Whizzer Ambassador Brakes on NE5?

[5-7HEAVEN]

I finally got around to opening the boxes and assembling the pieces. My bike is at another location so I'm not able to install it. Everything fit well together, but the vendor forgot to send and bill me for the brake lever. I won't need it if the original NE-5 lever fits.

The disc brake bracket on the fork and caliper is unique. It looks like something Tony Stark(Iron Man) fabricated in that cave. Caliper seems very primitive.

LATE-MODEL MOUNTAIN-BIKE CALIPERS WILL NOT BOLT ONTO THIS AMBASSADOR FORK! NO POSSIBILITY OF UPGRADING TO 205MM OR HYDRAULIC BRAKE.

The new chrome wheel came fully assembled with 12g spokes, disc and axle. The entire assembly slipped easily onto the Ambassador fork. I didn't doubt that it would, since they were made for each other. Wheel spacing is perfect.

New handlebar is ape-hanger style; fork has motor-cycle style stem, unlike the NE-5's bicycle's bootleg-style stem. I like the bicycle-type bar. Hopefully the NE-5's handlebar will interchange.

I'll know soon when I visit my Whizzer.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

It Almost Fits!

I had time to work a little on the fork installation.
Front fender was removed, as well as headlight. Instead of unplugging the front individual harness wiring, I simply unbolted the top suspension tube cover. This allowed the cover to be raised. Then the harness was rerouted behind the fork. The handlebar was removed intact with all controls. I forgot my extra-wide crescent wrench to loosen the stem, tho. Forgot my ruler and calipers, but the fork SHOULD slip right into the frame. HOWEVER, the Ambassador fork is almost 2" wider, so the NE5 Whizzer faceplate is too narrow. That'll need to be widened, painted and new simple brackets fabbed for the faceplate AND the front turn signal mounting bracket.

The Ambassador fork uses an ape hanger handlebar, which was included in the purchase. However, there's a capped hole in the new fork where it looked like the NE5 handlebar stem would slip right in!!! Too good to be true. The fork's hole is a fraction of an inch too narrow to accept the NE5 stem and the locking nut which drops down into the fork. The handlebar OR fork and locking nut would have to be slightly machined to fit.

AT least I know the Ambassador handlebar will fit, along with existing controls, speedo,etc.

The disc brake cable fits the NE5 brake lever perfectly, as well as the speedo cable.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Good news about the fork today.

After removing the Ambassador spacer, the disc brake fork assembly slipped into place. The only glitch is that the steerer shaft sits 1/4"too low.

This is because the bottom of the triple tree sticks out 1/4". It's like a factory defect that's unnoticeable, unless you know where to look. It seems like the bottom cone was machined too high on the tree. The nut on the top will not thread on for the last 3/16". I removed the Whizzer's steerer tube's bottom bearing race. Maybe the local bike shop has a race that will be a better fit.

I also experimented to see if the Ambassador's fork tube would slip into the NE5's triple tree. If it does, then maybe NE5 owners can keep their triple tree, handlebar and bikestem and simply replace the fork tubes and wheel.

THE AMBASSADOR FORK TUBES DO NOT SLIP INTO THE NE5'S TRIPLE TREE.

The Ambassador's fork tubes is maybe a couple millimeters thicker than the NE5 tubes. The tree just needs to be reamed to fit the Ambassador tubes. Then both tubes will bolt onto the NE5's chrome top plate.

If you remove the long spacers on both sides of the Ambassador's chrome wheel's axle, I'm presuming that this wheel w/disc brake will bolt on to the NE5's triple tree w/Ambassador fork tubes. However, that leads me to think that the axle needs the long spacer to properly align the disc and caliper.

Therefore, I am presuming that the Ambassador wheel will NOT fit the NE5's triple tree fork assembly w/Ambassador fork tubes installed. It might be too wide and off-centered away from the disc brake.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

This Is Not For The Faint At Heart!

Well, I disassembled both triple trees and took them to the local bike shop for a professional opinion. I told him what was doing and asked the tech what he thought about the slight defect at the Ambassador fork's bottom cone. I showed him how it sits maybe 1/8" higher than the NE5's bottom cone.

No problem, he said.

I also mentioned that the top nut doesn't fully thread onto the steerer shaft.

No problem, he said.

So I went home and reassembled the fork. Everything's looking good. While tightening up the top nut...

it stripped its threads ANNND the steerer shaft's threads!

