750 SF1 conrod roller bearing

[sfcpiet]

For those that have never seen the insides of a Laverda crank... big end and crank pin showing first signs of giving up.  Slight grooving in the centre from bearing cages.  Pins and rods scrap.

This damage cannot be detected without crank disassembly, everything feels fine outwardly.  This particular SF2 crank would have easily done another 10,000km before making really bad noises, but, by then, there would have been seriously large bits of steel floating around the engine, with further wear and tear resulting elsewhere.

I'm always sceptical when an owner tells me he's done a "full engine rebuild" without crank disassembly.  "It was fine..."  For how long?

piet

 

[sfcpiet]

Same crank, with new oversize crank pins and reconditioned OE rods.

Piet

 

[Paul Marx]

I think a crank rebuild is neccessary for anyone renovating a Laverda. At least if he intends using it.
Those engines are half a century old for a lot of them and even stored in the proverbial barn, those cranks suffer.

Paul

 

[hooksey]

Like dis one.....

 

[sfcpiet]

Like dis one.....

Seen lots of those, Hooksey.

piet

 

[sfcpiet]

I think a crank rebuild is neccessary for anyone renovating a Laverda. At least if he intends using it.
Those engines are half a century old for a lot of them and even stored in the proverbial barn, those cranks suffer.

Paul

There are still so many that claim to find everything "OK" within the wreck they just dragged from the back of the shed... usually doesn't take very long for them to be confronted with reality.  That's when the "reliabilty"  and "quality" issues with italian bikes, especially Laverdas, are brought up. :

piet

 

[Paul Marx]

There are still so many that claim to find everything "OK" within the wreck they just dragged from the back of the shed... usually doesn't take very long for them to be confronted with reality.  That's when the "reliabilty"  and "quality" issues with italian bikes, especially Laverdas, are brought up. :

piet

New paint, new shiny bits, vapour blast and clean carbs. A lot of cash It runs.
What could go wrong?

Paul

 

[hooksey]

Like dis one.....

SF 1 was still running sweetly, just sounding like a chaff cutter!

Lotsa man glitter found once oil dropped  :'( so engine out job.
Now back on the rd and run in
But Alas, the Corsa is the preferred mount of late