You can get it in black, but as a rule it is a liquid vinyl for lack of a better description and dries glossy. And for flat ended levers, you would have to make a spacer to make the end round so when you dip it, the "cover" has a ball end and not a flattened ball end.
I'd just love to know how they installed them in the factory. I'm wondering if they were not molded on the levers.
regards,
Rob
Lever Question
I'm curious also ! I think it may be possible to get the NOS one on using something like WD40 as that's what I use when re-sleeving wire harnesses - works well. I just don't want to try it till I have at least three available - one to wreck and two to go on :-) They are not too common - the idea of dipping the ends might work - I may end up taking a look at that.
I tried everything and destroyed one. I still have the other NOS end. I decided not to destroy it.
So far, the best suggestion I've seen is to partially turn it inside out and then roll it over the end. The challenge is doing it without tearing the narrow opening in the process. That's what I did to mine, tore the opening. Anything you put on it that makes it slippery also makes it impossible to control or hang onto. It becomes a greased pig. I know, because I tried WD-40, soapy water, alcohol, etc.. If you hold it with something that negates the slipperiness, like a pair of needle nose pliers, you run the risk of cutting or tearing it. I can envision an expanding hooked collet type tool that enters the opening and then expands outward to slip it over the end. Could be a manual tool like a set of snap ring pliers only more complex. And it could be that is exactly what they came up with for installing these. I thought about making something, but did not want to invest the time. It would involve lots of machine work or hand shaping. When somebody can post here that they actually installed two of them without damaging them, then I'll believe we have found a process. Otherwise, all the ideas are just that, ideas.
The previous analogy to it being like reverse child birth is a good one - given the age of the material, any flexibility it had when new is now likely long gone. The one I have is fairly stiff so I have doubts about being successful regardless of what I try.
What about reproductions ? I have had Greg Clauss (CSM Restoration in CA) make me a few things for Suzuki's which he now sells, but for small items that need to be stretchy it hasn't worked well. The rubber lamp sockets for the underside of gauges proved to be too difficult using his process, plus the compound he used was not really elastic enough. Does anyone know of another speciality shop that does similar work ? My guess is most of the shops that would have been able to do this small lot type of work have gone out of business due to pressure from overseas makers. Although with CAD and other high tech ways to make patterns and such today, you might find a high tech shop with a soft spot for vintage bike guys that might be willing to help you out. I would think it would have to be a spare time type of job because if they charge you true engineering hours, I would think the price would be prohibitive.
regards, Rob This guy does some really nice Yamaha reproduction parts. May be worth looking at.
Davo http://www.kdireproductions.com/
Re: Correct Part NumberWell - surprise, surprise ! The new small one slipped right on with the aid of a little bit of soap - it doesn't look right as the flat on the end of the ball needs to be padded out but I can make something to do that - a lot of stretch in that little guy ! I did try the larger NOS one, but as expected age seems to have taken its toll and it just doesn't have the stretch needed any more. So the plan for the moment is to pick up a second new small one, make a pad for the ball end to round off the flat and use those.
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