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Replacing the front frame


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Let's just say that I have to replace the front frame even though there is nothing wrong with it. I only have a parking space with simple'ish tools to do this. Since I'm doing some winter cleaning and the bike no longer has the rear frame and rear swing arm attached. Now it's only the engine, front frame and front suspension that are still connected.

Can anyone give me any tips with replacing the frame? I figured that I take out the exhaust headers, get some bricks and wood to sit under the oil pain. After that, take out off the entire front suspension and hopefully the engine will balance on the improvised resting platform while I lift up and out the frame. Does this sound like this is how it should be done? Can the cooling system remain in place or will it have to be drained and the radiators taken off as well?

Thank you.

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Never took the frame off myself but lifting it off the engine seems to be the common method. 

For the rads and everything else, why not use the opportunity to replace the hoses, thermostat and do a valve check?  There'll never be an easier time.

 

Why do you need to replace the frame if there's nothing wrong with it? Just curious. 

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5 hours ago, Bren said:

Why do you need to replace the frame if there's nothing wrong with it? Just curious. 

 

Sounds like it might be for a little thing called a title?   I did the same thing for a bike I originally built as a track only bike.  It was way easier to do this than deal with Washington State when I realized I wanted to routinely ride it on the street (with less anxiety).

 

20200918_155806.thumb.jpg.1fcec569c5a718179a7d95573b6982bd.jpg

 

I decided to go thru another engine and lay on another wire harness, then just transfer everything over.

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6 hours ago, Bren said:

Never took the frame off myself but lifting it off the engine seems to be the common method. 

For the rads and everything else, why not use the opportunity to replace the hoses, thermostat and do a valve check?  There'll never be an easier time.

 

Why do you need to replace the frame if there's nothing wrong with it? Just curious. 


Great idea with the hoses and thermostat. Didn't even think about refreshing all the rest of the hard to reach pieces. Never did a thermostat job on these bikes. How long are they supposed to last? Wondering because, in my country, that sounds like an expensive piece. 
 

1 hour ago, Captain 80s said:

 

Sounds like it might be for a little thing called a title?   I did the same thing for a bike I originally built as a track only bike.  It was way easier to do this than deal with Washington State when I realized I wanted to routinely ride it on the street (with less anxiety).

 

 

 

I decided to go thru another engine and lay on another wire harness, then just transfer everything over.



Correctish. I forgot to register it as a non-op and didn't renew my insurance. The fees for not having insurance is now worth for the entire worth of the bike.  Great to hear that at this stage, it can be done without too many headaches. I was afraid if I had to lift the engine.

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Wow.  Washington has some BS, but I'm really fucking glad I live here and not there.  Wild West here still I suppose - no inspection, emission tests or non-op fees.  Hell they just recently required proof of insurance for motorcycles a few years ago.

 

Good luck!!

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3 minutes ago, Captain 80s said:

Wow.  Washington has some BS, but I'm really fucking glad I live here and not there.  Wild West here still I suppose - no inspection, emission tests or non-op fees.  Hell they just recently required proof of insurance for motorcycles a few years ago.

 

Good luck!!


For real? That sounds like a biker's wonder land. My one regret when still living in Cali was never riding up to the PNW. Europe is insanely stricter with regulations and a little too many people love it.

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1 minute ago, dozyproductions said:


For real? That sounds like a biker's wonder land. My one regret when still living in Cali was never riding up to the PNW. Europe is insanely stricter with regulations and a little too many people love it.

 

That is a regret.  It's beautiful here with lots of great riding roads in the foothills and mountains, including up into British Columbia, Canada.

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14 minutes ago, Captain 80s said:

 

That is a regret.  It's beautiful here with lots of great riding roads in the foothills and mountains, including up into British Columbia, Canada.


You got it good and here's a reminder to make use of it all for the people like me who are surrounded by perpetual flatness! 

Btw, with replacing silicone hoses. Black or Blue for a red bike with gold wheels? 

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You should try Austria for rules and regulations, the home of bureaucracy and hierarchy!

They love it!

 

Park on the opposite side of the road (facing traffic) - fine.

Park your bike with the front wheel to the kerb - fine.

Make any modification to your bike and don't have it inspected and registered- fine.

Use any non ABE stamped and approved accessories- fine.

It's never ending 😭

 

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In my youth I had blown 3 vfr motors in my VFR750 1986.  The tricky parts is not to break the 2 front lower hanger bolt ie PB Blaster.  A scissor jack works wonders and removing the front tire help great front and rear stand and a extra pair of hands.  I would download the service manual which helps also.

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1 minute ago, VFR750F3 said:

In my youth I had blown 3 vfr motors in my VFR750 1986.  The tricky parts is not to break the 2 front lower hanger bolt ie PB Blaster. 

