Kermit's XR250R rebuild thread

[Kermit]

tbh thinking about it again...i can't honestly see why it might rub...going less teeth than std (as i've done in the past on sportbikes i've owned) often gives unwanted rub/wear on the swingarm protector but maybe you mean it rubs above the sprocket?

anyway onto today

Fri Sept 19th

I'm happy with the result


Triple-S do a good job of masking - headstock just an example but all threaded holes also free from powdercoat


Its not speckled...don't know why this pic came out like this...maybe the flash picking up specs of dust??


Downpipes sandblasted
The rust has started coming back here as they sandblasted last monday and did advise i picked it up asap as they knew it would start to rust again quickly....i declined and cleaned the surface rust up myself and have now resprayed it


Might as well get started then

Swingarm in
Endcaps for swingarm and linkages have a decent coat of hammerite. The chain is a Renthal endless (I couldn't find a soft link) so had to make sure I got that on with the swinger


New head bearings on
Gave the lower yoke the freezer treatment overnight, then warmed up the lower race a little before fitting...used a long metal tube to hammer the bearing home using the inner race...went on fairly easily


Linkages on
I like these grease nipples so much i finally bought a tube of grease for the grease gun i bought 2.5yrs ago for the nc30 rebuild but forgot to buy the special grease pack


This is where I'm upto at the end of play tonight


Maybe in hindsight I should have had the lower yoke powdercoated black too, but I'm not fussed


Tomorrow (Sat), need to get old bearings out of rear wheel (might get professional help on this as i dont have tools) & buy some M10x1.25 pitch Nyloc nuts [for the linkage/suspension bolt] as i fecked up when i ordered some of fleabay and ended up with the coarse thread variety :wall:

Then dunno tbh...maybe get a rolling chassis but not sure as the engine might be best to go in before i put too much on the chassis and that still needs work so I'll play it by ear.

[Dangerous_Dave]

Very nice!


Nothing like freshly painted bits

[phil w]

Great stuff
With the 14t front sprocket it does fit but you may need to rub/file down the guard on its inner edge, from what I understand which is very little

Jeez Kermit you dont hang around its a going to be a brand new bike by the end of the week

[Kermit]

Sat 20th Sept

Not much has visually changed today but got some stuff done

Had a local bike shop take out my old r.wheel bearings and fitted new ones myself using the freezer -> socket of right size technique
Rear wheel spokes would be nice if they were stainless but they're not and i cba to try clean them up much & am not prepared to pay for that [just yet]



Front Wheel more or less fine but I've taken the speedo drive apart to clean and regrease it as it felt a bit notchy



Refitted my VIN plate...some double sided tape doing the job of rubber glue


Ordered some red gaiters as I was going to leave the gaiters off but realised the forks don't have dust seals so I'll need them.

Have also polished up the forks themselves and re-filled with oil.

As it'll be at least tues before the gaiters arrive and I can't really do much more until the engine is in, I'm moving onto the engine next. Will have to drain the oil (on the bench..forgot to do it when it was still on the bike ), then degrease it, remove the side covers and valve cover which I'll probably have powder coated a darkish metallic grey/silver as it'd be a shame not to get them looking nice.

^^ powder coating will delay things a week or so but should be able to fill the time cleaning up other parts such as the brakes, checking valve clearances (as I probably wont fully strip the motor) and cleaning up the carb.

[Recycler]

Top thread Kermit - and a top job on the bike

Haven't done a project bike for 3 years now. This is bringing back memories of spending every spare minute in the garage, livin on tea n biscuits, doing 'just one more job' before bed......then looking up at the clock to see it's 02:30......

[Curly]

Top write up kermit!

Hopefully when I get around to getting a XR ill be doing the same, I find half the fun with these sort of things is building it up yourself to begin with! Gives you much more satisfaction when you ride it

One question though regarding the gaiters, as I do a fair amount of 4x4 stuff the only thing we find the gaiters are good for is collecting mud and crud within them and then making it impossible to clean the shocks.

Is this the same on the bikes? I suppose at least on the bike you can get to the gaiters far easier than under a 4x4


cheers,

Tim

[Kermit]

Have no idea if that will be an issue but as they're standard fitment I wouldn't think they'd hinder cleaning that much and have to be better than nothing as due to the lack of dust seals than any grain of dirt getting near the oil seals could result in oil leaks in no time. I have noticed a seller on ebay selling XR250 dust seals but as I've commited £16 to new gaiters, for nowI'll go with them.


Sun 21st Sept
Brief update on todays progress]

Bugger ALL, we went to Knowsley Safari Park instead and enjoyed the weather

Mon 22nd to Sat 27th To Do List (to help keep me on track - Kerm)

Mon - Drain engine oil, degrease engine, remove engine covers for powdercoating
Tues - Take engine covers to triple-s for coating (darkish met. silver), Check valves/resist removing head
Weds - Engine work (depending on whether head removed or not )
Thurs - Spray R.Brake pivot & something else i forgot. Clean Auxillary bits & Frame plastics/electrics
Fri - tbc
Sat - Collect Engine covers, re-assemble, maybe engine in?

^^^ All subject to laziness ^^^

[catteeclan]

Useful tip, I cut the side out of a cornflakes (or your brand) box, stab holes in with a screwdriver in the shape the bolts go into the side casings. Then as the bolts come out, shove em in the holes. In the right order when you want to put em back, or even measure against for the new stainless.
Think you know what I mean.

[jasonbc]

Top write up kermit!

Hopefully when I get around to getting a XR ill be doing the same, I find half the fun with these sort of things is building it up yourself to begin with! Gives you much more satisfaction when you ride it

One question though regarding the gaiters, as I do a fair amount of 4x4 stuff the only thing we find the gaiters are good for is collecting mud and crud within them and then making it impossible to clean the shocks.

Is this the same on the bikes? I suppose at least on the bike you can get to the gaiters far easier than under a 4x4


cheers,

Tim

The gaiters do collect mud etc in them pressure washing after a ride also forces muck inside them, they,re nor much if an issue to clean, the main reason for having them is to stop stones and debris damaging the fork stanchions and chipping the chromes of them it can cause the the forks to leak.

Kermit it's a top thread but spending this time and money on your bike you'd be really silly not to put a set of dust seals in the forks, it doesn't take much to get down there and cause the fork to start leaking and now is the best time to fit them of you'll have to take it all apart again later on

[Kermit]

Jason, I think your right I think I will get some as it going to take longer than i hoped (see below) and a few more quid than planned so whats another £12 or so

Mon 22nd Sept........damn

All started well this evening, degreased the engine with the intention of removing the covers to take to the powdercoaters

No problem here



Problem #1 - how the hell do i remove that bugger?



Problem #2 - Quite a bit of oil was behind this cover...maybe 1/2 cups worth and the 2 of the 5 stator windings are blackened as a result of sitting in a pool of oil


As you probably know, I'm not that keen on working on engines as there's too much i could screw up and too many parts to label then lose, but unless the oil seal behind the flywheel (if I can get that off) can be removed from the outside, its going to be full strip down of the motor and ££££'s

Answers on a postcard (or this thread) please