Project: 04 Viper S

[J_hubbs]

I have quite a few rusty bolts on my engine. I don't like to assemble an engine with rusty bolts b/c it looks like crud. I used to wire wheel them but they would rust quickly. After that I would run the head of the bolts on a brass brush-wheel. This would leave a layer of brass that wouldn't corrode as quickly.

A coworker informed me about an Eastwood product that re-plates fasteners/springs. It electrically plates bare metal with a layer of zinc that can be polished.

Before:

After the wire wheel:

The kit at work:

After a 10 min dip:

Then I hit it with some scotch-brite:

The kit comes with some metal polish to make it shine. I did not use it yet.

 

[SXRider7Hundo]

Kickass!

 

[super1c]

Very, very nice. Ive seen guys posting on how to get that finish back without much luck on a answer. Post up more info on the kit for sure.

 

[03viperguy]

kit looks pretty interesting

 

[J_hubbs]

This is the link to the kit. You might be able to make the kit yourself and save some $. The liquid smells like it has some battery acid in it.
Eastwood plating kit

 

[viperking]

Kit looks like it uses the same oxidation/reduction process that can be used to plate copper. Didn't know they made an actual kit to do it. May have to get one of those.

 

[J_hubbs]

Today I installed new rings on my pistons, and installed the cylinders.

I also started assembly of the SC10-3 skid.

I need to get moving, the snow is right around the corner!

 

[J_hubbs]

This is a rig I whipped up to hold 2 bolts or nuts while plating. I hang it on a piece of wire that slides up/down the conduit on the brown beam. This way i can adjust for any length bolt.

 

[03viperguy]

looking good!

 

[J_hubbs]

I have the engine together. The head bolts and exhaust nuts turned out nice. They were all rust before the zinc plating.

Tonight I my brother and I installed the engine.

 

[J_hubbs]

This is the Man Zone.

 

[03viperguy]

nice toybox I even like the doo, lthough I might take a whipping for saying so lol!

 

[J_hubbs]

nice toybox I even like the doo, lthough I might take a whipping for saying so lol!

Thanks! In the summer I ride alot of single track trails here in Michigan on the bikes. The 800 Doo is my buddys, we are doing crank seals and pistons in it this weekend. The only 'off" brand sled I have owned was a 700 Doo similar to the one in the pic. They honestly aernt bad all-around sleds. I will miss the push button reverse, but not the inside ski lift in the corners!

 

[jplum]

nice toybox I even like the doo, lthough I might take a whipping for saying so lol!

It was going to be a “quick preventative maintenance ring job” on my 800 doo...turned into an entire new top end, crank seal, clutch work, exhaust weld, steering maintenance, tstat replacement (complete with broken bolt in head) and the list goes on…less than 30 days till our week in the UP but if we weren’t cutting it close it wouldn’t feel normal! Thankful J_Hubbs allows me to keep my “off-brand” sled in the Manzone!

 

[J_hubbs]

Its running! I cleaned the carbs and pulled the needles up per MrVipers recomendation. Then I had an oil cable mix up that Super1c helped me solve: 04 vipers have a combined throttle and oil cable, not two seperate. Once running I had a squealing noise that turned out to be my new belt set a little too high in the secondary. It seems a little doggy but i only ran it around the house 4x, and it has mix in the tank. I finally got to read the odometer... 8300 miles!! that would explain why every heim joint in the front end is worn out! Next is a new track and the sc10-3 suspension I just rebuilt.

 

[03viperguy]

congrats!

 

[low slung]

The viperS were nice sleds.Had a chance to buy a left over one in the fall of 2004 but instead got my 04warrior(still going,love the long track,reverse,sound).Was it common for the motors to go beyond 10000miles before being rebuilt?Seems there don,t last as long as the SX700 red head triple.

 

[J_hubbs]

The viperS were nice sleds.Had a chance to buy a left over one in the fall of 2004 but instead got my 04warrior(still going,love the long track,reverse,sound).Was it common for the motors to go beyond 10000miles before being rebuilt?Seems there don,t last as long as the SX700 red head triple.

Some last just as long. From what I have seen, it is usually a crank problem that takes them down. The crank failure is almost always from lack of oil from an unadjusted oil pump cable, or corrosion on a bearing from improper storage method (ethanol fuels attract water). Overall the vote is that they are a solid engine with good power and efficiency.

 

[super1c]

Looks awesome! Great job!

 

[J_hubbs]

I ordered a Cobra track from TracksUSA yesterday. Hopefully that shows up soon. We finally have some snow to test ride on!