Author Topic: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread  (Read 103996 times)

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Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2014, 05:19:51 AM »
awesome job!...thanks for sharing your progress.
it's nice too see someone do a full resto and aim for the clean OEM look.
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline reklessj

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2014, 11:01:54 AM »
+1!!! Had an 89 kx125 growing up, loved that thing! Wish I still had it way more dependable than the early 90's
My rides: 1994 KX500, 1988 T4, 1998, ZXI 1100 JETSKI, 2003 MOUNTAIN CAT 900
WIFES (Baby Fiver) rides: 2004 KTM 105SX,1992 LT250R, 1995 ZXI 900 JETSKI,  2011 RMK 600
SONS ride: 1995 YZ125,2002 RM 250
other rides: 2007 RMZ450 RC Ediition, 2003 RMK700

Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #17 on: August 26, 2014, 05:28:45 PM »
This arrived today



Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #18 on: September 03, 2014, 12:45:58 PM »
Swingarm and linkage bearings replaced.


Newly plated cylinder came in last week.   




Carb and calipers cleaned up nicely:






Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #19 on: September 03, 2014, 12:47:33 PM »
Still working out how/where to get a 6mm blind bearing puller.  The HF kit I have came with a min 7/16".  Even the Motion Pro kit only goes down to 8mm.   Several boutique tool makers sell 6mm collets but they are spendy ($100 or more for the single tool, that I'd only use a few times in my lifetime). 


Offline Oblivious Maximus

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #20 on: September 03, 2014, 02:26:31 PM »
I've used a dremel tool on light duty bearings. A couple cuts and they came out but a lot can go wrong.
Where the Hell is "Easy Street" ?

Offline bens87braap

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #21 on: September 03, 2014, 06:58:30 PM »
Queen,  Is that the swingarm u started with that I can see in pic at start of thread?

Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #22 on: September 03, 2014, 11:56:00 PM »
Queen,  Is that the swingarm u started with that I can see in pic at start of thread?


Yes, but I cheated a little.. it's been powder coated. :D

The other parts were soda blasted.  Haven't shown the cases since they came out less clean that I hoped.  Still figuring what to do there.

Offline sandblaster

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2014, 03:18:39 AM »
See if anyone in your area has a vapor blaster. It may be called a vapour blaster or a aqua blaster.... They will look better then new...
Here's some examples

http://www.oem-cycle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=815
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2014, 03:24:38 AM »
Vapor blasting uses glass beads and water - knew that before reading your post. :)     Everyone says to avoid glass or sand (or any other hard media) for cleaning cases.   Glass bead media (in the water slurry or separate) will get lodged in teh material and come out later to slowly ruin engine internals. 

Offline sandblaster

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2014, 03:36:57 AM »
Yes, sandblasting does embed particles into the surface of soft materials because it cleans by impact.
Vapor blasting cleans by flow, not by impact so it is ideal for soft materials, even very thin soft materials as it will not heat up the material being blasted.
In fact, vapor blasting was developed during WW2 for the aircraft industry just for this purpose.
The nearest company to me that has a vapor blaster is a helicopter company and they use it for cleaning aluminum, brass, bronze, magnesium ect.
I will be doing some experiments to prove or disprove it's effectiveness when I get mine installed and operational in a few weeks.
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #26 on: September 04, 2014, 12:55:08 PM »
Premature fitment of frame & swingarm:


Offline sandblaster

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #27 on: September 04, 2014, 01:04:05 PM »
Very nice...
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline bens87braap

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #28 on: September 04, 2014, 08:48:55 PM »
that looks sweeeet   :-D

Offline queen of spodes

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Re: 1989 kx125 restoration master thread
« Reply #29 on: September 10, 2014, 09:22:28 AM »
Got a box full of NOS Kawasaki bearings & seals and am getting close to bottom end assembly.

1) still need to remove that 6mm blind bearing.  (Edit, forgot that someone posted a pic and instructions for a homemade tool out of threaded rod).

2) I'm using case halves from different bikes (same 89 kx125 model though).   Can someone point me to a lapping tutorial *for cases*?  Do I need to get some glass to do this on?   I don't want to get a second set of cases from messing up the lapping.  :)
« Last Edit: September 12, 2014, 12:45:04 AM by queen of spodes »