So, I've been thinking about a mod, but need to figure something out before I know if it will work. I haven't looked in the manual yet, figured someone here might save me 5min of looking.
Does any part of the clutch put pressure against the center of the clutch cover, where it covers the clutch?
I have a couple spare clutch covers for different years of VFRs, and the mod I'm thinking of is:
Obviously, if some part of the clutch needs to push on the cover, this won't work. I don't think anything does, but, you never know. I'm pretty sure the pushrod that's activated by the clutch slave from the other side of the motor just pushes on the inside of the pressure plate, but looking at the inside of one of the covers it almost looks like part of it is there to keep the pressure plate from over extending.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't touch the cover, looking at a 2nd gen cover I just bought I don't see any features that look like a mating surface. Plus, I think it would be a poor design to push directly against the cover which could cause the gasket to fail
[image: View Post]mrmatt, on 27 February 2010 - 12:03 PM, said:
I'm pretty sure it doesn't touch the cover, looking at a 2nd gen cover I just bought I don't see any features that look like a mating surface. Plus, I think it would be a poor design to push directly against the cover which could cause the gasket to fail
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 27 February 2010 - 12:09 PM, said:
[image: View Post]mrmatt, on 27 February 2010 - 12:03 PM, said:
I'm pretty sure it doesn't touch the cover, looking at a 2nd gen cover I just bought I don't see any features that look like a mating surface. Plus, I think it would be a poor design to push directly against the cover which could cause the gasket to fail
I'm getting excited...
Are you thinking of offering a new product for the masses Seb ?
[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 27 February 2010 - 12:44 PM, said:
Are you thinking of offering a new product for the masses Seb ?
I would buy one..
No, just using up my spare parts instead of chucking or selling them. I have a rashed up VTEC cover, a VF750F cover(two, actually!), and a 4th gen cover.
[image: View Post]redmarque, on 27 February 2010 - 12:56 PM, said:
Nice idea Seb! Although offer no performance improvements clutch windows do look very cool.
Couple of questions:
How are you planning to seal the window. Big o-ring?
What type of glass or transparent material would you use?
Red
Hi Red, most of the covers sold by the aftermarket use a big o ring, but I don't have a mill or cnc yet... so, I'm going to use some aircraft grade fuel tank sealant(leftover from work, very high grade stuff) on the mating surface of the window and the cover. Also thought to run a bead of it on the inside of the window, like bathroom caulk.
I have a bunch of scrap plexiglass, but lexan is more ideal because it's more resistant to scratching/breaking and staining from the oil.
I would need to use a couple different methods for the different covers, the VTEC and VF covers can be cut for a hole, then lapped on sandpaper to create a flat surface for sealing and fasteners. The 4th gen cover is a little more difficult, not much of an edge there for fasteners. I may have to mill the face off that one, and weld an aluminum ring on that one(which means it probably won't get done...).
I'd agree with your assessment. Seems the same as the RC51 clutch, and they have a smaller cover that only covers the clutch that is bolted to the larger piece (similar in size to the VFR part) by small bolts and sealed with an o ring. The whole right side cover includes the water pump. So the smaller clutch cover prevents draining the cooling system to change clutch plates. Plus the factory racers had dry clutches!
Seb, in my manual it says "just do it, tach it up to redline in all gears, then you'll know if if works". Honest, that's what my service manual says about "all mods"..... :goofy:
Nice mod. Black oil would be a very color coordinating feature.... :beer:
I think it will work fine. Could you use your waterjet at work to cut the rings? something like this? outside one slightly smaller internal diameter to hold in the plexiglass. Epoxy to fill the edge to the case. [image: Posted Image]
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 27 February 2010 - 01:06 PM, said:
[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 27 February 2010 - 12:44 PM, said:
Are you thinking of offering a new product for the masses Seb ?
I would buy one..
No, just using up my spare parts instead of chucking or selling them. I have a rashed up VTEC cover, a VF750F cover(two, actually!), and a 4th gen cover.
[image: View Post]redmarque, on 27 February 2010 - 12:56 PM, said:
Nice idea Seb! Although offer no performance improvements clutch windows do look very cool.
Couple of questions:
How are you planning to seal the window. Big o-ring?
What type of glass or transparent material would you use?
Red
Hi Red, most of the covers sold by the aftermarket use a big o ring, but I don't have a mill or cnc yet... so, I'm going to use some aircraft grade fuel tank sealant(leftover from work, very high grade stuff) on the mating surface of the window and the cover. Also thought to run a bead of it on the inside of the window, like bathroom caulk.
I have a bunch of scrap plexiglass, but lexan is more ideal because it's more resistant to scratching/breaking and staining from the oil.
I would need to use a couple different methods for the different covers, the VTEC and VF covers can be cut for a hole, then lapped on sandpaper to create a flat surface for sealing and fasteners. The 4th gen cover is a little more difficult, not much of an edge there for fasteners. I may have to mill the face off that one, and weld an aluminum ring on that one(which means it probably won't get done...).
