Project Linkins 3LN6 - The Pink Lady

Today I tackled the fork preload spacers. I calculated that I still had 35mm of initial preload with the aftermarket adjustable caps. Advice from suspensions r us (YSS Australia. very helpful guys, Adam is great I can't thank him enough) was to reduce to 8-10mm of initial preload.

I did all the measuring and decided on 5mm of initial preload, as I can always add more with the adjustable caps, and I didn't want to have to pull the spacers again. This meant I cut an additional 30mm off the spacers. Cleaned them up and made sure my cuts were flat and reinstalled.

Before I was getting very little static sag and not enough rider sag. Now I am good on both static and rider sag (40mm for rider sag) and have 80mm total travel under heavy braking. Assuming standard 120mm of travel (I think the FZR's are slightly less at 116mm or thereabouts), I am bang on the money.

After my trip last week the bike, I added an additional 10 clicks of rebound damping on the shock to prevent me from getting bucked out of the seat over large bumps as happened before. As for the seat, it's rock hard and needs new foam and covering.

Getting it hot and angry last week seems to have solved the cold flooding it was doing. Still going to replace that last float needle when they are in stock again.

Anyway, I rode the bike again this afternoon and it now feels and handles like an FZR should. Raising the forks 10mm was a good move.

So final specs on the forks:

YSS FZR400 (1990) 7.5N fork springs
YSS FZR400 (1990) PD valves, 1 turn of preload on them (out of box at 3)
Motel 10w fork oil, height at 130mm, fully compressed, bled, and spring/pd valve absent for setting oil height.
Two alloy washers added to seat the PD Valves properly (adding approx 2mm to overall internal height)
16mm + 30mm (46mm total)cut off the standard spacers to accomodate aftermarket preload caps (along with removing the washers that usually sit between the spring and standard cap), resulting in 5mm of initial preload.
Forks raised 10mm in the clamps.


Rear shock is a YSS MZ366 Monoshock for TZR250 3MA with top mount changed to 38mm, 70-75Kg spring, 5 turns of added preload and at least 10 turns of rebound damping added. Will edit with full amount when at home.

 

I just heard recently that some sections of the old road are dropping from 80km/h to 70km/h

I haven't been through there in years due to the high dickhead count and constant harassment by HWP.

Same deal with national park.

I should try going out west for once.

I did really enjoy Snowy Mountain why, Tawonga gap road, Omeo hwy on the ZXR all down near Tumbarumba in a big loop. 700k's in a day.

I should get down to Macquarie Pass again, last time I went up the pass was on the ZXR and I cooked the shoddy voltage regulator

 

He is a little over 60kg these days

 

I just checked. Closer to 65kg.

I took the bike for another longer ride to the north side of the city again this evening. Much much improved feel and handling overall. You know when your front end is harsh and you brace yourself for incoming shock of potholes, road plates, etc? No longer a problem. Much more relaxed riding.

Raising the forks 10mm feels perfect as well. She tips in very well. The front tyre has more heat in it now based on my very scientific way of assessing temperature by touching the tyres and comparing.

Definitely needed that rebound adjustment on the rear as well. She is on the firmer side of things for road use, but this will be a good setting for nice roads (if we have any left) and track days. Resisting the urge to book one in and go before I get the bike completely sorted.

The last of the bits I've ordered are all on the way, including genuine manifolds, caliper and master cylinder kits, and the other little bits and pieces.

 

Today I overhauled the whole front brake system. I will let the pictures do most of the talking because I'm beat from doing the work. Calipers got a go in the ultrasonic, then threebond soak, then tiny wire wheel for the seal recesses. M/C overhaul, made up some new lines from the Venhill kit, bled up and stickered

 

Simple, clean, and on the way

Carbon Schmarbon, stainless steel is where its' at.

Had trouble finding anything in Australia, but this is a Dan Moto system from LCI Parts via Japan. Found them on Yahoo Auctions and went directly to their website.

 

Manifolds arrived and got stuck in doing them plus balance again. 2.5 turns on the mixtures. I appear to have both air jets and passages completely blocked on #1 carb. #1 exhaust is also colder than the rest, won't instantly boil off soapy water. I attempted my best to unblock them in situ but unsure if it has taken.

Old manifolds are toast. OEM replacements fitted.

 

No problem.

I also have two new sets of aftermarket ones if you want those too, I don't need them now.

 

Rear brake system done... No photos this time, sorry.

Rear caliper - I was able to pop the pistons out with compressed air this time. Because someone had already removed the dust seals. That's a good trick but it doesn't fix the corrosion in the seal recesses. Ultrasonic'd the bodies, wirewheeled the recesses and light go over the bores with scotchbrite pad. Reassembled with rubber grease and with no problems.

Rear master cylinder - supplied kit was incorrect. So please note, All Balls kit 18-1003 does NOT fit the 3LN rear master cylinder. At least I was able to replace the circlip and dust boot

Gotta live the Aussie bike parts industry... by the way, many major parts retailers list the same kit. It's wrong. All the 3LN's use the same master cylinder part number.

Ordered front & rear kits at the same time, front kit came from the UK and was correct, and arrived before the rear kit, which was ordered from Aus, arrived later, and was incorrect.

There are exceptions, Motorcycle Spares Warehouse has always been very good for me. I ordered a speedo cable and another float needle Friday night and they arrived today from Melbourne.

As for the rear line, I made one up but only had 90 degree fittings left for the banjo to line fitting, which are not ideal. The line points sideways off the master cylinder, and faces straight up from the caliper. Luckily I didn't have to invert the caliper or anything to bleed it properly.

 

New toy arrived today

I'd very much love to keep the baffle out as it sounds lovely, but it will attract the wrong kind of attention.

With the baffle in, sounds a little better than the standard one, but about the same noise level.

You can see what I had to do with the rear brake line in pic #2 because I ran out of fittings.