Tech Day?

[RossKean]

My 2007 FJR is in need of some scheduled maintenance. I would like to do it myself but would benefit greatly from some assistance or at least by watching someone do the work on their bike. I need to change fork oil but can manage that by myself. Same with plugs, coolant, air filter, hydraulic fluid, general lube etc. I can turn a wrench without breaking anything (most of the time) and while I have reasonable mechanical aptitude, I am lacking the experience and some of the tools needed for specific service items. Perhaps it is a matter of lacking confidence...

What I would like to observe (or get some help with) are: valve check, lube rear pivot points, TBS, maybe changing fork bushings/seals. I can probably manage the steering neck if I can buy, beg, borrow or steal the appropriate tool for torquing the castelated nuts. (Fork bushings/seals may wait until there is an issue)

Anyone in the Northeast area planning a (some) maintenance day(s) to do this stuff anytime soon? (Official tech day or otherwise) Anywhere within 600 miles or so (from Fredericton NB) would be an acceptable ride-to-learn. That would be almost anywhere in New England, NB, NS, Quebec or Eastern Ontario. If in New England, before (or after) the 2011 Chowder Run would be ideal since I would already be in the area.

Adult beverages are on me.

Ross

 

[ALDAWG]

Yes indeed! We all could benefit from a tech day in the N.E. area. I'm sure if someone centrally located is willing to host such an event, there would be enough participants to make it worth while and fun.

 

[cota95]

I have the room to host a tech day, I have tire changing equipment and a lift but not a ton of other special tools. We would need people that have tech knowledge, which I do not have. I will not be available until after the Chowdah run, which I will be attending.

 

[ionbeam]

I could probably be available open beers and hold down a lawn chair.

 

[sullivan]

I could probably be available open beers and hold down a lawn chair.

I concur.

 

[zip]

Dependent on the date - and I've got a very challenging Spring calendar right now - I'd really be into this if I could schedule it. Great idea.

 

[RossKean]

I could probably be available open beers and hold down a lawn chair.

Alan

If you're opening the beers and I'm drinking them, who's going to do all the work?

I would offer to host, but I am not very centrally located and don't have a very wide selection of tools.

Ross

 

[Fred W]

If the timing works out, I'll attend.

 

[snikr]

I could probably be available open beers and hold down a lawn chair.

If it was somewhere near me I could help Alan out.

 

[Charlie Hoss]

Funny you should ask. I've been e-mailing a few of our Canadian friends about a tech day. I'd be happy to host one or two days. Not sure how centrally located I would be for everyone. I'm almost an hour north of Portland. I have most all the tools we would likely need and a 2 car garage. I don't currently have a lift that would allow access to the upper suspension link bearings. Might be able to make one using ratchet tiedowns from the garage rafters. I do have a set of mercury sticks to do the TBS, a NoMar tire changer and balancer, can do driveshaft and u-joint lube, steering head bearing repack, fork oil change, electrical farkles, etc.

It's a small house, only floor and couch space for guests, big back yard for tents, BBQ grill. Motels about 10 miles away in Auburn. Would just before or after the Maine Chowdah Run would be a good time to schedule it? Actually, most anytime is good for me. I'm wondering if a separate couple of days might be easier for most rather than adding the time to a planned ride. Open to suggestions.

Some of these projects seem to take much longer than anticipated when the beer and BS gets flowing, so I'm thinking 2 days.

 

[FJReady]

Make after mud season and black fly season but before Mosquito and deer fly seasons. That will give you about an 18 hour window.

Sounds like a good opportunity to turn wrenches withe the NE and Canadian maritime folks. Hope this works out.

 

[SCB]

Bump?

 

[FJRed]

OK. I'm probably going to be sorry I said this, but what about having a NE Tech-Day on the Wednesday before NERDS at my house. (Which is about 10mi. from the NERDS base-camp hotel) Since you're all coming to NERDS anyway (you are coming, right?), you just need to come in a little earlier.

I have a good-sized garage/shop with plenty of tools and a factory shop manual. I have all the stuff to do a TBS, I've changed out the steering head bearings so I have the stuff to do that, I've removed/replaced the rear swing-arm pivot bearings, and although I don't have a fancy-pants tire changing machine, I do have a wheel balancer and I've successfully changed my own tires without breaking anything.

