Author Topic: 1975 CB550 Winter 2013 Build (Read 20562 times)

Chaser60 · « **Reply #75 on:** May 05, 2014, 10:17:28 AM »

Up? Definitely. As you can see from my pics. Currently only way my bike would dial in a blue ridge run would be on your trailer. But that will change in a few weeks...stay tuned

calj737 · « **Reply #76 on:** May 05, 2014, 10:47:52 AM »

Good news, I've got 2 trailers. Pick one! (*jab!*)

my bike runs, so I'm not using either

dgilling · « **Reply #77 on:** May 08, 2014, 09:20:19 AM »

This restore thread is great! I'm just starting mine. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=137018.0. I love how you put in the threads and links that you found most helpful. This will save me a ton of time. Subscribed and looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #78 on:** May 09, 2014, 05:45:59 AM »

dgilling - thanks. This forum has made this project much easier for me. I have been away from bikes and restorations/mods for a very long time. The collective knowledge and willingness to help is fantastic. I felt like I spent hours searching here and wider net too. The searches are painful. If you get too specific, you find little. If you go too general, you get tons of unrelated stuff.

So I took to including them in my posts for 2 reasons. First to pay recognition to the member that posted it. And second, if I found it helpful, I am sure others might too.

One other search that has become my friend is to use google search but point it at this site. You do that by including the following site:forums.sohc4.net after your key words. This has helped me get in the ball park of my specific questions several times faster.

Every once in a while you get just plain lucky... like for example the fact that I picked a 550 to build and a member like SohRon has done the most impressive build thread that I have found to date on that bike. He quite completely could take his work and publish a bolt by bolt how to restore book and make some money. Another example is member calj737. He happens to be out east here quite nearby and has helped me find a great powdercoater and has offered tons of help (and a little smack talk as well). At first I thought it was because we were neighbors in VA. Then I learned that he is active all over this forum and just has a massive passion for 2 wheel things that he is willing to share. Makes this all the more fun for sure.

Will subscribe to your thread too. Good luck

calj737 · « **Reply #79 on:** May 09, 2014, 06:03:21 AM »

"You started it!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "I'm telling, Mom!" "You're gonna get it!" "But you started it!"

My secret is out... I don't play well with my siblings (or nearby enthusiasts). No cake for me

And for the record, my bike is not pretty enough to be a trailer queen! Maybe the next one though!

+2 on SohRon. Honda ought to pay that guy to buy his thread, copyright it, and publish it in hardback, e-book, and online. What an absolutely brilliant piece of work (photos, documentation, and mechanical). He deserves bike of the Decade when he finishes. His bike will belong in the Barber, but after that much effort who would ever part with it?

Even in modifying my bikes, I refer to his thread (among many others) to understand the stock, factory configuration. It helps a great deal in determine what went where, and how it needs to be supported or what changes can occur.

Look forward to our first ride together, Bill.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #80 on:** May 22, 2014, 07:55:33 AM »

I should be working, but having a bit of procrastination so will post a build update instead.

Cleaned, touched up and installed caliper, pads, new steel line and speed bleeder. The last two came from slingshot in Richmond. Great product. Great delivery. Post office mangled the box and the speed bleeder had gotten lost. Slingshot shipped me out another. Great customer service too. They have a discount for forum members and it looks great installed. Easy install and set inside pad gap per the manual.

Still loving the drilled rotor. Not sure I love the look of the dust shield to rear of fork, but going to leave it for now. I am sure Honda engineers had a reason for it.

Searched on bleeding techniques. Forgot to write down the thread, but think I found it via SohRon's epic build and believe maybe original poster was TwoTired. Anyways, straight forward bleeding technique made even easier with the speed bleeder. Buy one of these for your caliper the next time you are doing brake work. I now have a rock solid front brake lever. One thing I didn't do and now totally regret, but more about that when we get to the wiring...

Chaser60 · « **Reply #81 on:** May 22, 2014, 08:21:41 AM »

Next up wire harness and reconnecting everything. Cleaned female bullet connectors with little 17 caliber ( I think) bore brush used for small caliber gun barrel cleaning. Bought 2 at gander mountain for like $3 bucks. Hit the males with a bit fine wet dry and set about to matching everything up. I had labeled all and had a page of notes about what went where. Long slow process, but everything re-installed and mated.

Except for 2 wires. A pesky solo solid brown in the head light can and this solo green blade at the inside of the panel.

