Cyclones!!!

[400brian]

So last week I showed a pic of the worn out and damaged secondary buttons on my 76 Cyclone. New Breed had them in stock, so I ordered a couple of sets.

So, as this is a refresh not a restoration, the main thing here was to get the assembly clean. To really do a good job, the whole thing would have to be taken apart, the aluminum parts soda blasted, and the sheaves sanded clean, smooth, and ready for paint. Or if you were seriously gung-ho, re-plating.
Here I used Brake Kleen to get the crud off, then scrubbed the aluminum parts with a brass bristle brush, and the steel parts with a maroon Scotch Brite pad. I did sand the rust off the inner halves of the sheaves where the belt sits at rest. And I probably spent the most time on the helix. The ramps were showing some wear and the whole thing was pretty furry. I sanded the ramps smoother, and in the end was down to using a little Mother's Polish.

The spring was in good condition, so it was just cleaned, the Scotch Brite pad ran over it, and painted with what I had sitting around. Just a hint of blue was still showing.

These sheaves were marked where a ( I assume ) balancing weight was spot welded on. Don't recall ever seeing this on mid-mounts. An arrow was stenciled on showing these as if it was important to know, but I find no mention made of it in the service manual.

[SS440-80]

Great job

[400brian]

So on with the 76 Cyclone saga... I have said I needed to do something with the hole in the dash. After mulling my options, I have decided that what would serve my interests the best would be a switch. Specifically a switch for bar heaters.

I was reminded recently that after my wife Katy spent an afternoon riding Wade Bennett's 78 Liquifire a few years back, the thing she was most impressed by was the fact that the bars were warm. So I am thinking adding warmers might get me some appreciation.
At any rate, I had a set that I had purchased 15 years ago, so I might as well put them in.

I recently tried turning the set screws in the grips, and found they actually turned, so the grips were now loose, ( that was the first hurdle ). Tonight I removed the bar pad, which was a 5 minute job that expanded into 20. Someone had taken it off before, and put it back on with tin acorn nuts that would turn, but not back off. I finally got the pad off and found duct tape wrapped around the bar and wires ( not stock ) so yeah, for some reason somebody has been in here before.

I think I have a better bar pad in the stash, so I'll dig that out, the pad I took off has three studs broken off. Once I get the grips off the bars, I can install the heating elements.

[400brian]

After looking over 3 bar pads, I have decided this one is the nicest. All the studs are intact, and isn't too badly beat up. It has degraded a bit over time, if you were to put an NOS bar pad next to it you would quickly see the difference. The surface has a dull, slightly fuzzy look compared to an NOS part.

I searched on-line for some new attaching hardware, specifically for what I believe is known as a self threading hex nut. They do seem to be available, but do not seem particularly common.

I may apply a "Back to Black" type product on the pad, there are some spots on it that don't seem to want to wash off. I know I used the same product on the bar pad of a 340/S 15 years ago, and it seems to have held up OK.

[nick80lf]

Since I discovered quality gloves I really haven't had a desire to add hand warmers but I still find it sad that Poly is no longer around. When we did Larry's Snowfire we installed a set that I had bought from Dennis Kirk. A year or so later they were gone.....if you only knew.

[400brian]

So I have been talking about this for a while, it was time to get it done.

I slid the grips off the bars, and took stock of the situation. There was a substantial ridge inside the bar that needed to be removed before anything else could move forward. A round file cleaned that up, so I could now test the fit of the heating element.

This one is different from one I had installed many years ago. The early kit supplied lead foil to wrap around the element to make it fit tight inside the tube. This element has a tang spot welded on, which you can bend an arch in to make it fit tight.

I didn't need an arch in this case, I needed to file the tang down to allow the element into the tube. So I filed and sanded the inside of the tube, and filed the tang and polished the element until it would slide into the tube.

Next I drilled a hole in the tube between where the grip mounts and where the bar is welded to the steering shaft. I de-burred the hole so the grommet would fit well. Then I went fishing...a wire was ran thru the hole out to the end of the bar, the electrical wires attached, and pulled most of the way through.

A piece of the supplied fiberglass insulation is poked into the tube ahead of the element, a bit of soap was smeared on the element, then the assembly is pushed into the tube until it is a bit past flush. Insulation can then be added to the outside end. A grommet is slid over the three wires, a bit of soap added, and then the fun begins of getting the grommet into the hole. Once that was done the wires were taped to the bar up out of the way.

Then I got to move to the opposite side, and do it all over again. The switch has been installed in the dash, so all that is left is to get it all wired up.

[400brian]

So I have been off the build for too long. I finished re-connecting the brake cable that I had taken off to gain enough slack in the cable to remove the grip to install the bar warmer. I then tossed in a battery so that I can begin the process of checking out the electrical system, see what works and what doesn't.

