More problems

[partshunt]

Stan, Tom:-

Dennis has helped me a lot on mine and some of the engine work for me. He is a great guy, had to take over after his Dads passing. He had a lot on his shoulders for a while, musta been rough on him. Tom Fickau makes very nice chain guards, I have one of his on my 402. His parts are identical to the original piece, right down to the crimps and original creases here and there. I am close to the first ride in a coupla weeks I am hopeing...Joe

[INLINE4NUT]

Dennis has helped me on a few parts needed for a 41 Four I have anintake manifold his dad had made! It now runs soooo nice! He has been a little slow as of late getting stuff back to me but when it does get here it is always just what I need so I guess good things do take time
Stan good luck and I do hope you enjoy your retirement I know I do mine even though at times money is tight !!!!

[PRG]

Four...that first ride

Howdy Chaps

..Joe, working on it 10 years, first 4 ride will be on your very own? Man, how sweet it’ll be, that's how I did with my Vincent in the signature below. I was just reminded of my first ride 15 years ago on my then newly acquired 440 just lately having finally gotten this 441 on the road again after much determined effort.

There’s nothing more exhilarating than a crisp winter day to fire up a machine that’s not turned a wheel in over half a century under its own power. Made all the better by completing a 13 year restoration saga (10 of which spent learning a valuable life’s lesson or two about sending one’s motor off to the hinterlands) when you’ve done everything yourself in your garage except the plating and machining.

All is forgotten now, looking at these scarred-up gnarly nubs for fingers and recollections of hundreds of hours spent in clouds of dust, sparks and paint fumes. Though I’ve ridden my other one for 15 years, the sweat, worrying and improvements made setting off on this one like riding a 4 for the first time all over again – and I was reminded, you’ll be blown away – and there’s nothing quite like these machines despite their foibles.

First pic is of the day I collected it from the seller, the last of his dozen 4’s and last old motorcycle. To diminish the pain, he departed in the opposite direction in his Model A as I trailered off his machine he’d had since the 50’s, in 1995, still on it’s 1958 open dealer title from his m/c shop. JWW, as Calvin will attest, your chrome chap’s work is simply over the top. Those are the original rims, which naturally, I had to lace with perfect original single butted .175’s and .343 nipples cad’d up nicely. The Crocker steering damper looks like jewelry, I’ll never use anyone else.

Regarding Robbins/Egge’s, it’s not that they are inherently flawed - have run them for 10 years in my 440 - it’s just that piston/ring technology has made huge advances and CNC equipment enables small/individual runs in intermediate sizes at reasonable prices. Where you can run into problems with these pistons are hot weather/high speed riding with lean fuel mixtures/incorrect ignition settings – primarily from intake manifold leaks on 38-42’s – wherein these thick 4 ring pistons using tension technology, rather than gas expansion - have you closer to the thermal limit. Throw in one of those variables and you may either lightly soft seize at the skirts or wear your bores prematurely. It is not uncommon to shut a motor off so equipped in hot weather and then have it very difficult to kick through with the ignition off till the pistons cool/contract. Good luck with yours. [B]

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Four...that first ride

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Four...that first ride

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Four: that first ride....

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Four...that first ride

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Four...that first ride

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Four...that first ride

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Four...that first ride

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[INLINE4NUT]

PRG. thanks for the post! Your machine sure looks tobe a labour of LOVE thankyou for sharing with all of us!!

[Tom Lovejoy]

Beautiful machine for certain and your post was interesting, thanks. Yep I know Dennis well, though I have not talked to him in a couple years. Hey Joe, good luck what a thrill you are in for and their one of the best sounding machines ever!! I have ridden next to Harry Sucher on his at about 45, it sounded so good!!!! Cant wait to hear how it goes and our fingers are crossed all goes well.

[partshunt]

Thank you very very much Tom: I will send a coupla pics of it later, right now its stuck for the old style 4 key trans sprocket. Also, A coupla small items have been removed for repaint. Soon it will be ready. Its fueled and has been started and run up a bit statically tho.....Does anyone know who may have or remake those older 4 key sprockets? I'm sure they be the same as Ace used, maybe even Hendersons. Need a 17 or even 18 tooth for a 29 model 402. ...Thanks again for your good luck wish.....Joe

[Perry Ruiter]

Wow - learn something new everyday. I thought all Indian fours had a sprocket with a single key. But my 401 parts book shows 4 keys in use. My 403 parts book shows only one so it was changed early on. I don't have a 402 parts book which is what you are working on Joe. One key sprockets are readily available from Guy Hendersen but you'd need to pull your motor and change at least the mainshaft in the tranny (mainshaft is also available from Guy) to use one.

The other folks to try are these Ace enthusiasts. They don't list sprockets on their site but you could email and ask. Four key Henderson sprockets routinely show up on eBay but I doubt they'd work. I read that when Henderson designed Ace he went to great lengths to make sure no parts interchanged to avoid any infringement ... Perry

[partshunt]

Hello Perry: Hows the new Indian 4 running? Been out on it yet? I checked out updating the gears as Indian did in mid 29. You need a copy of the "Series 402 Supplement" Parts Book. ..The mainshaft is larger. This means you need to change the low gear, the slider gear and bevel gearset along with all the larger washers and bearings. then the cluster is different also with larger dia bearing journals. Also the gear teeth are wider so a shallower kickstarter sector gear is used as well. Oh!! I forgot to include the high gear and larger bushing bore need changing as well. Also, the later single key sprocket sits on a larger taper, I have a couple here but cant use em. Probably $3000.00 to upgrade with new repop parts. All for a four key sprocket so I didnt go there..... If the set up worked in the Ace and later Indian Ace, then the 28 and early 29 Indian, I stayed with them. they are in good condition and good enough to run. When Indian took over Ace, they inherited the earlier smaller trans gutrs and thats why I thought an Ace sprocket may fit from late twentys. Early Henderson output sprocket may be the same taper 4 key, can anyone veryfy? Thanks Perry for the tip on Guy Henderson but he does not make the early 4 key sprocket. Roy Davies when I last talked to him, he didnt make em either.....Joe