TofuJunky87's FZ Reincarnation

[TofuJunky87]

Like above, I don't wish to dampen the effort or enthusiasm but the frame is a stressed member and the impact clearly deformed it from its previous state. Being cast, it does move and flex but usually results in fractures. Adding to that - once stressed and IF you pull in that tweaked section, cast frames often break.

That said, its under stress and once vibrations are added back into the mix its very likely going to crack somewhere. Based upon the angle the wheel was driven back, the engine went left and took the frame with it.
To date we've only seen small stress fractures and crash damage snapping ends off. This is a whole new arena with a section actually being hit and remaining "displaced" from its location.

I'd strongly recommend you find a new frame.

Duly noted. I appreciate the advice from everyone. I am working on a tight budget and so replacing the frame will be out of the question. I realize that the damage to the bike has slightly shifted the motor to the left. The way the frame arm was welded has still allowed me to thread the bolt in. As I said with Motogiro, I will not be using the bolt to pull the arm back in completely or to shift the alignment of the motor back to the right 1/4". Doing this would simply place more stress not only on the repaired arm but on the rest of the frame. Obviously, the frame has shifted around 1/4" and this is now were the engine sets. Pulling the arm in would most likely cause stress fractures to the arm or damage to the frame elsewhere.

That being said, placing a small shim between the arm and the motor will help alleviate its stress when I tighten it fully. The shim will be small enough to maintain the integrity of the bolt to keep it from sheering while still allowing the arm to provide some level rigidity in the face of vibration and torsional forces.

I agree, this is not the best solution and if I had my way, the bike would get a new frame. This is what I'm working with so I'm doing my utmost to see that its successful.

 

[2007Z6ALL-LED]

Like above, I don't wish to dampen the effort or enthusiasm but the frame is a stressed member and the impact clearly deformed it from its previous state. Being cast, it does move and flex but usually results in fractures. Adding to that - once stressed and IF you pull in that tweaked section, cast frames often break.

That said, its under stress and once vibrations are added back into the mix its very likely going to crack somewhere. Based upon the angle the wheel was driven back, the engine went left and took the frame with it.
To date we've only seen small stress fractures and crash damage snapping ends off. This is a whole new arena with a section actually being hit and remaining "displaced" from its location.

I'd strongly recommend you find a new frame.

Yepper!. It's not worth to risk your life, your life is much more than $3500-$4000 . You can always make more money if lost but body parts, life are something money can't buy!

I don't want to discourage you from what you were doing but for the safety, you might try to find another frame to call it a day.

 

[Nelly]

I look forward to your build. The tank damage is impressive. That's one dude with sore Knackeres. Was the bike a write off?

 

[Nelly]

That looks very good. A few members have welded their frames there. Yours looks the tidiest I have seen.

 

[Nelly]

I started working on taking apart the forks. I've really been dreading this because I knew it wouldn't be simple. I was right. The left fork which only had a slight bend to it, went swimmingly. I removed the cap, took the spacer and spring out with no muss and no fuss. Then came the right fork. :disapprove:

I was having real difficulty removing the cap. Little did I know that when the bike was wrecked, the fork was compressed when it hit, causing the spring to be jammed in the bend high in the tube. This meant that there was space below the spring in the bottom, but above the bend, the spring was highly compressed. This extreme compression was manifesting itself in a very stubborn cap removal.

I finally got the cap down to the final threads and BAM, the cap shot off of the tub like it was fired out of a gun (luckily I held onto the fork and the wrench in my hands and the end of the fork was pointed away from me). The spacer and washer inside also shot out and hit the ceiling, leaving an indentation in the drywall.

Being that the spring was securely wedged in the bend, I used a pneumatic die grinder to cut the tube in half. The spring was still wedged, so I had to cut more and finally got it out. Luckily, the spring escaped without me hitting it with the grinder, and it doesn't look damaged and looks straight.

Next, I used the broomstick trick with an impact wrench and took the bottom fork bolts out. I'm letting them set so they finish draining all of the fork oil. Tomorrow, I think I'll tackle pulling the tubs apart.

Someone posted on here a while ago that you could use a spark plug socket to do the job of spindle removal.
Insert the extension bar through the socket from the side that grips the spark plug. You can then use the nut to insert into the spindle. I've used this method several times and it works brilliantly and saves a few dollars. A simple but effective work around.
I wish there was a torxs equivalent.
Nelly

 

[TofuJunky87]

I've been slammed busy this week and haven't touched the bike. Although I have got lots of cool parts in (I almost have everything). I got my new grip for the left side, new plastic for the right side, fork oil, fork seals, fork headlight mounts, and some various hardware I needed. Tonight while I had a few minutes to spare, I decided to brave the cold once again and work on freshening up some of my plastic. I used a product called Restore Black and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make their exposed black plastic look new. It basically re-dyes the plastic to black. Even if your plastic looks ok, this will probably make it look even better because it gives it a nice dull sheen like brand new. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Before:

During:

After:

Awesome right? I know
More cool stuff coming soon. Big progress is going to start happening!

