Telesco fork dismantling

[tuxtimb]

Hi, I have acquired a dismantled Ducati Mototrans Forza 350 - in boxes! It's all there and looks in good condition, so am going to rebuild it.
The forks are complete with spacers springs etc, however they are pitted and need re-chroming, my question is does the end with the nylon bush unscrew? i would imagine forcing the bush off would ruin it, any ideas for sourcing replacement bushes ?
many thanks
Tim

[Jon Pegler]

Tim,
Was that the orange Forza that was on e-bay UK recently?
It looked like an early 1977 model from the photos posted with the listing.

The Telesco forks in your photo have that bottom bush welded onto the fork leg.
This is not a problem for a competant fork re-conditioning company.
I had a pair of those fork tubes re-chromed recently, by Philpots in Luton UK.
Just remember to ease the nylon bush off the bottom bush before getting them re-chromed.
If the nylon bush breaks, they are available in Spain as a replacement part.

Jon

[tuxtimb]

hi Jon, thanks - i did wonder whether it was fixed at the end of the fork, do you know where to go for the plastic bushes - spanish ebay? i might as well put new ones on?
Yes it was the one on Ebay, all wrapped in spanish newspaper dated 2006, the vendor had bought it back to rebuild and said that there was nothing wrong with it. Never had a ducati but always wanted one, and this seems well made compared to the Italian machines, larger cooling fins, strong frame and swinging arm, not sure about the fibreglass tank....I was thinking of ditching the starter and just putting a standard cover on which is with it.
All new for me and I guess i will be needing some special tools

[Jon Pegler]

Hi Tim,
The starter motor on the early Forzas is almost impossible to get working properly, so can be ditched for the plain clutch cover fitted to most widecase Ducati singles.
The fibreglass tank can be treated with Caswell fuel tank sealant, or alternatively replaced with a steel tank.
Steel tanks are frequently for sale on Spanish sites.
Special tools required are the same as the Italian machines, with a couple of exceptions.
The swinging arm has an eccentric adjustment like the Ducati 860 and Darmah, so needs the correct adjustment tool to tension the chain.
Also, the flywheel needs a different puller to the Italian bikes.
The flywheel has a 33x1mm internal thread, unlike the Italian 62x1mm external thread.
Send me a message if you need any further Forza information.

Jon

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[Jon Pegler]

Home made flywheel extractor for a Forza

[tuxtimb]

Hi Jon, most helpful thanks i will contact Philpots, nice looking bike as well....
regards
Tim

[Rick]

I've never seen a Mototrans bike or Telesco forks, but, I have designed and built mechanical parts my whole life, and it's hard for me to believe that that bushing carrier is welded into the leg. The axial hole next to the bore looks like it may be for a 'factory' tool the fits into the bore and a pin engages that hole to turn the bushing carrier assembly in or out.
It looks to me that the spanner nuts on either side of the bushing may be to adjust the diameter of the bushing- tightening swells/expands the bushing to fine tune the fit in the slider.
Again- just my guess, but to go through the effort to include that bushing and then not make it serviceable seems odd.
Have you tried using a spanner wrench to turn one of the slotted nuts?
Rick

[Jon Pegler]

I can see what you are getting at Rick, by looking at Tim's photo, but the whole bottom bushing is spot welded to the main fork stanchion on those later Telesco forks.
If I remember correctly, the hole that can be seen in Tim's photo, slightly further up the fork leg, has a corresponding hole the other side and is the position of the spot welds.
What you refer to as spanner nuts are not threaded and do not allow for any adjustment of the nylon bush as you suggest.
I believe some of the earlier Telesco forks had a removable bottom bush, but not having dismantled a set of those forks myself, I cannot be sure. The parts book shows a separate bush.

Jon

[Rick]

OK, it was just a guess on my part.
If there's an extended stub on the bushing carrier that fits up into the fork leg and gets plug welded through the holes, it should be possible to drill out the welds and remove the bushing carrier.
The tubes may be a better grade of steel that has higher carbon content- the high carbon will make the weld really hard, so you may need to use a carbide drill, but I'd try drilling the plug welds to get the carrier out.
Or, there are split sleeve bearings available- you'd probably need to make some sort of adapter, but I've used lots of Thomson Nyliner sleeve bearings- Google them, or go here:
https://www.specialtyproducttechnologie ... sb1_type-4
Then you'd cut out the old bushing and snap the new one in place- not a fully thought through plan, but maybe worth considering.
Or, make a new 2-piece bushing that's easy to fit- once in place in the slider it can't go anywhere.
Rick

[tuxtimb]

Hi Rick, i have taken a picture of the fork end, as I have it all in bits - the plastic sleeve is about 1mm thick and is a tight fit between the grooves, and at the end is a steel ring which is quite loose - not quite sure if that has a purpose?
There is no need to remove anything as the plastic sleeve can be slid back over the end to fit. The plastic is re usable, it is very simple and I can see your idea with a split sleeve would work.
There is a hole drilled at an angle through the end - i have put a paper clip in it.....
thanks
Tim