I also finally put the bar pad back on after installing the warmers. I procrastinated as long as I could, I dislike messing with them. When I took the pic I hadn't yet pushed the grips in tight to the pad.

[400brian]

Time to freshen up the exhaust. I have been brush painting mufflers out of the same quart can of Hi-temp black for at least 15 years. If you ride the sled, painting the muffler will improve the appearance for a couple of years. Unlike the mid-mounts, the Cyclone exhaust is easily removed to remove and refinish.

I do not blast exhaust. Number one, you absolutely do not want grit to get inside the exhaust, because if you don't get it all back out, it can migrate back into the engine. Also the metal may be getting thin at this point, so I wire brush the loose stuff off, then sand the worst of the rust back a bit and paint it.

[400brian]

So the seat had been boxed up since July, waiting for John to give me the go-ahead to send it. He was busy at the time with cars it sounds like. Mid November I got the word, so the seat was sent via Speedy on Friday, Nov 18th.

I got a text from John on Monday, Nov 28 that it was ready to ship out. I know everyone will want to know what it cost. $250 which includes shipping back. This was a very nice seat, no repair was needed to the foam that I am aware of, just new vinyl and plywood. At the time I am writing this, I don't know what I paid to have it shipped to John's Upholstery, probably more than I think.

[400brian]

Here is the re-covered seat seat sitting on the sled!

And the exhaust has a couple of coats of paint on, and is looking pretty good.

[400brian]

This is why I have always ignored the threaded T-nuts installed in my re-covered seats...this is what the originals look like.

I use 1/4 lag screws an inch long in a different pair of holes and avoid the whole issue.

[400brian]

Finishing up the skis by installing the shocks. These are the SPI hydraulic shocks sold by New Breed and other suppliers.

I cut bushings out of tubing to center the upper mount.

[400brian]

So as I was installing the ski shocks, I had the pivot bushings installed to make sure everything was where it should be. After the shock installation was complete, I just happened to check the bushings, and discovered they would spin freely on the bolt! I put a bit more torque on the bolt, but the original stock bushing not only spun, there was detectable side to side movement.

The bushings are supposed to turn in the spindles. If they are not pulled tight in the spring saddles, the bushing can turn on the bolt, or the bolt can turn in the saddle. If I had not checked this by accident, I would have installed the skis to the spindles and assumed everything was good.

The original bushings measured 1.992" by my caliper. I have been cutting my own bushings out of thick wall tubing for years, and I normally cut them at around 2". As far as I know, pulling the bushings tight in the saddles has never been a problem.

I cut two bushings. One measuring 2" and the other 2.028" On trial fit, I found the 2" bushing remained loose in the saddle. The 2.028" bushing could only be installed with a hammer, and that was never going to allow installation on the spindle. I shortened the bushing to 2.013", and found that was still too tight a fit. Back to the bench sander, ground it down to 2.008", and I finally found a good fit, and it snugged up with the bolt. Checking the other ski, I found the 2" bushing a good fit that pulled tight.

The mono-leaf spring set up on the Cyclone is different from anything else I have worked on. Essentially, the saddle is twice the thickness of the mid-mount saddle. The result of that is that the 3/8" fine thread bolt used to attach the ski to the spindle won't pull the saddle together very much. The bushing needs to fit tight as a result.

So hopefully I have this resolved, installing the skis could yet be a headache. I don't intend to install the skis until the sled is ready to come off the lift because I don't want to walk around them.

The bushing is installed with a AN6-32 aircraft grade bolt and castellated nut. It turns out that is a little longer than I needed, an AN6-30 bolt would probably been a better choice. By design, aircraft bolts have a short threaded section. The idea is to have the full diameter of the bolt in shear, and the threaded portion out of that zone, just holding the bolt in place. You do not typically use a bolt in tension in an aircraft. So, because the bolt is a bit long, I had to put a washer on each end, plus the original thick washer Deere used. AN bolts are pricey, as an example I included a pic of how they are shipped. I have been running these in my sleds for 15 years or so, 1000s of miles, many hard Vintage Challenge rides with no issues. AN bolts are designed to bend before they break.

[400brian]

Check your airbox!

I think perhaps I will install some screen over the intake hose.

[400brian]

So I attempted to remove the tube on the air box, and I thought I had the nut turning, but despite my best efforts I twisted it off. However the airbox that came on the sled that is stuck together cooperated and I took the tube out of it.
The rodent barrier plate is a bit corroded ( mouse pee will do that ). I wire brushed it and got it looking better.
The box body has been washed out. The only thing left is to clean up the carb boot, it is kinda dirty.