Lester mag with cracks

There is a rear lester mag on ebay and it appears to have cracks in it. Is it still useable like that? Can it be fixed? And at what cost? any info would be great.

How about a link to the auction.

KZCSI

I will try but I am a little shakey on computers!!! Here goes cgi.ebay.ca/KAWASAKI-Z1900-H2750-KZ900-L...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Odds are that rim's been rode *major-league hard* - those are stress cracks from torque being applied through the cush drive to the hub.

EDIT: finally put my glasses on and noticed it was on the brake side of the hub - I'm not certain that cush drive torque ain't involved as well - but now I'm thinking that another possibility is that the cracks might have been caused by *serious* - and repetitive braking - or a conbination of the two - where that hub got hot as well as torqued.



That said, I knew the seller for a long time, and I doubt he'd attempt to sell anything that was considered overtly dangerous - he's got a couple of guys there with good eyes, they'd look the part over and make the call - which is *why* that hub shot is there - to prevent any claims of "Hey! Whatziz all about!" after the sale.

(...the guy that does his Fleabay stuff is the nephew of a friend of mine...)

I'd say that unless you're a hole-shot artist - and a regular one at that, the rim would run fine.

(That's what Johnny calls one of his "Dollar Pile Deals" - stuff cluttering up the warehouse taking up space that he wants to get rid of...)

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2007/04/07 16:19

i wonder is that braking surface put into the mold before wheel is cast or is it added afterwards,if so would it be possible to remove it and press in a new one? if you do decide to buy it and use it as is id atleast have wheel magnafluxed to see if there is any other problem areas since aluminum does have a tendency to work harden which aint good in a wheel;)

I beleive that the brake drum was originally cast in to the wheel. That wheel looks dangerous as ever and I would pass on it. The drum can be replaced, but it would be expensive to do.
On ebay, it is "Buyer Beware". I've bought lock sets off ebay that came complete with a key. The seller didnt mention that the key with the lock set didnt fit or work the locks (and I assumed that it did - foolish me - and I didn't specifically ask if the key did fit and work the locks). With some sellers you have to act like an idiot and ask many questions and assume nothing.
The picture of the cracks in the drum may be included in the auction to cover the sellers a$$. That way the seller can say " the defects were clearly pictured in the auction listing". I can only speak from experience and I can not speak for the seller or the Lester wheel that is listed.
The drum lining was probably ran with worn out brakes causing it to overheat and crack and it is probably well beyond the acceptable wear limits anyhow.
Remember, on ebay it is "Buyer Beware"
Fish

The Fish wrote:

I beleive that the brake drum was originally cast in to the wheel.

The lining is applied into the wheel as a secondary "metallizing" process after the wheel itself is cast, then machined to tolerance.

That wheel looks dangerous as ever and I would pass on it.

Dangerous *how*? Dangerous like it'll explode? Dangerous like the hub will separate from the rim? Remote. Very remote. And then, under the most extreme use and circumstance - it ain't a good buy for Lorcan, that's for sure.

The drum can be replaced, but it would be expensive to do.

True. It'd be cheaper to buy a decent wheel.

On ebay, it is "Buyer Beware".

Yep.

The picture of the cracks in the drum may be included in the auction to cover the sellers a$$. That way the seller can say " the defects were clearly pictured in the auction listing".

You can bet that's EXACTLY why it's there.

I can only speak from experience and I can not speak for the seller or the Lester wheel that is listed.

I don't speak for the seller either. But I do know him, and more importantly, I do know how the *behind-the-scenes* process works there. The guy they'd ask to take a look at the part is a *very* sharp ex road racer - Japanese - and the most shit-hot Kaw mechanic I know of on the planet.

He's the guy they'd ask - and there's a reason a decent wheel goes for upwards of $200 and that one's ten bucks plus shipping - he took one look at it and said "dollar pile."

The drum lining was probably ran with worn out brakes causing it to overheat and crack...

A possibility. Fact is that most drum rears show minor cracking to some degree, this one more than most. Most people never even know it.

...and it is probably well beyond the acceptable wear limits anyhow.

It ain't no spring chicken, that's for sure, and I wouldn't make massive hole shots a habit running that peach, nor want to bet my declining years on tossing out the anchor hard and fast on a daily basis. But if it's ridden like it's in a GEICO commercial, it'll suffice. There's a suprising market for junk like that in the barbeque paint and pipe wrap crowd. "Tolerance? Like, what's that, dOOd?"

Remember, on ebay it is "Buyer Beware"
Fish

All too true.

Pterosaur wrote:

The Fish wrote:

That wheel looks dangerous as ever and I would pass on it.

Dangerous *how*? Dangerous like it'll explode? Dangerous like the hub will separate from the rim? Remote. Very remote. And then, under the most extreme use and circumstance - it ain't a good buy for Lorcan, that's for sure.

I can only speak from experience and I can not speak for the seller or the Lester wheel that is listed.

I don't speak for the seller either. But I do know him, and more importantly, I do know how the *behind-the-scenes* process works there. The guy they'd ask to take a look at the part is a *very* sharp ex road racer - Japanese - and the most shit-hot Kaw mechanic I know of on the planet.

He's the guy they'd ask - and there's a reason a decent wheel goes for upwards of $200 and that one's ten bucks plus shipping - he took one look at it and said "dollar pile."

Dangerous as in, I would be more worried about a chunk of the drum coming off the wheel and locking up the rear wheel.

I dont want to argue over opinions of this wheel, but that wheel would have been pulled off the "dollar pile" and put in the aluminum scrap metal pile in my shop.

I dont know the seller and I am not trying to imply anything about the seller. All I know is that I would not buy or sell that wheel.

BUYER BEWARE.
Fish

The Fish wrote:

Dangerous as in, I would be more worried about a chunk of the drum coming off the wheel and locking up the rear wheel.

Which is why people with sense buy decent wheels in the first place.

I dont want to argue over opinions of this wheel, but that wheel would have been pulled off the "dollar pile" and put in the aluminum scrap metal pile in my shop.

And that would be a noble thing to do - I'd far rather see that happen than it be sold to some half-assed Speed Racer looking to beat the world on a $10 budget.

I dont know the seller and I am not trying to imply anything about the seller. All I know is that I would not buy or sell that wheel.

Splendid thinking, methinks.

My gut feeling from the start was to pass. I think I will pass on it. Thanks for the responces. Is there any were I could just buy good a set. I know i will cost more but would pay extra to know I am buying a quality part. I have a 76 900 a4. I am trying to make it into the bike I always wanted in the early 80s, koni shocks, 4into1 pipe and lester wheels.

flhwesty wrote:

My gut feeling from the start was to pass. I think I will pass on it. Thanks for the responces. Is there any were I could just buy good a set. I know i will cost more but would pay extra to know I am buying a quality part. I have a 76 900 a4. I am trying to make it into the bike I always wanted in the early 80s, koni shocks, 4into1 pipe and lester wheels.

Well, you could send the seller an email through Fleabay - or visit his website mentioned in the listing and email him through that connection - he's got about 20,000 feet of warehouse space and stuff stashed in an untold number of barns and shacks - he's probably got a couple dozen sets of drum brake mags lying around at any given time.

He ain't the cheapest guy around, but he do have the parts. :dry:

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2007/04/08 11:49

my two cents worth, they kind of look like stress cracks, and I would be shying away from that one.

Not to bust wiremans chops, you cant magniflux alum, it has to be dye tested