Subject: Fine Tuning Brakes and Carbs - Long
Author: Keith Ruff
Date: May 6, 2005, 6:37 PM
Post ID: 1718825286
Went out to the garage to re-adjust the front brake to see if I could
get some more bite out of it. Got the "Front Drum Brake 101" class from
Mark and realized it was different from directions I had pulled from
some website. Almost had a nightmare when the threads on the linkage
arm connecting the front shoe actuator to the rear shoe actuator snapped
in the rear linkage arm while adjusting it, but I was able to drill out
the remains without trashing the threads, oooof. Got it all back
together and adjusted the way I was taught, but when I opened the
garage, the rain had started, so the test drive will have to wait for
another day. I did try again to move the front shoe actuator arm 1
tooth on it's spline to the right to get more pull on the cable, but as
soon as I tried to put the cable on, the front brake shoes would lock up
(not enought slack in the cable - cable would pull the arm as I was
hooking it up on the wheel hub and would lock the front pads), so I had
to move the arm back to where I had it.
I think it is jinx when a certain topic gets talked about extensively on
the board, i.e., leaving petcocks on and flooding carbs! Been reading
the posts but saying to myself "Glad I don't have that problem". Well
guess what, my friend stopped over this eve and was checking out the
Ambo. When I went to fire her up, I reached over to turn on the right
side petcock but noticed there was fuel already in the in-line filter.
Hmmm. Then I realized the right side petcock arm has to be facing
forward to be in the off position, not backward, which is reserve in my
application. Ahh s@#t! The petcock has been on in the reserve position
for several days. Turned the key, crank, crank, crank, sputter, crank
crank, waaa, waaa, waaaa, dead battery. Crap! Giver her a second and
try again, crank, crank, crank, waaa, waaa, waaa, dead again. O well,
she ain't gonna start tonight! Got out the battery charger and will let
her charge up over night. I did pull my oil dipstick and did not notice
any fuel, hard to tell if there was a gas smell. I flashed a light in
the hole and did not notice any fuel sitting on the fresh oil, so I
think I may be ok in that department. I guess the carbs are just
flooded, perhaps the gas leaked into the cylinder?
Tomorrow I will try to get her fired up again with a freshly charged
battery.
Got a question on throttle cables (wasn't that a hot topic recently
also?). I have a Superpratic B throttle. Mark mentioned that 1/16"
slack is necessary for the cable. I've got way more slack than that,
probably 1/4-1/2" movement of the throttle grip before the cable grabs.
I was hoping to be able to adjust this out at the handlebar, but I hear
that I have to adjust this out under the tank, is that correct? How is
that adjustment made, is it simple like the brake cables? I synched my
carbs last weekend but noticed on the carb stix that the mercury on the
right cylinder bar would move up before the left side when blipping the
throttle, but when the left side kicked in, they would move up
simulataneously
(lower mercury level on the left side though) and drop back down
together and become equal at idle. I'm figuring my left cylinder cable
is tighter than the right, so I want to try to adjust the cables to get
the levels more equal during acceleration. I'm guessing this is done
where the cable goes into the carb? I saw the nut on the carb where the
cable goes in and am assuming that this is the adjustment nut, correct?
Once I get the throttle cable tightened up 1st, I'll then get the bike
warmed up, get out the carb stix, and see if I can adjust these cables
to get the mercury levels rising equally together. Since I probably
have to remove the tank to tighten the throttle cable, I mine as well
look closer at the tank mounting bushings to see if I can find out why
the tank dips down toward the left side when tightening the tank bolts.
Gotta get things squared away, the National is fast approaching!
There's always something to work on with these loops ain't there.......
Keith Ruff
70 Cafe Racer Ambo
Manahawkin, NJ