'

Meet Greg.

Greg advocates heat - propane heat.

So it's back home and I'll try heat. I was worried about blueing the nickel but Greg says 'no'.

I'm resigned to the bushes been stuffed. Less worried about it when I think about it. Just another job, probably replace them with bronze or the silentbloc will be a common size; just another job to the list of another simple resto.

Haha. What are the chances of meeting a Rickman guy in a bike Shop?

Any decent machine shop will be able to fit you up with new bronze bushes, but I can't understand what would be holding it all in there at the moment? The spindle has to be retractable some way?

Is the swingarm actually siezed at the moment? If you can get movement there, it must come out, unless it's retained somehow?

I bet its rusted to the bushes, happens a lot with off road machines that arent well looked after, or left to rot. Ive had to cut swinger pins off on yams, usually but spinning the spindle and leaning a stationary hacksaw or running and airsaw on the (often hardened) pin. Once you have the arm out you can at least press it out with a press if you have one.

ged wrote:Haha. What are the chances of meeting a Rickman guy in a bike Shop?

What's the chances of meeting another Rickman owner.

What's the chances of meeting another Rickman Montesa owner.

What's the chances of meeting any one with SEVEN Rickmans.

What's the chances of meeting that the said owner lives one suburb away from me.

What's the chances of meeting he would be the next customer to walk in.

What's the chances of meeting he's a really nice helpful guy willing to help out (I'm invited to his Man Cave for a tour next week).

What's the chances .......

ged wrote:.... but I can't understand what would be holding it all in there at the moment? The spindle has to be retractable some way?

This particular Rickman has a Silentbloc bushes (the next along Rickman Montesa VR250 has bronze bushes and late model MkIV have needle rollers bearings).

I would have thought Silentbloc was pretty low tech even in 1970 for what is suppose to be a high quality, high value, good handling frame. Having said that they are what hold nearly every car in world up off the ground.

The silentbloc ....



In my case I think the shaft is rusted to the inner steel sleeve.

ged wrote: Is the swingarm actually siezed at the moment? If you can get movement there, it must come out, unless it's retained somehow?

All buttoned up the swing arm currently works fine. Its great, even without shock attached it just sit there. Move through the full arc of movement but that must be the rubber flexing.

I have some ceriani triple trees same as green bike if you need some they are 32mm which may be a smaller bike im not sure. were off a rickman though. Link o418383958

Geeez Ozzy, this thing is nearly restoring itself for you!

First of all you find the rear spindle first go at the wreckers, then Mr.Rickman walks into the shop for you and now Link has found your Ceriani triples!

If you just stare at that swingarm long enough, it'll probably just fall out.....

Link wrote:I have some ceriani triple trees same as green bike if you need some they are 32mm which may be a smaller bike im not sure. were off a rickman though. Link o418383958

I don't know it as a fact but I think the 250's would have been 35mm.

The 32's are probably from the Micro.



I'll ask my new found friend Greg when I see him.

But thanks Link, I'll keep them in mind. Greg might know someone with a Micro Rickman sweating for 32mm triples.

My new found friend Greg tells me on one of his Rickman frames he spent 40 hours polishing it and on another 70

I haven't spent 2 hour yet .