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 27 February 2010 - 01:06 PM, said:
[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 27 February 2010 - 12:44 PM, said:
Are you thinking of offering a new product for the masses Seb ?
I would buy one..
No, just using up my spare parts instead of chucking or selling them. I have a rashed up VTEC cover, a VF750F cover(two, actually!), and a 4th gen cover.
[image: View Post]redmarque, on 27 February 2010 - 12:56 PM, said:
Nice idea Seb! Although offer no performance improvements clutch windows do look very cool.
Couple of questions:
How are you planning to seal the window. Big o-ring?
What type of glass or transparent material would you use?
Red
Hi Red, most of the covers sold by the aftermarket use a big o ring, but I don't have a mill or cnc yet... so, I'm going to use some aircraft grade fuel tank sealant(leftover from work, very high grade stuff) on the mating surface of the window and the cover. Also thought to run a bead of it on the inside of the window, like bathroom caulk.
I have a bunch of scrap plexiglass, but lexan is more ideal because it's more resistant to scratching/breaking and staining from the oil.
I would need to use a couple different methods for the different covers, the VTEC and VF covers can be cut for a hole, then lapped on sandpaper to create a flat surface for sealing and fasteners. The 4th gen cover is a little more difficult, not much of an edge there for fasteners. I may have to mill the face off that one, and weld an aluminum ring on that one(which means it probably won't get done...).
Polycarbonate plastics, like Lexan, might not be the best choice for your application.
Petroleum products tend to degrade them,quickly with some petroleum solvents,and slowly with oils and greases.
Check the warning label on your helmet face shield which are usually made of polycarbonate plastic.
[image: View Post]redmarque, on 27 February 2010 - 02:55 PM, said:
I think it will work fine. Could you use your waterjet at work to cut the rings? something like this? outside one slightly smaller internal diameter to hold in the plexiglass. Epoxy to fill the edge to the case.
Not sure yet if I'll be able to get anything cut at work, it's hard nowadays. I've had to make other connections for my last few parts... I am planning to use one ring. Would be nicer to have the ring machined, to capture the plastic on the OD, but I'm not going to spend the money for that.
Just one ring, same OD as the plastic, bolted and sealed to the case, and painted on the OD edges; that's my plan.
Well, for one, I'm trying to keep this simple, and there simply isn't much material left to put screws into! The proper way to do this, would be to make that bore a bit bigger(take it all the way to that circular rib inside), then weld a nice thick ring in there. Not so simple since I don't have that tig welder that I want/need yet...
But, I do have a bag of stainless 4-40 screws... hmm... they're tiny, but if I use a LOT of them, this could work. I had to zoom WAY in for this shot...
Seb, send a PM to Rifleman at TLZone.net (here is the link to his forum there http://www.tlzone.ne...ouble-z-racing/ ), He's the guy that has been modifying stock TL clutch covers like that for years. He's good people and can probably point you in the right direction as to what material to use for the windows and how best to seal them so they don't leak. The first photo you posted is one of his covers. IIRC, Rifleman was the second guy to do this for the TL1000, the first guy was in Germany and his covers leaked. Rifleman came up with new rings that sealed without leaking andwhile he was at it sold retrofit parts to fix all of the leaking rings.
The second is by a guy called Vandriver at TLPlanet.com. That one is a freshly machined part; the pressure plate is his too. Vandriver is one helluva machinist and he's been kind enough to make lots of bitchen parts over the years including:
and of course the clutch covers, now with sliders integrated into the window to keep the cover pretty for those track days. http://www.tlplanet....ead.php?t=79823
[image: View Post]shrek, on 28 February 2010 - 03:20 AM, said:
Seb, send a PM to Rifleman at TLZone.net (here is the link to his forum there http://www.tlzone.ne...ouble-z-racing/ ), He's the guy that has been modifying stock TL clutch covers like that for years. He's good people and can probably point you in the right direction as to what material to use for the windows and how best to seal them so they don't leak. The first photo you posted is one of his covers. IIRC, Rifleman was the second guy to do this for the TL1000, the first guy was in Germany and his covers leaked. Rifleman came up with new rings that sealed without leaking andwhile he was at it sold retrofit parts to fix all of the leaking rings.
The second is by a guy called Vandriver at TLPlanet.com. That one is a freshly machined part; the pressure plate is his too. Vandriver is one helluva machinist and he's been kind enough to make lots of bitchen parts over the years including:
Thanks bud. I'm pretty confident that I can make this seal properly. It won't be as easy to replace if something goes wrong, but that's the compromise in doing this without laying out any money to someone else for parts or services. I'm sure both of those guys do great work, I am hoping to be "one of those guys" within the next couple years. I'm striving to pay off all my debt, which is down to my truck and mortgage payments. Once the truck is paid off I will be expanding my garage and bringing in new equipment, so I can finally make parts on my time, when I need or want them. I've done a decent job with design on my own as well, although who can really go wrong nowadays with the internet at your side.
