Vulcan Drifter Riders

DISCUSSIONS => Drifter 800 Only => Topic started by: CDNRatMan on January 16, 2018, 17:53:25 PM

Title: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 16, 2018, 17:53:25 PM
      Well the other morning it was about 0430 and I was still awake and tinkering on Pearl. I had removed the plastic mud flap that is between the rear wheel and the shock. I then noticed something that had me scratching my head and trying to fathom what I was seeing. So I went off to bed and got ap a few hours later and went and looked again....and yup there it was just like a slap on the forehead.
   Can anyone else see the issue I found ..........
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: Troll on January 16, 2018, 18:29:43 PM
You rebuilt the whole linkage on the red one, so putting the monoshock back in going the correct way should be a piece of cake...
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: OR Seedman on January 16, 2018, 19:16:46 PM
someone really didn't pay attention when they put the shock back in after removing it for some reason...... :o
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 16, 2018, 21:41:22 PM
  LOL yes Troll you got it and OR attention to detail....not sure how or why it happened....but yes when I put the new shock in it will be the correct way........lol.......
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: Tfrank59 on January 17, 2018, 00:08:15 AM
So it's upside down right? Why would that be a problem unless you can't get access to adjust it?
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 17, 2018, 00:42:30 AM
  it is not upside down it is 180* the wrong way. There is no way to get to the nut to adjust the settings.........
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 17, 2018, 09:00:36 AM
I spotted right off the bat because just yesterday I lifted up that flap to see where that adjusting bolt was. looks like it may not be that accessible from the correct position either. I see that yours is set at 7. How does it ride at that setting?
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: Tfrank59 on January 17, 2018, 09:04:03 AM
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 17, 2018, 00:42:30 AM
  it is not upside down it is 180* the wrong way. There is no way to get to the nut to adjust the settings.........


Okay and that's because you have to access it from the left side of the bike?  I adjusted it last year and vaguely recall it was from the left side and it was kind of a pain even at that.
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 17, 2018, 10:13:40 AM
Ok seeing that we are on a guess what happened to the 800 post........... here are some pics of what i found. Tell me what happened.
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 17, 2018, 17:13:44 PM
   I spend one winter working on the bike and for shits and giggles I used nothing but the tool kit that came with the bike. This led me to making a set of wrenches , ok not making but modifying a set of wrenches to do chain adjustments on the road. I also made a set of sockets, 1/4" drive to do anything I need on a trip. I can not remember what socket is required to adjust that bolt on the shock. But a socket and a long extension and a good heavy ratchet and you can adjust the shock.......

  Rob I am going to say if your shock is set to 7 it is time to replace it. At 230lbs and I was bottoming it out on some large bumps....so one has to understand that shock is 18 years old now. So it is going to be to my benefit to swap it out for a new one. FortNine has a progressive shock for $599.00 and free shipping, and those are really good shocks I have one on Red now and it rides really smooth.

  Are we looking at that scrape on the frame? If so really interesting question .....time to ponder on this....
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 17, 2018, 18:05:06 PM
Mine is not at 7 ( yours is, in your pics) Not sure what mine is set at. Can't quite make it out.
Scratch in the frame? Sort of. Its 1/8" deep. 1/2" wide and 1" long. More of a gouge. Not quite through the swing arm but damn close.
If you can guess at how it got there you win a free half sack of Big Rock beer. ( flight and accommodations not included)
R
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 18, 2018, 00:20:17 AM
   Ok so you know how it got there? ok let me look at the pictures again.....
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 18, 2018, 08:31:59 AM
I do know how it got there. Took me a little while to figure it out as the culprit had been removed by the previous owner. Trying to decide the best way to repair. Welding is out, as welding on a hollow tube just creates stress and multiple opportunities for more cracks to emanate. Think that I will "JB" weld the heck outta it and then touch up with paint. Structurally I feel that it is ok.

Here is a hint: Follow the arc of the swingarm. It will lead you to the spot
R
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: OR Seedman on January 18, 2018, 10:25:52 AM
to me it looks like there was a long (too long) bolt in the seat bracket mount....those go through...but it is really hard to tell if the swing arm moves up that high....that's my best guess, anyway
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 18, 2018, 18:08:27 PM
  Not the seat, I think that would be to high , more like the passenger foot pegs......or something that is not part of the bike as it is removed now......
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 18, 2018, 18:53:10 PM
Sorry Ratman but OR wins the half sack of beer. The previous owner had been pissin' around with the seat brackets and had installed a too long of a bolt in the back hole. So every time the swingarm would come up on a bump it would hit the bolt.
NOW SERIOUSLY would a guy not notice this through his ass every time he hit a bump?  Apparently not, because it had to be going on for some time judging by the depth of groove. When I discovered it the bolt end was flush with frame. Did Buddy finally see it and saw it off or did it finally shear off? It will be interesting to pull out this bolt (if the threads aren't to f'd up) when I go to install my new rack that OR has shipped me.
R
I can almost hear all the garage doors opening from the VDR crew running out to check their bikes seat bracket bolt protrusions. :o
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: CDNRatMan on January 18, 2018, 22:13:12 PM
  Well rob f I am now going to have to go and look at both my  800's, Red is and has always been ridden with the factory stock seat. I bought Pearl and she was outfitted with a Mustang solo seat that the original PO had fixed up to be a plug and play seat. There was no bolts nor nuts to hit the frame.
 
   Back when I was mounting the luggage rack on Red I had put the nuts and bolts the wrong way and on a huge bump I bottomed out the whole thing and lord did I feel that bolt hit the fender........First thing when I got home from the ride was to assess the damage and start to figure out how to correct it.

   What kind of beer anyway?
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: OR Seedman on January 18, 2018, 22:33:29 PM
I'll take Moosehead......or LaBatt's....both Canadian beers..... 8)
Title: Re: 800 quiz
Post by: rob f on January 18, 2018, 23:45:11 PM
Ok I"ll have some sitting here...........Just let me know when you are coming to pick it up ;D