Author Topic: winter chassis replacement project (Read 27304 times)

JesseA420 · « **on:** December 01, 2014, 08:59:49 AM »

there has been an 86 chassis on ebay for a while now with a removable subframe for $800 buy it now. i have been saving up for a new frame because my current one has been welded, rewelded and broken too many times to count. i sent the guy an offer of $300 free shipping with the message "i know this has been listed for a long time, what will you take for it", and he accepted the offer

got it in the mail last tuesday along with my pumashine gussets

i was pleasantly surprised when i received it, as the only real damage is 2 stripped out front bumper holes. no cracks breaks or rewelds anywhere, yay

i am kinda bummed, as it is an 86 though and i wont be able to use my nice billet front esr motor mounts anymore, so anyone looking for a set i will have some for sale soon.
the subframe seems to be a quality made piece, i dont know if this was something an aftermarket company made back in the day or if this was homemade, but it is nice. if anyone knows, let me know it seems like there was a sticker on the left side but has been peeled off.
the only mounts are the rear brake master cylinder and the grab bar. no exhaust mount at all, so i am currently making a tiny jig piece to properly weld on a new exhaust mount. it doesnt bother me that the overflow tabs are missing, because it is going up under the front plastics, and would have been cutting them off anyway. i was thinking about putting a gusset in the rear angle of the subframe, but this thing is naked so as to be as light as possible, why go back and add more weight to it.

after the gussets get welded in, it will be getting some sexy powder(multi-stage candy), i havent really decided on color scheme yet though.

other modifications going along with this, this winter will be a RIS designs rear brake caliper and stay, a crf rear master cylinder either polished or powdercoated, havent decided yet, powdered radiator shrouds to match main frame, powdered LED muffler canister to match frame, send my shaws to tim for a revalve and rebuild, and my 3rd and final revision to my peg design, that i think you guys are really going to like(no previews until they are done lol). stay tuned for progress

pinned250r · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2014, 12:18:57 PM »

dont forget about your rear shock resi! I cant tell where yours is currently, but if it needs to go on the subframe, make that too! Looks like you got a pretty awesome deal Jesse!

JesseA420 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2014, 02:38:17 PM »

thanks m8. no worries on the rear shock rezi, only running a shaw on the back at the moment, if i ever do go back to a sprung shock, i will just make a couple rezzi clamps and clamp it to the upper rail of the subframe.
i kno the subframe and the pegs are going to be cloud white(yes pegs lol), but i havent decided on a mainframe/silencer/shroud color yet, all i know is the red has to go, i hate it lol.

mx250r91 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2014, 02:50:55 PM »

Sounds like you got a good deal on that one. I know Walsh makes or made an aluminum subframe kit for stock frames to lighten them up for TT racing.Yours looks like a home made job by the welds but still looks like they did a good job.

JesseA420 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 01, 2014, 03:13:27 PM »

yea i dont know what to think about the subframe, because the welds on the main angle of the side of the subframe, and the welds where the heims screw into the ends where it mounts looks perfect and professional, but the welds for the grab mount and front seat rubbers look like dog crap. :suspicion::suspicion::suspicion: confusing

JesseA420 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2015, 07:44:48 AM »

got some more fab work done on my chassis lately. first i welded in the swingarm pivot gussets (thanks tony). i think they turned out decent. also notice its an 86 and it has a 87-89 rear motor mount welded in already, thats nice.

here is a shot where u can see where previous owner put in a square tube gusset under the front motor mount, i like how it matches the frame

since there was no exhaust mount on the subframe i had to make a stud then cut the compound angle into the back of it so it sits perfect on the subframe round tube. to do this i made a little mini jig referenced from a good frame, that mounted to the grab bar mount to locate the stud. after turning it, i could have spent gobs of time measuring the compound angle of the subframe tubes and cnc'ed it, but i figured it would be easier to just eye ball it a little at a time, so i chucked it in the old bridgeport and went to work hoggin it out. it turned out decent. this was the first aluminum i have welded in like 3 years and yes i kno it was sloppy, but after being cleaned up it will look nice and smooth under the powder

lastly i cleaned up all the other sloppy aluminum welds around the grab bar mounts, they will look nice and smooth after a couple coats of powder

next i gotta put some elbow grease into polishing this thing up, she is quite dull.

after i get my new front motor mounts end of this week (thanks tony), i will mock mount the motor in the new chassis so i can weld in my new motor mounts, weld the steering stem support gusset, then it will be ready for powder

beobe99 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:04:16 AM »

Dude that's awesome! I've been seeing that frame for almost a year (at least) on ebay. I'd actually get mad when I saw it and at how much he wanted although it is a step up from stock. You got a deal no doubt, good job!

zcarlson12 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:36:59 AM »

Looks good so far! Nice fab skills.

Tbone07 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:53:55 AM »

Quote from: JesseA420;49099

i will mock mount the motor in the new chassis so i can weld in my new motor mounts:)

I was just going to suggest that.....if that 88-89 rear motor mount was a homemade job I would definitely mock up the engine before I put nice powder on the frame.

Looking great so far

mx250r91 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2015, 10:02:18 AM »

Quote from: JesseA420;49099

here is a shot where u can see where previous owner put in a square tube gusset under the front motor mount, i like how it matches the frame

I think this tube under the front motor mounts came from the factory like that, only on 86 frames though. Looks great so far, nice to see all the steps and care taken to do the job right.

JesseA420 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2015, 10:11:16 AM »

ya tbone, it was welded in by someone, but it looks to be the stock tube from an 87-89 frame, not just a homemade jobber. hopefully everything lines up!

thanks [MENTION=133]mx250r91[/MENTION], i never knew that so i googled others, u are right they are on all 86's.

one question. how do you get ball joints out of the tapers using a seperator without tearing the rubber boots? or can you even.... i have never been able to.

JesseA420 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2015, 07:06:49 AM »

mocked the motor in the frame this weekend, and the welded in rear motor mount doesnt line up.

as u can see one side does come close and would be safe with just a little obrounding of the hole, but the side that the hole is already obround, is way off. i was thinking of just obrounding that hole so the motor would mount, then welding a washer on for support, but id think the welding on the thin tab would make the thin tab brittle.
my other option since i dont have the bottom rear mounts welded in yet, is to just cut the 87-89 upper rear mount tube out, and use the 86 style cradle rear motor mount. i wanted to get a different swingarm anyway, so this would be the time to do it.
what would you guys do?

dem3500 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2015, 07:58:28 AM »

Quote from: JesseA420;49109

ya tbone, it was welded in by someone, but it looks to be the stock tube from an 87-89 frame, not just a homemade jobber. hopefully everything lines up!

thanks [MENTION=133]mx250r91[/MENTION], i never knew that so i googled others, u are right they are on all 86's.

one question. how do you get ball joints out of the tapers using a seperator without tearing the rubber boots? or can you even.... i have never been able to.

You don't need to use a separator. They will tear things up. Instead using a hammer tap on the knuckle around the tapered stud for the ball joint. Keep moving and tapping and it will eventually come loose. This has always worked for me every time I've tried it. It may take a little more than a tap but still less force than a full force whack

pinned250r · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2015, 08:06:44 AM »

No! Put motor mounts in, you have the abilities to do it, so do it now. Because when you want to switch swingarms in the future, you can run any style and won't be limited. Take the time and make the mounts. I did this research a while ago and can't quite remember which aftermarket frame it was, but one of them only used the lower mount, not the top. And it was a big name like laeger or Walsh. I'll try and find my old thread.

pinned250r · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2015, 08:09:42 AM »

http://trx250r.org/threads/2902-Rear-motor-mounts-on-an-86