Tank Shift Bushing Carrier Mount

[ricmoran]

I posted images of my 39 Knuckle a day or so ago.

The bike was restored about 5 years ago, ridden for 30 miles over that time period and in between sat in various climates, temperature controlled and then open shop area on a pallet racked stored without a cover or means to protect the bike from corrosion.

In Hawaii it is a big deal when it comes to corrosion, we have an active volcano spewing sulfuric dioxide and when the winds blow out of the south we get vog. Temps run to 90's in the day and drops to the mid to low 70's most nights, enough to make metal sweat and condensate.

To top if off, with the chlorides from the ocean the mix is quite noxious for metals, especially when both the sulfuric dioxide particles get wet, sulfuric acid forms (rainfall tests of pH here show that the rain water is 3.5 to 4 pH, acidic) and mixes with chlorides to fast track corrosion.

The rotating stud that holds the shift lever that rides on thebrass bushing froze in the bushing carrier assembly that is pressed into the repop tank.

Riding the bike form the shop home did not help it at all, as now the bushing carrier assembly that is splined to hold to the tank tab has broken free, rotates a few degrees back and forth.

I used one of the thin film rust inhibitors we distribute, (We are in the rust & corrosion control business) and treated the steel fastener that rides inside the brass bushing to free the fastener. The inhibitor works wonders for unlocking frozen mechanisms without a lot of force and after a couple three treatments was able to tap the rotating fastener out of the bushing.

The people who did this restoration seemed to be in love with some type of compound that seals things like petcocks from leaking and since the bike sat for years, I can't break free the petcock on the left side of the tank to get the fastener out. These people are no longer around to ask what was used so with that I am not into forcing parts out and causing further damage.

The bike is fully streetable, has a great paint job on it so I am not attacking anything with heat.

I used valve grinding compound to lap the fastener inside the brass bushing to clean the ferrous oxide down to good substrate, not enough to allow wobble, then cleaned the brass bushing out with the thin film inhibitor to get all the grit out.

However, the splined carrier for the brass bushing has enough play in it to hamper a good clean smooth operational assembly for the shift lever as there is wobble there. With the free play the tolerance is excessive and does not allow for good clean shifting.

Is this assembly typical, where there is a splined carrier for the brass bushing that is pressed into the tab on the fuel tank?

Are replacements of this carrier assembly available?

I see that Colony and others only sell the bushing and the remainder of the assembly to mount the shift lever.

I have an idea on how to make a repair if there are no replacement carriers available but before I do this I thought it best to ask first because my idea involves use of small roll pins and some drilling and if I can stay away from that I would prefer a more sanitary repair than going gonzos like a surgeon on a bone.

Thanks fellow members for any help you may provide.

Best Regards,

Rich Moran

[ricmoran]

Guys, got the bushing carrier out of the tank last night. This is what it looks like. Anyone have any leads on where the bushing carrier can be found?

Thanks for any help and Best Regards,

Rich Moran

[Rubone]

That bushing is intended to be non replaceable part permanently attached to the bracket. If it was mine I would have someone make a new bushing with a slightly larger OD, straight knurl it and press it in so there is no movement. I have never seen one available as a replacement part and actually never seen one come out, at least not in a factory tank! With aftermarket anything is possible as far as failure goes.
Robbie

[junkyarddog]

Install it with green loc tite.
Jim

[chas]

If I'm not prying Rich, on which island do you live? I'm on the BI.

[ricmoran]

Guys, thanks for your replies.

I contacted Loctite to discover if the green would work for this and they advised to use a metal putty they make. The problem was what was needed to properly fill in some gaps where the bushing carrier broke free and rounded. The green loctite per their advice did not have the tensile strength or pencil hardness required for this application.

So I picked up a 1 LB kit and the repair is done. The kit was just under 50.00, expensive for a metal putty but when you consider the alternative, to perhaps having a new carrier made in a one or 2 off if this works the cost savings will offset the expence.

If there would have been others with the same problem I would have seen a friend who owns a well supplied shop to have some of these made.

Talk about some really good metal putty, this stuff once applied looks like it is not coming off for any reason. This may be good or it could be bad too.

Time will tell how well this product works and the bushing carrier does come apart from it's mount.

The data sheet attests to a high PSI and as well, once hardened the steel putty can be machined. The putty can also be used for a tank sealer if need be. See the attached data sheet in case anyone needs this for repairs of parts that just cannot be thrown away.

Chas, on Oahu. Where you stay on BI? We are close to South Seas HD dealership.


Best Regards and thanks for everyones input.