The 4th Hodaka - 2nd Road Toad!

[viclioce]

Motor is done! YEAY! Next, rebuilding the carb and dropping the motor into the frame! Getting close with this Red Toad! Also swapped out the Ace tail light which was on the Green Toad and put the correct one on! Boy! My garage is getting full and this pic is BEFORE I pulled on my 1500! D Victor

[viclioce]

OK you Road Toad owners. A quick question. Since I purchased these bikes disassembled, I need to know how/where to route the rear end of the wiring harness so it's out of the way. I figure the wires for the ignition switch go into the hole on the left rear side of the battery box. But the main harness end, where the wire tubing ends, appears to be getting pinched between the battery box and frame. Any suggestions, or a photo would be great!

Also, the seat pan I have is giving me trouble lining up with the rear mount points on the frame. I actually had to have someone sit on the seat as far back as possible in order to be able to get the nut tabs on the seat pan to line up with the holes in the frame tabs. Any advise for adjustment? The Green Toad didn't have this issue. And I've already tried "reshaping" the curve in the bottom of the pan with a "heavy object!" Thanks! Victor

[Dale]

Perhaps you have a Wombat seat pan rather than a Toad? Difference is the length of the rear tabs.

[hodakamax]

Victor, I used to have to stand on my head to view your pictures and now I have to lay on my side. Have you tipped over?

Max

[taber hodaka]

Max I click once to enlarge it and then you can stand up to view it . Believe it or not we have a Max Montana. I have never seen it. ----------Clarence

[hodakamax]

Never been to Clarence Kansas either nor knew about until I just looked it up. I think we're famous and never knew about it. Ah, that photo trick did sit me upright, Thanks!

Max

[viclioce]

The one thing I thought was happening was a format issue using my iPhone for uploading photos. I did a few test shots a while back and thought the response was when I shot a square format image, the picture did not flip or turn when posted. Is this happening again new, or have the photos continued to be upside down regardless of format? It seems this is the only place I know where I have posted iPhone pics and the images show up to non-iPhone users as being upside down. Also, when I view the pics from my iPhone they always look correctly positioned to me and I have tried to make sure I only post square photos any more. So I guess that's not working like I was told it was before. I'm guessing it's a formatting issue of iPhone vs. forum software. Victor

[viclioce]

I've been to Victorville in Colorado! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Dale! I have 2 matching seats. They both fit the Green Toad just fine, but the Red Toad is the one having issues. If someone sits on the seat I can bolt it in place. Just a pain to have to do that every time I need to remove the seat. ; D Victor

[Dale]

Do both bikes have the rubber pads in place? Same location and thickness? If yes, then I would suspect that the rear loop is bent down on the second Toad. If so, that is a pretty easy fix.

[viclioce]

Are you talking about the loop on the back of the frame? If so, it looks like they are pretty straight to me. What rubber pads are you talking about? Where are they located? Maybe I'm missing something here? Remember, I got these bikes completely disassembled so I didn't have any idea how they came apart. All I know st this point is the seat bolted in easily with the rear fender off. The problem began when I mounted the seat with the fender in place. So let me know Dale! Thanks! ; D Victor

[Dale]

If it bolts on fine without the fender in place then the rear loop could be bent slightly up rather than down. It was a fairly common practice to bend the loops up to gain tire to fender clearance. Compare your two frames very closely. The rubber pads that I mentioned are found on the parts Fiche Figure Q item 22. They glue to the frame and provide support to the seat pan. If they are missing it would not cause your issue. If someone added something thicker or mis-placed them I guess it could be an issue. I suspect that your issue is from the loop...

[viclioce]

OK. I'll double check the loops and see what gives, next time I remove the seat. Thanks for the tip! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Wow! An actual progress report! Finally got the rear wheel back with the tire mounted! Put the rear wheel assembly together & on the bike! And there's a picture to prove it! It warmed up today to 50* F based on one weather service! No more snow for a few days and Sunday it's supposed to be warm enough to only rain in town! ; D Victor

[mac]

Looking good and definitely more progress than I have on mine.

[viclioce]

There would have been more of it hadn't been so cold in Dec/Jan & if I had some way to heat the garage! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

I got hit by the characteristics of the thread on cleaning the bench, where'd the parts go?!?!

Tho I didn't do any cleaning, I couldn't find something, the box with my bullet connectors! We were working on replacements for wire ends. My new double and triple females came in but I couldn't find my single male/female bullets.

So, now I'm going to have to clean up and find the darned plastic box they are in! Dang! I need to be more careful about where I put things! Victor

[viclioce]

Bump! Just to keep it where I can find it! Victor

[viclioce]

Hey Dale! I checked the loops for the rear seat bolts on the frame. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The "ovals" were straight with no dips in them. Could it be the pan got flattened out in an area where it shouldn't be?

There are marks on the fender where the paint was scraped off, so I'm guessing this could be the wrong seat pan! Can't think of anything else.

I'm going to take a hammer to the bottom of the pan and see if I can conture it a little more because it doesn't seem to be off by much. Maybe a 1/4" will do it.

Could it be it's a Squirt seat pan or a Model 02 or 03? Are there any differences in fender clearance between the other bikes besides the Wombat? Since the Wombat has a longer radius fender maybe that's what it is, a Wombat seat? How can I tell for sure?

I can take pictures of things if you can tell me what you want to see in the pics. I'd like to get to the bottom of this. Thanks! Victor

[bchappy]

Victor, there is a difference in the seats. Some have longer back tabs and deeper indentation for the fender but I can't remember which is which.
Here is a picture of both. Maybe I can go to the shop and figure it out unless someone else wants to chime in.

[viclioce]

OK, Bill. I really can't tell the differences between the seats, other than one was repainted. Probably just the angle and/or lighting. I'm guessing someone sold me a seat stating it fit the Toad and maybe it came from a Squirt? Don't know which are different myself not having seen all the various seats. Maybe someone will please jump in for clarification. But I'm guessing a good hammer will provide the 1/4" I need for better clearance! Thanks! Victor

[bchappy]

Sorry about the picture but I thought it may be visible that the old looking seat on the left had longer back brackets and a deeper fender well than the restored one the right. The one with the long tabs is part number #979022 for models 01, 02, 03, 97, 98 and 99. The one with the shorter tabs is part #949022 for models 92C/96, 94, 94A and 95. The tabs are about 1/2" different. If you need me to do so I can take them off my bikes and measure as I have both.
I think you must have the shorter tabs which can be used by cutting and welding an extra length. The frames are different so new covers are different and the back of the seat will set right on the fender even if you add the extra tab length. I did this using a pan from a model 94 and installed it on my model 97. No one notices it except me.

[viclioce]

OK Bill! Thanks! Victor

[viclioce]

Bump...

[viclioce]

OK. I started pulling the motor for the Red Toad apart today. The cylinder appears to be way too tight for the piston & rings. Once the cylinder was removed I could easily rotate the kickshaft and move through all 5 gears. Looks like I need to take the piston & cylinder back to the machine shop. Damn! More waiting! Victor