I think I've seen all the parts you linked, but FYI, you have to be a member to view the posts you linked.
Doesn't look like I need to shovel, so I'll see about doing some more on this thing in a bit.
K, here's all the progress I can make until the lexan gets here. I'm opting against using my free plexiglass, because I'm told the lexan lasts longer - it's also what the "pro's" use that make and sell these.
First, we need a smooth flat surface for the lexan to seal on(with sealant). Bust out the digital calipers, drop a scribe line, and start sanding with the air grinder & 80 grit pad.
Then whip out the granite surface plate and a sheet of 220 grit wet/dry paper; tape to plate. [image: Posted Image]
Commence lapping until you get a uniform smooth surface(lapping = making figure 8's with the piece). Add clean water as needed to keep the paper from clogging.
Next we lay out the hole pattern, again using the calipers here to make the scribe line(twice... measure twice, drill once!!). I used one of my CAD programs to create an array of holes every 11.25�, for a total of 32 fastener locations. Once I had the circle scribed, I picked a start point, and then using a center-to-center dimension from my CAD file I mark out the pattern, and punch marked the holes.
BEFORE threading the holes, create a template for the hole pattern which will later be transferred to the lexan. For this I used some of my plexiglass. Drill one hole, pin it with second drill bit, then clamp in place to keep it from moving while drilling the other holes.
Then run a tap through all the holes and add fasteners to see how it will look. **Note to TexOz... this is where things went a little wonky... these are tiny little holes, material is a bit thin, and with my large tap handle some of the holes were threaded crooked. So there you have it, I screwed it up! Kinda, it's still useable. The sealant will do a good job of making up for the crooked screws, as will the number of screws.
Could you have just put the plexi on the inside, setting it in the lip that's already there, Gasket material between the window and the case. I have a feeling it's going to stain and if it doesn't, the oil will still just drip down the plexi after you stop, clouding any view inside?
[image: View Post]Kel, on 01 March 2010 - 08:26 AM, said:
Could you have just put the plexi on the inside, setting it in the lip that's already there, Gasket material between the window and the case. I have a feeling it's going to stain and if it doesn't, the oil will still just drip down the plexi after you stop, clouding any view inside?
It might be possible, I'm not sure yet how close the pressure plate is to the inside of the cover. I can't put my window on the inside anymore, the screws are too close to the lip to bite the material well. Also, if the window is on the outside, then I can change it without pulling the clutch cover, in case it does stain or get scratched, etc.
This mod will only be easily viewed when the bike is parked, the oil should run off pretty quickly. There are videos on Youtube if you search "clear clutch cover" or clutch cover window", you'll see the oil isn't as bad as you'd think.
[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 01 March 2010 - 09:46 AM, said:
Most powder coating is baked around 500 degrees. Obviously the water temp gets up to 220 but how hot does the oil get?
The other question is how will the oil react (if at all) w/ the coating... ?
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 01 March 2010 - 10:09 AM, said:
I would worry about dropping the bike...those covers get scuffed for a reason! Sure would suck to crack that window and not be able to ride home.
I do like it tho, it looks sharp!
Yeah, that's a concern for sure. The lexan is very strong, but as strong as the original cover. I hope I never have to report back on how it performs.
There's still a chance that I won't be satisfied with the look of the final outcome - in that case I'm going to list the cover here for sale, and then it will be up to someone else to NOT find out how strong it is.
For coating the clutch pressure plate, I think that using a proven internal engine coating would be safest.
If you could use the same sort of dry film lubricant they use on piston skirts, but only on the outside of the pressure plate (not the business side of course), then you'd never have to worry about it dissolving or flaking off into the engine oil.
And your pressure plate would look a purdy black colour.
I don't know anything about it but you might do a little research on Glyptal. Eastwood sells it.
Quote
Recommended by many high performance engine rebuilding books, Glyptal seals the tiny pores left in metal after bead blasting and leaves the engine block interiors smooth. Helps keep the oil clean and flowing freely. Acid and oil resistant. Used on generator and alternator armatures, Glyptal has great electrical insulating properties, too!
[image: View Post]Veefer800Canuck, on 01 March 2010 - 10:43 AM, said:
For coating the clutch pressure plate, I think that using a proven internal engine coating would be safest.
If you could use the same sort of dry film lubricant they use on piston skirts, but only on the outside of the pressure plate (not the business side of course), then you'd never have to worry about it dissolving or flaking off into the engine oil.
And your pressure plate would look a purdy black colour.
Apparently some engine builders use their product to paint the inside of the lifter valley.
