TS185 Partses.

Paging dodger, I guess, and anyone else with bits of TS185 lurking in
their sheds.

I got my TS185 through the MoT, after I'd decided just to take the
indicators off completely -- it's pre-1985 and the buggers just kept
getting broken anyway. So, we spent an awesome day on the green lanes
of East Yorkshire and now that it's in use, there's a whole new list of
things that need doing.



The fork seals are, uh, leaking. A lot. I'm pretty sure that they're
leaking because of the pitting on the fork legs, but the seals looked a
bit old and tired and were contaminated with all sorts of filth, so I'm
willing to give new seals a go. As an aside, is it possible to repair
pitting without the cost and hassle of re-chroming? Further aside, do
I need to fanny about with fork oil or, like my Bombardier, can I just
bung some half decent 10W30 mineral oil in there?

Also, it got dropped and the new front brake lever went bye-bye. I
need a new one, but I'm wondering if the OE lever is made of softer,
more malleable alloy -- like the levers on my Bombardier -- that'll
bend rather than snap.

The cush rubbers have no more cush -- right down to the steel cores.

So, the list of bits I'm after:

Un-pitted fork legs (dream on)
Fork seals
Brake lever
Cush rubbers

I'm going to give Paul Smeeton a go as well, as he did me a decent deal
on the speedo cable, and at least knew which speedo cable I needed.

Ta,

Chris.

PS - The Haynes Book of Lies says I should have a 19" rim, I've got a
21" rim, and it looks genuine to me. Who's right?

 

Yes.

Firstly, there is the araldite method, then there are metal infills.

The araldite method. Strip the stanchions, and degrease them. Any flakes of
chrome want removing with a swiss file. Dig any shit out the pitting and
degrease again. Use the 24 hour set araldite, not the rapid stuff. Mix up a
small quantity and fill the pits in to just proud of the surface. Leave to
harden, then using a swiss file followed by 2600 grit wet'n'dry reprofile
until flush with the surface. When you re-assemble them, use gaiters and
smear moly grease onto the stanchion.

Metal infills are bit trickier for the home botcher. I used a solder
powder. Prep as above, pack solder powder into the pits and use a blowtorch
to melt it. Mate once used his MIG welder to blast metal into some deep
pitting then dressed it out with a file. Made a lovely job of it too.




Further aside, do

Half decent 10w30 mineral oil.

Heat treat the pattern lever to soften it?

You both are. Does the BoL cover your exact model?

 

They're clean as a whistle already, just need degreasing with something
from my vast selection of volatile chemicals. In an enclosed space,
naturally.

Sounds exciting, but a little adventurous for me. Though I do need a
new oxy bottle for my toy-town gas welding kit; this might be just the
excuse.

Ooh, another reason to get some oxy. I see naked flames in my future.

You know, I didn't exactly check. It came with the bike, and seems to
cover every Suzuki TS/TC from the Satsuma rebellion on. I just kind of
assumed that my '76 was in there somewhere. It only listed one rim
size for the 185, but if it stops at 1975 I don't suppose that's any
indicator. Like many Haynes manuals that cover a wide range of models
over a long time frame, most of my time seems to be spent interpolating
between the model above/after and the model below/before to try and
work out just what's holding mine together.

Makes no odds, like -- easier to buy a new tyre for the 21".

 

Of the two, which is most suitable for application in situ? I've had
the forks out once already and it was a bitch. I don't fancy doing it
again, even though it should be much easier after I put them back in
with liberal lubrication.

 

I use automatic transmission fluid. Much cheaper than fork oil, about
SAE 30 and doesn't froth like engine oil.

 

Ee, I've got shitloads of that -- got an old VW camper with an auto box.

 

Neither or both really. Metal infill, using solder powder or paste (
maplins ) tends to run if you apply too much heat, as does araldite during
its cure phase. Both are easy to remove and redo. If the pitting is small,
say, up to 1mm dia + 0.5mm deep, then both can be done in situ. Much more
than that and you run the risk of it running. For the metal one, think of
it as using lead loading on classic car panels, but in miniature, and with
less time to float the surface.