And, since I'm hosting the pre-NERDS campfire at my house on Wednesday night anyway, everyone can just hang out here after we're done for the campfire.

Anyone interested?

Ed.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

I could be swayed... I've been having to wait a little longer than usual to be able to determine whether or not I'd be able to make the NERDS ride, but it's looking much better. I wouldn't mind coming for a tech day, even if nothing got done to my ride per se. I'd go just to watch and learn. Let's just say you're better off with medical tools in my hands than garage tools!

I was also considering camping out Wednesday night, but it depends on the wife who may be riding co-pilot. Aside from what the owner's manual says, are there other things that should be looked at or done? My bike has almost 15,000 mi on the clock. I'm not sure how involved I want to get with things, maybe stick to the smaller maintenance stuff that would be silly to pay for at a service visit?? Again, I am providing full disclosure that anything above and beyond an oil and filter change and gear lube change, I am pretty much at the mercy of others....... BUT, I am willing to learn!

 

[Pepperell]

I'd be inclined to swing by, maybe do a TBS or sumthin'. CJ, we'll be camping at Little River State Park, which is 10 or 15 miles south of the Commodores Sunday thru Wednesday nights. Thurs thru Sat nights we're at the Commodores, may camp Sunday night, head home Monday.

I'd be inclined to swing by, maybe do a TBS or sumthin'. CJ, we'll be camping at Little River State Park, which is 10 or 15 miles south of the Commodores Sunday thru Wednesday nights. Thurs thru Sat nights we're at the Commodores, may camp Sunday night, head home Monday.

 

[RossKean]

OK. I'm probably going to be sorry I said this, but what about having a NE Tech-Day on the Wednesday before NERDS at my house...

Thanks to Charlie Hoss, I got some of the stuff done to my bike. Fork oil, steering head bearing lube and tires were done at his place after the Chowdah run. I still have some other stuff to do but don't know whether we would have the time (or collective experience) to do a valve check and possibly cam chain tensioner replacement along with TBS.

With all of the information on this forum, I might give it a try by myself but there is no substitute for doing it under the watchful eye of someone who has already made all of the mistakes really knows their stuff.

Yeah, I might be interested. Working on the bike, watching/learning or just drinking beer.

Ross

 

[DJB]

I can host or can help. I have the tool to install the seals for the forks, I have the TBS tools and have done it more times then I care to remember during my replacement of the throttle bodies on the bike. I do not have a tire changer. I do have the ability several different ways to get the front end off the ground. I do have a lift although it is away for the summer riding season. I have all the ratchets and sockets you can possible need. I have the tool for the not under the steering head. I made a special one so that you do not have to use the one they recommend. I have all the correct torque wrenches and I also have torque paint so that after you are done you can mark the bolts. If anyone just wants to come by an get some help let me know.

 

[BikerGeek99]

I have the amazing ability to mis-thread ANY nut, bolt or screw (lefty-tighty, righty-loosey, right?) and am an excellent supervisor of people actually working.

:lol:

If'n ya do this pre-NERDS, me and Sooze just may be in the area anyway and could swing by.

While I can't turn a wrench for crap (ask RayZerman about the last 2 Michigan Tech Days), I can, as ionbeam said, open beers and keep a lawn chair securely planted on the ground.

And maybe offer a little advice here and there on the CCT swap-out - I've seen lots of 'em done.

 

[Fred W]

I was waiting until I was sure that I could convince SWMBO to drive the Jeep up to Stowe for NERDS. We'll need it anyway for things like carrying beer and coolers and other important such things. But that also allows me to tote along some heavier tools for the tech day.

If anyone anticipates needing a tire, you can have it shipped directly to FJRed's (with Ed's permission) and we can mount it up as a demo during the tech day. I'll show you how to do it the old fashioned (read cheap-assed) way with home made bead breaker and tire spoons. I should also have my steering head socket and torque wrench and we can do a few of those.

With as much drinking and socializing as is likely to occur, I don't think doing any valve work would be too wise.