Katana 400 intervention begins

**James Deuce** · 3rd June 2007, 16:50

I've taken the fairing, tank, and front guard off in preparation for painting. The condition of the plastic and rubbers tends to support the mileage, but it looks like it has been stored near the sea at some point. I'm going to rip the front subframe off tomorrow and send that off for powder coating, as well as the fork brace and the bracket that holds the front centre of the fairing together.

I'll need to do brake lines as the banjos are knackered (the new lines will have stainless ones), and I'll have to dig out the tin snips and fabricate a new battery box.

This is actually fun and it's about time I started doing stuff for myself.

**Pussy** · 3rd June 2007, 17:08

Are you gonna do the forks Jim?

**Colapop** · 3rd June 2007, 17:11

Kinda looks like my garage... only there's another bike there in bits too...

**Hitcher** · 3rd June 2007, 17:23

I love that side stand. Kind of looks like something out of Dr Findlay's satchel...

**James Deuce** · 3rd June 2007, 17:59

Originally Posted by Pussy

Are you gonna do the forks Jim?

Yep, your contact is still there too. Thanks VERY much for that lead.

Nudemetalz is coming over tomorrow to help me dismantle the front end, and the fork legs will be on their way on Tuesday.

**MVnut** · 3rd June 2007, 18:12

Keep those pics/reports coming

**James Deuce** · 4th June 2007, 19:02

NM came over this afternoon and we dismantled the front end.

Everything came apart OKish and there were only a couple of things that ended up burred due to age and corrosion.

The fork seals were indescribable. Even the circlips were corroded and the fork "oil" was a light grey coloured mud. There was also significantly more than 150mls per fork leg too, more like 400mls per fork leg. The dust seals had turned to concrete as well and looked like someone had tried to butcher them at some point.

The steering head "bearings" - well um what can one say. The lower bearing's case collapsed during removal. The top one still had the factory grease and it had literally turned to rubber.

Off to Scroederco tomorrow to get steering head bearings, and a bottom fork allen bolt (the internal one) that that rounded off during the removal.

Oddly the wheel bearings were good.

Here's some photos of stuff boxed up to go out the door and a bike precariously balanced on a jack and some concrete and wooden blocks.
Managed to get most of the petrol out of the tank and into a container so I can use it again. Drained the carbs too.

**psyguy** · 4th June 2007, 21:37

Originally Posted by Jim2

a bike precariously balanced on a jack and some concrete and wooden blocks.

nice!

seriously, good job so far, make sure to keep us updated, looking forward to it!
and best of luck with the project!

**Pussy** · 16th June 2007, 21:56

How's the restoration going, Jim? Got the forks back from Hamilton yet?

**James Deuce** · 16th June 2007, 22:07

There's some plastic collars in the forks that no one can get out. The Hamilton guys won't attempt the re-chrome until the collars are out and fair enough.

Taking them to Graham Berry racing to see if they can do something. I've had the fork legs cleaned up in the event I can't get the collars out and I have to hunt down some better condition stanchions or forks. That way I can at least ride the bike and replace fork seals as necessary.Starting to look like an excuse for grafting a late model GSXR400 front end on.

So far I have sorted top steering head bearings, oil seals, dust seals, air filter, a replacement for the fork leg lower allen head cap bolt I had to "encourage" out of its thread, and the painting starts this week. MSTRS has set me up with the decals and crazefox is doing the paint. I've got the original fork springs from the Z750 to try in there as well.

Have to take the steering stem off tomorrow and try and get the lower steering head bearing race off.It's a bit stuck.

**Skunk** · 16th June 2007, 22:13

Originally Posted by Jim2

Have to take the steering stem off tomorrow and try and get the lower steering head bearing race off.It's a bit stuck.

Gas plant reqd?

**James Deuce** · 16th June 2007, 22:15

I'll take you up on that.

**Dadpole** · 17th June 2007, 00:17

I found a quick way to get off the lower race is to give it a touch with a MIG or arc welder. Heats and expands it, but not the steering stem then it should be able to be drifted off. If all else fails, careful use of an angle grinder and a whack from a cold chisel will put a crack in it, then Beryl's your auntie.

**F5 Dave** · 18th June 2007, 17:55

Give us a yell if the lower stem is still giving you grief. Above methods work well with care.

**James Deuce** · 3rd July 2007, 19:16

Dust seals and air filter have arrived.

I have discovered that the forks are indeed the same as a Bandit 400, so it looks like I'll be getting new sliders as the appear to be only $2 dearer each than the re-chroming process was going to cost.

All I need now is a suitable drift to get the bearing cases out of the steering head, and the lower race off the stem. I could try violence, but I think I'll be going with F5Dave's suggestion of yelling at him. I've seen him remove screws with no visible means of screwdriver interface, so I'm sure a couple of stuck bits and pieces will be no trouble.

I've been spraying every bolt, screw , nut and threaded surface I can see with CRC, every time I do something on the bike. It is starting to pay off as I've been able to remove things that wouldn't budge a month ago.

MSTRS has sent me the decals, and I've dropped the tank and fairing off to crazefox for painting. We've gone with the smaller "SUZUKI" decal that's been done in the same sizing as a TL's tank logo. They're white rather than black, but I think it will modernise the look a little without detracting from the overall theme. In fact I think it will look a little classier.

Only thing left to do now is get the exhaust system looked at.