 

Those are the only ones that have ever given me trouble...   but I've never broke one.  Now I soak, heat, soak, heat.

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11 hours ago, Bren said:

You should try Austria for rules and regulations, the home of bureaucracy and hierarchy!

They love it!

 

Park on the opposite side of the road (facing traffic) - fine.

Park your bike with the front wheel to the kerb - fine.

Make any modification to your bike and don't have it inspected and registered- fine.

Use any non ABE stamped and approved accessories- fine.

It's never ending 😭

 


wow, that's really rough. I'll keep my bitching to a minimum then ;) 
 

9 hours ago, VFR750F3 said:

In my youth I had blown 3 vfr motors in my VFR750 1986.  The tricky parts is not to break the 2 front lower hanger bolt ie PB Blaster.  A scissor jack works wonders and removing the front tire help great front and rear stand and a extra pair of hands.  I would download the service manual which helps also.


Does a 5th gen have these and where? My approach was to take apart one lego piece at a time. 

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So the new frame does have some rust spots in the rear bolt locations. Perhaps I could use a little vinegar and lemon to get it off but what should I do to prevent it. I've seen some of these anti corrosion sprays that say long term but that's usually for a year. In my country we have an overabundance of zin (+ aluminum) anti corrosive sprays which are advertised more like a protective layer that is more like paint and have a similar color to our frame. Would this be a good solution? I saved some cars from rust but we just sprayed epoxy primer over it so that experience doesn't apply for here. 

If you have google translate here is one example:
https://allegro.pl/oferta/preparat-antykorozyjny-ecochemical-alzn-600-500-ml-7409349272?bi_s=ads&bi_m=showitem:desktop:top:active&bi_c=NDkxMDFmOTEtMzIzYi00ZTdkLWIzY2UtMDk0ODRiM2JmYTUzAA&bi_t=ape&referrer=proxy&emission_unit_id=0a9942f0-661c-49fa-9399-25c9ed5c6759

and

https://allegro.pl/oferta/farba-lakier-spray-szybkoschnacy-aluminium-400-ml-11001506742?reco_id=4563e59a-a23e-11ed-a814-7aeed51f3b56&sid=baff0ea30f4c6b88dd72768681f440a4ecd0dc0ccd352e689eb13eb4a760ec99

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The main frame of the VFR is aluminium so you shouldn't have rust on it. The front "nose" subframe and the rear subframe are both steel and they can rust. 

 

The best thing to do with rust, if you're worried about it, is to kill it first before painting or protecting. Get a rust converter like one of these: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product-reviews/354923/best-rust-converters-2021

 

Then you can paint over that if you want and it should last a long time. 

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4 hours ago, fabio222 said:

The main frame of the VFR is aluminium so you shouldn't have rust on it. The front "nose" subframe and the rear subframe are both steel and they can rust. 

 

The best thing to do with rust, if you're worried about it, is to kill it first before painting or protecting. Get a rust converter like one of these: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product-reviews/354923/best-rust-converters-2021

 

Then you can paint over that if you want and it should last a long time. 


Thank you for the response. I didn't know the other parts were steel but it perfectly explains the rust. I can try to find my way around getting a rust off type product but what would you say are good spray on inhibitors? These zinc / metal type sprays? I have some reservations in using auto primers or those annual anti corrosive sprays. Anti corrosive sprays last a year and primers might not be tough enough for metal to metal contact points.  

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Fabio222 is right, the main frame is aluminium and the front and rear sub frames are steel which can rust.

Are you sure the rust you see isn't just left over residue from the engine bolt which is steel? Could just be a reaction between the 2 metals. Have a picture?

I didn't have any rust on my main frame when I took off the rear sub frame for powder coating. Maybe a rub with some wire wool and wd40 and see if it comes off? I wouldn't have thought you need to spray it at all.

If the steel sub frame is rusty then wire wheel down to clean steel, prime and top coat and it should be good for years.

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On 2/3/2023 at 7:50 AM, Bren said:

Fabio222 is right, the main frame is aluminium and the front and rear sub frames are steel which can rust.

Are you sure the rust you see isn't just left over residue from the engine bolt which is steel? Could just be a reaction between the 2 metals. Have a picture?

I didn't have any rust on my main frame when I took off the rear sub frame for powder coating. Maybe a rub with some wire wool and wd40 and see if it comes off? I wouldn't have thought you need to spray it at all.

If the steel sub frame is rusty then wire wheel down to clean steel, prime and top coat and it should be good for years.


Sorry for not replying. The pictures online made it look bad. When I got the frame it only barely had surface rust. I took a bit with some hard cleaners, scrubbing and scotchbrite. Just coated it with a long time anti corrosive satin silver like protective paint similar to the idea of one of the products above. 

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