2003 GT Avalanche 3.0

2DIE

Likes Dirt
I picked this up the other day, everything is stock down to the 13 year old tyres.


I'll update with pics as parts arrive as I have a few parts on the way.

So far the biggest problems is a rusty chain and sprockets as well as the forks are stuffed, hopefully I can fix them.

Nothing special, just a cheap bike to get some exercise on for now.

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I'll try to keep this first post updated with a current pic along the way.

Latest pic

 
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pink poodle

気が狂っている男
The softer the cushion the harder the pushin! Get on it...

Have you had a chance to look into cables yet? Can you install them yourself? If so I'm sure plenty of people on here have some cheap spares.
 

2DIE

Likes Dirt
The softer the cushion the harder the pushin! Get on it...

Have you had a chance to look into cables yet? Can you install them yourself? If so I'm sure plenty of people on here have some cheap spares.
Hey mate, I took it for a cruise until I got tired (mostly up hill) and then rolled back home.

Yeah I looked at cables to buy and videos on how to trim them and adjust the gears and stuff too, there are some cheap cables at CRC that I'll probably get.

This weekend I'll pull the front fork apart, clean it and grease it up again and hopefully I can salvage it. It was horrible on the ride just before, I'll also try to clean up the back sprocket with a wire brush.

Next Friday I'll make a order for a new chain and both brake and gear cables, depending on how the rear sprocket cleans up I might order another one too.

Forks will have to wait even though it's probably the worst part of riding it at the moment and I'll keep a eye out for used ones on here.

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2DIE

Likes Dirt
Oh and I have my eyes on some new pedals to replace these plastic ones that feel bent. Wellgo B087 in silver look nice for around $20 posted, I'd like gold pedals but the only ones I can find in a similar style cost 3 times as much.

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Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
This weekend I'll pull the front fork apart, clean it and grease it up again and hopefully I can salvage it. It was horrible on the ride just before, I'll also try to clean up the back sprocket with a wire brush.
Just clean it up and lube it and off you go. The RST Capa never looked to be a super product anyhow but will round off the bumps which is all that matters in the end. If the rear sprocket is lightly rusted then I'd just put on some chain lube and let the riding wear it off.

Just go and enjoy and don't get too worked up on the finer details. Ride it and be happy :)
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Unless they are elastomer and it has deteriorated...in which case they're fucked unless you can find a spring to drop in there.

Plan sounds good. Remember to check the local guys for cables etc too. I scored a mad deal from Pushys kn gear cables not so long ago. She'd has plenty in there for only a dollar-buck per item.
 

aanon

Likes Dirt
Nothing special, just a cheap bike to get some exercise on for now.
They all say that, once this stuff gets hold of you it takes over your life, in less than a year you could be on a carbon habit (see what I did there) and spending ten grand a year, shit can go down hill real fast then.
Welcome aboard.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
They all say that, once this stuff gets hold of you it takes over your life, in less than a year you could be on a carbon habit (see what I did there) and spending ten grand a year, shit can go down hill real fast then.
Welcome aboard.
<whisper>
Shhh, man, we are trying to encourage him first. Soon he will be scouring the global for obscure parts while family and friends sing the 'You spent how much and it still has no motor' song.
Keep it down...........
</whisper>
 

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Unless they are elastomer and it has deteriorated
Or stanchions munted if they sat still for XX years and corrosion formed between bushing and stanchion. Seem to recall it wasn't uncommon on the older RST stanchions to flake off their coating too but could be wrong.

Alternatively a bit of greasy loving may be all they need, you won't know til you take a peek. G'luck.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Or stanchions munted if they sat still for XX years and corrosion formed between bushing and stanchion. Seem to recall it wasn't uncommon on the older RST stanchions to flake off their coating too but could be wrong.

Alternatively a bit of greasy loving may be all they need, you won't know til you take a peek. G'luck.
Steel will do that...rst forks used to rust like the tin man. if so clean it up with some wd40! Or rub it back really clean and coat it in something abrasion resistant. I don't know what that is, but there should he something. But I'm pretty sure the forks are fucked for good.

Oh, only for you dammit. I don't have smuggle it internally prison inmate style though I hope.
Its just a body board bag.
 

2DIE

Likes Dirt
Just took off the front fork to take it around to my brothers and clean it up. Pic of the steerer length is just for my own future reference (230mm).

It didn't capture it in the pictures but when I layed it down water started to leak out of the caps on the top of the suspension.

For lack of better words to describe how they are, they feel notchy, like they get stuck in stages instead of freely sliding. Also they are only 50mm travel and I'm sure me sitting on the bike uses most of that straight up, then it bottoms out and clunks just going over my shallow slope driveway onto the road.

When it's all apart I'll try to take a few more pics.




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2DIE

Likes Dirt
Opened the blinds to get some light in here and captured a shot the liquid leaking out, it's still dripping. I'm not sure if the other spot of water was from the forks or if it's from somewhere else in the bike.



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yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
Can't see those coming back to life easily.

I know you don't have a lot of cash to spend but if they are as munted as they sound like then you might have to consider something cheap from cyclingdeal.com.au or similar. I just had a look and there are a REALLY basic set that will fit for $50.

They won't be great but they will meet your needs for now.

If I had a spare set to donate I would. Perhaps someone else on here will have something basic they took off a bike that's just sitting around gathering dust and can be donated to a good cause...
 

2DIE

Likes Dirt
I took a few pictures as I was pulling them apart and cleaning them, although when I was greasing everything up I didn't take any pics because I didn't want to stop to wash my hands. First thing I did after getting to my brothers was turn them upside down and put pressure on them, they squirted out brown sludge.






The picture above was after cleaning the first time, then I went and bought 2 more cams of degreaser.

After cleaning and sanding the rough spots off the springs, I also cleaned inside all of the tubes.

They feel smooth now but I haven't put them on the bike yet.

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Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Well done, should make a big difference. Look pretty clean and not abused overall.

Also looks to be candidate for a DIY open oil bath. Ride it first and next overhaul then try a few mls of 5-10wt oil in the forks to help keep it lubed. Even these RST's look ahead of the old school elastomer Manitous that were once used for everything from DH to XC racing - to put it in perspective.
 
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