Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police Wheels

Axles

Updated: 2012 Apr 23

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Borrani wheels

Updated: 2006 Nov 27

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Thanks to Tommy Basile from Italy for providing me with this information.

Magnetto wheels actually owns the Borrani mark and they are producing again our wheels!

PDF catalog: http://www.mmagnetto.com/pdf/catalogo_moto.pdf

Cush drive upgrade, 850T rear wheel upgrade

Updated: 2008 Jun 04

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A popular upgrade to V7 / V700, Ambassador, and Eldorado models is to replace the rear wheel and drum brake with one from an 850T. There are several benefits to doing so:

• The primary benefit is to gain the rubber “cush” drive that is integrated into the 850T rear wheel. The purpose of the cush drive is to cushion, or soften, the forces on the drive line. The net benefit is greatly reduced spline wear…especially on the crown wheel carrier and the rear wheel splines.
• A secondary benefit is increased braking power. Although the overall braking surface area is reduced, the 850T employs a two leading shoe rear brake whereas the stock rear brake has one leading shoe and one trailing shoe. Additionally, there is a leverage advantage due to the longer actuation arm on the 850T brake plate. Note: the absence of a trailing shoe brake can be problematic when trying to prevent the motorcycle from rolling backward on steeper hills. Although this is not a concern for disc brake models, drum brake owners should weigh the pros and cons.
• A tertiary benefit - if you have a four leading shoe front brake - is that the overall design of the rear brake plate will match the front brake plates. Note: The 850T rear brake plate will not sit parallel to the swing arm and will appear cockeyed.

Basic installation

Installation is straight forward. Just replace the stock rear wheel, brake plate, and axle with the rear wheel, brake plate, and axle from an 850T. I'm not even sure you need to swap axles, but I did and forgot to visually compare the axles. I do recommend the following activities prior to install:

• Inspect the bearings, pack with grease if they are acceptable. If not, replace with sealed bearings.
• Replace the seals unless you have switched to sealed bearings.
• Clean and lubricate the brake plate pivot points.
• Inspect and replace the brake shoes as necessary. Unless the shoes show a lot of wear, I'd hold off with replacing them until after you try them out.
• You may want to replace the cush drive rubbers…but I'm doubtful that you'll see much benefit by doing so. I'd leave them alone unless they were obviously deteriorating.
• It is a good idea to replace the two springs that pull the shoes together. However, these springs are not easy to find. So certainly do not throw away your originals - ever. Thanks to Ron Komoroski for sharing his own solution for helping out his aged springs (see photo below).
• Clean and polish the rim and brake plate as desired.
• Swap tires.

Photo from Ron Komoroski showing how he added a spring to help return the rear brake to the non-applied position after braking. I did not find this necessary on my 850T rear brake.

Photo from Ron Komoroski showing how he added a spring to help return the rear brake to the non-applied position after braking. I did not find this necessary on my 850T rear brake.

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Replacing the brake stay arm

I've never liked that the cush drive does not sit parallel with the the rear swing arm. It always looks a bit off to me. So, I decided to fabricate my own brake stay rod to correct this annoyance.

• I chose ³⁄₁₆ in thick, 1 in wide 304 stainless steel bar. This is plenty stout for the task at hand and the stainless requires no additional finish.
• The overall length of the bar is 380 mm.
• The center-to-center distance between the holes is 357 mm.
• The holes are drilled to fit 10 mm fasteners.
• I rounded off the corners with my bench grinder/hand file/sand paper.
• I cleaned/polished the surface with the wire wheel on my bench grinder.
• The original fasteners may be reused.
• The original brake actuation rod may be reused.

Cush drive position with the stock brake stay rod.

Cush drive position with the stock brake stay rod.

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Cush drive position with the longer brake stay rod.

Cush drive position with the longer brake stay rod.

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Longer brake stay rod mounted to rear brake plate.

Longer brake stay rod mounted to rear brake plate.

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Just enough clearance for the front pivot arm.

Just enough clearance for the front pivot arm.

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Spoke manufacturer

Updated: 2012 Jan 28

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I extracted this recommendation from Dana Larson and Zipolo off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group.

Dana asks:

Just curious - what does “FF” stand for?

Original spokes as fit to Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Dana Larson.

Original spokes as fit to Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Dana Larson.

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Zipolo replies:

In the mid 70's I changed the rims to my 850GT (Eldorado) with 16 in ones. Borrani made the special rims drilled for the Guzzi hub but nobody knew where to go for spokes. Moto Guzzi did not want to release the name of their supplier. So I started the investigation and found the spoke manufacturer, who made the spokes for me (reluctantly) and charged me nothing. The name of the now extinct company was: Federico Faini (I still remember that). That is what FF stands for.

