Valve guides.

[Maca71]

Gents

Very interesting topic, and some very useful insight.

Only comment being that as a home mechanic who has a head the needs new valve guides, which i have already sourced, I find myself asking who offers the service of fitting the new guides to my head, and how much would it cost? This obviously comes from reading your posts and the realisation this is a job for a professional.

My bike is a mototrans 125ts. Forgot to say in UK bucks

[Jordan]

I've set up various mandrels and centred them so I can run a running centre to support the end.
Nigel

Another way I've used is to make the ID then centre drill it both ends so I could turn the OD between centres - no mandrel needed.
Disadvantage is that the material has to be longer for the driving dog, so wasteful.
That didn't matter much when I was making guides for a vintage bike out of an old iron sash window counterweight.

[LaceyDucati]

Gents

Very interesting topic, and some very useful insight.

Only comment being that as a home mechanic who has a head the needs new valve guides, which i have already sourced, I find myself asking who offers the service of fitting the new guides to my head, and how much would it cost? This obviously comes from reading your posts and the realisation this is a job for a professional.

My bike is a mototrans 125ts. Forgot to say in UK bucks

You could try Andy at HT Howard in Slough, I know lots that have used them for guides, seats and boring. They have done many bevel singles and twins over the years.

https://www.hthoward.co.uk/

I no longer take on that sort of work in general as I'm to busy with the parts business these days and to these guys it's there "bread and butter".

Regards Nigel

[LaceyDucati]

Nigel,

Any chance you would have a photo of the type of piloted drift that you use? Do you sell them? I didn't see one in the Tools section of your website.

Hello Greg

There was nothing special about the piloted drift I was describing, just a simply piece of bar or silver steel turned down so the drift is located in the guide and can't slip off, come into contact with the guide bore and provides an even force on the end off the guide. You would have to go some to "mushroom" the guide with a drift like this. Pic below.

IMG_0051.JPG

Regards Nigel