sk8erpunk
Member
LOL ... I love this thread!!
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Anyone Have a Spare Ambassador Fork Plate?
- Thread starter sk8erpunk
- Start date
Hi sk8erpunk,
Just a few important comments about the front forks & wheel. During one of my earlier test rides I discovered some unusual symptoms & reactions with the forks & front wheel. I was leaning into the corner, and suddently the bike straightened up [thank the man upstairs for making sure there wasn't any oncomming traffic], and had it been a busy road, I might have found out what it is like to hit a car head-on, because I sure was in the wrong lane. PLEASE remove the front wheel and look at the bearings before riding it. The wheel on my Ambasador was made for bearings & cones, but the vendor installed sealed bearings without machining the hub for them. After a short period of time the sealed bearings crushed the edge of the rounded area in the hub, and allowed the wheel to shift from side to side [I have pictures if needed]. If you find this to be true on the assembly you have, simply machine the hub so that the bearings flush up solid inside the hub, you will also need to machine the axle to allow the bearings to move inward. Another problem concerns the brake caliper, on mine someone forgot to install the rubber sleeves on the mounting pins and the unit flopped around and [because of the angle of the cable] caused the pads to wear at a severe angle. If the forks were a "take off" from the early "chopper" [I don't think it was named Ambassador yet], it may have the brake cable routed outside the left fork tube. On my Ambassador it has 2 places to route the cable, but was installed on the inside, however it rubs the front fender, and managed to remove the paint. I have tried to hold the cable away from the fender with a plastic tie, but it is difficult to do because of the location. I think the earlier forks only had one cable mounting tab, but not completely sure. If you want more information about the cable mounting locations please PM me. Next I will try to explain another glitch with the forks. Where the top triple tree mounts onto the assembly, there was a large gap between the the stem [attached to the bottom tree]and the rear hole in the top tree. Maybe a better way to explain this is simply saying the rear hole in the triple tree was way too big. It was ok as long as the nut was tight, however I soon found it a much better idea to machine a spacer [sleeve] to place over the top of the stem to fill the gap between the stem and the rear hole of the triple tree. Please understand my forks may be different than the one you have, but if similar it is worth the time to make a few minor changes [easy to do], because once they are setup correctly, it is worth the effort. If you need pictures or more info, please email me.
Have fun,
Just a few important comments about the front forks & wheel. During one of my earlier test rides I discovered some unusual symptoms & reactions with the forks & front wheel. I was leaning into the corner, and suddently the bike straightened up [thank the man upstairs for making sure there wasn't any oncomming traffic], and had it been a busy road, I might have found out what it is like to hit a car head-on, because I sure was in the wrong lane. PLEASE remove the front wheel and look at the bearings before riding it. The wheel on my Ambasador was made for bearings & cones, but the vendor installed sealed bearings without machining the hub for them. After a short period of time the sealed bearings crushed the edge of the rounded area in the hub, and allowed the wheel
Have fun,
sk8erpunk
Member
hey quenton,
I know exactly what you mean about the "hole" in the rear triple tree. I think Whizzer was going to make a cap for it, but never did (hmmm...). It will be interesting to see what they do with the NER as it appears to be the exact same fork and brake assembly, I suspect, as the Ambassador. The pictures of the Ambassador in their promo materials are misleading insofar as they show a "cap" in this "hole" ... it's definitely ... odd.
Are you talking about the rubber on the brake cable? I have rubber there. I don't have any rubber on the brake assembly, itself (the caliper, I guess) as far as I can tell. everything fits tightly though, but when the unit is not on the bike the two brakes pads on the left side (where the cable lever goes in) are loose. not so on the bike, but off of it, it is. not sure if that is how it is supposed to be.
It's not clear to me that this is the original rim. I will look into it and make sure. I don't have any access to machining materials here. I would have to take it to a machine shop. And, sadly, my beautiful 1966 Sears Sabre may be headed there soon (intake broke off inside the cylinder --trying to locate a 60cc upgrade kit for it with a new cylinder, etc. ... see how much work I go through for my moped lifestyle?).
There is only one holder for the cable on the outside of the fork. I don't have any fender on there yet. I am waiting until I get it all installed, which is frustrating because I don't have all the parts (my own fault for losing the triple tree). I have short and stock size fenders, so I will decide what to do and look into the issue you have mentioned.
