Bonehead Mistakes | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Bonehead Mistakes

snapped off plastic fuel line connector while removing a fuel tank in a hurry.
 
Did she drive until it died?
No. The attendant asked her where she got the diesel Honda when she was paying for the fuel. He suggested she call her dad.
 
I'm the grand-poo bah of boneheads.

Changing tires on a buddy's GSPD the other day...
I had just the rims with the old tires at my place.
Doing the front I pulled the old tire off and set it aside... Picked up the new tire and found the directional indicator stamp... Of course I couldn't remember what side the GSPD's brake disk was supposed to be on.. So a quick text.. "Hey, what side is the front caliper on for the GSPD..?"
"Right"

Okay cool...

Pick up tire... Slips on rim with next to no effort... Cool.
Using a NoMar set up so I grab the bar thingy install tool to finish the second bead... Wow... That was easy.
Only then did I realize I'd re installed the old tire.
Shiny new knobby sittin' there patiently waiting...
 
Not as bad, but once I wrestled a tire on and noticed the directional arrows were pointed the wrong way...

Walked away muttering, "That's a TomorrowProblem to fix".
I was trying to replace the tube in a little trailer tire without a tire changer. What a bastard. Fought with it for a long time, got the new tube in and pinched it trying to get the bead over again. Fack. Threw it out and bought a new rim/tire/tube assembled as it wasn't worth the hassle to try again.
 
When I was changing the wheel bearings on the fz, I installed the bearing on one side, for the other side, I started installing, the bearing wouldnt budge, so I figured, hey! Lets use the propane torch! (bad idea)

They are sealed bearings, the thing that seals them is some kind of hard polymer...the flame wasnt in contact with the bearing for very long, but it started melting and smoking the protective cover on the bearing(bubbling, looking VERY similar to the Aero chocolate bars) ...they might have worked fine anyway, but I decided to throw them out and get new bearings and do it proper next time.

Learned it always better to heat up the wheel when there are no bearings in close proximity to the flame. (Ideally heat up the wheel BEFORE you start putting in the bearing)
 
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When I was changing the wheel bearings on the fz, I installed the bearing on one side, for the other side, I started installing, the bearing wouldnt budge, so I figured, hey! Lets use the propane torch! (bad idea)

They are sealed bearings, the thing that seals them is some kind of hard polymer...the flame wasnt in contact with the bearing for very long, but it started melting and smoking the protective cover on the bearing(bubbling, looking VERY similar to the Aero chocolate bars) ...they might have worked fine anyway, but I decided to throw them out and get new bearings and do it proper next time.

Learned it always better to heat up the wheel when there are no bearings in close proximity to the flame. (Ideally heat up the wheel BEFORE you start putting in the bearing)

Don't use heat, don't use hammers, safer to put the bearing in a freezer first if you absolutely must, but the key is to rig something on a short length of 3/8" threaded rod to pull it straight in. You will be done in minutes with zero damage.

bearingremover-jpg.44621
 
I got the proper driving tool to do it from motion pro, it was expensive but made the job much easier
 
What did you pay for a motion pro puller, somewhere between 1 and 3 hundred dollars?
Mine only costs the temporary use of what I have laying around in the garage already.
Specialty tools for motorcycles are crazy expensive overkill unless you are using it daily, I prefer to sink my surplus coin into replacement parts.


I go riding now ? make sure it works good on mud.
 
FWIW, don’t make this mistake. It cost my BIL $1200 to have the diesel fuel removed and the system flushed.

And another $60 for gas.

really?
something seems off with that
drain the tank, change the filter, refill
takes a bit to get started again but diesel shouldn't hurt a gas fuel system
first tank will be a bit smokey but then it should be fine
maybe the emissions sys don't like it??

the other way around - gas in diesel system, yeah, bad deal
damage to pump and injectors etc....
 
Anyone watch the doc. Command and control? Was on Netflix not sure if it still is. Kid dropped a wrench into a atomic missle silo
Read the book. Like Wow is anybody watching these nukes?
 
I was trying to replace the tube in a little trailer tire without a tire changer. What a bastard. Fought with it for a long time, got the new tube in and pinched it trying to get the bead over again. Fack. Threw it out and bought a new rim/tire/tube assembled as it wasn't worth the hassle to try again.
Did that once too, except
really?
something seems off with that
drain the tank, change the filter, refill
takes a bit to get started again but diesel shouldn't hurt a gas fuel system
first tank will be a bit smokey but then it should be fine
maybe the emissions sys don't like it??

the other way around - gas in diesel system, yeah, bad deal
damage to pump and injectors etc....
Ya, I thought it was high too. $100 for the tow, 5 hours to re&re+flush the tank, + 2 hours to change plugs, $200 for a few Honda parts, and $100 waste disposal.

Personally I'd just have removed the fuel line and let the fuel pump empty the tank. Add a few litres of regular gas to the end then finish the pump-out. May have been a bit smokey for a few miles but after that things would be back to normal.

My BIL is not a mechanical genius, he followed that up with his own bonehead move -- launched his brand new SeaDoo 230, didn't realize they had drain plugs. Next morning he called the police to report it stolen, when they dropped by they told him it was safely tied to the dock, just sitting on the bottom of the lake.
 
haha...I did that with my old bowrider many years back
luckily we were on the water when I noticed the water ankle deep

full throttle, took awhile to get planing as high as it would go
drained most of the water out and made a beeline for the beach
 
Made a special driveshaft for a pro mod demo derby truck a few years back. Made from PTO shafting so when the truck bends it can extend or compress to take up the length difference. Drove 4 hours to the border to pickup all the parts (about $300 worth), paid my duty ($75) and then 4 hours back home. Another 4 hours to weld it all up and then took it out to the field for a test spin. It bent like a banana first blip of the throttle not even 1 minute of use. Couldn't salvage a single piece off it, so it hangs on the wall as a reminder. It was too heavy and long.
 

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