[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 01 March 2010 - 10:46 AM, said:
I don't know anything about it but you might do a little research on Glyptal. Eastwood sells it.
Quote
Recommended by many high performance engine rebuilding books, Glyptal seals the tiny pores left in metal after bead blasting and leaves the engine block interiors smooth. Helps keep the oil clean and flowing freely. Acid and oil resistant. Used on generator and alternator armatures, Glyptal has great electrical insulating properties, too!
Nice! Thanks guys!! The Eastwood stuff is red too, BONUS!!! :biggrin:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 28 February 2010 - 07:24 PM, said:
Then run a tap through all the holes and add fasteners to see how it will look. **Note to TexOz... this is where things went a little wonky... these are tiny little holes, material is a bit thin, and with my large tap handle some of the holes were threaded crooked. So there you have it, I screwed it up! Kinda, it's still useable. The sealant will do a good job of making up for the crooked screws, as will the number of screws.
Just a thought, but could you use your drill press to help tap the holes straight? I've used mine to tap holes in wood, so don't know if this would work on metal or not. All I did was disconnect the belt drive, put the tap in the chuck, and used my hand (large chuck) to turn the chuck. Result was a perfectly perpendicular tapped hole.
[image: View Post]IrrerD, on 01 March 2010 - 11:24 AM, said:
Just a thought, but could you use your drill press to help tap the holes straight? I've used mine to tap holes in wood, so don't know if this would work on metal or not. All I did was disconnect the belt drive, put the tap in the chuck, and used my hand (large chuck) to turn the chuck. Result was a perfectly perpendicular tapped hole.
I thought about it. I have some problems with my wrist and felt better doing them by hand.
There is a worry about polycarbonate Lexan surface cracking and structural failure if exposed to things that attack it, particularly at temperature. Max temp in use is 250F and melts at 300F. There is a heat resistant form available, but there is still a warning about chemical incompatibility with solvents and products of oils exposed to hight temps:
Resistance of polycarbonates:
Resistance to chemicals
Resistance to oils, greases, waxes and fuels
Makrolon� is resistant to most of the industrial oils,
greases and waxes tested in our laboratory over
6 days at 23 �C. A series of the products tested did
not produce any inadmissible changes in test
pieces made of Makrolon� 2800 after 6 days at
60 �C (140F) either. Resistance is only assured if the tech-
nical products are free of low-molecular, aromatic
and polar components and of other components
that trigger stress corrosion cracking. It should be
borne in mind that oils heated to a high temperature
can decompose and then form aggressive compo-
nents. Makrolon� is not resistant to the standard
carburetor and diesel fuels. The low-molecular,
aromatic hydrocarbons that are present in carbure-
tor fuel, in particular, cause cracking in parts that
are subject to stress.
Plexiglas and all its forms are limited to 180-200F in use, as it softens at 240F. I'd always wonder if hot oil was about to start oozing out. That would be a really bad rear tire day I think.
I'd say get the hight heat polycarbonate (such as Tuffak) which is rated to 270F and watch carefully for stress cracks around bolts or surface crazing and cracking, both of which warn of impending failure.Maybe every year or two you would need to replace the window. I think it is such a cool looking thing, I can't wait to see how it turns out. I wonder what the inside of the gen housing looks like? I have never had mine off.
[image: View Post]JETS, on 01 March 2010 - 01:25 PM, said:
I wonder what the inside of the gen housing looks like? I have never had mine off.
Thanks for the tech info. I got the idea to use lexan from people and businesses that have and/or do make these to sell to the public, so I don't think it will deteriorate very quickly. (ignorance is bliss!!) I've seen some that started to cloud up after 3-5 years of use. I plan to make a couple spare windows while I make hte first one, so there will be backups for a while.
I am pretty sure the stator winding bolts into the stator cover, so I would consider doing both side covers a no-go.
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 01 March 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:
[image: View Post]douglasthecook, on 01 March 2010 - 02:49 PM, said:
How thick is your Lexan, and where did you get it from? I have an idea in mind, and I'm looking to source some lexan, but don't need a complete sheet.
1/8" thick, from ebay. If plexiglass will do, I can send you some from my stash. It's also 1/8" thick. What's your application, if I may ask?
Well...what I'd like to do is stock, heavy headlight unit with some projector units, located behind a piece of lexan. Ideally I'd like to maintain the stock look, but reduce a few pounds up front. I could fab up a frame/bracket to go around the lexan, and utilize the stock mounting points of the lexan. I just gotta source something durable, and chip resistant. What do you think???
[image: View Post]douglasthecook, on 01 March 2010 - 03:26 PM, said:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 01 March 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:
[image: View Post]douglasthecook, on 01 March 2010 - 02:49 PM, said:
How thick is your Lexan, and where did you get it from? I have an idea in mind, and I'm looking to source some lexan, but don't need a complete sheet.
