Hello from the UK to all you Vulcaneers. :motorcycl

My name is Scot and I am a fool. I am the frustrated owner of a 94 VN750-A9 (I have posted a few times about previous problems). The guy I bought it from had done a very good job of making the bike look nice by painting all the corroded bits black! Now I am in the unfortunate position where every time I fix one thing, something else breaks. The bike has been off the road for almost half the year now!

Still, I am learning as I go. I started out with zero mechanical skill but now I can replace both throttle cables and install a new clutch.
The current batch of problems are big ones though. It started when I took the bike for its yearly MOT. The guy noticed that the left side muffler was no longer joined to the box - it was only the heat shield that was holding it in place! I patched it with a bean can to get it through the MOT while I considered my repair options. The patch was holding so I was in no rush.

However, before I sorted the pipes out another problem reared its head - my rear brake seized up. I figured I would sort it out when I fixed the pipes. hell while I was at it I decided to lube some splines aswell. Just for a laugh.

In the end I decided to get V&H Cruzers as they were (much) cheaper than OEM kit. Two months later I now have the pipes (there is a story there but it can wait for another time) and I have started the repairs.

This is where it gets bad.

I have had to completely disassemble the rear hub (that was fun) to find the problem - the cam had corroded and seized. The bike is kept outside (although covered) but the English weather is not great and I ride it all year round (at least when it works). I have cleaned up all the break parts and applied the relevant grease but the problem I now face is that to remove the cam I had to destroy the seal. Is there an easy way to replace the seal or am I going to have to order a part?

But wait...there's more!

I have removed the original pipes ready for fitting the Cruzers but due to corrosion of the studs at the header(cunningly concealed by the previous owner) I have managed to shear off two of the four studs (one on each side). Can someone advise me how I can rescue this? Are these studs removable/replaceable?

Also, on the V&H instruction sheet under 'Installing your new system' it says "remove the two bolts from the charcoal canister mount located in front of the read tire". What is that? I can't see what it means. This charcoal cannister isn't mentioned in the Haynes manual.

I haven't yet started lubing the splines (also a word not found in the Haynes manual) but I am sure that there will be an amusing story to tell when I do.

I will be very grateful for any advice you can offer that helps me get the bike back on the road. :notworthy:notworthy:notworthy

Scot

Wow that is some story !! Ok well I can help with the exhaust I think. Yes the studs are removable. Is there anything left of the studs protruding from the manifold? If not you will have to drill into the center of them and then hammer in a tap and then proceed to twist them out. Obviously the drill bit should be smaller in diameter than the broken stud. There should be a stud removal kit available at your local auto parts distributor. If there is a remnant of the stud still accessible you might use vise-grips and give that a try. Regarding the canister I believe that it is only on the California model. I installed VH pipes
last week and did not find it on my bike either. I had previuosly removed the goat belly and the center stand so I did not have to be concerned with any issues pertaining to those parts.

PB Blaster. Sounds like on this bike, you will need to keep a can around. Spray it on any bolt, nut or what ever you are going to be removing, a day ahead if possible. It is amazing stuff. It might even help you remove the broken studs if there's anything to grab.

Cheers guys.

There is about a half inch still protruding so I am going to try with the vice grips first. I have had the stub coated in rust removing gunk for the last day so this evening I will give it a good squirt of WD-40 and tomorrow night I will see if I can get the remnant out.

I don't think we can get PB Blaster in the UK so I will have to make do with WD-40:(

Any advice on how I can replace the grease seal on the rear brake cam?

Thanks.

As far as I can tell, the grease seal you refer to is a dust seal. I don't recall needing to grease the cam when I did the brakes (although it is probably not a bad idea). If you were in the U.S., the part would cost $1.68 from RonAyers.com. Just order a new one and hopefully it won't cost that much to replace it. And, I think I would grease the cam when you reassemble.

I don't know the dimensions of the cam or the seal, but if it did, you could probably fashion one from some rubber bits. However, anything you do like that could impede the ability of the rear brake to work, which could cause a stopping issue. Since stopping is a critical component of riding, I would order a seal.

Joe

Thanks Jan.

I found the part online at Z Power in the UK. Only cost a few quid. I hope it arrives quickly though.