My old 650 Maxim

Hey,

New to the forum, not so new to the XJ maxim world BUT I haven't been into them as far as I am on my current project. It's a 1981 650 Maxim that I have owned since 1991. It's been ignored in a barn since 1994 and it got pretty crusty from sitting.

I am reconditioning and restomoding it, very mild customizing.

It's coming along well, cleaning it up, repainting, repolishing, down to the bare frame that's going out for powder coating soon. I will be cleaning up some of the very few clunky design details on these beauties like the messy wiring, the headlight bucket that's a little too high (mine is bent up anyway)and I am blending out the gas tank seam weld. And since it seems next to impossible to get chrome parts in VGC and since most of the chrome on mine is pitted or missing, MOST of the original chrome stuff is going to be painted. (the taillight housing is in good shape! but that might be color matched too if it looks odd.)

Oh and deleting most of the excessive amount of "Yamaha" emblems on it. I count at least 13 emblems on something that's a little over 5 feet long! wow. The "MAXIM"s stay though.

I'm enthused!

This will also be the primer for the restoration of a 1961 Parilla "Wildcat Scrambler". In some ways it will be easier, in other ways more difficult.

Thanks in advance for answering any questions I will have,

Peganit2

p.s. I am going to paint the taillight housing.

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peganit2 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 2:49 pm

No performance mods. I was thinking about "pods" mainly because the airbox's chrome cover just doesn't work aesthetically for me but after reading through this forum, I'm keeping the stock airbox. I may mod the cover, but it's not a deal breaker on these.

The exhaust system is shot. It actually cracked in half when I was riding it back in the day, so I figure there are ZERO VGC used pipes and if there is an NOS system out there, it's going to be VERY expensive and fragile anyway.

How much of a performance loss and how much louder with these?;
www.ebay.com/itm/Yamah...27de5e3d43


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peganit2 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 3:03 pm

Their are NOS parts out there, but the tally may be close to $800!

www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Y...51a0be4f9e

www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAH...1c3a288052

I extrapolated.

Yep.

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k-moe posted: Sun May 25, 2014 4:45 pm

Personally I woud find a used exhaust that is in good shape, but cosmetically imperfect, and have it ceramic coated.

Jet-Hot
Jet-Hot isn't the only company doing ceramic coatings, but they have been doing it for a very long time.

Their 0100 silver looks almost like chrome. http://www.jet-hot.com/coatings/premium-colors/

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peganit2 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 5:03 pm

Now there's a thought K-moe.

But I'd like a really good match for the bare aluminum that's left.

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peganit2 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 5:21 pm

I suspect that the factory system gets brittle from the chroming process. Nitrogen embrittlement.

What's the coating on midnight maxim's exhaust?

And on a similar note, are the cylinder jugs different on Midnight Maxims? I'm painting my engine black with the ends of the cooling fins bare aluminum and it appeared it may be easier if I got a Midnight jug. The fin ends look machined.

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jesse8931 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 5:27 pm

get ahould of len of www.xj4ever.com/ he should have everything you need like ss brake lines rebuild kits brake shoes etc.

I tried to save a few bucks and ordered parts from a major supplier and ended up getting wrong parts and ended up costing me money...

I ordered all the parts the 2nd time from him they came fast got them installed and back on the road.

Also a buddy of mine does powder coating he has hi temp chrome looks great that may be an option for you.

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peganit2 Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 10:48 pm

Not ONE nut or bolt left on the frame. Cleaned and ready for some needed small repairs and a wee bit of "desnagging" and deburring. I do not like unecessary bleeding. I do like smooth.

The things I only notice when I take things apart; The right side rear spring/shock upper mounting stud is stripped and about a half inch shorter than the left side. (crash damage again?) I can get it off and make a new one fairly easy, but I'm second guessing myself as to what kind of steel I should use to make it out of. I love chrome moly but welding it can be tricky.

Plus there is a half round plate welded to the left lower tube, just to the front of the center stand, that I think was the kick stand mount at one time, but is now just two pieces of excess baggage in my eyes. Good guess? If that's all it is I'll just finish the job that stress and crashes started, cut it off and smooth it out.

After the repairs and smoothing, off to the powder coater! While that's away I'll keep plugging away at the details.

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bigfitz52 Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 12:13 pm

peganit2 wrote:
"...The fin ends look machined."

You can accomplish the same "look" with a sanding block and 800-wet sandpaper after the paint has cured.

RE: powder coating the frame-- powder coating is way cool, I have some powder-coated pieces on my Seca. However, powder coating can and will chip, and repairing it means re-baking the part.

You might want to consider painting the frame. Makes repairing minor stone chips much easier.

