While you have the tires off, may I suggest a couple things?
Check the wheel bearings.
If your current rear tire holds air well, do not remove the rim strip. They can be a P.I.T.A. to reseal. If you do remove the rim strip, put a drop of oil in each of the spoke nipples and see if you can loosen and retighten them. Better to keep them working then have them corrode to the point they are seized.
If you replace the rim strip on the rear, the ones with the molded in nipple are easier to seal.
Also, the new tubeless rear tire can be very difficult to mount and get the beads to set. A lot of guys use soapy water to help the rubber to slip on the metal rim. I do not recommend that because soap is alkaline. Alkaline loves to eat (corrode) aluminum. I use a real tire mounting lube but a little vegetable oil can help. Also, a warm tire mounts easier than cold (set them out in the sun for a couple hours first.
Good suggestions, thanks. I bought new rim strips. These bikes are on the original tires (badly dry rotted). Nipples are somewhat rusty, so I'll need to play with them. Maybe I'll re-lace? I don't know...we'll see.
I have a No-Mar setup for my street tires and a great dirt bike wheel stand. I always use the no-mar paste when I mount tires because it's slicker than pig's snot and is veggie based.
30 minutes ago, tpo said:
1 3 4 2, i have a 2003 txt 280 edition and it has those same awful calipers. I bought a rebuild kit and installed it on the rear, yet i can still see air and fluid come out from behind the pistons when i attempt to bleed it. Dont know if its a shelf life issue with the seals sitting for so long but apparently the rebuild kits are hard to find so maybe. I just wanted to give yiu fair warning.
On the brighter side, you can still have fun riding with no brakes!
I found a few of the rebuild kits, but like you, I'm suspicious. My plan is just to upgrade the caliper to something modern.
So far...nothing. One of my bikes is usable, though not ideal with the front brake. I've been working on so many other projects that I just haven't had time to address it. However, I plan to find some time to go over the bike very soon. Just picked a new set of tires last week, so I'll get to it soon.
braktec, ajp, whatever I can find a deal on. I have a feeling the seals are starting to seize in my Hebos and that what the issue is. Just a guess though...
Thanks for the heads up. Gas Gas got back to me with the same news a few weeks ago and I neglected to update the thread here. Feeling pretty happy to have this before really tearing into anything.
There's no spooge on the exhaust now, but I'm used to it with my KTM. This bike is clean in comparison!
I just got off the phone with Trials Parts USA looking for some parts. He more or less said the same things regarding the water pump and engine in general. I'll be doing a thorough once over on these bikes and will probably do a light duty resto on them this winter to make them fresher. I was excited to buy a trials bike, but I'm giddy now that I've ridden my own, lol.
He did mention that it sounds like my brakes are in need of service. New caliper and maybe a m/c rebuild. Time to start looking for calipers...
The brake rotors are “floating” type which means they can move some, but they should not rattle. Pop off a couple screws (or all if you want) and put a dab of silicone glue on the tabs, then reinstall the screws.
The squeaking can usually be eliminated with a little deglazing of the rotor and pads with some 280-220 emery cloth.New pads are pretty inexpensive if they are badly worn or too thin.
Bleed the brakes well with new fluid.Rebuild kits for the master cylinder are also pretty inexpensive.I thought my brakes were OK but after rebuilding and bleeding I was pleasantly surprised at how much better they worked.
Compare the size of the rotor on your KTM to the Gassers.Probably a lot bigger diameter on the KTM.You don’t need massive braking on a trials bike, you need to learn proper body position and techniques.Watch some good riders who can hop their rear wheel when completely stopped.That is not about brakes, that is technique.
Enjoy your bikes.
I figured they'd float, I just didn't know how much was allowable. It gave me pause when I squeezed the front brake lever and bounced the forks. Lo and behold, I found a definite click when the entire rotor would rotate about the mounting bushings/screws. It was a weird sensation that I've never experienced before on any of my other bikes (many other current and former dirt, street, and track bikes).
I'm going to do a good once over and figured I'd do what you recommended. I think I'll also rebuild the m/c since it IS going on 16 years old!
My allusion to my KTM was mainly that its brake was/is amongst the worst I've experienced on a dirt bike. I've learned to live with that, but it's just not as reliably good as others. Another topic for another day.
I'm looking forward to learning, thanks!
20 minutes ago, thats_a_five said:
Most people run about 80:1 fuel:oil ratio. Reducing the oil will result in a richer mixture so you may need to adjust your idle screw a little.
OK, that confirms it. I was told 75:1. It didn't sound crazy to me given the engine speeds these things typically run, but I wanted to verify before doing permanent damage!
Thanks for the responses, guys. I did find that link to the Gas Gas site the other night and the parts diagrams were very helpful. Bummer on the owners manuals, though. I'd like some of the simple information such as fuel/oil ratio...the owner was running 40:1, but I've 'heard' that these need MUCH less oil. I literally know nothing about these things...other than I can have a blast in my backyard for over an hour!
I'll check out that YouTube link, thanks!
Back on the brakes, though. How good are the front brakes supposed to be? I get a really good squeak out of it and it doesn't bite anywhere near as hard as I'm used to. Even my lousy old KTM has a better front brake. I guess I expected a stronger brake on a trials bike to loft the rear wheel. Something like the rear brake which works AMAZING. Hopefully just a matter of a fresh bleed and new pads(?).
First post here, hoping you guys can provide some guidance. I just picked up a 2001 TXT 280 and a 2002 TXT 280 Edition (from the same seller) and need some help. Does anyone have the owners manuals or a way to obtain them? Same thing with the service manual. I need to change fork seals and would like oil height, torque specs, etc.
Also, are there any things I should be looking for on these machines? They've been loved, but are in workable condition.
Lastly, how much rotor float should there be on these bikes? Both bikes' front rotors are loose. Bolts are tight, but there is a large amount of axial and rotational slop. I don't know if the bushings are worn, if the rotors are past their prime, or both. Or if this is just normal. Hopefully a service manual will shed light on some of these questions.
Newb bought a pair of older 280's - need some guidance!
in Gas Gas
Posted
Good suggestions, thanks. I bought new rim strips. These bikes are on the original tires (badly dry rotted). Nipples are somewhat rusty, so I'll need to play with them. Maybe I'll re-lace? I don't know...we'll see.
I have a No-Mar setup for my street tires and a great dirt bike wheel stand. I always use the no-mar paste when I mount tires because it's slicker than pig's snot and is veggie based.
I found a few of the rebuild kits, but like you, I'm suspicious. My plan is just to upgrade the caliper to something modern.