Basically, right now, everything is half off and half on. It's super frustrating as we had a big ride on Treasure Island today and we were even filming a video (this is for the Moped Army) and I did not have my Whizzer (grrr..)
Yeah, this is a lot of work. It's a trade off for me between being completely stock, which I like, and being safer insofar as I can actually stop the bike. The sloaping hills where I live (think a place built on sand dunes, as that is where I live) really need something better than a drum brake.
I know exactly what you mean about the "hole" in the rear triple tree. I think Whizzer was going to make a cap for it, but never did (hmmm...). It will be interesting to see what they do with the NER as it appears to be the exact same fork and brake assembly, I suspect, as the Ambassador. The pictures of the Ambassador in their promo materials are misleading insofar as they show a "cap" in this "hole" ... it's definitely ... odd.
Are you talking about the rubber on the brake cable? I have rubber there. I don't have any rubber on the brake assembly, itself (the caliper, I guess) as far as I can tell. everything fits tightly though, but when the unit is not on the bike the two brakes pads on the left side (where the cable lever goes in) are loose. not so on the bike, but off of it, it is. not sure if that is how it is supposed to be.
It's not clear to me that this is the original rim. I will look into it and make sure. I don't have any access to machining materials here. I would have to take it to a machine shop. And, sadly, my beautiful 1966 Sears Sabre may be headed there soon (intake broke off inside the cylinder --trying to locate a 60cc upgrade kit for it with a new cylinder, etc. ... see how much work I go through for my moped lifestyle?).
There is only one holder for the cable on the outside of the fork. I don't have any fender on there yet. I am waiting until I get it all installed, which is frustrating because I don't have all the parts (my own fault for losing the triple tree). I have short and stock size fenders, so I will decide what to do and look into the issue you have mentioned.
Basically, right now, everything is half off and half on. It's super frustrating as we had a big ride on Treasure Island today and we were even filming a video (this is for the Moped Army) and I did not have my Whizzer (grrr..)
Yeah, this is a lot of work. It's a trade off for me between being completely stock, which I like, and being safer insofar as I can actually stop the bike. The sloaping hills where I live (think a place built on sand dunes, as that is where I live) really need something better than a drum brake.
Hi Sk8erpunk,
If your wheel has cones & bearings, not the sealed units, it will work fine. However, my Ambassador had the problematic wheel, and the wheel replaced under warranty was made the same way. Both had a sealed bearing installed into a hub designed for cones & bearings [not sealed]. Just PM me if you need any help with the conversion, I can most likely machine some of the parts you might want. The calipers are attached to a mounting plate via 2 large allen bolts, these bolts have a rubber sleeve [coating] installed where it fits through the caliper. The original [still have them on the shelf] were uncoated, bare metal, and the calipers made a loud noise when hitting a bump in the road. I thought it was normal and they were supposed to be loose, when one of the calipers was replaced under warranty, the replacement kit had the coated bolts, and then I realized the originals were wrong. If your bolts have a sleeve and fits snug, all is well, if not contact your nearest Whizzer dealer and get a set on order. I don't know if I would want my front brake cable on the outside of the fork where something might snag it, you might want to PM or email me about possible changes you might want to consider about cable location. The fenders that fit that front end are much wider than the stock because of the wider 3" tire. One thing is for certain, once the front disc brake is working, you will stop quicker than the drum brake. What are the plans for your tires? Are you going to run the wider 3" on the front and a smaller 2.125 on the rear? Not sure but I would think the front tire width should be equal to or smaller than the rear for better handling. I don't think it is very easy [if possible] to put a 3" tire in the stock frame. If you changed the front to a 2.125 tire the original fender could easily be adapted to fit. Keep us posted on the progress.
Have fun,
If your wheel has cones & bearings, not the sealed units, it will work fine. However, my Ambassador had the problematic wheel, and the wheel replaced under warranty was made the same way. Both had a sealed bearing installed into a hub designed for cones & bearings [not sealed]. Just PM me if you need any help with the conversion, I can most likely machine some of the parts you might want. The calipers are attached to a mounting plate via 2 large allen bolts, these bolts have a rubber sleeve [coating] installed where it fits through the caliper. The original [still have them on the shelf] were uncoated, bare metal, and the calipers made a loud noise when hitting a bump in the road. I thought it was normal and they were supposed to be loose, when one of the calipers was replaced under warranty, the replacement kit had the coated bolts, and then I realized the originals were wrong. If your bolts have a sleeve and fits snug, all is well, if not contact your nearest Whizzer dealer and get a set on order. I don't know if I would want my front brake cable on the outside of the fork where something might snag it, you might want to PM or email me about possible changes you might want to consider about cable location. The fenders that fit that front end are much wider than the stock because of the wider 3" tire. One thing is for certain, once the front disc brake is working, you will stop quicker than the drum brake. What are the plans for your tires? Are you going to run the wider 3" on the front and a smaller 2.125 on the rear? Not sure but I would think the front tire width should be equal to or smaller than the rear for better handling. I don't think it is very easy [if possible] to put a 3" tire in the stock frame. If you changed the front to a 2.125 tire the original fender could easily be adapted to fit. Keep us posted on the progress.