This darn Ambassador fork's shaft is definitely TOO SHORT!

Methinks it needs to be lengthened 1/2".

Since I'm having the shaft lengthened, I might as well replace the top 4 1/2"
with 5" of the NE5's steerer shaft. The NE5's shaft's ID is a fraction of an inch wider. This way, I can stick the NE5's stem into the modified Ambassador's steerer shaft and re-use the NE5's original handlebar! Orrrr I can use the Ambassador's ape hanger handlebar too.

The NE5's steerer shaft was sawed off. It should be a no-brainer for the welder to extend the Ambassador's shaft.. I'll bring along the bearing race, so he know what the finished product. needs to fit through.

This Ambassador disc brake fork assembly SHOULD work, but it is DEFINITELY not a bolt-on!

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Almost Done!

Still working on the Ambassador fork, but making progress.
I could've ground down the head tube 5/16". Then the Ambassador steerer tube would've slipped right in, but I'd have to use its ape hanger bars.
I really wanted to use the NE5's cruiser-type handlebar. HOWEVER, the new steerer tube's inside diameter was too small and would not accept the NE5's stem. A machine shop welded the NE5's tube onto the Ambassador triple tree. They also lengthened the shaft 1/2", so I don't have to grind down the head tube. I forgot to have the machinist rethread the tube. When I assembled the fork, the top adjusting cone ran out of threads and bottomed out. Returning to the machine shop, they wanted $180 to rethread the steerer tube. Heck no! After a few days of mulling over it, I realized the local bike shop could rethread it for me. They did the job and charged me $15.
Upon reassembly, the top nut bottomed out, so the local bike supplied me with a2mm and 5mm spacers and a taller top nut for a couple dollars.
The right brake lever activates the front disc, which is located on the left side of the wheel.. It looks goofy crossing over the headlight. It's also an inch or two short and passes so close to the tire that the front fender won't fit. SOOO, I rigged the LEFT brake lever to activate the front disc, and the right lever works the rear brake. The brake cable fits right and looks better than crossing over the fork. The rear band brake wasn't working at all. Whomever assembled this bike ran the brake cable too close to the exhaust pipe. This melted the housing and froze the cable. After rerouting the cable and lubricating it, the rear brake is working again. Mental note was made to replace the cable soon.
The NE5's front fender surprisingly bolts onto the Ambassador fork tubes. Even the guide wire for the speedometer bolts up. However, since this new fork is wider, spacers and longer bolts will be needed for the fender's thick center braces. The caliper's bracket also needs slight grinding to clear the left rear fender brace.
This Ambassador fork needs quite a bit of work to install IFFF you want to use the NE5 handlebar and fender. You could grind the head tube, use the ape hanger bars and not install the front fender. The brake cable definitely needs to be moved to the left side, though.
I need to make simple brackets to attach the NE5's front turn signal assembly to the Ambassador fork's top plate, where its handlebar would have gone.
The Ambassador' fork's bump stop on the triple three isn't stopping the handlebar from hitting the fuel tank. A simple thick rubber donut or a short piece of fuel hose slipped onto the bump stop should fix that.

Almost done.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

The Fork Is IN!

Re: Finished!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 5-7HEAVEN
I decided to eliminate the front fender for safety purposes. The new front rim is a little wider than stock, allowing the tire to bulge slightly more. Fender clearance is really tight. I'd rather have muddy water in my face than do an "end over" and kiss the road.

The original NE5 cruiser handlebar fits great, and the taller nut and spacer sits flush with the steerer tube. I temporarily sandwiched the turn signal metal bracket between the ape hanger's mounting bracket, then pivoted both lamps to face forward. When the Ambassador L-brackets for the turn signals arrive, I'll put them on. Too bad the NE5's front Whizzer plate is too narrow and won't bolt on.

The Whizzer engine needs some work. When that's done, I'll ride over to Hawaii Ed's house and take some pics.

After rolling the bike around, I can tell that this Ambassador front disc brake works VERY well.



Joe the vendor from Taiwan arrived in Hawaii 12 days ago to visit a local repair shop. I ordered a rear brake cable, Ambassador front turn signal brackets, rear NE5 brake light bracket and two rubber relay holders. Joe transported the items here and left it with the shop for me. I asked him the cost before he left Taiwan. He never mentioned the prices.

Joe had since left Hawaii. I picked up the merchandise yesterday.

There were no charges for the items OR the shipping!

Awesome!