RZ/RD 350 & Misc. 2-Stroke Tech BBS

Gday Race fans. It's been a while since i've posted but i've been checking out the great builds and ideas on the forum.
I'm about to start a restoration of an 83 rz350 but first i need to get it's wheels back that have been on my 84. The 84 should have black rims but it came with powdercoated red wheels. I bought front and rear replacement wheels that were cheap but in pretty average condition.



I used a nylon wire wheel on my drill to remove the oxidisation from the ally and crud of the paint. Also used a dremel with a little wheel that looks like coral to get to the tight spots.

Next was mask up all the areas that won't be painted. A long tedious job but made a little easier using vinyl masking tape and a razer blade. Then it's a quality etch primer to get adhesion to the ally.

I learn't from doing this before that its best if you mount the wheels so you can rotate them whilst painting. otherwise it's easy to miss some area's. i've just hung mine fom the rooth of the back shed using some timber and threaded rod.
Finally i painted it in 2k black followed by a few coats of semi gloss clear coat to bring back the gloss a bit. Start to finnish probably 12+hrs work but i'm quite pleased with the job. Anyway i thought i'd share for those interested and for anyone who has thought about refurbishing some tired looking rims.


Now to put it all back together. I have a question as in regard to wheel bearings. i bought new japanese 6301 bearings from the bearing shop and they have the plastic covers. Should i leave the covers on, or remove them so as to grease and then later regrease them?

graham heise wrote:I bought front and rear replacement wheels that were cheap but in pretty average condition.

Average for found in a ship wreck maybe! I wouldn't have taken those for free, but hats off to you, they look nice finished.

great work.

yep, lift the covers gently with a razor blade and pack them, often they come with almost nothing in em :/

I've never thought about cleaning them with that method.Great job!!

Anyone thats actually done this job can really fully appreciate the finish.Esp. the masking........
Very nice finish there Graham & I too will try the nylon wire wheel.Anything to make the job easier lol.

If they are name brand bearings with double seals they are shipped with the right amount of lube. They aren't meant to be opened up and greased. The seals are on to keep grease in and dirt out. Packing them full generates heat and excess grease is forced out. Take them out of the package and put them in the wheel, they will last years.

From SKF;
Under normal operating conditions, the service life of the grease in sealed bearings exceeds the service life of the bearing so that, with some exceptions, no provision is made for the relubrication of these bearings.

thanks for the reply gents. Couple of opinions with the bearings so i Had a chat with the bearing shop. I'm going to put the bearings in as is. next paint the centre of the rotors with some high heat paint and install new seals. then it's new tyres. Used bt45's last time and got 9000k's of hard riding out of them. ( used 5 rears and 4 front pirelli's on my r1 in 12000ks). Some more photo's of the cheap dremel bits i used, you can buy a bag of 60 bits of ebay for $12 and they work really well for sanding and polishing. the nylon wheel leaves a great finnish on the unpainted alloy, could polish it but it leaves a great raw finnish as is.

RuZty wrote:If they are name brand bearings with double seals they are shipped with the right amount of lube. They aren't meant to be opened up and greased. The seals are on to keep grease in and dirt out. Packing them full generates heat and excess grease is forced out. Take them out of the package and put them in the wheel, they will last years.

From SKF;
Under normal operating conditions, the service life of the grease in sealed bearings exceeds the service life of the bearing so that, with some exceptions, no provision is made for the relubrication of these bearings.

+1 on this!!!

Those are sealed bearings. Run 'em as is.