The 185s build

[83ATC185]

After thinking about which direction i was going with ol' red, I decided that the only way to go was better! So, im taking my nice running and riding 1983 185s and doing the "big build", restoring everything (workbench not required). Here's what I started with:
111355111356111357

[oldtrx]

xr200 piston, 200x head, andrews cam?? thats where i would start.

[83ATC185]

And the teardown:
111359

this was so i could remember the cable routing

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/020.jpg

Motor, Carb, Exhaust, Airbox, Headlight, all gone

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/021.jpg

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/022.jpg

[83ATC185]

On the list:

Powdercoat frame, footpegs, tailight frame, rack, forks, rims and many little parts
New cam chain, and rebuild starter (sandblasting the pulley mainly)
New carb, new cables, new plastics if possible, original tires,
New decals
New bearings all around

Anything else you guys see that would make this better?

[83ATC185]

On the list:

Powdercoat frame, footpegs, tailight frame, rack, forks, rims and many little parts
New cam chain, and rebuild starter (sandblasting the pulley mainly)
New carb, new cables, new plastics if possible, original tires,
New decals
New bearings all around

Anything else you guys see that would make this better?

[83ATC185]

I got up and got and got an early start on tearing down the motor for the cam chain replacement and didnt like what i found, the motor's pretty rough i think im gonna bore it out and get a new piston along with the cam chain and tensioner

note the valve marks on the piston. Im sorta glad my camshaft was worn out

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/010.jpg

sorry out of focus

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/011.jpg

cylinder looks really bad

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/013.jpg

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/014.jpg

camshaft bearings have just about had it. but not bad for 27 years i guess

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/015.jpg

what do you call this? it doesnt look too good.

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/jmurph47/016.jpg

[3wheeledjunkie]

I am planning one of these soon. Mine has a timing chain rattle in it also. But has lots of power still, so piston would seem to be ok. But If I'm that far in, might as well check it out to.

[Vealmonkey]

That cylinder isn't all that bad, I've seen worse. LOL Don't forget to get a left foot peg as yours looks pretty bent. Rebuild those front forks too. Don't forget new cables, new grips all the nice little goodies.

[83ATC185]

That cylinder isn't all that bad, I've seen worse. LOL Don't forget to get a left foot peg as yours looks pretty bent. Rebuild those front forks too. Don't forget new cables, new grips all the nice little goodies.

haha yeah that bothers me. i hit a stump when i was getting used to a trike, i seemed to forget i couldnt fit it where i could a dirtbike. but those forks need rebuilding i believe theres water in them, along with new bearings up front, the front tire wobbles a bit.

[200XMichigan]

If its a good running machine I wouldn't replace the carb, just rebuild it. Unless you were going to put a bigger carb on it. Looks like a nice project. I would get a drive chain and sprockets insead of the new carb.

[83ATC185]

well the threads that hold the jets are corroded and the floats are split apart. it runs good but it wont be long before it doesnt run at all. ill get some pics up so you can see what i mean

[ama009]

"cylinder looks really bad" Mine looked worse. Hone that puppy out! You may be surprised by the results.

[83ATC185]

im going to my grandfathers to hone it out this weekend. do i need a new piston or just new rings?

[dcreel]

You need to hone it to the next larger piston size. So you will need a new piston and rings for that size overbore..

[83ATC185]

how will i know the valves are ok? i see the marks, i heard the pinging, but they dont appear damaged at all...will i just have to get it together and run a compression test?

[83ATC185]

Well i think its time to get started on this again after a 3 year hiatus...life happens quick and gets in the way of everything but ive got my wheelers in one place now so the rebuild continues. I just finished painting the frame last night, pics will come when i find the camera charger.

[jb2wheels]

Welcome back! Quite a feat to come back to something like this after 3 years - lots of folks/projects just fade away...

[83ATC185]

Yeah the torn down frame was locked in a friends mini storage after a family dispute, i bought another 185s and a 200s for 100 bucks while that one was in storage(he lives hours away, its not just a matter of getting out the wheeler) and turns out the 185 ran. So i rode it for a year whenever i got the itch to. The clutch wore out on the new trike and needed a quart every time i rode it. So now with the combination of parts i got from that sale, plus the two parts bikes, im ready to start building it up. I debated some NOS parts, but i like riding so i'm going to be selective about used parts (obviously new chain/sprockets, stuff like that) and a fresh motor. I'm not going for showpiece but i would like to have a nice looking dependable trike that i can ride like its 1985...

[JasonB]

glad to see you came back to finish what you started!

[oldskool83]

You will know the valves are ok when you buy new ones and have the head rebuild. Don't be cheap. My guess is they are factory yet. People normaly dont rebuild heads on these bikes, just a new piston and go beat it again.

[83ATC185]

Oldskool you're right about that. Adjusting the valves in a motor with three rebuilds, and the same head and valves, and the original cam chain, and make it run decently is enough to make a preacher curse. I've decided not to use the head. I have a known good head on the shelf from a 200s. The cam bearing dowel pin was forced from the hole somehow, cracked the bearing surface all up, and at some point in time, the thrust washer was removed from the cam, and never replaced...so a new cam and sprocket and chain will be arriving soon. I have another head to be polished/ground/lapped. I think what I'm going to do, is let my dad do the machining on the jug(just got a mill and lathe, I'm sure he wants to play with it) and bore it out to a 200, and just get the 200s piston that i already have (if it is WELL within specs) and some new rings, as well as cam chain/sprocket/tensioner. This weekend I'm going to finish up the paint on the frame, and try to get those bearings out of the carrier and replace the brake shoes.