That's why there are no techs to service our old machines..not only do they not know how, but they only last about 3 years in the industry due to the bullshit. It's left to the old gray beards (and a few old chicks..) I've got people asking me to fix their old Honda bikes now. I'll only do it for members of my club. HotrodMamma.
________________________________ From: Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, December 30, 2009 10:10:29 PM Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Fork tube cap is - el stucko! The "lurking unknown" ?? We call it an exploding job. You start with one goal and jump ten hurdles on the way. It's always fun. NOT. I can't charge for all the time on most jobs like that but then I have to account for time spent. I got ulcers trying to juggle stuff like that. Take "flat rate time" There is a book of times for jobs and that's what Honda will pay us for. It's based on our labor rate. However, here's how it works; A trained, competent tech is given a job and allowed to review the manual. Then he does the job. And again, and again. He's timed the third time and that's the flat rate time. And, all this is done on a bike that never ran and gasket cleaning is NOT included. No dirt, no stuck bolts, etc. Gee, if life was only so good. Some jobs you may not see but once. Get good at it? Hit flat rate ? The only break we get is if the bike was bought somewhere else. Then we get an automatic extra hour. Don't know why. I figure if a guy can get a job done in 2X flat rate, he's good. I have to charge customers diagnostic time but Honda doesn't pay for that. So you can really lose on warranty work. For all those whiners about "stealerships" I wish they knew how hard it is to show any black ink. With on-line parts and such, there's no way to compete. We have a formula to charge for parts and if you read the fine print it's MSRP. suggested retail price. The dealer can set his own prices. So parts at a dealer are going to be more. We have to make a buck somewhere. You gotta' sell a ton of bikes to make anything. The Harley dealers have it much worse. They know just how many bikes they can have. That's why they all have custom shops and lines of clothing, accessories too. Not for me. I have enough trouble keeping us out of court (liability) and the return rate under 3%. Showing a profit in service is a bonus sometimes. The PE division is where most of our money comes from in a bad year. That could be where we're at soon. Honda wants to dump us. Not enough numbers (corporate speak for sales) No more rant. Good luck with your fork. --- On Wed, 12/30/09, oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> wrote: >From: oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> >Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Fork tube cap is - el stucko! >To: "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" <[email protected]> >Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 3:44 PM > > >The first one i got off and it took a lot of torque to move it >(guessing 80 ft-lbs) but it moved eventually. This one wasn't >corroded or cross threaded - just seamed more like it was way over >torqued to begin with. > >I'll try > heat with ice cube technology on the cap first. If that >doesn't work then i'll max torque it with a 3ft extension bar and hope >for the best. > >Do people have a habit of overtorquing these like to 125 ft-lbs for >some reason? Now i can see why dealerships don't like to work on MC's >older than 10ys -the lurking unknown? >On Dec 30, 11:59 am, Kim Paddock <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hit it with a good penetrating oil and let it sit....that usually works for >> me. >> >> ________________________________ >> From: Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: > Tue, December 29, 2009 11:23:57 PM >> Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Fork tube cap is - el stucko! >> >> I don't have much of an answer for you. Don't know how much I've put on 'em >> but it's been enough that two guys had to hold the bike from spinning on the >> center stand. That's with my 2' bar and 3' tube combo. 5' X 150lb weakling = >> ? I wonder if it's cross threaded or just corroded on. If you got one off, >> you see that they are fine thread and have an O ring. i've heated some stuff >> like that (not a fork though) and then applied an ice cube to the cap to >> shrink it quickly. Could spray it with something cold too. Pulling on the >> socket while heating might do it. The socket would act as a heat sink and >> keep the cap cooler. If you can get another cap, you might have to crack off >> the top rim with a small chisel. (leave the hex) The rim is where the >> pressure is. Once off, unless cross threaded, it should back out easy. Good > luck. >> >> --- On Wed, 12/30/09, oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >> >From: oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> >> >Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Fork tube cap is - el stucko! >> >To: "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" <[email protected]> >> >Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 12:42 AM >> >> >Thanks Dennnis. I managed to get a socket that grips it much better. >> >In this case 27mm is the same as 1 1/16" (well actually 1 1/16' is >> >just slightly smaller to my advantage). >> >> > >This socket grips it much better but i've put at least 100 lbs on it >> >and it won't budge. The scary part is what will give first as i push >> >harder - knowing the bolt head is not 100% to begin with - yikes. >> >> >I tried a propane torch and heated teh fork tube up to maybe 200-250F >> >and applied the 100 ft-lbs - no >> > luck. Not sure if this would work >> >since the alumninum bolt expands faster than the steel fork tube. >> >> >Is there any other method too try before just increasing torque? How >> >about an Impact gun - not sure if this would be effectitve on an >> >aluminum hex head??? >> >> >On Dec 27, 8:17 pm, Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Well, first off it isn't 1 1/16". It's metric. The proper size 1/2" > drive 6 point socket should do. I prefer the "flank-drive" variety because > they apply contact in the middle of the flats. My personal choice is the Kowa > brand (Japan). They have a rather pronounced "flank-drive" I leave the tubes > in the fork and only loosen the top clamp. A 24" bar and a 3' tube gets most > anything. Sometimes you need someone to hold the bike. check with any Jap > bike dealers to see if any of their techs use Kowa >> > sockets and try to borrow one. The chisel is the last resort cause I have >> > to buy the replacement. >> >> >> --- On Sun, 12/27/09, oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> From: oldschoolgwin <[email protected]> >> >> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Fork tube cap > is - el stucko! >> >> To: "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" <[email protected]> >> >> Date: Sunday, December 27, 2009, 9:36 PM >> >> >> Hi All. >> >> >> Well I'm installing new fork seals on my 83 650. >> >> >> The left fork tube cap is stuck and it appears it was a victim of some >> >> previous shade tree >> > mechanic with a 1 size fits all wrench - rounded >> >> corners on that cap and not much left. >> >> >> Any ideas on how to ge this off. A six point 1 1/16' socket doesn't >> >> want to grip it enough to break it loose. >> >> >> I guess if worse comes to worse i could drill two 1/4" through holes >> >> and make a pinned spanner to remove it - but that is just > more effort >> >> than i like. >> >> >> Anyone know any tricks? Chisel and hammer at the edge? Options are >> >> looking so good! >> >> >> -- >> >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >> [email protected]. >> >> For more options, visit this group >> >> athttp://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> > >-- >> >> >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> >"Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> >To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >[email protected]. >> >For more options, visit this group >> >athttp://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group >> athttp://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - >> >> - Show quoted text - > >-- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >"Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. >For more options, visit this group at >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