Wheel bearing adjustment/shimming/set up

Updated: 2010 Mar 29

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Replacement wheel bearings are very rare and exceedingly expensive (How does USD $140.00 each sound?). Fortunately, the tapered roller bearings last forever if properly shimmed and greased. I pack mine with fresh grease every time I change a tire. If you've never repacked your bearings with grease, I highly recommend that you do so. Now. Likewise, the bearing free play should be checked and adjusted as well.

To set the bearing free play, the wheel must be off the bike and the seals must be removed so that you can feel resistance. I prefer to do this with cleaned and oiled bearings (rather than when packed with grease) because it is much easier to feel when things get too tight. A light coating of grease is okay. But if your bearings have age old hardened grease in them, forget about setting them until you thoroughly soak them in degreaser and clean them properly. I start by sliding the axle through, and then place a tube around the axle to take up the extra space between the bearing and the axle nut. I do this so I can tighten the axle nut down properly (factory spec is 101 to 107 pound feet of torque). Basically, you are securing the axle in place (as it would normally be in operation) and then feeling how the bearing is rotating. Then, you add and remove wafer-thin shimming washers between the bearings as needed. Generally I like to start with too many shimming washers. I'll remove them slowly until I feel the bearing get tight. Then I add a shimming washer back in and all is good. Hint, those shims really like to stick to the bearing's inner race when you pull out the bearing, so watch for that when you are removing the bearings and can't find any shims.

Wheel bearing cross-references

Updated: Prior to 2007 Dec 11

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Wheel bearing seal cross-references

Updated: Prior to 2007 Dec 11

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Wheel bearing shims

Updated: 2010 Mar 29

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The distance between the tapered wheel bearings is determined by the combination of a long spacer and very thin shims. The original size of the shims is 20 mm ID × 28 mm OD × 0.1 mm thick (Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for verifying this information).

Here is some additional information from Charley Cole of Zydeco Racing:

The spec for the axial play of Moto Guzzis with tapered wheel bearings is 0.05 mm (.0019 in). Unfortunately, the shims provided by Moto Guzzi are 0.1 mm or (.0039 in) or thicker, which is just plain dopey. I set up a couple wheels for one of our Loop Frame List members and had to buy finer shims to do the job properly. Don't bother trying to measure. Start with too few shims and add until you stop feeling the drag of binding bearings. Use shims that are within the tolerance.

Generic replacements are readily available through McMaster-Carr in a variety of thicknesses and materials. Search for the following part numbers:

• Steel 0.1 mm thick - not available
• Steel 0.2 mm thick - part number 98055A234
• Steel 0.3 mm thick - part number 98055A235
• Steel 0.5 mm thick - part number 98055A236
• Steel 1.0 mm thick - part number 98055A237

• Stainless steel 0.1 mm thick - part number 98089A232
• Stainless steel 0.2 mm thick - part number 98089A272
• Stainless steel 0.3 mm thick - part number 98089A313
• Stainless steel 0.5 mm thick - part number 98089A356
• Stainless steel 1.0 mm thick - part number 98089A400

Wheel central hub replacement

Updated: 2009 Oct 08

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Thanks to Scott Carlsen for sending me this information in a private email.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

Photo courtesy of Scott Carlsen.

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Wheel disassembly (how to remove the nipples and spokes)

Updated: 2012 Mar 21

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Moto Guzzi used good quality components when they put together our wheels: Borrani rims, stainless steel spokes (except for V700), brass nipples, and heavy duty hubs. Even the choice of straight pull spokes meant very little needed to be done in the way of wheel truing maintenance. It is no exageration that the spokes on most original wheels have never been touched since they left the factory.

All that being said, there are times when you'll want to completely disassemble a wheel. Perhaps you want to replace the zinc plated spokes on your V700 with stainless spokes. Or perhaps you want to thoroughly polish all the components individually (much easier to do and much easier to get high quality results). Whatever the reason, here are some tips and tricks I've learned along the way that should make your life easier (and prevent you from destroying the spokes and nipples in the process).

