Author Topic: Does this look safe?  (Read 3674 times)

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Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Does this look safe?
« on: January 29, 2014, 04:21:54 pm »
Check image here: http://i.imgur.com/BEZDou0.jpg

My 1978 CB750F has an early 80's front wheel and dual disc setup. The front axle does not sit flush at the forks and sticks out about half an inch. Is this safe to ride? I'm rebuilding my bike and want to know before I start riding it. My life possibly depends on this. Any help would be appreciated. I've checked the online fiche and diagrams and I slid in the axle through one side where the speedometer fits and put the nut in with the flat side facing the axle. It fits well on that nut side but the other side sticks out. any ideas?

Offline LesterPiglet

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2014, 04:36:38 pm »
I'm not sure about your bike but my axle is only supposed to go in one way. So it could be in from the wrong side. Your picture is not very clear.
Mine goes in the opposite way you have yours.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2014, 04:38:46 pm by LesterPiglet »
'Then' and 'than' are completely different words and have completely different meanings. Same with 'of' and 'have'. Set and sit. There, their and they're. Draw and drawer. Could care less/couldn't care less. Bought/brought FFS.


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Offline calj737

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2014, 05:29:18 pm »
Is it possible the axle and wheels are from a different model and thus have a different length than your stock axle would have? If the "other" forks are farther apart to accommodate a different wheel, spacer, and brakes, then the axle too would be longer.

Agree with Lester though, more pics would help identify the issues.
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Offline MoMo

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2014, 05:32:15 pm »
More photos needed and do you have the lower clamp?

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2014, 06:48:48 pm »
Certainly not safe to ride like that
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Offline dave500

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2014, 07:08:57 pm »
its missing the lower cap?

Offline bjbuchanan

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2014, 08:02:44 pm »
That's really a no-no. You had to know that was wrong lol. Gotta get another axle cap(term?)

I didn't look at the picture initially and just thought the axle got put in reversed and now it fits weird, common mistake
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Offline LesterPiglet

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2014, 02:32:22 am »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?
'Then' and 'than' are completely different words and have completely different meanings. Same with 'of' and 'have'. Set and sit. There, their and they're. Draw and drawer. Could care less/couldn't care less. Bought/brought FFS.


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Offline trueblue

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2014, 02:45:08 am »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?
When it comes to mechanical issues, it always pays to never underesimate the stupidity of people.  Some of the stuff I have seen done would make your hair curl.  Nothing can be idiot proofed, the world keeps producing better idiots.

Back to the OP, if it locates in the correct place, the brake rotor is in the correct spot and the clamp holds tightly it should be fine.  IIRC the DOHC bikes were a little wider between the forks. ;D
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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2014, 03:29:23 am »
Since the F2 already comes with a dual disc front brake and Comstar wheels, I can only think of one reason why someone would replace the original front fork and front wheel with parts of an early 80s Honda.

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2014, 06:11:07 am »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?

Hope not!   But the question was "Does this look safe?"  No!
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Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2014, 08:54:29 am »
Since the F2 already comes with a dual disc front brake and Comstar wheels, I can only think of one reason why someone would replace the original front fork and front wheel with parts of an early 80s Honda.


Yes! This is my caliper. Why would someone want to change it to this type of caliper?

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2014, 08:58:19 am »
Is it possible the axle and wheels are from a different model and thus have a different length than your stock axle would have? If the "other" forks are farther apart to accommodate a different wheel, spacer, and brakes, then the axle too would be longer.

Agree with Lester though, more pics would help identify the issues.

Here are some more pics:

This is before I figured out that the nut was on backwards. It would stick much farther out when it was like this but once I turned the nut around it sits as you see in the picture at the top of this post.

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2014, 09:00:08 am »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?

Hope not!   But the question was "Does this look safe?"  No!

No I don't plan to run it with the cap off! The cap is on now on both sides and everything looks like it fits right except this half inch of axle that sticks out.

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2014, 09:06:29 am »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?
When it comes to mechanical issues, it always pays to never underesimate the stupidity of people.  Some of the stuff I have seen done would make your hair curl.  Nothing can be idiot proofed, the world keeps producing better idiots.

