Motorbike forks for a minibike

[landuse]

Ok...so I took some pics this morning. I had to drive all the way to Durban to get this thing (about 65 miles from me, but crappy rush hour traffic).

The bike is pretty rusted up, bacause it has been standing outside, and the guys house is only about a mile from the beach. That salt air is not too good for metal.

I am going to have to take the brakes apart and really give them a clean. Hopefully I can get them working again. Can I use the back brake pedal in the picture with the back brake in the pic?

I am going to have to get some help from you guys regarding the front brake lever. I have taken a close-up photo of it, and it looks as if the lever pushes on something when you pull it, that activates the brake. It looks like a rubber nipple or something like that, but this one looks broken. What should I do?

The tyres look to be the same size as the frame I have cut, and also the bolt holes for the front brakes look to be the same on the frame, so I will just be able to bolt on the front brakes. I will have to do some fabrication for the back ones though.

The suspention on this bike is really good. That shock that is there works really well. I am trying to figure out how to incorporate it into my plans. I am going to have to think about it a bit more.

Hopefully i can get some work done on cleaning things up this weekend.

If anyone has any info on servicing, cleaning etc of these brakes, please let me know?

If someone could also help me with the make and model. The VIN (only numbers on neck of frame) are TT060210413. It is a 11 digit number, and VIN's are usually 17.

 

[landuse]

Ok, a small update. When I got home yesterday, I rigged the brake pedal that I have up to the rear brake.....and it works!!!! Yeah. It just needs a serious cleaning and oiling. How do you clean/oil these things?

I also had a look at the fromt brakes again, and I need to ask you guys if they can be fixed. If you look at the close-up pic of the lever, you will see where it presses against a 'nipple' on the master cylinder. This looks as if it has broken or disintegrated. Can these be fixed, or will I have to get a whole new front brake setup?

Thanks for the help

 

[bighead]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Atv-...temZ170411182480QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAK...0424634QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

There may be a diy way to fix. Is that just the dust seal that is cracked? does the master work when you press it?

 

[landuse]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Atv-...temZ170411182480QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAK...0424634QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

There may be a diy way to fix. Is that just the dust seal that is cracked? does the master work when you press it?

Thanks Bighead. How would I check if it works? Would I have to stick my finger in there and try push. If I pull the lever, it goes all the way home without touching anything. It looks like that nipple is permanantly pushed in there.

 

[landuse]

I think what I am also going to do this weekend is electrolysis on the forks.

 

[bighead]

Thanks Bighead. How would I check if it works? Would I have to stick my finger in there and try push. If I pull the lever, it goes all the way home without touching anything. It looks like that nipple is permanantly pushed in there.

If it is stuck I would take it apart and see if you can get the piston to move again.

 

[landuse]

I just had a look now, and its stuck. I will have to take it apart.

 

[bighead]

I just had a look now, and its stuck. I will have to take it apart.

Soak it in brake fluid first. There may be seals and what not in there. Do not want to tear anything.

 

[landuse]

Here are 2 really close up pics of the 'piston' that the brake lever pushes on. As you can see the rubber cover is broken, and the piston is stuck in there.

 

[landuse]

So I got a bit of work done this weekend. I was only able to spend a couple of hours on it. It doesn't look like much, but for me it was a lot.

The second pic is a mock-up of what I am looking at doing. What I have done is cut 2 lengths of tubing, and slid them over the leftover original frame tubing. They fit like a glove, like they were made for it. I drilled some holes in the tubing, as you can see in the first pic, so that I could strengthen the weld between the frame and the tubing. I got the idea from Bighead. I slipped the tubing on, and then welded inside the holes so that I had multiple welding spots, not just the end of the tube. Thanks Bighead!!

As you can see, I am going to use a jackshaft for this build. I am still deciding on the gearing. Because of the jackshaft, the rear wheel sprocket has to be on the opposite side of what a pit bike usually has. I therefor had to turn the wheel around (if you know what I mean). I am going to cut the part of the swingarm (from the new bike I bought) that the axel bolts to, and then weld it to my tubing, so that i don't have to manufacture my own. I will also then have the whole brake attachment setup there.

I also added a few pics of my welding (which sucks, I know). They look terrible, but are strong. I might go over one or two spots again, just to make sure. I am still learning how to weld correctly.

The frame is going to be box shape, as you can see in the last pic.

I have a 48tooth sprocket that is going on the rear wheel, but i am going to have to drill some more holes in it to fit the existing bolt patern.

Let me know what you think. Dont be shy, I can handle criticism.

 

[landuse]

I was thinking, this is now turning into a build log. Should I ask to get it moved to the Project Log section??

 

[landuse]

Anyone?

 

[bighead]

looks good friend. Keep chugging along. Will you be using rear shocks? Or just ridgid?

 

[landuse]

Thanks Bighead. I am just going to go rigid. I thought I might give the seat some suspention, but I am not too sure yet. I am sort of making this up as I go along.

 

[bighead]

Thanks Bighead. I am just going to go rigid. I thought I might give the seat some suspention, but I am not too sure yet. I am sort of making this up as I go along.

Thats how I do it most of the time. Just pull up a chair and crack a beer and stare for awhile. Always works for me. Then I will try to post here to get a better idea.

 

[landuse]

I like geting advice from people here. It focusses my ideas and points me in the right direction

 

[landuse]

I put the master cylinder in brake fluid like Bighead said to loosen the barrel inside. It seems to be stuck. I will see this evening if it wants to move or not. I hope its not broken!!

 

[landuse]

OK, I did a bit of work this weekend and got the basic frame done. Once again it was not all planned out before the time, and I just went with what looked right. I had to ask my daughter what looked better to her, a box shape, or what i went with in the pics. You can see which we chose, and I think it looks quite cool. It came out a bit longer looking that I thought, but it looks good.

The first thing that I did was chop up the swingarm from the pit bike I have, and make sure where I was going to weld them to the frame. I thought it was easier doing this than making my own rear wheel connection points.

I then welded 2 small 90 degree tubes to the frame, and then welded the swingarm ends to the frame as well. You can see this in pic 2. I then cut the top lengths of the frame, and then angle grinded 2 slots in the original frame for the tube to fit in (pic3). I had to eyeball the angles, and I think I got it pretty well.

Pic 4 was a mock up of what it looks like before I welded the swingarm ends on. I then welded everything up (pic5). My welding lokks shocking, but it is really strong.

I then decided to weld some support to the frame, so I did that and you can see what it looks like now in pic 5.

My daughter was so exited about what it looked like, I just had to put the wheels on to see what it is going to look like. I was pretty impressed with what it looked like.(pic 7)

All I need to do to the frame now, is weld the motor mount on (I still need to get the steel), and also a bracket for the seet. I am not too sure what to use for that yet. I might use the bracket that came with the original frame. You can see the bracket in pic 8.

I also think I was a bit hasty with the back end, cos I don't think my back brake is just going to bolt back on. I might have to do some fabrication. I am not too worried about that though. I will figure something out.

So what do you think. Should I do anything different?

 

[landuse]

Anyone??

 

[jrmints1415]

Looks great! What transmision will you use?