Have fun,
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sk8erpunk
Member
the caliper bolts fit really snug. I think the bolts are fine. If not, I will know why right away.
why don't I send you pics of my wheel so you can tell me what's up with that, as I am a total noob at these things.
the front tire is 2.125. It is NOT the tire Whizzer uses on the Ambassador and NE-R. It matches my rear tire. I haven't had anytime to think about whether or not to put different tires on there. I think normally if you ran a wider tire you would put it on the rear and not the front.
I like the wider front rims, actually. I am going to go for a two-tone look on my bike: black and blue. since the forks will be black and the front fender will be black ... I got a black Whizzer tank from a former dealer for $25 on Craigslist (that's 100 off!!). someday, when I have more money, I will get a black rear fender, but for now, I am broke, broke, broke ... I kind of wanted a black bike, but I wanted a newer Whizzer with all the mods even more (than the black 2005 that was available), so I went for the late 2007 blue. so, now I get the best of both worlds.
I am saving all of my old parts and taking care of them so that 1) if I decide to "go back" I can, and 2) if I ever decide to sell the bike and someone wants it stock, they can get it that way. Really, the guy who lost a triple tree is actually really careful. I think I just have too much **** in my garage.
One other issue, if anyone else is reading through all of this (in the interest of sharing), the front headlight from the NE5 looks small on the Ambassador fork. That's something else I should replace when I get more cash. Also, if you have turn signals, you cannot use the same brackets as the NE5 turn signal kits. They are different brackets and fit over the fork end bolts (whatever they are called). I will send you pics of the wheel a.s.a.p.
why don't I send you pics of my wheel so you can tell me what's up with that, as I am a total noob at these things.
the front tire is 2.125. It is NOT the tire Whizzer uses on the Ambassador and NE-R. It matches my rear tire. I haven't had anytime to think about whether or not to put different tires on there. I think normally if you ran a wider tire you would put it on the rear and not the front.
I like the wider front rims, actually. I am going to go for a two-tone look on my bike: black and blue. since the forks will be black and the front fender will be black ... I got a black Whizzer tank from a former dealer for $25 on Craigslist (that's 100 off!!). someday, when I have more money, I will get a black rear fender, but for now, I am broke, broke, broke ... I kind of wanted a black bike, but I wanted a newer Whizzer with all the mods even more (than the black 2005 that was available), so I went for the late 2007 blue. so, now I get the best of both worlds.
I am saving all of my old parts and taking care of them so that 1) if I decide to "go back" I can, and 2) if I ever decide to sell the bike and someone wants it stock, they can get it that way. Really, the guy who lost a triple tree is actually really careful. I think I just have too much **** in my garage.
One other issue, if anyone else is reading through all of this (in the interest of sharing), the front headlight from the NE5 looks small on the Ambassador fork. That's something else I should replace when I get more cash. Also, if you have turn signals, you cannot use the same brackets as the NE5 turn signal kits. They are different brackets and fit over the fork end bolts (whatever they are called). I will send you pics of the wheel a.s.a.p.
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sk8erpunk
Member
Correction. I was tired last night and not looking properly. There are two slots on the brake fork, one on the outside and one on the rear of the fork closer to the wheel. I don't think it should be a problem, but I will have to adjust and see. I can't do much right now as everything is waiting on the part from Whizzer.
I did do a search on the net about tire sizes and found that BMX/Mountain bike riders set their bikes up with wider tires in front and slimmer in rear. This is to absorb more shock on the front end.
