I forgot where I read about it but using a nickel (yes, a $0.05 coin) on a hot exhaust will remove shoe rubber and just about anything else that you unintentionally melted on your bike.

At first I didn't believe it but I tried everything else and nothing worked so I had nothing to lose.  Apparently, the metal in the coin is softer than the chrome so it doesn't scratch.  Worked like a charm for me - it even removed burnt on dress pants that were scortched when I filled up on my way home from work one day.  Of course I'm much more careful now.

Oh yeah, be careful not to get burned by the exhaust or the nickel, the coin heats up quickly.

Re; Squeeky belt, I use Gulf wax like is used for canning. Candle wax is harder.

at walmart they sell neverdull, comes in a can and works great on all metal. dont know whats in there, besides the inside of a pillow, but its good stuff! oooo and ooo steel wool, from a paint or furniture refinishing store polishes the aluminum and chrome pretty well. if its really bad and old( oxidised) it takes time but works pretty well. . Mothers billet and chrome works nicely too.

skatnbnc wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:

Good ideas.

We changed our seat bolts to allen head years ago.  Same idea as phillips screws.  Either way, I have no idea what Suzuki was thinking because I've actually tried to help someone take off their seat using the stock toolkit....but they also had saddle bags too.  Impossible combination.  Luckily a biker came by with a socket set.

Another alternitive to Armor All, and works a lot better is Black Magic Leather Conditioner.  Don't collect the dust and dirt like Armor All and last a lot longer.
As far as polish goes, all I use is Mothers Sinwax, Chrome Polish, Aluninum Mag Polish, except an occasional use of Never Dull.
All great products   8)

I don't know why I never thought of this before, and maybe other's already use this trick....

Anyone that has removed the clutch in your Savage knows that reassembly can be a real pain in the butt.  Lining up all the tabs on the friction and drive plates while sliding the whole assembly into the basket can be frustrating.

I realized yesterday that any easier way is possible, especially if you don't need to separate the plates (as in changing the cam chain)...

After removing the tab washer and nut...simply grab a couple flat washers and reinstall 2 of the springs on the pressure plate.  Run the screws down until you can no longer wiggle any of the plates and then just slide the whole thing out...no messing with the wave washer or the 1st plate.

You could also remove the entire clutch at this point, and you wouldn't have to line anything up on reassembly...the trick is using the springs.



To be honest though...this vision didn't come to me until I was going to install the clutch after being disassembled for months....

In this scenario or if you are changing plates, slide all the plates onto the clutch hub in the proper order.  Then slide in the pressure plate and add the springs, washers and bolts, but leave them loose enough to wiggle the friction plates....



...then take the assembly and adjust the plates enough to get the hub lined up on the countershaft splines.  Then wiggle the friction plates into the basket one at a time...



There you go, and when I have more time, I'll post another trick...

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:


Sounds like my post from Oct 2004....

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1099227...

Very good