Back to the OP, if it locates in the correct place, the brake rotor is in the correct spot and the clamp holds tightly it should be fine.  IIRC the DOHC bikes were a little wider between the forks. ;D

I'm sure I've done some stupid stuff in my life but there's no way in hell I would ride that thing without the cap. I'm not that stupid! What you said about the DOHC bikes axle being longer than the SOHC axle makes me feel so much better. Yes, everything looks to be sitting right. The calipers fit well, the rotors fits well and the wheel moves freely. I'll try to get some better pictures.

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2014, 09:13:30 am »
Here's where she sits now:

Offline bjbuchanan

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2014, 10:09:19 am »
The advantage to the later caliper is that it is maintenance free in the sense that you don't have to deal with the adjusting screw, frozen swingarm, clearance to avoid squealing, lube this/not that of the original designs

Your caliper you just treat it like any old car caliper, they are essentially the same type of deal short of sports cars. Lube the slider pin rubbers and away you go
The dirty girl-1976 cb750k, Ebay 836, Tracy bodykit
Round top carbs w/ 38 pilots, middle needle position, airscrew 7/8ths out, 122 main jet
Stock airbox w/ drop in K&N, Hooker 4-1

Don't trust me alone with a claw hammer and some pliers

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2014, 11:06:17 am »
The advantage to the later caliper is that it is maintenance free in the sense that you don't have to deal with the adjusting screw, frozen swingarm, clearance to avoid squealing, lube this/not that of the original designs

Your caliper you just treat it like any old car caliper, they are essentially the same type of deal short of sports cars. Lube the slider pin rubbers and away you go

Nice! Thanks for the input. I'm thinking I should be fairly safe the way the front axle is now. I'll update with more pictures for the overall front wheel but I appreciate the input. Thanks!

Offline dave500

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2014, 11:31:36 am »
do you have to run the forks on the wrong side like that so the drain bolts arent at the lowest?

Offline Geeto67

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2014, 11:42:21 am »
yeah, why is your front end backwards? Calipers on those forks go towards the rear not the front. Fix that. is your speedo drive turning the correct way?

FYI, if you have the comstar forks you can run the twin pot brakes from the 1981-82 750F/900f. You just need the bracket from the caliper to the forks and it is a bolt on deal. much better brakes.   
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Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2014, 12:40:36 pm »
yeah, why is your front end backwards? Calipers on those forks go towards the rear not the front. Fix that. is your speedo drive turning the correct way?

FYI, if you have the comstar forks you can run the twin pot brakes from the 1981-82 750F/900f. You just need the bracket from the caliper to the forks and it is a bolt on deal. much better brakes.

The picture is old. I now have the calipers on the rear of the bike with what I think are the forks facing the right direction. The speedo drive is pretty much stuck in place once I torqued the front axle up to about 43 Lbs-Ft. I heard that the speedo shouldn't be able to move freely around the wheel but the wheel should be able to move freely around the speedo instead, which is the way it's setup. I'm going to go to lunch and I'll post some more pictures up later today.

Offline Geeto67

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #21 on: January 30, 2014, 01:11:02 pm »
that's right. There is a tang on the wheel that fits into the drive and spins the internals. The housing is stationary, the wheel spins.
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Offline lucky

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #22 on: January 30, 2014, 01:33:10 pm »
Do you really think the OP is considering running without the cap?


It ???s possible!

Offline Xxthegonzxx

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #23 on: January 30, 2014, 02:14:08 pm »
So I got home and took some more pictures. It all looks pretty solid but I'd thought I'd check one more time. What do you think?

Also, Picked up my seat from the upholster. Looks pretty rad! Now to get drag bars…

Edit: I think the site takes vertical pictures and displays them sideways…Just click the picture to get a better view.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2014, 02:16:09 pm by Xxthegonzxx »

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Does this look safe?
« Reply #24 on: January 30, 2014, 03:12:36 pm »
Here's where she sits now:


Still does not look safe to ride!
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........