Couldn't find them on the wiring diagram so I posted 2 quick questions and got several helpful and rapid replies. These are not connected on US versions so I was done with the physical reconnections!! Thanks to the members that answered those questions. Hooked up the battery and tested, horn, directionals, tail light, brake light. All good. New front directionals are not running lights, so this left those two running light connections un-mated in the head lamp can. For those that need it. The cat eyes are from JP cycles. They are 2 wire. Black is hot, striped is ground. In the can you hook up to the solid orange and solid light blue for the signals. Those same colors with the white stripes are for the running lights an are unused with these cat eyes.

Headlamp Can is still a bowl of spaghetti and has all my labels will leave this until I can test rest of electrical system once I am done with other work.

Back to the front brakes. I wish I had changed the brake signal sensor when I did the brake hoses. It works but takes a massive pull on the lever to get it to come on. It worked fine when I took the bike apart so didnt even think about it.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #82 on:** May 22, 2014, 08:30:46 AM »

Backing up a step. I also installed new bars (CB400f style) from 4 into 1 out in CA. Pic shows difference in rise and such. These are OE replica's and predrilled so after painting the switches and curing them, snaked the wires through without issue.

Reinstalled gages and master cylinder. The short rise bars did now allow the brake banjo bolt to clear the right side gage housing. So pulled the gages and set about to a fine adjustment with mallet and wood block on the gage cluster mounting plate. Re-installed and have adequate clearance now. I did not want drag bars. Not yet sure I like the riding configuration of the 400f bars with my seat, but need to get this thing on the road and put a few hours in the saddle before worrying about that much. Dont have a picture of that installed at the moment

Chaser60 · « **Reply #83 on:** May 22, 2014, 08:53:01 AM »

Next up reinstall carbs. This is probably my biggest risk to getting back to riding. This bike was running well when I put it in the shop in November. I chose not to dissassemble and clean the carbs. I fully drained them and they have been hiding in a box all winter. Will see soon enough if it runs, how well and then decide next steps. Likely a rebuild or at least rejet due to direction I am headed with the exhaust, but that is getting ahead of myself.

New hoses all around and a little external clean up. Back on with no issues. Once again SohRon's build was like a how to manual for the carbs and the stock air box.

I learned I was missing some parts from the airbox and have located most of them from members here. Thanks goldarrow.

goldarrow · « **Reply #84 on:** May 22, 2014, 09:04:37 AM »

Looking great and very clean! I'm jealous.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #85 on:** May 22, 2014, 09:10:10 AM »

Also re-installed battery box and test fit the ebay used 4 into 2 header I purchased. No idea who produced these. Really hard to find a 4 into 2 system. These go cylinders 1-4 to the left side of bike and 2-3 to the right. They had these nasty little chrome cocktail shaker style mufflers that I will not be using. Anxiously awaiting twins from Cone Engineeging ! Will decide if they are going straight out the back or will angle up. At moment, leaning angle up but will see once I have hardware in hand.

Headers were more rusted and blued than I thought from the pics, so they are off to be ceramic coated.

Had originally planned to have this bike back on road by end of May. Will finish rest of build over this 3 day holiday weekend and hopefully only be waiting on exhaust.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #86 on:** May 22, 2014, 09:22:36 AM »

Last post for today and actually backing up several steps in the build. The seasoned vets here will all know this, but for the less informed (like me) here were my learnings about removing and installing the top cover.

Remove the tac cable housing / tac gear housing. Small housing that bolts onto cover. A simple step that will keep you from buggering the gears on reinstallation.

Back off all the clearance adjusters fully. You will be re-setting them anyways, and failure to do so just means that at least one of them is fully engaged and under tension so when you unscrew and unbolt the cover, it will sort of hang up on the 2 guide pins unless you are just lucky on cam lob position.

This rubber band trick is well discussed and simple. Oh and it works flawlessly. If you dont know why you care about this. Check the manual. There a pictures and bad things happen if there is misalignment during install.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #87 on:** May 22, 2014, 09:25:22 AM »

Thanks goldarrow. Sadly this is my only SOHC at this moment. From your signature, I think it is I that am jealous. These things are great fun to build and ride. I have way overspent my budget, but overall, I am still smiling every moment I am in the shop. And hope to be outright laughing out loud on the road soon.

