Help!

I am about to get some parts powdercoated on my 99 viffer, but am in a bit of a pickle. I want to also PC my gas cap and side brackets/pegs. The only thing is no one around here knows how to get the key mecinisam out of both. I dont want them full of paint or the rumber to melt in the baking process.
Has anyone had thses items coated and if so how did you do it / get the units apart.
thank you in advance
Snakeman
AKA
Dean

IIRC, veefer800canuck had his gas cap powdercoated black.

kwb377, Jan 12 2007, 07:41 PMIIRC, veefer800canuck had his gas cap powdercoated black.

Oh yeah, that was a beeyotch, I'll post up details when I have more time later.......

OK, well I don't have any pics, maybe I'll see if I can get a couple tomorrow to help sort things out.

And all this is from memory, and you know how that can be at times........ If I forget something, I'll edit later.


First off, crack open the filler cap and then you need to remove all 6 allen head bolts around the ring of the filler cap. Only 3 actually hold the cap to the tank, the other 3 are decorative, but you'll have to remove them at some point, so why not first? Do try not to drop one in the tank!

Next, lift the entire assembly off the tank and find something to plug the hole. I used duct tape to cover it up.


As you turn the filler cap over, there is a rubber ring that seals the cap to the tank. If you move the rubber ring aside, there are some phillips head screws that need to be removed in order to separate the lock mechanism from the cap.

Once the phillips screws are off, the cap comes apart in a stacked fashion, best to lay out the parts in order of assembly on your bench.

IIRC, there is a flat steel ring that has to be rotated as it's clocked on the cap and you have to line it up to get it off. I think it clocks with the 2 locking ears on the cap.

There is another round steel ring, with a U shaped cross-section that needs to be carefully pried out, like an oil seal would be removed from it's bore. I think it retains the rubber tank seal, but I forget now. Have to be careful not to damage it because it has to be reused and you can't buy it individually.

After the lock mechanism and rubber seal have been liberated from the cap, you also have to take off the flipup key flap which is retained by another couple of phillips screws, a pin and a springy tab. Also there is a rubber dust seal around the keyhole that needs to be pried out.


All the above should be done slowly, keeping note of what goes where so reassembly is easy and you aren't wondering where that last part goes to.

I stacked all my parts in order so I wouldn't forget.



The really really hard part is next and might be enough to scare a lot of people off. If you're squeamish about drilling and possibly wrecking the cap, stop here. If you're still adventurous enough, but aren't sure if it'll go well, maybe you could buy a spare cap off EBAY and fiddle with that one instead. Most modern Honda sportbikes share the same fuel cap so there should be no lack of donor bikes. As for the lock, you can transplant your existing VFR lock mechanism to whatever cap you buy, so keying isn't an issue.

As a matter of fact, it fits all these different models (according to ronayers.com):

Honda 1994,1995 CB1000
Honda 1991-1998 SUPER SPORT CBR600F2
Honda 1998 SMOKIN' JOE'S EDITION CBR600SE
Honda 1996 CBR600SJR
Honda 1993-1996 1000 HURRICANE CBR1000F
Honda 1994 RC45 RVF750R
Honda 2000-2005 RC51 RVT1000R
Honda 1990-1997 VFR750F
Honda 1998-2001 INTERCEPTOR VFR800FI

Focus your attention on the pivot point where the cap and the ring meet. All that holds them together is a simple roll pin, or spring pin, if you like.

[image: ascc4915hg1.jpg]

The trouble is that the hole the spring pin goes into is blind. That is, it's only open from one end, the end that the factory installed it into.

So there's no way to drive it out of the hole without drilling out the blind end. Which is what I did. One slip, and the fuel cap is ruined.


I took a good look at the center axis of the roll pin, shot my best guess as to where that centerline would exit the other side, found an appropriate sized drill bit and proceeded to drill out the other end of the hole.

Once I penetrated the blind end and met with the roll pin, I used a small punch and punched it out from the factory side of the hole out the hole I'd just drilled.

After that, powdercoating is a breeze and things went very well.

Reassembly was a matter of selecting a similar sized roll pin and driving it back in the same way it came out, being careful not to mar the fresh surface.

I found my new roll pin was a tad too large, or maybe it was just newer and springier than the old one so I had trouble driving it in.


I wound up redrilling the holes ever so slightly larger for the pivot point to allow the new spring pin to fit. '




WHEW! It worked, nothing broke, and it looks sweet.

[image: gallery_554_564_9231.jpg]
000_0049.JPG

Again, I'll try to get a pic of the pivot point and the drilling mod (might not be able to see it though with the cap installed).

Ok this helps alot thanks Rob. I am wondering though do you have to split the ring and cap? After coating it should still hinge shouldn't it?
Snakeman

Oh, I almost forgot about the helmet lock mechanism, you had asked about that one too.


Once you remove the LH passenger peg bracket from the bike (must disconnect the seat latch cable at the seat latch first, then off of the lock end second), you'll see two blind head bolts holding the helmet lock on and a metal strap connecting the two blind bolts, over the back of the lockset.

You have to grind off the blind heads of these two bolts completely down flush to expose the shank, (I mean grind the heads RIGHT OFF), then the helmet lock slides right off the two bolt shanks.

Once the lock mechanism is removed, you can unscrew what's left of the two bolts with a pair of pliers. You'll wind up replacing them with a couple of metric allen head bolts of the same length and thread pitch. I would locktite them in with blue locktite seeing as the factory ones were tamper-proof for a reason, although it's probably easier to bend the hook of the helmet lock that the D-rings attach to if you really want to steal the helmet (as opposed to unbolting the lock mechanism).

Snakeman, Jan 14 2007, 08:23 PMOk this helps alot thanks Rob. I am wondering though do you have to split the ring and cap? After coating it should still hinge shouldn't it?
Snakeman

You'd have to ask your powdercoater how that would work and whether or not he could get into the crevices between the two with his powder to get an acceptable finish. Although it's mostly on the underside and probably would not be visible once the cap is buttoned up even if the powder coverage near the hinge was not optimal.

Plus when it is baked, it basically melts, so I'm not sure if that would hamper the operation of the cap hinge or not.

veefer800canuck, Jan 14 2007, 07:23 PMOh, I almost forgot about the helmet lock mechanism, you had asked about that one too.


Once you remove the LH passenger peg bracket from the bike (must disconnect the seat latch cable at the seat latch first, then off of the lock end second), you'll see two blind head bolts holding the helmet lock on and a metal strap connecting the two blind bolts, over the back of the lockset.

You have to grind off the blind heads of these two bolts completely down flush to expose the shank, (I mean grind the heads RIGHT OFF), then the helmet lock slides right off the two bolt shanks.

Once the lock mechanism is removed, you can unscrew what's left of the two bolts with a pair of pliers. You'll wind up replacing them with a couple of metric allen head bolts of the same length and thread pitch. I would locktite them in with blue locktite seeing as the factory ones were tamper-proof for a reason, although it's probably easier to bend the hook of the helmet lock that the D-rings attach to if you really want to steal the helmet (as opposed to unbolting the lock mechanism).

Just a note: I took off my passenger pegs and replaced the helmet lock with a peg that was cut down, basically only the helmet lock was left. If you have a pair of good quality vice grips with clean jaws, you can get a grip on those blind head bolts and turn them out. I was able to do this and move my lock to the hacked peg bracket and reused the 'tamper proof' bolts, reinstalling with the vice grips.

Now the secret is out, my helmet will probably be stolen next week. rolleyes.gif