'71 400 Cross resto

Beautiful work! It should look stunning when complete.

Thanks very much guys, slow progress but there's plenty already complete under sheets waiting to be bolted on once my engine rebuild is done.

got the handlebars on, original magura levers and perches repolished, and got the forks installed as well.

I think my manual says 200ml per fork leg, but what's the preferred oil? newer fork oils are much more high tech than what they used in '71 ! are we using proper fork oil, a blend of fork oil and single weight engine oil or what? i plan on riding it and i'm about 80kg with gear on, any words of wisdom guys?

Refitted my shocks today, the space in the swingarm where the bottom shock pivot lots through is way wider than the shock pivot width, my manual doesn't show any shims or spacers, is it correct? do i do them up so the nylon bites and there's supposed to be side to side free play in the shock mount on the swingarm?
cheers

The lower shock "clevis" should be 23mm wide, and there should not be any side-to-side movement of the shock on the bolt. The metal sleeve in the shock bushing should also be 23mm, of course.

I am running 15wt. modern fork oil in my '70, seems to work acceptably for me. I am about to uprate the springs to something stiffer (presently running cut springs with spacers), so the fork oil requirements may change. With full gear I am about 200 lbs. (90 Kg.).
As Rosco400 noted, there should be no side to side movement on the shock mount. When the mounting bolt is tightened down tight, the sides of the clevis should clamp down tight against both sides of steel sleeve in the shock, otherwise you will have wear occur on the clevis bolt holes.
Nice looking frame.

thanks Rosco, mine has the original Girlings i believe but the rubbers have definitely been replaced ( and that's before i had them fully rebuilt) so the lower shock bushing pin is obviously wrong, i'll press them out and turn up new ones at 23mm.

Steve, cheers mate, is 200ml the correct amount? i've bought some Motul 15w from my favourite husky shop, i was in there drooling over the new FE.......

Yes, 200ml is correct.
New FE...

cool thanks, yeah, i'm really missing my TE450 and i'm eyeing off a run out 2015 FE350 if i can convince the wife it's a good idea............

Hi guys,
I've got my bearings located in my cases, retainers, seals etc. the crank has been pressed together with a new Rod and bearings and i'm currently assembling the gearbox shafts and shifter mechanism.
I've laid everything out and i have everything i need but i need to ask about the screws/bolts that hold the cases together, the outer covers are held on with slot head screws, the inner cases are assembled with hex head bolts, there is one location under the inlet manifold that holds the two case halves together and is seen from the outside once fully assembled, is it a screw or a hex head? i've seen both but mine definitely had a hex head bolt and my replacement screw set only has enough for the outer cases.
Can someone (steve?) confirm what should be there please?
cheers


**EDIT* Never mind, i looked in the parts catalogue, it's a screw apparently, although my hex head bolt has the EXACT same pattern as the others that hold the cases together, Hmmm........

You are correct, it is a slot head screw, but this screw is different from all the other screws in the engine cases. While the outer case screws have an oval (rounded off) head when viewed from the side, this screw has a flat top and the top is a slightly smaller diameter than the case screws. The part # is 20 56 327-01. All of the 4 speeds I have disassembled/ reassembled also had slot head screws holding the inner cases together, which sounds different than the bolt kit you have. Nice looking work, really making progress.
Steve

cheers mate,
Yeah, mine has cap/allen head bolts that hold the inlet manifold on, the exhaust manifold on and the two halves of the cases together, they all have a distinctive pattern on the outer edge, including the one we're talking about under the inlet manifold. there's service bulletins that note the change from slotted heads to allen heads for the outer cases, which no one likes using as they just don't look right, but the bulletin is there, i'm assuming mine being a late '71 had the allen heads as std with the slot head screws for the outer cases, dunno, i don't have the correct slot head screw for the case so i'll go with the allen head that came out of it i guess.

Wasn't aware of the bulletin, but I do run the Allen heads in the outer cases on mine. They don't look right as far as original goes... but until I do a proper restoration they are easier to deal with for vintage racing use.

sometimes the factory just doesn't do things properly. Imagine trying to unwrap your rear drive chain from the counter sprocket 50 miles from the truck. With an allen key in your kit, no problem taking the cover off, and it only weighs an ounce. With slot head screws, you would need an impact driver and a hammer to get it off, or risk ruining the screw heads. Who's gonna carry an impact and hammer?

Hi Taylor,
Got your brake rod today and despite mine being freshly painted and shiny the difference is huge, thanks for the tip, and for selling me a NOS one that is spot on!

I've moved the bike from my spare room to the lift in my workshop in preparation for assembly, i couldn't help myself and put the wheels on it, attached the rear brake rod and located the brake lever assembly, i won't add anything more until the engine is in the frame to save scratching anything or making it more difficult to get in there but it looks like a bike again!

I see some Ducati's !

You have to post some pics of those sometime......

ooooweeee! That bike gonna shine! Looks great and those Ducs under cover... What models might they be?

That garage is for too organised loony888, you need to mess it up a bit before people start thinking you have OCD!