Thanks again for your help with the airbox parts.

riverfever · « **Reply #88 on:** May 24, 2014, 08:16:17 PM »

Everything looks great.

riverfever · « **Reply #89 on:** May 25, 2014, 08:44:22 AM »

Hey I was checking out this thread and it looks like Scott S has the same petcock. Shocker but...his sock filter was also destroyed and he replaced it with an extra that he had. I bet he can take a closer look at the holes you were asking about in the trashed one. Check it out. Scroll down.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126113.25

Chaser60 · « **Reply #90 on:** May 25, 2014, 04:44:33 PM »

Spent most of today trying to get this closer to done. Waiting on exhaust and a shipment of small things (like the tac housing gasket) so today was really a day to focus on the last details

Clutch cable

and throttle cables installed. Didnt get a pic of these, but they run down through gage mount hole in center of triple tree and then along left side of frame under the tank.

Next up put on the new grips. This was a first time. Used hair spray. Will wait to see how it dries.

.

One thing to note. On these 400f bars, the position of the clutch lever and the bar end mirror will slightly interfer. I was done for the day by time i discovered this so will either reposition mirror, cut the ball off the clutch handle or find a clutch handle that is about 1/2 inch shorter.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #91 on:** May 25, 2014, 04:48:58 PM »

painted and polished the last cover. Basically same process as before. Sanded, then polished. For the paint, I used small bottle of Testors model laquer and a brush. Was ok to be sloppy on the letter tops because once dried, just put a little 600 on a block of wood and run it across the letters flat side and it comes out pretty clean

Chaser60 · « **Reply #92 on:** May 25, 2014, 04:59:10 PM »

The last mile is always the longest. A dozen little side projects.

Rebuilt the petcock. Got some help from riverfever on that. Seems the 75 and 76 CB550 had a bit of a bastard child petcock. I basically stood in front of a bunch of o-rings until i found a few that seemed close. tested it with water. It didnt leak. took it back apart and dried before installing on tank. Also stripped off the filter materials as it was torn and had holes.

Rebuilt and reinstalled the gas cap also. Had some help from johnie and riverfever on this too

wasnt sure how the gasket installed, but these folks helped me out

the answer is: The gasket captures both plates. Thick side down. Really a nice drawing by the way. Make sure your vent on the picture is clear. You should be able to blow through it with minimal resistance once the gasket is in place.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #93 on:** May 25, 2014, 05:11:34 PM »

Added in line gas filters. Well actually only did half the job. Need to find one that has a 90 degree outlet so that will wait until next week. Just cant fit them in with out a kink in the hose or an uphill flow. I have seen these in town, so will handle that next week.

In mean time installed tank, seat, headlamp and bar end mirrors. Getting there. A few things to finalize tomorrow and then just waiting on UPS and the exhaust header ceramic coating. Need to work out a bracket for the mufflers and that will take some welding so probably 2 weeks from starting this up.

Front view

Right side

top side

left side

back side

Headed for finish line and that fateful moment of cranking the engine for first time. Cant wait. For those that have helped me on this build thread and my other questions on the main board...thanks again.

Stev-o · « **Reply #94 on:** May 25, 2014, 06:02:25 PM »

Not sure how I missed this til today? This bike is turning out sweet!

goldarrow · « **Reply #95 on:** May 25, 2014, 06:04:39 PM »

Quote from: Stev-o on May 25, 2014, 06:02:25 PM

Not sure how I missed this til today? This bike is turning out sweet!

Too much attention poured into the patina bike?!

frankist · « **Reply #96 on:** May 25, 2014, 07:00:08 PM »

Is your master link(clip style) on backwards? its hard to see in the picture but I think its suppose to be on the other way. Unless Im wrong. Awesome progress by the way!

goldarrow · « **Reply #97 on:** May 25, 2014, 07:30:14 PM »

Quote from: frankist on May 25, 2014, 07:00:08 PM

Is your master link(clip style) on backwards? its hard to see in the picture but I think its suppose to be on the other way. Unless Im wrong. Awesome progress by the way!

Nice catch. I would turn it the other direction

Chaser60 · « **Reply #98 on:** May 26, 2014, 03:05:06 PM »

Thanks all for the encouraging words. I have no idea how you saw that master clip from these dark photo's ...Whats' worse is that I didn't know it mattered. Will flip it around, easy enough to do. Thanks again.

Chaser60 · « **Reply #99 on:** May 26, 2014, 03:06:56 PM »

regarding master link clip, should opening be facing front or back when link is on bottom side of sprockets?

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Author Topic: 1975 CB550 Winter 2013 Build (Read 20562 times)