Mr_Gixxer's ATC Family is Growing! 250sx Need Help...

[Mr_Gixxer]

Just picked up an '85 250SX! WOOT!!!

Paid $650 for it. So far everything works great and looks great. There are however a few odds and ends that need addressed.

-Front brake lever is busted off.
-Solenoid is shot I believe.
-Battery is shot.
-Carb needs fixed up/rebuilt.
-Tank had a dent where the tree over traveled and contacted the tank.
-Right side fork stop is pushed in on the frame and needs built back up with weld.
-Front tire is almost bald.
-Top end leaks a little oil.
-Tool kit is missing.
-Taillight is also missing.
-Needs bar ends and new grips.

Here is where I need some help...
Something in the front end is wonky, the axle, front rim and hub, forks, handlebars and trees all appear to be straight but when I straighten the wheel the whole front end is aiming left somehow and i haven't figured out why. The shocks still compress and don't appear to be leaking and the wheel doesn't wobble at all so I have no clue what's going on there. Maybe someone has some other ideas?

All in all I think I got a good deal. I shouldn't have more than 2-300 bucks tied up into getting it back together. Motor runs good aside from the carb sticking and it shifts just fine. The rear diff, axle and boot look good so I don't think it has water in it. She'll also get a fluid swap before it's put into service again. Plastics are in great shape as well as the seat. Everything seems to be all there except for a few small things.

Pictures to come.

[Mr_Gixxer]

Here she is next to the 200ES...
200837

[trike savior]

looks like a nice bike at a fair price.

have same front end issue on one of sx's. although everything looked ok when eyeing it I found a fork tube was bent. undo the bolts on the triple trees that clamp the fork tubes. then turn the tubes. if 1 is bent, it should change the tire angle. sometimes you can adjust it out. good luck

[Mr_Gixxer]

looks like a nice bike at a fair price.

have same front end issue on one of sx's. although everything looked ok when eyeing it I found a fork tube was bent. undo the bolts on the triple trees that clamp the fork tubes. then turn the tubes. if 1 is bent, it should change the tire angle. sometimes you can adjust it out. good luck

Yea I wanna say it took a hard hit in the front end at sometime in its life. When I get the chance I'll take the whole front end apart and see what's going on. I wound up flipping the right side fork around so the axle is in front of the fork instead of behind it just for a quick fix to straighten out the steering. Before I did that the handlebars, trees and forks would all be in line and visually straight but the tire would point to the right.

Freaking weird I tell ya!

[trike savior]

when you flipped it all around, you probably just got lucky and put the bent tube in the right spot. try spinning the tubes like I said even as you have it flipped now. if the bend in the fork points toward or away from the tire, the front end should become straight. if the bend points toward the front or rear of the bike, that changes the axle mount location on that side and will cause the wheel/tire to not point same as the triples.

my bent tube was on the side that has the four bolts and cover that hold the axle. I loosened the cover and spun the tube up top. I watched the bottom of the fork move towards the wheel on the axle. as I continued to spin it would change the angle of the tire and then straighten it back out. as it straightened back out the bottom of the triple was now far from the wheel on the axle. keep spinning it and it would again change the tire angle until you ended up back at the bottom of the fork being close to the wheel again.

hope I am explaining enough for you to understand what I was seeing.

I set it so the wheel was straight and the fork was close to the wheel. then I sat down, braced the tire with my feet, pulled the fork to where it needed to be on axle and tightened down the cover.

I was able to get it a lot closer than it was but it was not perfect. sure the other fork was bent too. im sure if I played with it enough I could have got it but it was good enough for me.

[Mr_Gixxer]

when you flipped it all around, you probably just got lucky and put the bent tube in the right spot. try spinning the tubes like I said even as you have it flipped now. if the bend in the fork points toward or away from the tire, the front end should become straight. if the bend points toward the front or rear of the bike, that changes the axle mount location on that side and will cause the wheel/tire to not point same as the triples.

I will say that whatever it is, there is a good two inch difference between mounting the right side axle on the front or back side of the fork. I just think it would be crazy to have a fork bent that bad and one, not be able to see the bent fork when looking down it and two, the fork still compresses easily.

Either way, seems there are plenty of parts to be had for this beast at reasonable prices too. If it needs new forks, looks like it'll be a hundred doll hairs more.

