Fantic 303

[kevrtl]

lads I have just bought a 1988 Fantic 303 and have a few problems.

The back wheel spindle is seazed solid, tried heat etc, I have got it to turn but thats it.

The swinging arm is also stuck fast. Any ideas?

The inside of the middle exhaust looks heavy and complicated has anybody ever used oxy acetalene to clean it out or how do you get into to it to repack it?

Is there a way of getting the carb off without taking half the bike to bits?

Thats all for now

[spinningplates]

In answer to your carb question NO carb off is tank off, rear mud guard off, air box, and rear top frame off it will just squeeze out then if you wiggle it. although think I may have had to remove the top bolt of rear shock and take out the middle box of the exhaust.

Re packing off exhaust

I had the middle and rear box off mine, rear box appears to have no packing in there but some metal gauze.

middle box I chopped the back off the box and the only bit that takes packing in close to the in pipe, this bit also has some packing in which I drilled holes into to push packing in with a old spoke, got to say that this had no affect on the sound levels of the bike, I think this can only be do by replacing the rear pipe with an after market silencer.

not sure what you can do about rear spindle. Have you tried laying bike on side and penetrating oil over night sounds like you may be getting there as you have movement.

the rear suspension unit has a number of parts so removing them may isolate the offending part.

advice is freely available as are parts (but you have to pay for them), from Bob Wright at http://www.fantictrials.co.uk/ and Bill Pye http://www.frankfieldfantic.co.uk/

and on this forum of course

[kevrtl]

Thanks for info.

I now have spindles out I used a slitting grinder and will turn up some new alloy spindles. They were never going to come out as very badly corroded.

How do you get the rear shocker linkage off the swinging arm?

Any ideas where I can get an instruction manual.

[russelld]

Hi There, Thats great you got them out, I am sure the swingarm spindle is on a thread and hopefully that isnt badly damaged, I bought a Fantic 240 that some a*** welded the swingarm spindle bolt to the frame, as with all Fantics nothing is simple on them but once you get used to the method of working on them it gets easier (im still learning), I would try phoning Bill Pye 01642 722378 he is the man when it comes to anything Fantic, I know him well and he has rebuilt all of my bikes for me, what he doesnt know isnt worth knowing and he is always very happy to talk over things over the phone and has a full range of spares.Hope this helps, Cheers Russell

[spinningplates]

rear linkage is removed as follows, rear wheel off, spacer in rear brake pads to stop them closing , remove bolt holding linkage to bottom of rear shock.

the linkage is held by one Allen bolt either side of swing arm and one 'Top hat' bolt off either side on the bottom of the linkage chances are that this linkage will have split and will need welding if not you lucky, I welded mine 2 years ago and still ok. There are no bushes in top hat bolts.

On the top bolts there are bushes and roller that have to be removed. I have employed various methods to remove the shims.

best is hookum out with a nail head or similar, before replacing shims in to swing arm drill a small hole through them to add removal again.

Thread lock it all together when refitting as they can develop some play.

Bill will tlk you through it if required and has the top hat bolts, shims and rollers.

any chance of a pic of the bike ?