_________________
Technical Writer & Advisor

'83 XJ550RK Seca- "Toxic Asset"; 18K miles- resto-fied, upgraded and personalized (stock but better) now my DR
'81 XJ550RH Seca- Fully Recommissioned original classic; 27K miles- stock except bars, seat, shocks and SS brake lines.
'82 XJ650RJ Seca- 13K miles and rough. Slowly undergoing resurrection
1974 Norton Commando 850- ORIGINAL OWNER; 45K original miles and going strong

First Bike: 1966 Honda CB160 Sport! (in '68)

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peganit2 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:27 pm

I am reconsidering fitz, as usual. I don't a have blast area and oven big enough to do the frame myself like the rest of the bike, but where I work do! (I HATE asking favors....) I may have to suck it up.

Just found this today. www.rustoleum.com/prod...l-coating/ (if the link doesn't take you directly to that product, type in "steel-tech" in their search bar.)

Brushed on with a clear coat maybe AWESOME!

It ain't cheap tho! $250 a gallon, which is comparable to powder coating. $50 a quart.

(If the link doesn't work, copy and paste. Sorry!)

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peganit2 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:47 pm

two formulas, Polyurathane and Epoxy.

I'm going for the poly.

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tskaz Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:48 pm

For that price you could probably have it sprayed with Rhino Liner or something similar

_________________
Chacal + XJ4Ever, Thanks for the quick service - Skaz

1982 XJ650RJ 19,000 miles (4200 since the rebuild)
My 650R build www.xjbikes.com/Forums...35004.html
New ignition, old keys www.xjbikes.com/Forums...34810.html
Rebuilding your starter www.xjbikes.com/Forums...45727.html

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peganit2 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:53 pm

tskaz wrote:
"For that price you could probably have it sprayed with Rhino Liner or something similar"

Nahhhh.

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peganit2 Posted: Thu June 12 at 9:20PM;

90% of the medium/small black stuff is done. The gun in my blast cabinet is finished so I need a new one before finishing the other 10%.

Soon.

A nice and subtle detail. I sanded the DOT letters and numbers off of my taillight lens and front reflectors before polishing.

 

That was weird. :wink:

 

MY new sand blast gun is FANTASTIC! It cut blast time down by more than 50% at least. So much time saved with it, I have my swingarm painted 3 hrs after punching out at work. And that includes payday business and finding this badboy gun! Only $19.99 at TSC too. (I had blasted about 20% of the original coating off with the old gun, but that was getting frustrating. It took longer to do that first 20% then it did to do the rest!)

A key I think; a 5/8" syphon hose versus the 3/8" original one, on top of being all new. PLUS I can get replacement tips at TSC.

Kind of a bitch in my not so big cabinet though, but WAY worth it. I think I'll look for a more flexible 5/8" syphon hose.

 

Polished the rear aluminum footpeg mounts to 320 grit, not very high. Dissapointed. The aluminum used has inconsistencies that showed up on the surface.

Going to have to take it back down to 150, or less. Still a good look, brushed aluminum. 8)

 

Dang-it I just got my camera working. No before and after pics.

During and after I guess.

I'll describe it from memory :roll: A 1981, grey, 650 Maxim that had seen better days. Sitting in a barn since 1994, it was filthy and crusty. The tires where flat and rotted, the front fender was missing, the carbs had been removed years ago (probably a good thing! They where partially dissasembled and put in a semi sealed plastic box in an attic), the aluminum had turned partially white from corrosion, the chrome that was left was dirty, mildly flaking and mildly rusted, the gas cap was missing so water/condensation got into the gas tank and rusted it out, the high back seat was dirty and slightly mildewed/moldy and mud wasps had filled nearly every nook and cranny with their nests. I still don't have all of the mud out of the cooling fins of the motor :!:

I brought it back home, checked the oil and cranked it over with a direct hookup to the battery (wasn't trying to start it) since the starter button didn't do anything. The lights worked, but I may have just forgotten the start up procedure, i.e. put it in neutral, pulling in the clutch handle, etc, etc.

Then I stripped it to the frame. 8O

IIRC it started up very well and ran great back in the day, just had a minor electrical glitch in the lights and a NASTY!! front end wobble above about 65MPH.

I'll get some pics posted soon.

Edit: The front brake system was a coagulated, corroded mess, from MC to caliper. The rear worked. Soaking the caliper in barrymans as we speak, and I will need a new MC.

Edit: The grab bar had long since disappeared. It was broken anyway, right at that weak point at the shock mount.

 

Getting carried away. I wet sanded the swing arm and the center stand. No way I can't do that to the frame now.