 

[TofuJunky87]

I look forward to your build. The tank damage is impressive. That's one dude with sore Knackeres. Was the bike a write off?

Ya it was totaled. Honestly, I really don't care if its worth anything when I'm done even though I've sank a little money it in to get it going. I absolutely love doing this stuff. To me, rebuilding stuff is just as fun as riding it. I'm weird like that.:Sport:

 

[TofuJunky87]

The Forks are done!!!! I'm so glad I finally finished them. Now I just need to put them on but I can't do that until I'm done painting the brakes. I started on that today. Looks good so far. I was able to find a shade of gold that is pretty close to the bars. I also detailed the brake rotors with gold. I'm going to do the same treatment on the rear brake but I have to get it rolling first cause I'm not taking the rear wheel off!

Anyways, I'll do some more tomorrow. I just got too cold. I can't wait for it to start warming up.

Let me know what you think about the brakes. The calipers I am spraying but the rotors I brushed so I could get better detail. I was going to just take the rotors off the wheels but the bolts were being a major PITA and I stripped on so whatever. I felt so artsy with a brush. Blah

Maybe tomorrow the forks and the wheel will go back on the bike...

 

[ChanceCoats123]

The gold looks pretty good. I think a matte gold would look awesome, as it would be pretty subtle. The bike should look sweet.

 

[TofuJunky87]

Well today was the day. I finally got the forks and the front wheel on after I finished up painting the brakes. I have to say, I love the look of the gold calipers and rotors. It is a slight shade darker than the bars, but I still think it works well.

I struggled getting the right fork on because when I removed the old forks, the right one was bent so bad I had to really bend the lower triple tree clamp out to wiggle the bad fork out. This came back to haunt me because I had difficulty getting the bolt back in to tighten the clamp as the clamp was bent outward so far. After about an hour of using a C clamp in different directions to reform the clamp back into its position, I got the fork back in and the rest of the assembly went quick. Enjoy the pics. I still need to mount the brake hoses to the forks and install the front fender but I'm loving the way its coming together. I also put on the new left grip today.

More to come tomorrow! :rockon:

 

[TofuJunky87]

A BIG update today! I got a lot more done on the bike!:rockon:

I also finally got my new helmet. The helmet is made by Gmax and its really cool because it has a built in safety light in the back.

I started out by painting the welded arm of the frame. I was able to find a paint that was identical to the frame color, now it looks great. I also tightened up the frame bolts and shimmed the wonky arm. Now time will tell how it holds up.

I started working on cleaning up the chain to get all of the rust off. This rust removal will be an ongoing process so it's not done yet.

I installed the right side brake bracket that was removed due to the old one being broken.

I also dyed the rear fender black like the other plastic pieces and put it back on the bike.

Then I finished installing all of the plastics on the rear and the side, as well as the seat. I also put the headers back on.

I also finished bolting all of the brake hoses to the forks and installed the front fender.

Finally, I started test fitting the headlight brackets and the Buell headlight.

Tomorrow I will probably work more on the headlight install as the bike is nearing completion. Yay!

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Where did you find the brackets which clamped onto the forks and connected to the headlight bracket? I could totally use a pair of those...

 

[TofuJunky87]

Where did you find the brackets which clamped onto the forks and connected to the headlight bracket? I could totally use a pair of those...

I found them by searching through a thread. CCHOUSEKY was one of the first to use them. Here is the link to where to order them:

CHP Motorsports

Its way down on the page. The part number is #P883. $32 shipped.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

I found them by searching through a thread. CCHOUSEKY was one of the first to use them. Here is the link to where to order them:

CHP Motorsports

Its way down on the page. The part number is #P883. $32 shipped.

You sir, are the best. I just ordered up one of those bracket sets and the staff there was very friendly and courteous in all emails. I'll definitely go back to them if I need anything they sell. Those will look and fit much better than what I currently have installed at home.

 

[TofuJunky87]

Well the bike is starting to slow down now as I'm finding myself with less and less to do on it. I did take it on a short test drive down the street and I was pretty proud of my mechanical skills, I didn't die or wreck! It was the first time I've ever ridden it and the first time I've ridden an FZ6. It was a lot of fun, even though I only got it up to about 30 or so without going on a main road (I don't have a plate). Everything held up okay so once I finish it up I'll be anxious and nervous to take it up to speed. Hope everything is tightened.

Well I am stuck on finishing the front end until I get the fairing, because I need to know how high to mount the fork mounts. Until I get the fairing, everything is still loose. But I did wire the Buell headlight and tested it out. Everything seems to be operating good and I can successfully switch between low and high beams.

I got tired of waiting on the fairing so in the mean time I painted the rear caliper and rotor to match the front. I was lazy and didn't take the rear wheel off. I love the look of it all together.