1/8" thick, from ebay. If plexiglass will do, I can send you some from my stash. It's also 1/8" thick. What's your application, if I may ask?
Well...what I'd like to do is stock, heavy headlight unit with some projector units, located behind a piece of lexan. Ideally I'd like to maintain the stock look, but reduce a few pounds up front. I could fab up a frame/bracket to go around the lexan, and utilize the stock mounting points of the lexan. I just gotta source something durable, and chip resistant. What do you think???
Let me think on it a little tonight, I'll get back to you with a PM. Lexan and Plexiglass can both be thermoformed, but the Lexan is harder/more scratch and chip resistant. There are different grades of each, go to www.mcmastercarr.com and type "lexan" in the search bar, they give a nice breakdown of the individual grade qualities.
Seb, mu clutch cover has been in use for more than three years under pretty tough conditions with no problems with the Lexan window. There are hundreds of these in constant use on TL1000s' for the last 10 years and I've never heard of one fail. Also, lots of guys on the TL board used to powder coat their pressure plates before Vandriver began making custom billet ones, and again I've never heard of a problem that arose from that; so anecdotally I would say that you've got no problem.
At rest, the oil level sits well below the level of both the pressure plate and the window, and in motion, the spinning of the pressure plate keeps it clean. I can't think of any time where I've seen oil on my pressure plate except when adding oil to the cases after an oil change. Powder coat it and forget it.
Finally, when you start up, sometimes you'll see some condensation on the window that will dry up after the bike warms to temperature. This is completely normal. None of these components have much stress on them so any gloom and doom predictions are unjustified in my opinion. Good on you for doing something different.
polish the pressure plate. and maybe etch vfrd vfr750 or something on it... buy some long bolts.. thread into basket. cut off the bolt heads..buy some anodized nuts!!
assemble the clutch on a bench.. trim bolts to desired length and presto!!! you have color and cool custom logo when stopped too :fing02:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 01 March 2010 - 03:45 PM, said:
[image: View Post]douglasthecook, on 01 March 2010 - 03:26 PM, said:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 01 March 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:
[image: View Post]douglasthecook, on 01 March 2010 - 02:49 PM, said:
How thick is your Lexan, and where did you get it from? I have an idea in mind, and I'm looking to source some lexan, but don't need a complete sheet.
1/8" thick, from ebay. If plexiglass will do, I can send you some from my stash. It's also 1/8" thick. What's your application, if I may ask?
Well...what I'd like to do is stock, heavy headlight unit with some projector units, located behind a piece of lexan. Ideally I'd like to maintain the stock look, but reduce a few pounds up front. I could fab up a frame/bracket to go around the lexan, and utilize the stock mounting points of the lexan. I just gotta source something durable, and chip resistant. What do you think???
Let me think on it a little tonight, I'll get back to you with a PM. Lexan and Plexiglass can both be thermoformed, but the Lexan is harder/more scratch and chip resistant. There are different grades of each, go to www.mcmastercarr.com and type "lexan" in the search bar, they give a nice breakdown of the individual grade qualities.
[image: View Post]shrek, on 01 March 2010 - 05:56 PM, said:
Seb, mu clutch cover has been in use for more than three years under pretty tough conditions with no problems with the Lexan window. There are hundreds of these in constant use on TL1000s' for the last 10 years and I've never heard of one fail. Also, lots of guys on the TL board used to powder coat their pressure plates before Vandriver began making custom billet ones, and again I've never heard of a problem that arose from that; so anecdotally I would say that you've got no problem.
At rest, the oil level sits well below the level of both the pressure plate and the window, and in motion, the spinning of the pressure plate keeps it clean. I can't think of any time where I've seen oil on my pressure plate except when adding oil to the cases after an oil change. Powder coat it and forget it.
Finally, when you start up, sometimes you'll see some condensation on the window that will dry up after the bike warms to temperature. This is completely normal. None of these components have much stress on them so any gloom and doom predictions are unjustified in my opinion. Good on you for doing something different.
Well, this is good to hear. Powdercoat will be much cheaper than the other options. Thanks for the feedback, again!
[image: View Post]gll429, on 01 March 2010 - 10:20 PM, said:
remove the clutch assembly..
polish the pressure plate. and maybe etch vfrd vfr750 or something on it... buy some long bolts.. thread into basket. cut off the bolt heads..buy some anodized nuts!!
assemble the clutch on a bench.. trim bolts to desired length and presto!!! you have color and cool custom logo when stopped too :fing02:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 02 March 2010 - 06:25 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 01 March 2010 - 06:29 PM, said:
Is the pressure plate Aluminum? Steel doesn't anodize that I know of.
I believe it's cast aluminum, which could be worse. Billet AL or steel can be anodized, but you get a wider color selection when working w/ AL.
When I went to get my stock fuel cap anodized, the guy at the shop said that the japanese cast "aluminum" is mostly aluminum, but part pot metal, so when you try to anodize it, it turns out like crap, all cloudy and muddy looking.
