As I mentioned in my last post, I decided I needed to rebuild my master cylinder. I ordered the K&S rebuild kit, got a bottle of DOT 3 fluid and some clear hose, and one fine day I set out to do the rebuild.
First problem… the snap ring is so rusty that I cannot get it out. In trying, I also discovered that my snap ring pliers don’t quite reach all the way down there (I would have sworn they would work). And also, I discovered that there is this big O-ring at the base of the plastic reservoir that needs to be replaced, and which is not in the rebuild kit, nor in stock anywhere locally.
I got it halfway apart and couldn’t properly put it back together. I tried, of course, but the fluid wouldn’t stay in the reservoir because of that O-ring. Gah.
SO I ordered a new set of snap ring pliers from Amazon, one that a reviewer specifically said he used on the master cylinder of an early ’80’s Honda. While I waited for them to come in, I tried to get the O-ring, but as I just said, nobody had one. Then while doing the research I discovered that you can get generic master cylinders online. I started out looking at Amazon.com, but ended up buying one from an ebay seller instead. I viewed it as a temporary solution… I would still get that damn O-ring and rebuild the original master cylinder.
Once I put it on, bled the brake, and took a ride, I changed my mind. It’s quite good. The only issue, if you can call it that, are the markings on the sight glass… both upper and lower marks are labeled “LOWER.” I can live with that.
I will still probably rebuild the original sometime, but there is no longer any hurry.
That would be the end, if I had any sense, but since I don’t, let’s move on…
I got an email from denniskirk.com telling me to check out their clearance items, so I did. I do that a lot anyway, hardly ever buy anything but I like to see what’s out there. Well, this time I found something I liked: a set of K&S Chrome LED “marker lights” (i.e. turn signals without DOT approval… in Missouri, I do not expect a problem running them as signals). They were marked WAY down, and they look more like the original stock signals than the black rubbery ones I had on the bike. So I ordered a pair.
They look and work NICE. Much better than the ones I had on before, in that they are brighter than the ones I previously used AND they are “dual filament” (not really, but they do a good job pretending to be) so they are always-on lights until you flip on the blinker. In case the link above quits working, here’s a picture:
Notice that set-screw? It allows you to turn the signal (i.e. to aim it) after getting the stem tight. This is GREAT, except that the screw is just barely long enough… and I stripped one out tightening it. It barely engaged the threads before pulling out, so I ran in another longer screw and it went in fine. But it was TOO long. I needed a screw longer than the stock unit, but shorter than what I had in my toolbox. Gah, again.
Stopped by Fastenal, thinking they’d have what I need, even though the last three times they haven’t. Well, they didn’t this time either. I wanted a panhead screw in a zinc or chrome finish, and they did not have them.
Home Depot did, so I’m in business. But I’m less and less impressed with Fastenal all the time.