New spares + cementing

A small progress on the bike plus some new spares - the front master cylinder assy and a bunch of other OEM parts, gaskets, seals, washers, bolts, etc. mostly for the engine assembly. The set of new SKF bearings for the crankshaft and gearbox. The welded tank is completed and checked on the bike and it fits good. The pictures show the application of the Loctite two part metallic cement over the smoothened seams for the much needed surface correction; now drying.       

Floating chamber cover

There is a plethora of ways how to spend free five days out of work. Depending on the preferences, you can travel, relax, go party or ski (actually, the today weather in Czechia still appeals for some bike riding). Or, like myself, you can lock up in the garage and spend time in a quiet contemplation, working on a single part which will be hardly visible in the end :)  

Cylinder reboring

Just grand...The new piston from Wössner. I had been puzzling over this issue for quite a long time: for srx 600 model, there is no problem to get a new piston for reboring - besides the larger OEM size, there is also a Wiseco option. Well, for japanese 400cc, you may get the OEM piston (5Y6-11631-01-A0), on the other hand, that is the standard piston size which is no use - in this case, the whole new cylinder barrel with a smaller boring would be required to get it working. So, here is the deal: since there is no aftermarket variant for srx/xt 400 available, we laid up heads together with Oulehla Motor Parts, the well known machining specialist in Sternberk, Czechia. It turned that the Honda xr 400 dirt bike has the same boring, though a small adjustation of the piston top showed as necessary. It was needed to cut a new spaces for valves identical to OEM part on a milling machine. The new piston comes with the piston pin, ring set and circlips.

A genuine srx piston compared to the lower Wössner

The milled valve spaces in a front-rear direction (srx) as oppose to the diagonally oriented, bigger genuine spaces (xr) 

         

Welded tank

A milestone! The tank was finally welded by a professional welders school into a desired shape.

Prior to to welding, the 0,7 mm metal sheets (the original thickness) were cut and formed while clamped in a plain vice. The former welding method was intended to be brass or silver soldering, in the end it was MAG, if I am not wrong. An industrial-type laser welding which may have lead to a best results was unfortunately out of reach.

Well, due to the small thickness and a high temperature, the sheets depressed around the seams, but the actual form is attained and the tank copies the curve of the frame. Anyway, the finalisation opens a space for working with metallic resin for which I am already looking forward. Subsequently, the frame was wrapped with a protective scotch paper and the tank seated well during the first check.

 The two pieces of fabricated sheets on each side

 welded workpiece below

The round corners will be welded soon as well

             

Brake hose set

Purchased steel braided brake lines with anodized dural banjos by Lightech. The fabrication of the fittings is good, the product is very light and goes well with the overall color scheme. The lenght is adjusted according to the genuine lines. The assembly is quite simple and just a few basic utensil is needed, like sharp pliers, round pliers, small screwdriver and spanner. Some useful how-to videos can be found on YT.

The joint attached to the lower yoke is bacically of no purpose here, it only serves as a make-ready for second braking disc fittings which can be found on "600"

Varia, misc., etc...

(Probably) the last dose of new chromed parts - shift gear, exhaust rings, various screws - mostly from the engine covers 

                                 Spacer ring for rear brake pedal, made of brass

The battle for the tank still goes on...it was cut off again as the previous attempt proved to be unsuccesful -  the left and right side closed inward like an envelope during the welding, which prevented the tank from being installed on the frame...This time, the inward sides were welded solely, first.

Auxillary frame should help maintain an accurate distance 17 cm during welding

                     Cardboard model to help determine the proper shape of the tank

                                                 
                                                     New Sunstar rear sprocket 

Front fender & rear tail cover pearl white paintjob

                                                    Covered with the clear coat