He's tried on parts before and it looked like vomit.
He said that only pure aluminum will anodize correctly and look good.
[image: View Post]shrek, on 01 March 2010 - 05:56 PM, said:
Seb, mu clutch cover has been in use for more than three years under pretty tough conditions with no problems with the Lexan window. There are hundreds of these in constant use on TL1000s' for the last 10 years and I've never heard of one fail. Also, lots of guys on the TL board used to powder coat their pressure plates before Vandriver began making custom billet ones, and again I've never heard of a problem that arose from that; so anecdotally I would say that you've got no problem.
At rest, the oil level sits well below the level of both the pressure plate and the window, and in motion, the spinning of the pressure plate keeps it clean. I can't think of any time where I've seen oil on my pressure plate except when adding oil to the cases after an oil change. Powder coat it and forget it.
Finally, when you start up, sometimes you'll see some condensation on the window that will dry up after the bike warms to temperature. This is completely normal. None of these components have much stress on them so any gloom and doom predictions are unjustified in my opinion. Good on you for doing something different.
Would you happen to have any pics of powdercoated plates?
Just put the url of the pic between img tags, couldn't be easier (without compromising safety). Just make sure it is a static link not a link to a dynamic page.
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 02 March 2010 - 06:23 AM, said:
[image: View Post]gll429, on 01 March 2010 - 10:20 PM, said:
remove the clutch assembly..
polish the pressure plate. and maybe etch vfrd vfr750 or something on it... buy some long bolts.. thread into basket. cut off the bolt heads..buy some anodized nuts!!
assemble the clutch on a bench.. trim bolts to desired length and presto!!! you have color and cool custom logo when stopped too :fing02:
I'm going to give this some thought!
Instead of cutting down bolts use set screws, much easier than dressing all those threads after the cut. locktite em in and be done :warranty:
"It was used for several months.
It came out in the same condition as it got in. No flakes, no wear on the paint or anything alerting me.
I'd tell your friend to powdercoat it and not to worry about it.
Just tell him to make sure the back side is masked so that it won't take any paint on it."
I'm sure that the VFR clutch must use pressure plate retainers just like the TL. If so, they would be cheap and easy to make from aluminum. Then you can anodize them any contrasting color you want to make it pop.
I got the Lexan over the weekend and roughed it in by transferring the holes from my plexiglass template, and also used my Dremel to get it somewhat circular. Need to finish up the outer metal ring so I can use that as a template to match the Lexan to.
[image: View Post]cruzinaz, on 12 March 2010 - 04:30 PM, said:
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 12 March 2010 - 03:49 PM, said:
I cheated and got the aluminum ring cut at work. Updates at 11...
Hehe, CNC's are nice to have huh?
Only when you put in the right numbers. The ring is not the right size, not sure what to do now. I wasn't looking forward to abusing my Dremel on .125" aluminum. :dry:
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 13 March 2010 - 09:38 AM, said:
How is it not the right size? Too wide? How to you plan to make the lexan a true circle?
It didn't come out wide enough, it's doesn't cover all the screws or leave enough material for all of them to grip well. Needs to be about an 1/8" wider. I'm simply going to lay the ring on top of the lexan, and trim the lexan to it. Then transfer the holes while it's still clamped together.
So close but probably not gonna happen this weekend.
Seb... are so many screw really necessary... I mean the more screws u use, the more chances of screwing one up!! :laughing6-hehe: I'm so funny. :woohoo:
[image: View Post]Auspa�ol, on 22 March 2010 - 09:18 AM, said:
Where there's a will...
Seb... are so many screw really necessary... I mean the more screws u use, the more chances of screwing one up!! :laughing6-hehe: I'm so funny. :woohoo:
[image: View Post]Auspa�ol, on 22 March 2010 - 09:18 AM, said:
Where there's a will...
Seb... are so many screw really necessary... I mean the more screws u use, the more chances of screwing one up!! :laughing6-hehe: I'm so funny. :woohoo:
I'm a post ho... more threads = more better! :laughing6-hehe:
Seb, another guy on the TL site posted up that he painted his and has been running it with no problems for years. He used a type o Krylon if I'm not mistaken. I'll look into it and post up a link to the type of paint used.
"For all of you who have the clear clutch covers, & want a colored Pressure Plate. Here is a cheep way to go. Go get a can of ( Krylon - X Metals ) spray paint. It's a anodized paint, & oil does not effect it. It cost about $5 (us) & comes in a host of colors. I did mine up 2 months ago. I know alot of you are like me & don't have or want to spend the big $$ for the vans Pressure Plate. So now you can have your cake & eat it to. Hope this helps.
All i did to prep mine, was to spray it down with brake parts cleaner, tape off the the part you don't want paint on & let it dry. They can't cause any more pain, I'm maried. Glad i could give something back, i know i have got some great info from the fourm."