This may take longer than I first thought. :wink:

 

I will not be doing the stainless Rustoleum to the frame talked about above. I'll be using the same VHT Satin Black caliper paint that the rest of the black details are.

Follow the directions and this stuff is HARD!!

 

Color finally! Clearcoat soon, over "Sonic Blue", a Ford color

I'll stop at 220grit I love brushed aluminum.

Subtle It will be smoother than new when I'm done.

A bookshelf full of done!

Attention to detail!

 

Three shelves full. 8O

No wait, four!

 

Would like to see the pica but apparently the kindle is being contrary

 

Anyone else not seeing the pics?

 

Bullseye

Skill baby! The right tools matter.

Berrymans carb cleaner, fresh out of the bucket

Blasted, and some parting line cleanup

Attention to detail!Blasted and cold galvanised coated.

I drove 364 miles to get these!They are in VERY good condition.

Edit: Anyone want a 550 Maxim grab bar?! I bought one by mistake earlier.

 

Are the pics visible?

 

I am waiting for the day when I can get the chassis back together.

When I finish the frame and then put in an order to Len, who knows, maybe I'll have the chassis together by fall!

This thing keeps my youthfull enthusiasm going. My car projects tend to kill it. WAY too much money for those at this time in my life.

 

Good luck with tuning the pods. A lot of people have had difficulty getting the stock CV carbs and pods to work together well at all RPMs. I think some have succeeded... more than a few have also put the stock airbox back on after a long struggle.

 

It's amended and posted up there somewhere:

No pods. 8)

 

Baking in the sun:

This is ridiculous. When I first took it off all I was going to do was clean it. 8O The airbox needed the same treatment, not so sure about this, but what the hell. It only took an hour or so for both of them.

P.S. There's a "secret" to painting this kind of plastic. It's called flame treating. It's about the energy level of the painted surface.

It takes practice. 8)

This paint won't be coming off any time soon. Rustoleum's flat black, it has that iridescent look in the sun. I like it.

 

I need more shelving....

 

Slow week, life happens, and I ruined my taillight housing after being 99% done with it. :cry: About 4 hrs of work in that dang thing! (a hint as to how I ruined it. The VHT paint is tough when you follow the directions.)

VHT caliper paint is tough! Deburred, parting lines smoothed, wet sanded.

Fine, fine scratches left

I added 4 shelves, and they're getting full fast

 

Ok seriously, is anyone seeing the pics??!! I've seen them myself until now, then poof, nada!

 

Pictures are visible.

 

Things are gonna move FAST on My Old Maxim in the next few months. 8)

 

Jet Hot's site says no plating over chrome. Anyone have a sure fire, non mechanical and safe way to remove the chrome from an XJ exhaust?

 

http://www.finishing.com/index.html
i've searched this site and the conclusion is, take it to a pro who has all the nasty chemicals to do it right.
i've painted chrome pipes with pretty good results. go outside with your muriatic acid and a small paint brush, paint the acid all over about three times. by then the chrome should loose it's shine and the rust should be out of any rust pits. the duller the chrome, the better the paint sticks. any rust left in the pits will re-rust first. then rinse them twice and paint with hi-heat bbq paint.
your good for two years, then touch up with a q-tip

 

Excellent site polock; It explains why the pretty chrome work on the $200 Schwinn OCC chopper "Sting Ray" bicycle I bought for my son 10 years ago rusted something fierce after ONE NIGHT! of being left outside in the rain. I knew instinctively that it was a cheap Chinese chrome job, but that website explained why clearly. Who knew it worked sacrificialy in reverse!

Schwinn used to have a good rep with me, and word got out quickly how cheap they actually where. Truly aweful bicycles! Good looking tho, it's still sitting in my polebarn, all 62 pounds of it! (You HAVE to put a motor on it to be useful, and I may for my now 1 year old grandson. 8) )

 

good news/bad news regarding my rims.

The good; Looks almost new!

The bad; Hopefully, it looks worse than it is. I'll find out soon.

 

start on that front with oven cleaner, the lye in it tears up that white corrosion but it doesn't do the aluminum any good if left on too long.
you might be looking for another rim.
some "expert" tire guy got happy with the soapy water tire lube

 

After 20+ yrs, I was giddy and amazed when he took the rear tire off and it was that clean. :lol:

The front was what I was expecting.

What where OEM tires on 81 650 Maxims? The ones just removed where Bridgestones, and I wouldn't be surprised if they where the original tires.

 

The mother of invention Made quick work of cleaning up the front rim


Looks allright from here but...

The worst one but plenty like it all the way around. I'm pretty sure it will seal. Should I take a poll whether or not I should replace it?



