Author Topic: CB550 shift help (Read 6010 times)

big bad bob dog · « **on:** October 05, 2012, 09:20:18 PM »

Chaps and chappettes,

Need some heavenly advice. Finished my cb500/550 build, and I have a shifting issue.

Clutch off, back to the mechanism for the thousandth time. It's as if there is a dowel missing from my shift drum (there isn't) and I cannot get the shift arm to pick up said dowell and shift. It can shift up, badly, but when trying to shift down from 3rd I have to have the bike at a standstill, rocking it back and forth untill it finally clicks down, going up and down with the shifter like crazy.

I am terrified I've installed something inside the engine incorrectly, but when I assembled all the gears everything was put together as per factory.

Any wild ideas? Common issue? For the love of anything holy, help if you can, I want to ride her.

dave500 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:06:26 PM »

the two forks that slide on the separate shaft are the correct way around?

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:28:02 PM »

Believe so!

phil71 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:32:07 PM »

It's either misaligned forks (easy to do) or widened shift forks (the wishbone lookin things). It happens .

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:43:28 PM »

If that's the case I'm going to go quietly seppuku. All that work for nothing. Fark.

phil71 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:06:22 AM »

you know for sure none of the pins are missing or dented/bent?

TwoTired · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:42:47 AM »

Is there a lot of clutch drag? Clunks and bike lurches forward when put into gear? Very hard to find neutral when warmed up?

Lots of trans problems stem from bad clutch function. If not corrected in a timely manner, then shifting issues follow, almost always from excessive wear, bent forks, fork tip wear, slider fork groove wear, drum groove wear, drum pin wear, etc.

Bailgang · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:58:16 AM »

I've got an idea, problem is I'm getting ready to go to work at the moment so I've got no time to post some pics to explain so you'll have to wait till I get home later today. It seems like you're having the same issues I had with my 550 after I put it back together.

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:00:59 AM »

cant be the clutch. I will be looking at the mechanism with no clutch attached trying to shift and the issue stays.

Heres the thing. After taking it apart again just before, now I can't get it up to second. This is all static mind you.

Bailgang, I am all ears.

bryanj · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:27:03 AM »

A bad spring on the mechanism or a damaged "ear" on the part of the lever that turns the drum

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:30:41 AM »

Replaced those, they are fine. Fit's into groves fine.

Whats funny is it's as if the shift arm's teeth aren't long enough, as in not grabbing the dowels in the drum and rotating it.

phil71 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 06, 2012, 10:40:21 AM »

are you saying that if you spin the drum manually it will go thru the gears?

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #12 on:** October 06, 2012, 11:00:17 AM »

sure does.

dave500 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 06, 2012, 12:58:22 PM »

did you mix 500 parts into the 550 mechansm?

heres a 550 one.

heres a 500 one.

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #14 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:49:51 PM »

Have the 550 mechanism, question though. The photo you have taken of the 550 looks different from most I've seen. That is, it has two springs. I have seen only the 500 have the two springs on the wheel arms there.

The wheels fall perfectly into the drum on mine, at the correct angle, move freely as they should etc.

dave500 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:52:58 PM »

is yours missing the spring?does it have the holes to hook one into?the very early 500 is a little different.
are your internals all 550?is the main actuating arm 550?that post that limits the arm movement isnt bent restricting it?

Bailgang · « **Reply #16 on:** October 06, 2012, 03:10:21 PM »

Make sure the collar that goes into the linkage where my pen is pointing is installed correctly. The actual collar and bolt that goes through it isn't pictured because I couldn't find another one handy to show you but I think you get the idea. Once I got the engine together after splitting the case and replacing the primary chain my bike would up and down shift just fine when cold but once on the road and as the engine would come up to operating temp, downshifting would get worse until it wouldn't downshift any further than 3rd. It would still upshift to 4th and 5th and downshift back down to 3rd but no further than that however once the engine cooled down a bit all was well. This was the very first time I had ever split the case of a bike engine and even though I took plenty of pics of the trans for reference, the 1 part I didn't get a good pic of was that linkage that sets behind the clutch basket so I guessed and how that collar went in and I basically had it in backwards. I thought for sure I was going to have to split the case again until I took a close look at a parts fiche and saw my mistake, I then installed that collar correctly and the shifting problems went away. I'm not saying this is your problem but it's worth looking into. i hope this helps. Scott

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #17 on:** October 06, 2012, 05:33:00 PM »

I will have another go, but I believe it installed correctly.

You see, originally I started with two engines. The 500 and the 550. Using the 550 cases I of course had to go with the 550 gearbox and clutch. No problem.

Stupidly, but before it ever turned a wheel, I had the miss match of parts in there, and quickly realized (same photo story as you Scott), that something wasn't right.

Ordered the correct mechanism, featuring the same wheels and stay arms as you have pictured and installed.

Now. When I rode the bike in it's 500 miles of breaking in a 3am so I didn't have to stop/start, once temp built up, I could not shift down from 3rd, just as you have described. After I played with it again last night, I could not statically get it up to second, like it wont grab the dowels on the shift drum.

Thinking about it all day like a crazy person, logic tells me that it might not be the forks/selectors incorrectly set up. How could I ride in 5th, shift down to 3rd and when cold get it back down again?

I'm a bit stumped. I'll check again. But I'm freaking.

dave500 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:42:31 PM »

that pair of forks on the separate shaft can go on wrong,,their dowells each face the outside,if you install them incorrectly i think youll get no gears?or just one or two?ive had a look through your original posts and you show a bike with a 550 engine and say you have a spare engine with it being a 550,,the first 550s have the same frame as 500!the 550 into 500 frame is common,mine is a 500 with the 550 motor and 500 badges,you might have two 550 engines?post a picture of the spare engine showing the clutch cover side,if you need shift forks or parts you may already have them?if you get stuck i have spares available.

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #19 on:** October 06, 2012, 10:27:13 PM »

550 engine in it now, replaced the original which had damaged cases. Gear box and mechanism are 550, but I shall post images up tomorrow for you. God I hope I'm just a spaz and haven't truly screwed this up.

Scott S · « **Reply #20 on:** October 07, 2012, 06:14:10 AM »

It's the pods....obviously.

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #21 on:** October 07, 2012, 06:43:34 AM »

bryanj · « **Reply #22 on:** October 07, 2012, 11:29:40 PM »

The 550 has two springs, just like the 500 but different lengths, if you are missing one then that is your problem.

The picture Dave has posted for the 550 is right

big bad bob dog · « **Reply #23 on:** October 08, 2012, 07:14:37 AM »

awesome, I hope so, I didn't get a chance last night, but will again tonight.

Question though, bailgang seems to have the same set up as I, judging by that one photo, and his works?

dave500 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 08, 2012, 12:42:31 PM »

bail gang shows a 500 one,if you have a 550 and the end of the drum looks like a star you need the type with two springs.
have a look at the arms with the larger roller,they have a different bend angle to them,the distance between the two rollers on each type is different,the large roller sits in a different position.

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Author Topic: CB550 shift help (Read 6010 times)