Given the sliders need to come off to do the seals, I'd go for the tiny bit
more aggro and remove the stanchions from the yolks altogether.

As for the cush drive, try and get hold of two-part urethane mix, aka, the
stuff skateboard wheels are made of. I -think- its a urethane anyways.
Whatever, it sets in about 10 minutes and fucking stinks. Mate of mine got
hold of some a few years back and used it to fill his handlebars to try and
deaden the high frequency vibes. That worked a treat.

 

Yeah, I've got the bottom of the forks off at the mo', the bike's held
up with a length of rope under the top yoke and thrown over the garage
rafters. I suppose I've got clearance to pull the legs altogether
now. Most of the trouble before was getting the front up high enough
to pull the forks with them complete. That and 28 years of shite.

Another good idea, ta.

According to Suzuki, via Paul Smeeton, my TS (and I gave the frame and
engine numbers) shouldn't have a cush drive at all. I'm going home
tonight to photograph the segments I took out. If I couldn't get a
replacement I was going to cut up some old inner tube to pad the old
ones out again and bind it all together with some self-amalgamating
tape. But I'll try and source some urethane mix.

Oh, and according to adverts on http://www.suzukicycles.org/, earlier
TS185s did have 19" rims and later ones had 21" rims, so you were
right, and I was right, and Haynes were right, and -

 

Lawnmower oil is a straight SAE 30.

 

Jeez. My super fancy modern racing motorcycle uses *5* weight oil.
How times change.

 

Inner tube rubber is way too soft for that. Strips of leather, folded
to the right thickess and compressed *hard* will do the job nicely and
last a fair time. I did the cush drive in my RF with leather last
Summer and checked it last month when getting tyres - still fine after
c.10k miles, putting up with 76lb/ft, nearly 140bhp and my
hamfistedness ;-)

 

As Pip says, inner tube rubber is not going to do the job at all.

The rear wheel you have may not be the original for that model, which is
nice when it comes to ordering parts.

I've never used leather as a substitute for cush rubbers, but, yes, this is
another bodge.. Squared off rear tyre centre sections held together with
duct tape to make the shape needed work quite well. The duct tape
disintegrates in no time at all, so when you remove the sprocket carrier
from the hub when repairing a puncture, it all falls apart, but other than
that, it worked until we sold the bike. 'Twas only a CB125 twin fitted with
a CD185 engine, so no great power to trouble it.

Have you joined the Suzuki Owners Club?, if not, can I recommend doing so.

 

I've not used it as a _substitute_, but slid in next to the worn
rubbers IYSWIM, making the worn rubbers back up to the original size
and shape by using strips of leather.

 

Oh yeah. Me misreading/being a fucktard/not comprehending. Not that unusual.

I see what you mean.

 

I thought it was me, not making myself clear as usual. It's bloody
annoying, the way that words tie themselves in knots when you're
trying to describe something - let alone difficult typing when you're
doing the oh-so-clear hand actions that describe it succintly ;-)

That's all right now, then. I'll go back to sleep.

 

I've got two pairs just like that.

If you think the TS forks are pigs to do, give 'em to me, and I'll do
'em while you do the ones on the Wing. Deal?

Not so's you'd notice, no. From experience.

Mine was 21", as was the TS250.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..64741../..15361.../..3157./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17
'^' RBR-Visited:14 Pts: 270 Miles:1248

 

I'm a prat. I got it wrong.

Checking my Guzzi book and looking it up, ATF is approx 10w. I really
don't know what I was thinking typing 30.

However, the point still stands for older design forks ATF is a good
substitute for fork oil. Good non foaming, lubrication and fade
properties etc.

 

I have no idea what came over me. Why did I even think 30? I'll put it
down to trying to do too many things at once...

 

some forks do take ATF, but that's not 30W. most fork oil I've seen ranges
from about 5 to 20. The BMW is supposed to have SAE4.

 

I once met the owner of an old GT750 Kettle who put 80w gear oil in his
forks.

Yes, he was an idiot.