I did do a search on the net about tire sizes and found that BMX/Mountain bike riders set their bikes up with wider tires in front and slimmer in rear. This is to absorb more shock on the front end.
sk8erpunk
Member
PS regarding other front end/ambassador issues
also, Whizzer is using a different headlight than the one Quenton got. They now have a "smaller than Ambassador 1, but bigger than the NE5 headlight" they are using (that has the correct bulb and does not mess up the electrical system).
one other issue: the speedo unit that attaches to the front end of the bike seems to be different on the Ambassador than the NE5. I don't think the bracket is compatible, but hopefully it will just be a bracket that I need.
Am I having fun yet? On the plus side, the bike looks really cool. I took off the the luggage rack and lowered the seat. sweet!
still waiting for the triple tree, which won't be here till Friday. I decided that black and blue looks like a nightmare, so my bike is the nightmare whizzer!!! LOL ... the moped kids will get a kick out of that. they think it is always breaking down. like their bikes aren't.
also, Whizzer is using a different headlight than the one Quenton got. They now have a "smaller than Ambassador 1, but bigger than the NE5 headlight" they are using (that has the correct bulb and does not mess up the electrical system).
one other issue: the speedo unit that attaches to the front end of the bike seems to be different on the Ambassador than the NE5. I don't think the bracket is compatible, but hopefully it will just be a bracket that I need.
Am I having fun yet? On the plus side, the bike looks really cool. I took off the the luggage rack and lowered the seat. sweet!
still waiting for the triple tree, which won't be here till Friday. I decided that black and blue looks like a nightmare, so my bike is the nightmare whizzer!!! LOL ... the moped kids will get a kick out of that. they think it is always breaking down. like their bikes aren't.
Hi sk8erpunk,
The headlight on my Ambassador is totally useless at night, because when the brakes are applied the headlight almost goes completely out. I think it is a 55 watt light and really strains the 85 watt alternator. I was informed of this problem prior to receiving my Ambassador, but was never offered a smaller light to correct it. I just simply stopped riding it at night. I know the later versions used a smaller light, but as you noted its size is between the NE5 and the Ambassador 1 [one]. I would think you should be able to mount the NE5 light on the forks without a lot of effort.
You can purchase the needed speedometer gear drive at almost any bike shop, and is a standard universal assembly [normally retails for approx. $5.95]. It has a place to mount the cable on each end to allow it to fit either side of a bike wheel, it is usally made from a light gray plastic, and has a black cap to cover the end not used. If you have any problems locating one, of course I have boxes full of them in stock.
Have fun,
The headlight on my Ambassador is totally useless at night, because when the brakes are applied the headlight almost goes completely out. I think it is a 55 watt light and really strains the 85 watt alternator. I was informed of this problem prior to receiving my Ambassador, but was never offered a smaller light to correct it. I just simply stopped riding it at night. I know the later versions used a smaller light, but as you noted its size is between the NE5 and the Ambassador 1 [one]. I would think you should be able to mount the NE5 light on the forks without a lot of effort.
You can purchase the needed speedometer gear drive at almost any bike shop, and is a standard universal assembly [normally retails for approx. $5.95]. It has a place to mount the cable on each end to allow it to fit either side of a bike wheel, it is usally made from a light gray plastic, and has a black cap to cover the end not used. If you have any problems locating one, of course I have boxes full of them in stock.
Have fun,
sk8erpunk
Member
god, I am going to scream!!
sorry, it's just that I waited all week for Whizzer to send me the replacement part and I just got the package this minute from Whizzer and ... instead of sending me the triple tree, they sent me the bracket that fits over the triple tree. Honestly, I don't know what to do. It is 80 ****ing degrees here and I have no bike to ride. Argh!!
well, I need to be able to stop my bike, which is why I need disc brakes, but this is turning into a nightmare.
sorry, it's just that I waited all week for Whizzer to send me the replacement part and I just got the package this minute from Whizzer and ... instead of sending me the triple tree, they sent me the bracket that fits over the triple tree. Honestly, I don't know what to do. It is 80 ****ing degrees here and I have no bike to ride. Argh!!
well, I need to be able to stop my bike, which is why I need disc brakes, but this is turning into a nightmare.
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sk8erpunk
Member
well, I couldn't take it. the weather was too nice here. I put everything back on my NE-5 stock. I need to be able to drive it right now. I am too stressed out. I just can't believe that after getting this close to actually having a whole new front end that I am back where I started. but the alternative would be to have a bike sitting in my garage all taken apart while I waited another week or however long for Whizzer to get its act together. what a shame.
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