Piaggio APE E 400 (175) - South Africa

[mondoape]

It should be a left thread. However, you will not encounter problems using the tool. Good work!

[madhatter987]

Hello,

Have gone to a few different tool shops and to no avail, the pipe fitters wrench is to big that I have found, so I have found something else, they call it a C-Spanner. Will show pictures when it arrives. Ordered a deep 27 size socket to losen the fuel tap nut in the tank, but it does not carry the size all the way up. Have to use plan B...will put photos up shortly...

I have realised that building an ape is not just the challenge, but to make tools and plans is the challenge too...
I will be sad the day I am finished her. Now I understand how addictive it can become to restore Apes.

Will update soon...

[madhatter987]

Hello my Friends...
I have been so busy lately at work but have finally had some time to work on my little Ape...
I finished making the drive shaft extractor as you suggested, it was quite a simple process but took me a while....
I could not find the special spanner you showed me, however I did find a speed wrench that works just as well.
I finally got the drives out but removed the one bearing outer casing, and cracked the other one open.
Do the bearings have to be pressed on or can I put them on myself?

[madhatter987]

here are some photos...

[madhatter987]

continued...

[madhatter987]

Oh, and I forgot to thank all of you earlier for the help and advice. This was a big thing for me.
Thank you all very much...

[mondoape]

The bearings and axles go out together. This is the bearings on Ebay, but it is too expensive.
http://cgi.ebay.it/Moto-Ricambi-e-Accessori_Ricambi-e-Accessori-Moto__CUSCINETTO-SEMIASSE-A-CATENA-PIAGGIO-APE-150-175-400_W0QQitemZ110372793388

[madhatter987]

Hello there...
I would really appreciate some help with the two swing arms that house the chains and hold the wheels.
I have stripped everything off them, how do I take them loose in the centre, I searched the site but couldn't find any tips..
Please help...

[mondoape]

You need the tool to unscrew (anticlockwise) the special nuts you can see in green line (see photo). Then you can extract easily the swing arms. You can buy the tool on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CHIAVE-REGOLABILE-GHIERA-A-SETTORE-DA-MM-25-A-70-VESPA_W0QQitemZ390146144259

[madhatter987]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.
I have done that with your advice.
but now there is a shaft in there that I am not sure how to take out, please see below picture. Is there a way to save the rubber seals, or must I destroy them when I take the shaft out? I would like to save them, ape parts are not easy to access in South Africa.

Thank you for the help.

[mondoape]

Remove the washer n.5 (see photo), the part n.6 and then try to extract the rubber seals n.7 with the help of a screwdriver. If necessary, you could buy new rubber seals to http://cgi.ebay.com/ELEMENTO-ELASTICO-SUPPORTO-CENTRALE-VESPA-APE-150-CC_W0QQitemZ390146164059 . This seller has a lot of spare parts for Ape, but he has a lot of negative feedback, too. Good work.

[madhatter987]

Hello My Friends,

I finally got eh swing arms off, a tyre lever and some gentle prying between the body and the outer arm and they just slid off making a sucking noise.
I was lucky to save the rubber bits, so wont need to replace them for a while...
I am taking the bottom in to be fixed, repaired and new bits added, will post some new photos soon.

thank you for all the help..