'78 WR (OR?) Restoration

These are my helpers, I wish, lol, my beer delivery system.

they look better than the local publican I can tell you

Now that '77 is all but done, I'm back on this one. Many of the pieces are the same on this bike as the '77 so there was some economies of scale to this second ML bike.

Going with a DLS set up off an '83. Restored with satin black PC and re-plated hardware. Pivot surfaces polished and lubed with high temp silicone brake grease. I overlooked removing the brake cam bushings before it went to the powdercoater. Not sure if the bushings came lined with a yellow plastic that melted a bit during the PC bake, or if it was some material from the PC process, but I had to do some gentle dremel work to get the cams to operate smoothly. I also just noticed the pins holding the actuator arms are on backwards.

Repainted airbox, picture is just before I riveted on new rubber pieces that I cut out.

Serial number plate re-installed and the re-plated modified clutch arm. Very easy to pop off the serial number plate so you can paint the cases cleanly.

I ran into two problems. One, I had intended to use a bearing in place of the cutch actuator oil seal. But I could not get it to work - every time I press the bearing in the shaft tightened up. No bearing, the shaft moves effortlessly. I tried to see if shaft was bent, but looked fine, as did the bore for the oil seal. A real head scratcher, but not worth additional time to sort that out, so just going with the oil seal in there.

The other issue is too much play in the clutch arm. When I had the motor apart I noted that the clutch actuator shaft had a wear spot where the push rod hit it, but thought it would be ok. You can see the small circle on the corner on the actuator in the upper right hand corner. But even with the grub screw adjusted all the way in I'm getting double the amount of play versus spec. I'm going to put a bead of weld on the wear spot and grind it flat to see if that does the trick, as I cant tell if the push rod is worn as well. Also pictured is a shaft from a 430 that came with my modified clutch arm, but that shaft is slightly different from the ones in the 70's bikes, so cant swap that one in.

the bottom bearing surface isn't worn in the case allowing the pivot arm to move abit?

Funny they look like my pit crew.? They can hand me tools anytime.

Ok the 2066 is listed for the wr, (wide ratio tranny) and the or, (optimum ratio or off road tranny) these are two different trannys. The wr is a wr from 1 st gear to 6th gear. The or is the first three gears 1 to 3rd is wide ratio and 4th to 6th close ratio. I had this very same bike. The gear ratios were spot on with the or tranny. The rpms stayed up from 3rd to 6th with no bog if you didn't rev it high enough. The wr in the tighter woods using 4 to 6th gear your never get there. Unless you play with the front sprocket. But you may move it up one gear by playing one tooth smaller in the front. This depends on your style of riding wether your aggressive or not. Casual Sunday rider or a WOT kind of rider. It dialing in the bike to your style of riding.

Surprize - you are probably right, the area where the oil seal or bearing would sit must be out of whack. I tried it many ways including with the bearing only half way in, but no go. With my modified arm and fresh clutch cable, It hink the pull will be fine as is.

if the seal gets a bit worn, pooh falls to the bottom of the pivot chamber and grinding paste starts to work

You will love the extended clutch arm. We do that mod on the later ones until the factory offered it.

HAd that happen on my '85 WRX. Horrible pull. I shimmed it at the bottom with brass stock and grease. Worked a bit better. Also extended the clutch arm-good mod.

clutch arm is a winner for sure, also good mod on the dls arm

The sliders for the front chain guide are NLA and don't appear to be reproduced so I will need to make some. Part no. 51 in the pic below. What material would you recommend?

I used my wives cutting board once... she was pissed

Good idea! You think your wife would mind if we cut up another one of hers?

Pity you are the other side of the pond ! I have a whole bag full of those new, in the workshop. I needed to make some for my ML framed Husky's, so I machined up all the special material I had. Trouble is .... none of the new ones has worn out yet ! Hence I still have some

Thanks Grouty, seems I'm always on the wrong side. ebay has a nice selection of UHMD scraps that should work.

I used high density polyethylene-HDP. Easy to form with a heat gun.