My Sunday one-man Wrench Party

[RainMaker]

Sunday, the grass wasn't tall enough to get the mower out and the wife was out of chores for me to do, so I decided to spend some time in the garage with SilverValk, listening to the Cowboy game on the radio and doing some wrenching.  First, I had this Rivco Center stand that was sitting there waiting to be installed and second, new intake gaskets so I could clean up the gunk on top of the cylinder heads that kept leaking out.

I bought my Valk new over the internet from a broker in 2000.  It came from Los Angeles, so it has one of those charcoal canisters for fuel vapor recovery located in the wrong spot for center stands.  So I jacked the bike up and undid the bolts for the side stand that held the canister in place.  I then swung it out of the way.  Next, my air horns were going to be a problem, so I removed them from their former homes and put them aside.  Next, I installed the center stand.  I did not put the spring on at this time - just did the stand installation.  It was actually a lot easier that I thought it would be and once tightened down, I started the problem solving on the spring.  I put a few dollars worth of quarters in it, but that did not get it to the 6.5" I needed to easily slip it into the spring holes.  About 1.5" short (story of my life).  So, I took a chain and looped it around my bench vise with the spring holding both ends of the chain and then opened the vise.  This stretched the spring out.  I measured it at 7 inches open and then used S hooks to connect the stretched spring to a large box end wrench.  After releasing the pressure with the vise, the spring was held open by the wrench and s hooks.  It was easy to now install the spring to the center stand.  Once installed, I pushed the center stand down and the spring opened up and released the wrench and the s hooks.  Easy, easy, easy.

Next, found new locations for the air horns and hooked them back up.  Pre-game show for the Cowboys game was almost over when I finished.  Now for the canister.  I went on the tech board and found multiple opinions on whether it made any difference being there or not.  Decided to give it a try without and disconnected the tubes, putting them up high in the bike so nothing would be sucked into them from the road. 

Installed the side grab bar next.  That takes a little drilling on an I/S, but not that hard. 

Took the bike off of the jack and decided to try and get it on the center stand.  I guess there is a trick to this, because I was huffing and puffing and the house just wouldn't go up on the stand.  So remembered Baron's idea of using a 2x4.  I got one and rolled the bike's rear tire on the board, then did the center stand.  Still took some umph but it went up.  Huzzaah!!!!

Cowboy game is starting (Cardinal's score on kickoff) and I'm removing the pods to get at the intakes.  Yeah, that gaskets sure is flat.  Cleaned off the gunk from the cylinder head and the parts. Take a new gasket to put in the grove and it just says "no thanks - I don't like the groove".  So, got some permatex 2 (non-hardening) and put that in the groove first, then the gasket.  Wala.  Hook everything back up and now only 5 to go.

This is not a fast job.  At least not with me.  I took q-tips with turpentine and cleaned the gunk off while taking time to make sure the gaskets stayed in the grooves. Checked the vacuum hoses for abrasions, cleaned anything dirty, etc. 

The I/S Pods are temperamental - I actually can get them off and on pretty quickly, but there's always one of the screws that just refuses to go in easily.  I finish just as the Cardinals finished off the Plowboys.   Put up all of the tools, threw away all the old flat gaskets and dirty q-tips, put up the turpentine (somehow, didn't kick it over all day - amazing).

Now, the moment of truth.  Put the key in and it starts up easier than normal.  Revs easily.  Put on the helmet, rocked off of the center stand and took a blast down I-30.  Nope, no problems without the canister.  Runs great.  Go back home and roll into the garage. 

Next, let's see if I can figure out that center stand.  Grunt, hack, spit, curse.....  sure do like that side stand.  Think I'll put a piece of 2x4 in my trunk.

RainMaker

[5_19]

Almost did the same thing (listen to the game and went for a test ride ), I installed a brake reservoir switch assembly from HDL and a relay for lights. Everthing worked like exspected! Center stand might be next for me if I can find one.

[DrewDanube]

There is a trick to the center stand...Even with my 55 series darkside tire, Rocketman got mine up without a puff. 
its a matter of pulling the bike back rather than trying to lift 800lbs of bike...The grab rail makes you want to lift up...but you really want to grab it and the handle bars and push/pull the bike backwards onto the center stand. 
Its hard to explain.  I will ask Mark nicely to do it again while explaining and video it.  I'm not the only one that has had the problem.
Drew

[Rocketman]

There is a trick to the center stand...Even with my 55 series darkside tire, Rocketman got mine up without a puff. 
its a matter of pulling the bike back rather than trying to lift 800lbs of bike...The grab rail makes you want to lift up...but you really want to grab it and the handle bars and push/pull the bike backwards onto the center stand. 
Its hard to explain.  I will ask Mark nicely to do it again while explaining and video it.  I'm not the only one that has had the problem.
Drew

It helps having had a number of years of practice on a lighter bike to get the hang of it. 
Andrew's correct.  The motion has to be a lot more "back" than you would think.  Rolling backwards slightly while pulling the grab bar at a 45 degree angle to the ground will make it a LOT easier.

