It Has Begun, CR500 Build, WIP part 1

[M5-]

I'd probably cut it back to say 3/16" or so then lay in a nice stack of dimes if you are welding to something pretty solid, otherwise if its thinner cut it back to the thickness of the material then it'll be bombproof.

M5

 

[SEOINAGE]

I think this thing will be really solid. Now I need to miss some work so I can get to the welder to be there while he tacs everything in place. Or at least go over everything with him, to be honest I am a bit nervous. I've put a lot of effort and time into this thing, and counting on it coming together nicely.

 

[M5-]

Is that black piece around where you are going to weld onto plastic or rubber, either way it'll need to come off prior to welding or it'll go up in smoke. If you could get the block to match the curve of the frame a bit tighter it'd be better. If you have a coarse flap wheel the same diameter as the frame just lay it in there and round out your block a bit.

M5

 

[SEOINAGE]

Is that black piece around where you are going to weld onto plastic or rubber, either way it'll need to come off prior to welding or it'll go up in smoke. If you could get the block to match the curve of the frame a bit tighter it'd be better. If you have a coarse flap wheel the same diameter as the frame just lay it in there and round out your block a bit.

M5

It's just on there so I could set the tank on and make sure there was enough clearance, I did have to grind the top of the block down a bit more. I spent a lot of time with a flapper wheel rounding that thing out, I don't think I'll get it much better.

 

[SEOINAGE]

It's at the welders getting tacked then I will pull the engine And take it back to them. I'm extremely nervous about letting someone else Work on it. Like some mild anxiety about even leaving it theRE

 

[Hbmtr]

All your hard work will pay-off.Just think when you 1st fire that 500 and click into gear! OH my.

 

[SEOINAGE]

Who ever you got helping you with the aluminum, has not done much with it or they should / would know that alloy won't bend without taking the temper out of it. If you need to bend something and still be strong afterwards get the shape in 6063-T6 (NOT! 6061-T6). Also if you want some stock steel metric bolts I have a fair selection from 3 PRO RMK's as I have replaced every fastener with Titanium or Aluminum. PM me the sizes you need and I'll give you a good deal on them.

Speaking of this I had an awkward moment when I dropped it off. The guy that helped me with bending that rod, who also ruined it when tac welding it, thought I wanted him to weld the final product. I basically had to tell him no, and that I needed their best welder.

 

[SEOINAGE]

All your hard work will pay-off.Just think when you 1st fire that 500 and click into gear! OH my.

The reality of it is hardly settling in, but when I think about this it makes me feel like a little kid again with excitement.

 

[M5-]

Doesn't really sound like an awe inspiring welding shop. What you need done is pretty straight forward and simple.

M5

 

[LoudHandle]

Too bad your not closer, I'd weld it for free (well maybe a quick rip once complete) but your roughly 2000 miles south east from me.

Hope their best welder is well versed in TIG'ing aluminum and adds a level of synergy to the project which makes paying the bill well worth it. If it was my project, I would not let a squirt gun jockey (MIG) anywhere near it.

 

[SEOINAGE]

Too bad your not closer, I'd weld it for free (well maybe a quick rip once complete) but your roughly 2000 miles south east from me.

Hope their best welder is well versed in TIG'ing aluminum and adds a level of synergy to the project which makes paying the bill well worth it. If it was my project, I would not let a squirt gun jockey (MIG) anywhere near it.

Wish I could take you up on that.
Yeah, will be done with the TIG. He's an older man in his 60s, lots of experience, but he's the one everyone else says to go to for aluminum. I just don't know how extensive his aluminum skills are, but I think even seeing his tac job should give me an idea.
I thought about finding someone within 4 hours or so drive that someone else has used, but I don't know.

 

[summitboy]

Whats the worst that could happen ? Its aluminum !

 

[LoudHandle]

Whats the worst that could happen ? Its aluminum !

Ugly job and fall apart. I've had co-workers try to weld it before because I was on vacation and the part fell apart before they could reinstall it. They waited until I returned and had me do all the aluminum for the next 20 years.

Most squirt gun alumiun Welds are no better than smearing a bead of caulk across them. I've cut out miles of squirt gun welds and re-did them correctly in my thirty plus years as a fabricator.

 

[summitboy]

Lol. It was some humor

 

[SEOINAGE]

Tacked and looks good.

