1985 Big Red 250es Build ===!!!!FINISHED!!!!===

[Stonewall]

Any tips for removing the inner swingarm pivot bearing races? I just need to get them out so I can take parts to be powder coated.

[malibulvr]

We need some pics here! lol

[Stonewall]

Finally got the swingarm pivot bearings out, so now everything is ready for powder coating. Hopefully that will be done this week, and I can get a few things put back together.

Here are a few pics from before the dismantling...

[badass350x]

Just too tell ya, I have one of those rims on my 85 and it is offset a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch on the front!!! now I dont know if its was made that way from the factory like the 85 350x or not....

Well, since the stock tire is a 25-12-9.... I would imagine a 26" tall, 12" wide tire will fit without issue... As for the wheels centering up without any work, good luck with that! (murphys law applied here)

[Jason125m]

Damn shes rough. Looks like a good start though, looking forward to progress pictures. Goodluck!

Jason

[Stonewall]

Just too tell ya, I have one of those rims on my 85 and it is offset a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch on the front!!! now I dont know if its was made that way from the factory like the 85 350x or not....

What offset are you using, and which side is it too far over?

[badass350x]

What offset are you using, and which side is it too far over?

Its supposed to be the stock offset, its over to the drum side!

[gomer202]

Are you going to get an oem tank??

[REDBEARD]

you have a very good start for a restore. looks very solid, nice rear fenders, racks and so on

[Stonewall]

It's a one-owner machine, and has been well maintained mechanically so I'm basically just freshening it up. I took the frame, swinger, forks, and various other parts to be powdercoated today. Hopefully those will be done by the end of the week. Now I need to look up some bearings. The plastics look OK from the pictures, but it will be getting new Maiers and a Clark plastic tank. I don't know what I'm going to do yet for the side covers, the kick cover is OK but the left cover is gone. I havn't compared it to my BR, but the rear shock off this one appears to be sprung.

[gomer202]

I think a metal tank would really set of this restoration I bet a member with a BR tank laying Around would probably be willing to sell you one

[tri again]

It's a one-owner machine, and has been well maintained mechanically so I'm basically just freshening it up. I took the frame, swinger, forks, and various other parts to be powdercoated today. Hopefully those will be done by the end of the week. Now I need to look up some bearings. The plastics look OK from the pictures, but it will be getting new Maiers and a Clark plastic tank. I don't know what I'm going to do yet for the side covers, the kick cover is OK but the left cover is gone. I havn't compared it to my BR, but the rear shock off this one appears to be sprung.

We found most bearings locally for way cheaper than the bike shops
if you can find some sort of numbers on them.
Also, did you get your swing races out?
If you're going thru all that work, some folks will put
a wooden dowel in the swing tube to take up space and then
screw in some grease fittings so the swing bearings can be greased with a gun.
Then again, they usually last 25 years so needing attention 4 times a century might not be a priority.

My local napa will match shocks by min and max length.
I see powder coating can cause trouble with threads and races if they are not plugged,
but most of those guys have watched oc chopper on the discovery channel so hopefully
they won't powderbake anything critical.

I'd really enjoy a trike on a workbench being reborn.
Just wonder where the time would come from.

Good luck and have a great time.

[Stonewall]

I think a metal tank would really set of this restoration I bet a member with a BR tank laying Around would probably be willing to sell you one

The guy I'm restoring it for wants a plastic tank. If it was my choice, I'd try to get a metal one, but it's not my choice...

[tri again]

Hey everyone, I decided to start in on restoring an '85 Big Red for a neighbor today, so I'm starting a thread to post my progress and ask questions along the way. This is a one-owner trike that was purchased and used for farm work. It was well taken care of, always properly maintained, and even though it looks like its been through hell, runs great! Most of this restoration will be cosmetic, I plan on having the frame, forks, racks, etc. powdercoated, new plastics, seat and tank. There is one minor carb problem though; if the fuel petcock is left in the "on" position, the carb will slowly leak gas back through the air cleaner and into the airbox. I learned this when it wouldn't start the other morning and I found the airbox full of gas. Is this a common problem, or a really off-the-wall thing? My first guess is that there is a hole or something in the float. Thoughts?

I've seen floats sink.
Gas 'on' can also run into the cylinder and dilute the engine oil.
Fuel valves are not always accurate either.
ON may be off by 30 degrees so I usually test them.

Most likely a sticky float needle or cruddy seat.

Sounds like a real fun project.

[Stonewall]

We found most bearings locally for way cheaper than the bike shops
if you can find some sort of numbers on them.
Also, did you get your swing races out?
If you're going thru all that work, some folks will put
a wooden dowel in the swing tube to take up space and then
screw in some grease fittings so the swing bearings can be greased with a gun.
Then again, they usually last 25 years so needing attention 4 times a century might not be a priority.

My local napa will match shocks by min and max length.
I see powder coating can cause trouble with threads and races if they are not plugged,
but most of those guys have watched oc chopper on the discovery channel so hopefully
they won't powderbake anything critical.

I'd really enjoy a trike on a workbench being reborn.
Just wonder where the time would come from.

Good luck and have a great time.

I got all the bearings for my 70 from the local Bumper to Bumper/hardware/whatever else you need store, I think they're Timkens. I was just wondering if I should look elsewhere for higher quality or if those are good enough. I'll probably just pack the swing bearings good, since they seem to have a good seal in there. (there was clean origional grease on the retainer cups...)

I put bolts in all of the threads so they wouldn't get coated. I watch OC Chopper too...

I love to restore anything, there's something about taking something that everyone else called junk and left for dead, then breathing new life into it...
I have already restored my 1974 ATC 70, and a 1983 Hustler 950 6x6. (Check that out on 6x6world.com, my username is the same there.) I'm just 17 and taking college classes to finish up my highschool, and I work for my dad off and on when he needs me on the farm, so I can usually find time for this kind of thing.