Picked up another set of M2 on eBay last week, poorly listed and got them much cheaper than 'the going rate'. Looked good in the photos externally, no description of the internals but seller said that they "might need some rebuilding". Take that as 'definitely need rebuilding', then. :facepalm:
First thing, without having a proper long Allen key, was to set about fashioning a long enough extension with some ratchet extension bars and a ¼" drive 5mm Allen socket head. Worked a treat. Bolt needed some soaking in GT85 and some help of natural leverage by wedging the 8mm spanner on the bottom but against the ground to release, but came apart okay on both legs only to find liquorice where once were elastomers and the upper rebound rubber. The left leg rebound rubber had completely disintegrated and turned to a mush, not even visible as a rubber ring - totally disappeared, covering the lower elastomer "skewer" in black and grey gloop. The right leg rebound rubber was partially present, but could easily be mistaken for a lump of liquorice! :shock:
So, some questions:
I've got two sets of elastomer kits on the way from SFP - one firm, one medium - the picture on their site looks like it includes the upper rebound rubber (the black one), two large elastomers (1½") and one smaller elastomer (¾"), per leg, but no sign of the spacer washers.
Do I need to keep my washers or will there be new ones from SFP?
Furthermore, the flange bushing 'dust seal' (stanchion wiper seal) and plastic 'bushing upper' have both crumbled and cracked when I removed them to clean.
Good job I found a NOS M2 'Rebuild Kit' a while ago that I've kept until I got M2s in need of rebuilding. It seems obvious which part goes where, but the kit includes two steel seven-eighths circular rings that I can't find listed in the parts exploded-diagram or where they might go. There are also FOUR dust seals - I only need two, so are there two 'spare'?
Any ideas on the seven-eighths washer rings? (See pics below - second pic with upper bushing ring inside it (the larger of the two bushing rings) for size perspective)
The whole layout - no sign of the three-quarter steel washer rings!
Oh, and the super-extension DIY Allen key!
Both stanchions and one outer leg degreased, cleaned, polished. More polishing still needed to achieve my required standard!
I've cleaned the inside of the one outer as best I can with a variety of cleaners aided by a huge pipe cleaner brush that fits the I.D. perfectly but I still can't get the shit out of the bottom.
Any tips?
I'll update the thread with a mini rebuild guide once the elastomers arrive back in about a fortnight.
I've also got the NOS M2s that will have their elastomers changed after these are rebuilt, so really want to get answers to the questions here before stripping those. Hopefully the insides have just decayed and are not full of crap, rust and other cack because they've never been out of the box and that the wipers don't need to be replaced either. Fingers crossed.
First thing, without having a proper long Allen key, was to set about fashioning a long enough extension with some ratchet extension bars and a ¼" drive 5mm Allen socket head. Worked a treat. Bolt needed some soaking in GT85 and some help of natural leverage by wedging the 8mm spanner on the bottom but against the ground to release, but came apart okay on both legs only to find liquorice where once were elastomers and the upper rebound rubber. The left leg rebound rubber had completely disintegrated and turned to a mush, not even visible as a rubber ring - totally disappeared, covering the lower elastomer "skewer" in black and grey gloop. The right leg rebound rubber was partially present, but could easily be mistaken for a lump of liquorice! :shock:
So, some questions:
I've got two sets of elastomer kits on the way from SFP - one firm, one medium - the picture on their site looks like it includes the upper rebound rubber (the black one), two large elastomers (1½") and one smaller elastomer (¾"), per leg, but no sign of the spacer washers.
Do I need to keep my washers or will there be new ones from SFP?
Furthermore, the flange bushing 'dust seal' (stanchion wiper seal) and plastic 'bushing upper' have both crumbled and cracked when I removed them to clean.
Good job I found a NOS M2 'Rebuild Kit' a while ago that I've kept until I got M2s in need of rebuilding. It seems obvious which part goes where, but the kit includes two steel seven-eighths circular rings that I can't find listed in the parts exploded-diagram or where they might go. There are also FOUR dust seals - I only need two, so are there two 'spare'?
Any ideas on the seven-eighths washer rings? (See pics below - second pic with upper bushing ring inside it (the larger of the two bushing rings) for size perspective)
The whole layout - no sign of the three-quarter steel washer rings!
Oh, and the super-extension DIY Allen key!
Both stanchions and one outer leg degreased, cleaned, polished. More polishing still needed to achieve my required standard!
I've cleaned the inside of the one outer as best I can with a variety of cleaners aided by a huge pipe cleaner brush that fits the I.D. perfectly but I still can't get the shit out of the bottom.
Any tips?
I'll update the thread with a mini rebuild guide once the elastomers arrive back in about a fortnight.
I've also got the NOS M2s that will have their elastomers changed after these are rebuilt, so really want to get answers to the questions here before stripping those. Hopefully the insides have just decayed and are not full of crap, rust and other cack because they've never been out of the box and that the wipers don't need to be replaced either. Fingers crossed.
That sounds shamazing! Wonder if any local businesses have such a device or tank I could use?! I'm on the hunt!