 

[S pump]

Tacked and looks good.

Kudos on taking on this project.....I rode a Timbersled for the first time last year and it got me thinking it might be a fun change of pace. I rode bikes and raced most of my life and sleds as well. I have access to a mint KX 500 that needs nothing so I could be into a Goat for cheap.....tempted....lets see some new pics.

 

[SEOINAGE]

Kudos on taking on this project.....I rode a Timbersled for the first time last year and it got me thinking it might be a fun change of pace. I rode bikes and raced most of my life and sleds as well. I have access to a mint KX 500 that needs nothing so I could be into a Goat for cheap.....tempted....lets see some new pics.

Thanks, always wanted to do an engine swap like this. Would like to do another one some time, but going to be happy to have this project finished. I just wish I had the ability to do everything myself, and the space to do it. Lots of fun making things like this.

Got the motor half way out, and one of the engine mounts only had one small tack, and it was bending, so tightened it back up, and will get it tacked, then pull motor another time. I just don't think he noticed or missed it cause the pipe was still in the way.

He actually completed a few welds and they look good, but there are a couple things that concerned me, and I talked to my neighbor that works there about them. Just one concerned with a tab that I think will be in the way of him welding the top of the y, would think it would prevent him from welding 1/8" of the top of the y, maybe slightly more, but he already kind of welded the side of the tab as part of it, which I would think would make up for the strength, but I wouldn't have done it that way at all, would have bent it out of the way first, and I had talked to him about it saying that it would probably be best.
Anyways, seeing the welds he did complete makes me think it should turn out nicely.

 

[SEOINAGE]

It isn't perfect, and a few things I wanted to be a bit different on it, but it is done, and no going back now. Have the weekend to put in a good amount of time back into it. Should get the motor mounted if everything still lines up, then the tires and everything I can. One concern is the angle of the radiator modification, it was marked, and somehow ended up with very little turn in it, I'm afraid it will hit the pipe. So might have to redo it somehow.

Will try to fit up rad hoses that I can, figure out what lengths of wire I need to fit the new coil and ignition locations. Also need to order a new hose to return from pump to rear of engine, I just need to find that thread that had the particular auto hose with the right bend you just trimmed a little off one end. Will need to also do some heating of the gas tank and pushing up where the petcock is located.

I have a list of minor parts I still need, like a foot peg spring, and several other things. Will order as much as I can together once I have a better idea where the project stands after this weekend.

Also the seat mount threads are all kinds of jacked up, is it possible to press out the nut and press in new ones? I actually salvaged the nut from the fuel petcock tab that he broke off, drilled a new hole in a piece of plate scrap, and pressed it back in, and had it welded to the frame. But I'm not sure I could safely press out these nut fittings, nor where I would get replacements, open to ideas there.

Other than that probably won't lock tight or fully tighten engine mount bolts until I have the thing fully assembled and done, then go back through it after I know I won't be taking it apart again several times.

Planning on using the timbersled intake for summer and throw a k+n fabric filter on the end of it. Unless it is too small. I know the GYTR fabric filter on my wife's quad is absolutely massive. So I likely won't fire the bike up until I pick up my kit in a few weeks. But I have just about that much work left to do anyways. Then it will be testing the bike out, and breaking in the motor around here before the snow hits, then on with the track!

 

[LoudHandle]

Your welder definitely is not an artist with his beads, but it looks to be sound.

Off topic but here is what I would rather the beads look like, but that is the artisian in me coming thru. For reference the bulk of the aluminum is 1" thick on both pieces. the boom is 6" schedule 80 pipe.

Here is a Pic of a recent job I did at work. I redid the connection end of the Main boom for a 1 year old local seine style fishing boat the "Royal Fortune". The boat builder had under engineered his design and the heel pin connector bent. I re-did it with an aluminum double shear pivot mount that will get welded to the free standing mast it has stainless sleeves on the pin bores with grease grooves and zircs, a new stainless steel heel pin universal with grease zircs and flow paths, and the new double ear connector on the main boom with stainless steel hard eyes and grease zircs. They should never have to mess with this again as long as they grease it occasionally.

 

[SEOINAGE]

Yeah, that looks fantastic. To be honest, some people just can't pay that close of attention to details. This here was probably his best weld.