[image: View Post]shrek, on 22 March 2010 - 12:40 PM, said:
This guy has had his in constant use since October 2007 without any problems.
That's fricken great, THANK YOU!
I hereby SWEAR to make some progress on this cover for you guys this weekend. It's going to be tough with my son's birthday party going on, but the new ring is done and there is no reason not to finish the cover! I'll swing by the WalMart & the auto parts stores and see if the have the Xmetal paint in stock.
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 26 March 2010 - 10:13 AM, said:
[image: View Post]shrek, on 22 March 2010 - 12:40 PM, said:
This guy has had his in constant use since October 2007 without any problems.
That's fricken great, THANK YOU!
I hereby SWEAR to make some progress on this cover for you guys this weekend. It's going to be tough with my son's birthday party going on, but the new ring is done and there is no reason not to finish the cover! I'll swing by the WalMart & the auto parts stores and see if the have the Xmetal paint in stock.
[image: View Post]cruzinaz, on 26 March 2010 - 11:09 AM, said:
Sure wish you would get this done (and send me the cad file) so I can do mine :warranty: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
It'll actually come out nicer than mine if you start from scratch with an unmolested cover. Just follow my guidelines here and you'll be fine! :fing02:
[image: View Post]Auspa�ol, on 22 March 2010 - 09:18 AM, said:
Where there's a will...
Seb... are so many screw really necessary... I mean the more screws u use, the more chances of screwing one up!! :laughing6-hehe: I'm so funny. :woohoo:
Ya gotta be on the bottom to screw up... and Seb is NOT on the bottom
Drill & deburr holes(I went undersize), clamp in place while lining up the holes. You can locate your ring with extra drill bits, I used my handy cleco clamps... [image: Posted Image]
Mark the rest of the holes that were covered by the clamp before, and drill them out too. After that, I drilled mine to the oversize, same as the Lexan, and clamped the ring to the Lexan again by lining up the holes: [image: Posted Image]
That allows you to mark the Lexan with a Sharpie so you can trim it perfectly to the ring OD... [image: Posted Image]
So what's left? I have to remove the old gasket, blend that old rash out a bit more, glass bead blast the cover, and paint it. Then install the window and ring with sealant, let it cure for a few days, and install it on the bike!
Veefer800Canuck, on 28 March 2010 - 08:18 PM, said:
Hoping for no leaks!
There's no way in h-e-doublehockeysticks this thing is gonna leak, unless it bleeds out the Lexan. (not happening!)
Please refer to previous post about type of sealant used. Oh, and the little part about how I've hand built hundreds of Blackhawk helicopter cargo windows at work in a previous position held there; those are also plexiglass sealed and sandwiched between two aluminum frames, and fastened using 88 solid aluminum rivets per... I'd show you pics but I don't think Sikorsky would like that... I'd have to kill ya ;) :laugh:
Oh, and the little part about how I've hand built hundreds of Blackhawk helicopter cargo windows at work in a previous position held there; those are also plexiglass sealed and sandwiched between two aluminum frames, and fastened using 88 solid aluminum rivets per
That explains why you have Clecos and Pliers laying around. Just don't find those in every garage. Bet you have a bucking bar or two??
Oh, and the little part about how I've hand built hundreds of Blackhawk helicopter cargo windows at work in a previous position held there; those are also plexiglass sealed and sandwiched between two aluminum frames, and fastened using 88 solid aluminum rivets per
That explains why you have Clecos and Pliers laying around. Just don't find those in every garage. Bet you have a bucking bar or two??
No, but I do have a hand powered hydraulic Cherry riveter for blind rivets. :biggrin:
Seb, for mark II maybe you could make the ring out of stock 1/8 thicker than the lexan that you're using. That way you could make the ring 3 dimensional instead of flat and cover up the end-grain (for lack of a better term)of the lexan for a cleaner look. Shouldn't be too much more time on the mill for that.
Seb, for mark II maybe you could make the ring out of stock 1/8 thicker than the lexan that you're using. That way you could make the ring 3 dimensional instead of flat and cover up the end-grain (for lack of a better term)of the lexan for a cleaner look. Shouldn't be too much more time on the mill for that.
Would be nice, but I don't have lathe or mill access right now. that ring was cut on a waterjet at work, and only because I pulled a favor - else I would have had to do it by hand.
I am thinking of blasting the cover, polishing the outer surface of the ring, and then putting it all together w/ sealant; then, tape off the window & top of ring and painting the rest, including the sides of the ring and Lexan. That would blend it in better, although a touch more work come replacement time.
This would definitely be easier w/ some real machines here... no money for that quite yet though.
How much does Larry like you? If you have the design in CAD, there are quite a few small machine shops that will make simple one off parts for significantly less than prototype money (thanks bad economy). BLS, are you listening?