[Houdini]

TJ, how is the quality of the reservoir switches?  I am waiting for mine to arrive to control some LED's and I have been reading some complaints about the switch quality and the shared power wire being an issue.

Thanks!

Chuck

[DrewDanube]

It helps having had a number of years of practice on a lighter bike to get the hang of it. 
Andrew's correct.  The motion has to be a lot more "back" than you would think.  Rolling backwards slightly while pulling the grab bar at a 45 degree angle to the ground will make it a LOT easier.

Ha!  I actually used the uber-masculine lifting method on my v-max and bandit successfully.  On the v-max I blamed the lowered rear shocks on why it was so hard.  For that matter...no one corrected my technique at the wrench parties either.  Jerks.. : 

[5_19]

TJ, how is the quality of the reservoir switches?  I am waiting for mine to arrive to control some LED's and I have been reading some complaints about the switch quality and the shared power wire being an issue.

Thanks!

Chuck

Happy Birthday, (did you get the lights yet?)
Chuck I read the  same reviews and the quality looks just fine to me! The wire size and ratings of the switches are not big enough for full amp draw from most accessories. However that was never an issue for me because I am using relays. The max. current going thru the commen wire is for 3  small 12 VDC relays only, and I see no problem with that at all.  I bought the one with the little indicator lights buildt-in and it bolted right up. Durability, don't know time will tell. ~ TJ

[Houdini]

Thanks TJ; I received the first batch of LED's I want to put on; the ones that F6Banger make, the plastic spacer ones.  I am going to get some of the individual lights to place around the bike also.  The switch box has not arrived yet but I can put on the master cylinder lights without it.  I ordered the housing with the longer handles so I can (hopefully) manipulate them easily with gloves on.

If you don't mind me asking what relays did you use?  I assume I need three, one for each switch?  Since I am using relays I guess I can put as many LED's as the relay/wire can handle for each switch? 

My other question is related to the front turn signals.  The LED spacers for my master cylinders I am connecting to my blinkers so they blink with the signals and are normally off.  Do I attach to the power wire on the blinker side and the other wire to ground?  I don't need a relay for that use do I?

I may have to wait for the wrench party; I have minimal electrical experience and don't want to burn up my bike.

Chuck

[Disco]

I'm really interested in how the master cyclinder / blinker lights look and work.

[RainMaker]

If they are red or blue, you probably can't have them running with the blinkers.  Problem with those colors flashing on a bike per the police.

[Houdini]

If they are red or blue, you probably can't have them running with the blinkers.  Problem with those colors flashing on a bike per the police.

That is why I ordered orange for the master cylinders lights.  I planned on them being blinkers from the start.  The rest of the lights I ordered are blue and will be wired to a switch so I can turn them on and off.  The m/c lights I figured will be eye level for the cagers and will make a good safety edition to my scoot.  Plus they should look cool.  I wish I could make them dim orange running lights and blink brighter but that would take a special order or overhaul of the way the were built (are you listening Chuck?)

Chuck

[5_19]

Using the led at the under reservoir can be wired directly to the blinkers. They use .03 amps. Now front blinkers have 3 wires, one grounded. one blinker and one is on when headlight is on. They all have different color coding. I need to research wich colors to ty into. What year model is your Interstate? I think their are 4 different wiring diagrams. The led's come with longer srews, the switch assembly also come with longer srews. Remember when you stack them together your screwed because they will all be to short.
As for relays, 12vdc Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT).They are about 1" cubes at any Autoparts store. If you go to shoptalk and look under Audiofox Cruise Install their is a good explanation on the relay's.
I really like the idea of adding blinkers I may have to do that also, I just don't have a birthday coming up! Santa

[Houdini]

I have '99 IS.  I found a Valkyrie shop manual online that has a wiring diagram so I am going to see if I can figure out how to connect to the blinkers today; I can't wait until the 8th to see how these things look.

Chuck

[Houdini]

I finished installing my blinkers today.

Right Side



Other side



The install was way more simple than I originally envisioned.  The job got easy once it dawned on me to use a continuity tester with a bulb on it.  BTW - the solid colored wire is the blinker, the striped one is the power wire and the green is ground.

Chuck