Restoration Tips

[McBrenner]

Post up your tips and tricks.

[Vintagesleds.com]

[wigman1]

Here you go, from personal experience:

1 - PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES of EVERYTHING from all angles before you take it apart.

2 - HUNDREDS of small plastic Ziploc bags to put parts in along with a piece of paper telling you where it went and what direction was 'front' or 'up'.

3 - Original parts manuals showing blowups of everything on the sled. Pay whatever you have to to get your hands on these.

4 - Start with the sled UPSIDE DOWN on a pair of sawhorses - this makes getting the undercarriage and track installed a breeze.

5 - After the track & suspension are in, set the sled upright on a couple of horses with a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood screwed to the horses - this is the level you want to work on it.

6 - TAKE YOUR TIME BEFORE YOU PUT ON ANY PART, MAKE SURE ANOTHER PART DOESN'T NEED TO GO ON FIRST!!!

7 - Did I mention PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES!!!!


Hope this helps!!!! Good Luck!      Wig

[sno jetter]

step 6 there is the one i hate, just as you tighten the bolt up and snug it, you for got that pesky little important part that goes there.... must say ive had luck with doing stuff by memory for now... pictures do help, the simplest thing now while taking it apart can be the most complicated part putting it back together....

[wigman1]

I still have 2 bolts that go on my Rupp that I never was able to put on because they had to be installed BEFORE the track. Oh well, unless I find someone with really skinny arms, they ain't gonna be put in I guess, because I am NOT taking that track and suspension back out!!    Wig

[sno jetter]

were do the bolts go to wig?

[lotsorupps]

Loctite all the fasteners.
Stainless hardware costs more, but won't rust out.

[Link]

I have a neat lil garage tip.=

When using your vice you can get some of that sticky backed heavy foam for the jaws.

That way the "jaws" don't eat up your project.

How's that one?

cheers   Link

[acat800]

I've had my first two restorations puke oil all over the bellypan because the exhaust wasn't sealed tight.  Or when it first started, it ran on one cylinder and produced extra oil/fuel in the exhaust.  I use an exhaust sealant tape on any joints in the exhaust now and copper spray around the manifold gaskets.  This helps to ensure a good seal.

Also, don't start it without the airbox or some sort of protection around the carbs.  They tend to spit some fuel/oil out on nice shiny parts. 



Also, I echo the pictures and parts labeling comments above.  You can never overdo this.

[sno jetter]

Acat800 just use some RTV or what ive found that works well and is black it just fireplace silicone. works great, put it on any exhaust connections and your good!!
Joe

[wigman1]

were do the bolts go to wig?

Joe: One goes through the chaincase to help lash it to the chassis and the other goes through the backside of the bulkhead and doesn't really seem to hold anything. I'm debating what to do with it at this point, I might just have to dive into it to get that one on the chaincase done at least, but what a chore!  Wig

[Snojet Steve]

Good advise from Wigman except I put my 76' Nitro on sawhorses right side up. One sawhorse toppled over when I was fitting the engine and doing some measurements. The freshly restored fiberglass panels and painted belly pan became garbage in a few seconds!


So... my advice is make sure wherever you put your sled on to work on it is stable, whether it be a table or sawhorses...or even a floor. Make sure it's rugged!

[skidoosnopro]

I build hanagan trikes and I am also a master certified BMW motorcycle mech . When every I get into a big project of  assembly or rebuild . I mark every bolt with white out after I have tighten it so that when I go back to inspect I know I tightened that bolt . This safe's a lot of frustration so I know the job is done right     

[SWsidewinder]

This is a great thread!!!  Keep those tips coming guys!!!

[wigman1]

Good advise from Wigman except I put my 76' Nitro on sawhorses right side up. One sawhorse toppled over when I was fitting the engine and doing some measurements. The freshly restored fiberglass panels and painted belly pan became garbage in a few seconds!


So... my advice is make sure wherever you put your sled on to work on it is stable, whether it be a table or sawhorses...or even a floor. Make sure it's rugged!

That's why I use the 3/4" plywood screwed or bolted to the sawhorses - they are plenty sturdy to hold anything you can put on it. Having the sled up on the horses puts it at the perfect level to work on without killing your back, and the plywood holds plenty of parts/tools/etc!!  Wig

[evinrude MAN]

How do you start a restoration?  take everything off and sandblast it??