[Mr_Gixxer]

Could the top and bottom trees be twisted just enough to where you can't notice it from the top but make the forks offset enough to make this happen?

I'm guessing this is easily remedied.

[trike savior]

no. if you pull the forks out you can move the triples independently a little bit. their position is determined by the forks. if the triples do not appear to be the same angle you definitely have bent fork - forks.

also I added more to my last post.

[Mr_Gixxer]

In regards to your edited post, I understand completely.

I'll monkey with that probably this weekend or next week. Waiting for my new workshop to be delivered. Working on trikes will be a lot easier then.

[Mr_Gixxer]

Need help again.

This time is electrical. I figured that the solenoid was bad but it isnt. Continuity all around. Battery is still bad though but I have a good battery to use. Here's what's going on.

Turn key on. Kill switch on. In neutral. With good battery hooked up there are no indicator lights and the start switch does nothing. No clicks no smoke nothing. I can either start it by shorting the terminals on the solenoid or kick starting it. When it's running I have indicator lights.

I've looked all over this thing up down and backwards and I cannot find a fuse anywhere to save my life. Attached is a picture of the hot wire and the corresponding diagram. Isn't this where the fuse should be?
200883

Why won't this thing start with the push button?

Why don't the indicator lights shine unless the motor is running?

What say you 3ww?

[UPNATM]

Need help again.

This time is electrical. I figured that the solenoid was bad but it isnt. Continuity all around. Battery is still bad though but I have a good battery to use. Here's what's going on.

Turn key on. Kill switch on. In neutral. With good battery hooked up there are no indicator lights and the start switch does nothing. No clicks no smoke nothing. I can either start it by shorting the terminals on the solenoid or kick starting it. When it's running I have indicator lights.

I've looked all over this thing up down and backwards and I cannot find a fuse anywhere to save my life. Attached is a picture of the hot wire and the corresponding diagram. Isn't this where the fuse should be?
200883

Why won't this thing start with the push button?

Why don't the indicator lights shine unless the motor is running?

What say you 3ww?

Yes, that's were your fuse, and wire should be, attached to the pos cable. Its pretty common to find them missing. Mine was missing also, but I was lucky enough to find one NOS. I think there is a thread on here somewhere talking about adding some sort of aftermarket fuse. Try doing a search, you may get lucky.
Btw, nice looking SX. :D

[Mr_Gixxer]

Yes, that's were your fuse, and wire should be, attached to the pos cable. Its pretty common to find them missing. Mine was missing also, but I was lucky enough to find one NOS. I think there is a thread on here somewhere talking about adding some sort of aftermarket fuse. Try doing a search, you may get lucky.
Btw, nice looking SX. :D

Thanks for the compliment!

I figured the fuse is just gone, but what was the fuse and the other wire supposed to connect to? Would that be the reason I can't start it with the push button or why the indicator lights don't work unless it's running?

I've read through a few threads, not quite what I needed to know though.

[UPNATM]

200890

Here is what it should look like, and this one is on ebay right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/85-HONDA-ATC250SX-BATTERY-RELAY-CABLE-WIRE-FUSE-BOX-/400542622916?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d423364c4&vxp=mtr#ht_3727wt_606

[Mr_Gixxer]

200890

Here is what it should look like, and this one is on ebay right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/85-HONDA-ATC250SX-BATTERY-RELAY-CABLE-WIRE-FUSE-BOX-/400542622916?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d423364c4&vxp=mtr#ht_3727wt_606

Thanks for the link! Still though, where does the other wire connect? And is that the reason behind my problems?

[UPNATM]

Thanks for the link! Still though, where does the other wire connect? And is that the reason behind my problems?

Oh sorry yes, without that link plugged in you will have no juice delivered from the battery to the dash.

[Mr_Gixxer]

I'll get the multimeter out tomorrow and see what I can't find. I'd bet the switch may be bad as well then.

[Mr_Gixxer]

Ok, I know it's been a while but after getting a flat tire up front I decided it was time to hoist the ol' girl up in the air and start disassembling the front end.

Got the tire off and removed the forks. Forks still look straight as an arrow as far as I could tell. Put the forks back in the trees, crooked as can be from top to bottom. I really think the top silver tree clamp isn't lined up with the bottom black clamp and by the time you compound the difference to the bottom of the forks it's staggered almost two inches front to back between the two.

What's the best way to align this front end???