• If you don't have a spoke wrench, get one. A crescent wrench is not a spoke wrench and will only destroy the nipples. I've found that the Rowe spoke wrench works well. While I'd like it to fit the nipples a little tighter than it does, I've yet to round over a nipple using it.
• You'll also want a propane torch. You don't need anything fancy, just a basic model from Bernzomatic is fine.
• If you haven't already removed the tire, tube, and rim strip, start there.
• Take time to document your wheel. All Borrani rims should have a marking stamped into the lip of the rim. This marking will only be on one side of the rim. On the wheels I've disassembled, I've found that marking to be on the right side of the wheel (as if the wheel were mounted and the rider was sitting properly astride the motorcycle). But check yours, it only takes a few seconds to visually verify and document your observation.
• You'll also want to verify that the rim is centered with regard to the hub. That is, our wheels do not have an offset. This is easy to determine by placing a straight edge across the hub (a carpenter's level works well) and then measuring the distance to the lip of the rim.
• You'll likely find a build up of crude in the well of the rim (where the rim strip sets). Sometimes it isn't so bad, but I've seen huge build ups in this area. It needs to be removed. I've found the quickest and easiest way is to use an 8 in wire wheel on my bench grinder. I just hold the rim up to the wire wheel and let it remove all that nasty material. When I'm finished, the inside of the rim looks pretty good. The wire wheel won't get into the space immediately surrounding each nipple, but you can get pretty close. Just don't overdo it and “score” the inside the of rim by using massive pressure or a wire wheel made of super-duper stiff wire.
• While I've not found any need to, if you really want to clean closely around each nipple, you can use a cup-shaped wire wheel with a Dremel tool (have a look at model numbers 531 Stainless Steel Brush, 536 Brass Brush, 404 Nylon Bristle Brush, and 442 Carbon Steel Brushes).
• With the inside of the rim cleared of build up, start soaking all the nipples and all the spokes with your favorite “get ‘em loose” concoction. I've had very good luck using a 50/50 mixture of ATF and acetone. The mixture is inexpensive to make and highly effective. You will need to reapply the penetrating fluid a couple times each day and let the wheel soak for several days. Keep rotating the wheel into different positions each time you reapply the penetrating fluid so it has a chance to soak in. Again, make sure you get the nipples AND both sides of the hub through which the spoke protrudes. This will make a bit of a mess, so place the wheels on top of cardboard or inside a plastic tub. Do not skip this step and do not think that five minutes is long enough. Let it soak for at least two to three days. The longer you can soak it, the better off your will be. I recently soaked a wheel for over a month and every nippled spun off exceedingly easy and all but three or four spokes came out of the hub without any need of heat. The longer you soak, the better off you'll be.
• Alright, we are finally ready for disassembly. This is really a several step process.
• The first step is nipple loosening, not nipple removal. Start by loosening each nipple using your spoke wrench. Some will likely seem quite loose and easy to rotate. Others may appear stuck. With the ones that are stuck, work them back and forth carefully to try to loosen them up. Re-applying penetrating fluid immediately before you turn them may help a bit. You can also apply heat (using your propane torch) directly to the nipple. The brass nipple will expand much more quickly than the stainless steel spoke and this should greatly help you remove the nipple. Of course, be careful using a propane torch around penetrating fluid…most are quite flamable. Sometimes the entire spoke will rotate within the hub, preventing you from loosening the nipple. In this instance, you'll need to grab the shaft of the spoke tightly with a Vice-Grip. I prefer to grab the thickest portion of the spoke, nearest the hub. If you grab it tightly, it will not rotate and the spoke will remain largely unmarred. Finally, once a spoke is loose enough, you can spin it using a flat-tipped screwdriver on the head of the nipple. I like to loosen each nipple until four or five threads of the spoke are visible. This leaves plenty of threads still engaged with each other and gives me sufficient room to start driving the spokes from the hub.
• Please avoid any temptation to grab a hammer and begin pounding on the spokes as if you were trying to drive a nail out of a block of wood. Oh, you can do it, but you'll bend a lot of spokes in the process. Instead, use your propane torch to throughly heat the hub around a spoke. I find that 30 to 45 seconds of direct heat around each spoke is usually sufficient. Then, use a small-ish hammer to strike the head of the nipple. Be careful to strike squarely and with nice, even blows. You won't be lightly tapping, but you also should not be delivering heavy wacks. Somewhere in between is where you'll want to be. You'll find some spokes move very quickly and easily. Others will require additional heat. Take your time here and you'll save yourself from buying a lot of new spokes. Remember, heat is your friend. Use it.
• With all of the spokes now driven down a bit, we can remove all the nipples and then remove the rim (there should be sufficient clearance).
• With the rim removed, fully screw the nipples back onto the spokes.
• Now continue heating the hub around each spoke and fully drive out each spoke. Once again, go slow and heat is your friend.
• Final thoughts: I really can't emphasis enough the importance of soaking everything for several days AND how much using the propane torch helps. Furthermore, if you haven't figured it out from reading through the description, this process can take a good long while. Just heating up the area around each spoke requires 30 to 45 seconds. Multiply that by 40 spokes and you've got 20 to 30 minutes just in pointing a propane torch at your hub. You may get lucky and have a wheel apart in less than an hour. But everything would pretty much need to fall apart for that to happen. More than likely plan for several hours per wheel. Your patience will pay off, though, in being able to reuse all of your original spokes and their original brass nipples.

Wheel lacing and truing

Updated: 2008 Oct 23

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