Also, sand blasted the last of the little Satin Black parts, to be painted soon, including my master cylinder. It looks saveble to me. 8)


P.S. ALL these pics can be MEGA SIZED!! in my photo bucket account and all the gory details can be seen. First, click on the pic in the thread, then when PB loads the pic, click on the magnifier icon in the lower right corner

P.P.S. wow that camera picks up some detail!!!

Feel free.

 

looks good to me.
after all that work, what do you think about a new rim valve?

 

You mean the schrader valves? They're both VERY high quality stainless steel screw down jobbees and are both in very good shape.

 

I'll get some fine sanding discs and some buffing pads for my 2" die grinder and spiff up the inside then.

And I think I'll try some aircraft paint remover and some oven cleaner to prep the outside of the rims for paint, so I don't have to get them sand blasted.

 

Enough with the SAND blasting. Bad idea on alloy.

Walnut shells or soda.

And Scotchbrite, not sandpaper and certainly not steel wool.

You can't go getting all medieval. You'll remove too much metal.

 

Ok Ok media blasted.

 

yea schrader valves, their all stainless but new ones don't have 30 year old rubber sealing them. keep that die grinder in the tool box it's to aggressive. scotchbrite is just right for the inside.
if i was painting the rim, i'd spend my time cleaning not stripping. that black is tough stuff and there's really nothing to be gained by taking it off. bare aluminum is hard to paint

 

Of course I'll change the rubber.

You may be right. I'll take a closer look tomorrow. Maybe I CAN just clean and paint something!

So far the only things that haven't needed any work aside from cleaning is the little plastic cover over the bolt holes for the missing rightside brake disc, and the drive hub. 8O

 

hmmmm How do I get that burr off of my clutch handlebar bracket without destroying it?

Don't wanna be too "aggressive" now. :roll:

I do like the crisp edges of the design, how about you?

And is that THE primo surface finish for paint adhesion or is it just my imagination? :?

P.S. It was really bothering me to hold that thing for the pic with my bare, oily fingers.

 

I use abrasives in a WIDE variety of forms nearly EVERY working day of my life.

Which begs the question, WHY DO I COME HOME AND DO IT?!?! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am a hands on toolmaker, in the trenches, makin' stuff, from a WIDE variety of materials, from plywood to high speed steel, and everything in between. I have been called a sculpturist, an artist even.

I have of course been warned about sand blasting removing metal, and I'm sure it would if you did it wrong, but I've actually checked it out, measured it, and I have found nil to negligable changes in dimensions from correctly done media blasting in even the more aggresive grits.

That handle bar bracket was blasted aggresively at 90 PSI with 70 grit Aluminum Oxide media. (the corrosion on that steel screw came off in seconds.)

You'd think that weak little burr would have been obliterated. 8O



Just a challenge. :wink:

 

"I have been called a sculpturist, an artist even."
I'll bet that ain't all you been called 😃 😃 😃
That burr, maybe a sharp knife, or a chainsaw file or that die grinder with a cone burr.
If for blasting all that stuff you should try gunkote. I don't know anything else that stays on a master cylinder.

 

Not me.

Just don't ask my wife. :lol:

 

My Dremel, my "home" Opti-visors and a carbide burr.

 

I was gonna get some earlier on your suggestion but couldn't, now I can, and will. 8)

 

No such luck.

Mineral spirits and scotch brite and a LOT of the original black came off before the oxidation did.

On a good note, the rear wheel cleaned up BEAUTIFULLY!, and I took the opportunity to deburr and smooth the machining and casting flaws, without changing the sandcast texture that I like.

 

Spectacular test fail regarding VHT Caliper paint.;

Pics as soon as my family allows.

Bad Bad Bad

 

I might;

Note the time;15:29

tic toc; 15:35

soft as mud;

Less than ten minutes; 15:37

Bummer....

The thicker the paint the easier it came off. :cry:

(This is a test piece)


I do realize that we do not immerse our parts in gasoline for nearly ten minutes, but I need better paint for certain components, so this is MY standard.

 

How long did the paint have to properly cure before the test?

 

Followed the directions, 200 degrees for 1 Hour, BUT I am not 100% certain the oven is hitting 200.

Certifying the temp maybe my next move before the brake fluid test. (Or as close as home measurements allow.)

 

i'll put my money on the brake fluid

 

LOL.

I won't take that bet.

 

Are the brake components that I'm going to be buying from http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewforum/f=23.html DOT5 brake fluid compatible?

Silicone based brake fluid solves the problem of dissolving the paint.

VHT Caliper paint is what I need to use for most of the components right now. Aside from ease of use, I'm filling and smoothing the frame, and from the research I'VE done, common fillers can't take the 350-400 degree heat that powder coating requires.