Finally, I was struggling with my bar end mirrors I purchased because they wouldn't fit in the end of the Renthal bars. Apparently, Renthal bars have a 14mm ID (which I've heard is weird, but I can't verify that) so they universal mirrors nut and rubber were no where near fitting inside the ends. I had to make a trip to a hardware store and buy smaller allen bolts, special self locking ends (have no idea what they are actually called), and smaller hose that would fit. I had to trim the diamter of the locking ends down because they were too wide. In the end, amazingly, it worked.

I'm still waiting for the fairing. I ordered it from Surdyke a few weeks ago, and they said it had to be special ordered from the factory and drop shipped when it was ready. I'm supposed to get it this week. If I do, then the front will be finished. Then I just need that last right foot peg. I ordered it like a month ago but its coming from China so who knows when it will get here. I also need to put some turn signal indicators on the front and she'll be ready to go!

 

[ChanceCoats123]

You're probably aware already, but those lights are pointed a bit high for road use (they won't show you much of the road aimed like that). So make sure you point them down range before you take it out at night!

 

[TofuJunky87]

You're probably aware already, but those lights are pointed a bit high for road use (they won't show you much of the road aimed like that). So make sure you point them down range before you take it out at night!

Haha ya, I haven't tightening anything with the headlight assembly yet, even the fork mounts so everything is just kind of hanging there. I'm not tightening or adjusting until I get the fairing so I can tweak it to the correct position. I agree though, visibility would kinda suck LOL :thumbup:

 

[TofuJunky87]

I got the fairing! Yes!! So I was able to basically finish her up today, minus the stupid foot peg. Once I knew how high the fairing would sit and where to position my gauge, I was able to tighten everything down.

For the time being, I just decided to reuse the stock front turn signals. I don't have the energy to figure out how to convert 3 wire running light turn signals to 2 wire flash only signals. So I used the shortened stalks that I unbolted from the old fairing and they pretty much bolted up to the fork ears with little customization. They look hideous I know, but they work...

I kept running into the problem of the cables behind the headlight assembly, pushing it outward when I turned the wheel left, not matter how much I tightened everything. I came up with a quick solution. I should probably make a bracket to replace this but it will do for now to keep me from having to readjust the headlights. I ran I heavy duty zip tie from the horn bracket to a bolt in the bottom of the headlight assembly. This will keep it from getting pushed outward. It works...

I made a quick bracket for the gauge to see where it would sit. I still need to make another bracket that is much more substantial and gives more support but this will give me an idea of where I want it to sit. The location fits will with the fairing and still allows access to the key without the gauge being buried down behind the handlebar risers.

Then I decided to snap a few quick pictures of the full package. As my wife astutely pointed out, the color of the fairing doesn't match the rest of the paint. I got the clear blue fairing because this summer I want to paint the bike to match it. So for the time being, it looks a little off, especially with the black front fender, but it will all come together once it gets warm.

Well, there you have it folks. The FZ is officially reincarnated. Thanks for following the thread. I'll be posting a list of the parts I used, with part numbers and where to get them so if you're looking for something I have, it will be referenced. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. Once I get it out of the garage, I'll be sure to get more pics as well. Thanks for following my FZ rebuild! :Sport:

 

[TofuJunky87]

Parts Reference Post:

Does your bike look like this?

Want it to look like this?

Here's what you'll need:

Buell Lightening Fairing (Iridescent Blue), M1600.1AJAMBX, Surdyke
Buell Headlight Bracket, M0645.1ADA, Surdyke
Buell Headlight, Y0721.6AC, Ebay
Honda Minitrail Fork Mounts (43mm), P883, CHP Motorsports
Renthal Ultra Low Street Bars (Gold), 80-0629, Amazon
Yamaha Left Grip, 4YR-26241-02-00, Ebay
Brotech Mirrors, M02-088-1, Amazon
Maxima Fork Oil (10wt), 55901, Amazon
All Balls Fork Seal Kit, 56-135, Amazon
Yamaha Side Cover Assembly, 5VX217200000, Amazon
Yamaha Upper Fork Tubes, 4S8-23110-00, Ebay
Yamaha Right Bracket Bracket, 99999-04086-00, Ebay
Foot Pegs, ?, Ebay
Yamaha Front Fender, 5VX-21511-00-00, Ebay


A few other items that will come in handy:

Full tool set
Air compressor with tools
Dremel, Dremel, Dremel
WD40
Bondo Plastic Dye
A good hardware store (get to know them)
A Dremel
A good welder
VHT Gold Engine Paint
Duplicolor Aluminum Engine Enamel
Patience
A Dremel
Ingenuity
An understanding Wife :spank:
Lots and Lots of free time
and finally...

$$MONEY$$

...oh, and a Dremel. :thumbup:​

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Looks very nice! My bike is going to look very similar once I'm finished (this spring hopefully).

Re: the headlight harness, I bought a second hand harness to cut up and shorten do that I wouldn't have to deal with excess wiring behind the headlights, and I can also make sure there isn't any binding when I turn the bars to full lock.

But all in all, I'd ssh that bike turned out sweet! I went with the black windscreen, but they look good all the same.