Special Tool Time

With Benny actually not in need of 24 hour helicopter parenting I then went to indulge in some cub time.

Given the slight change in scope, the allotted job for now was the de-forking of the cub (which sounds like something they do to chickens…)

 I had planned to do this any way, (but just not today) so I had purchased a 32mm socket (as recommended by the workshop manual) when I was at the hardware store earlier in the week (to be honest, I actually went to an Auto parts place on the way home). For the first time in a long time I can say, yes, there was good planning in something that I was doing on a break!

Anyway, the Haynes manual had recommended that I improvise a 3mm wide “staple” that would allow the socket to drive the handle bar retaining nut.

Initially I had the idea of making a “proper” improvised special tool with some key steel (that I had found on the driveway outside my house one day). I thought I would file it down, weld it together & have a “Custom Made Honda Cub Fork Nut Removal Special Tool”. This would go down rather well to the Uber-Nerd Honda Cub loving Vespa riding side of me…

So, into the vice & out with the file…

The section of key steel...

D’oh this is hard; so let’s try pressing “down” on the key steel instead (mechanical advantage & all)

OK, the previous way didn't work & neither does this...

Nope… Ten minutes was enough filing to realize that I was on a caning to nothing! If I continued this would take forever!

I thought I would check before starting with the hacksaw...

Then I remembered the off cut steel that I used on the seat… & the fact that I had a nice length of it left over… AND that it was easy to cut with my hacksaw…

Like a Hacksaw thru non-hardened steel

How much better is this!

So a couple of bends in the vice & a quick file to get the outside profile into something that resembled the diagram in the book. This was a bit loose; so rather than risking catastrophe, I decided to add in an additional staple to make sure that the nut was freed without damage… more hacksawing & bending & swearing later yippee, succeeded in getting the dammed handle bars & forks off

I put the staple onto the retaining nut...

...before adding the other staple & putting the socket on top

After a small success like this I am beginning to feel like a mechanic (if only a bad one!)

So the ball bearings fell out as soon as I lifted the top of the handlebar assembly out, & the same happened as I removed the forks too. The grease inside looked a bit gritty, but then, I don’t have any new grease to compare it with either.

The topless fork assembly!

There was a plastic dust seal at the top of the handle bars, this turned out to be broken as well (another thing on the list that I will have to buy before I can put it together) probably sooner rather than later!

With the forks free I could remove the steering lock... 

Ahh the bright green screwdriver may look funny but it does stand out!

 I intend to replace the fork bearings anyway as I reckon that they would’ve coped heaps of abuse as the farmers run-around-bike so the broken plastic doesn’t worry me too much at the moment. I will just have to see if I can read a part number on the sides of the bearings when I pull them out. Looks like I will need a heap of grease for them as well. 

I will have to save up & buy all this all at the same time… I will even consult my workshop manual for the correct grease, part & bearing numbers; how is that for project management & planning ahead!

So Mote it Be

Leigh