Atomic Shovel update: steady progress while the bike continues to throw me curves. More and more, the issues I’m finding reveal the work ethic of the people who have laid hands on the bike. While I was checking things over end of the week last week, I noticed my chain was ground down pretty good on the top edge. It was also pretty well shot from the miles. Truth be told, I have no idea how old that chain even is. So…. New chain.
Checking the rear brake pads, they were thinner than they should be for a ride like this, so those needed replacing.
Since I was already working on the rear of the bike, we took a look at the shocks. I will likely replace them over the winter, but for now, I clearanced the top covers and the frame block on the left side.
Tonight we finished up the rear brakes. Another thing I had to fix because no one else ever did… the rotor was dragging on the caliper. It was slightly out of round, so when the high spot came around, it would drag on the caliper. I ended up clearancing the inside of the caliper just a bit with my Dremel, and eliminated the drag. Then I could finish the brakes and the rear wheel spins free.
After the brakes, I was doing a walk-around. Don asked me to pop the chrome cover off the solenoid, then the rubber boot. When I did, some plastic pieces crumbled out. So that, I hope, cleans up the bucking and stalling bullshit.
Tomorrow we finish the chain, which I’m glad we did brakes, then chain – the drag on the caliper would have been tougher to figure out. So chain tomorrow, and solenoid Friday. Meanwhile, I’ll get some fresh gas and get ready to test ride over the weekend.
Atomic Shovel update: Yesterday we finished up the chain. Sounds simple. How hard could it be, right? It’s. A. Chain. Oh but no. Little miss shovelhead had a different idea.
I needed to loosen the brake caliper stabilizer, the axle and the adjusters, so I planned to get that all done and then do the chain with Coach Don later in the day. So out I went. Started with the bolt on the caliper bracket. Got it cracked and then when I started loosening it, I noticed the bolt was also turning, so I thought well damn, that comes in from behind the bracket, let me see what I can grab back there. Initially I thought that since the bolt was flush in the back side of the bracket, that the pocket must have been milled to hold a hex head. Apparently not. So the only way I can see to get this bolt loose and then tightened up again is to take the damn wheel off. Seriously. WTF.
I looked at the other end of the stabilizer and whoever put that on, put the castle nut toward the back. So that was extra fun getting that sucker apart. But I did.
Back to the caliper bracket. I got nothing.
I took a bit of a break, and went back at it feeling pretty defeated. How quickly my faith in myself and this bike had evaporated. OK. So I pulled my shit together and went after it. There HAD to be a way.
Everything was caked – I mean caked – in grease and grime, so I just started hitting it all with brake cleaner. I popped the castle nut and its bolt into some evaporust to soak. Went back to de-griming and noticed a black “dot” at the end of this stupid bolt that I can’t figure out… a flash of hope. More brake cleaner and there was my answer. The bolt had a 1/4″ Allen in the end of it. Thank dog!
I could barely see it because the muffler is in the way, so I’m working in this tiny gap between the muffler and this stabilizer. I couldn’t get an Allen in there to see what size I needed, so I cleaned it out really well and took a guess. My 1/4″ appeared it would fit, but even the short side of the right angle was way too long, so into the vice with a zip wheel it went. Post surgery, it worked like a charm. Still clumsy, but with the Allen holding the bolt, and another wrench on the nut, it was apart in a minute or two. Hallelujah!
Everything got a good cleaning and a nice soak in evaporust.
Cue Coach Don… he had me pull the adjusters out and clean the swing arm ends, etc. More parts dunked into evaporust. Had to file clearance in the right side of the swingarm. A previous someone crushed the swing arm so the adjuster wouldn’t slide easily. It still isn’t perfect, but it’s a lot better. More cleaning, but finally we were ready to do the chain.
By this time I was tired and it was one of those days when tools just felt clumsy in my hands. So I feel bad because it took me forfuckingever to get that stupid chain on the bike. But I got it on, got it adjusted, and that did me in for the day.
Today I have a punch list of stuff to finish, check, button up while I’m waiting for the new solenoid to come in.
The Atomic Shovel 