I have everything I need to finish it, but once again, my plans to finish something have been foiled by another project. I've taken a deposit on one of my 4th gens and need to get it painted asap for the new owner.
I have the black paint for the case cover, the red Metalcast paint for the clutch pressure plate, and the sealant has been ready to go for a while now. :lobby: It's ready, but I have to be a good boy and do what I need to do... :schla15:
I have everything I need to finish it, but once again, my plans to finish something have been foiled by another project. I've taken a deposit on one of my 4th gens and need to get it painted asap for the new owner.
I have the black paint for the case cover, the red Metalcast paint for the clutch pressure plate, and the sealant has been ready to go for a while now. :lobby: It's ready, but I have to be a good boy and do what I need to do... :schla15:
Well its been 5 months Seb,,,,,, are ya done with it yet?? :biggrin:
Well its been 5 months Seb,,,,,, are ya done with it yet?? :biggrin:
Nope. It hasn't taken priority over other projects yet.
It's basically done - if you were to start with a non-rashed cover, you could follow this thread to this point and simply seal it up and install. The sealant I'm going to use isn't very easy to get, so one would just use some black Permatex. Let that cure, then change oil and switch covers before refilling the oil. If you want completed pics on my bike, you might have to wait till spring... :sad:
Well its been 5 months Seb,,,,,, are ya done with it yet?? :biggrin:
Nope. It hasn't taken priority over other projects yet.
It's basically done - if you were to start with a non-rashed cover, you could follow this thread to this point and simply seal it up and install. The sealant I'm going to use isn't very easy to get, so one would just use some black Permatex. Let that cure, then change oil and switch covers before refilling the oil. If you want completed pics on my bike, you might have to wait till spring... :sad:
I can wait, riding weather is almost here, looks like only one more week of 100 degree days :cool:
Maybe your next project should be to expose the valve gear train on the right side of the engine of 5th gen bikes! That would be Kewhl as ell!
It will be the answer to how classic Ducati owners had been exposing their bevel drives with windows on their bikes
Beck
95 VFR
Looking very nice indeed Seb. Show what having loads of time and tools at hand can do :fing02: :biggrin:
It's been in progress for two months, I wouldn't say "loads of time", but the tools sure do help. I need more tools so I can become self sufficient for fabrication; "Selbst ist der Mann".
Sweeeeeet... Are you going to smooth the welds or leave them? Nice work as is.
Smooth. Hard to see in the picture, but on the cast material side of the weld, there is some dirt and irregularities that come from welding cast aluminum. It will be sanded smooth and painted. :fing02:
Looks great, can't wait to see it installed :fing02:
Thank you sir! Will have to wait till the bike is done. I promised myself I wouldn't start another project thread until I finished it. And then I got the CB900... :blush: :pinocchio:
Yeah... I'm a member there as well and contributed to that thread... don't recall seeing the one you posted there though??
That's cause you saw the Vader headlamp and were laughing and crying so hard you missed the clutch cover! Sorry, hope that's nobody on here's bike. I love me some Star Wars, but that's a bit much.
[image: View Post]Metallican525, on 28 February 2011 - 09:46 PM, said:
That's cause you saw the Vader headlamp and were laughing and crying so hard you missed the clutch cover! Sorry, hope that's nobody on here's bike. I love me some Star Wars, but that's a bit much.
[image: View Post]Noobtastic14, on 16 June 2011 - 08:42 PM, said:
Are you 2A7x3? or maybe 2A7x1?
Your whole process screams ASM or MetalsTech haha
-Drew
**I am 2A7x5
I'm not even sure what that means? Is that a level of certification? I learned to tig at work via an apprenticeship program which totaled 200hrs. 40 of that was aluminum, I took a fast liking to it. I made samples for .032 SS (fillet and groove) and .040 6061 T6 AL groove - those were sent to an independent lab for testing and they passed, so I was allowed to weld on parts consisting of those materials until about a year ago, I let my certs lapse and now I'd need to re-test. I drive a desk now, so I bought the machine I have at home to get my kicks.
[image: View Post]rangerscott69, on 17 June 2011 - 12:15 AM, said:
Could you have sunk it in some, then welded or would it have hit the clutch?
I did have to cut the cover back a bit, I cut it back until the size of the cutout matched the OD of the ring. The cover as you see it is only about 1/8" taller than it was before. Once the lexan and top ring are installed, that will add another 1/4".
Fab work on this cover is DONE. I did a bit of smoothing/blending here & there, just to tidy it up. I completely blended the weld at the oil fill, and ran a dress up bead over that fillet. I sealed the inside of the joint(inside the cover) with mil-spec fuel tank sealant. High temp and resistant to all types of fuel/petroleum products. Pic of that tomorrow when it's done curing.
A little more sanding and some paint will make this a tasty little VFR mod... but, the new owner will have to tell you about that. :wink:
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