Topic: 1977 CB750 K7 Resto-mod, Knoxville

[70CB750]

No the actual color of the engine.

I just used two cans of VHT flat black SP130.

I see, thank you.

[AintNoEasyWay]

I prefer a satin finish on the engine, personally. I like semi-gloss to gloss on the frames. The satin is a bit more contemporary in my opinion.

Good to know. I'll post a photo once the gloss clear goes on so you guys can see the difference.

[Desert-SOHC]

Looks good, I hope someday mine will look that clean

[AintNoEasyWay]

Looks good, I hope someday mine will look that clean

Thanks, Desert. Been following your thread the past couple days. Get some pics of your carbs up so we can see what you're dealing with.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Trying to remove my rear wheel, but having a little trouble. There's a bolt on the  brake I can't get loose and I'm also not sure how to remove the bolts for the rear axle. Are the rear axle bolts torqued really high? I gave the left side all the force I could with no luck. Nothing ever wants to just come off on this bike.

Here's a video that might help:

EDIT: My Clymer manual also shows the nut on the axle that has the carter pin being on the right side, not the left. I know the PO put new tires on the bike, did he put the axle in backwards??

[AintNoEasyWay]

Nevermind that last post! 

[Desert-SOHC]

Nevermind that last post! 

LOL....I usually pull the bottom shock bolts and drop the swingarm.

I'll get some pics up soon but World of Warships is in open beta and I'm in closed beta for Armored Warfare. Sometimes there just isn't enough hours in the day!  I'm also waitin on my manual to show up...never played with these carbs, just screw tops.

[AintNoEasyWay]

LOL....I usually pull the bottom shock bolts and drop the swingarm.

The swing arm pivot bolt isn't threaded all the way through, correct?

I got the nut off & undid the bolts that attach the rear shocks, but can't get the swing arm bolt out. I can turn it & see the threads move on the opposite side, but tapping it with the mallet still won't get it to budge. Is it possible the bolt has a bunch of corrosion built up inside?

Also, how do you guys clean up your rear shocks? Maybe a soak in simple green or metal rescue (I have a similar WD40 rust remover solvent).

[70CB750]

Could be corrosion or rock hard grease.

[calj737]

If you can, have someone rotate the pivot bolt while you rap on it with a mallet from the other end. It's a sure indication of a lack of grease on the rod and there's likely some corrosion between it and the tube. It will come, just going to require some determined persuasion. But don't lose your patience with it and mangle the end of it.

Raise and lower the arm too intermittently while you rap on it.

[AintNoEasyWay]

If you can, have someone rotate the pivot bolt while you rap on it with a mallet from the other end. It's a sure indication of a lack of grease on the rod and there's likely some corrosion between it and the tube. It will come, just going to require some determined persuasion. But don't lose your patience with it and mangle the end of it.

Raise and lower the arm too intermittently while you rap on it.

Great advice as usual, Cal. Worked well although I had to use a dowel along with the mallet to get the bolt all the way out.

Here are couple photos of the corrosion on my swingarm. I'll degrease it tonight while the touch up black & clear coat on my engine are curing.

Need to search the forums on old bushing removal. If I can get those out tonight as well, I'll plan to try & put new bushings in tomorrow during lunch. Once I've got new bushings in, I'll use these Rustoleum paints I bought to try to convert some of the rust & then do another coat to try to prevent rust in the future.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Ok, for reference, a few threads on removing old bushings:
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=102742.0
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,86931.msg977820.html#msg977820
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=115405.0

I've been looking at some Hagon shocks. From what I've found, people say standard 750 shocks are ~13" from eye to eye. So maybe something like this would work?: http://www.dimecitycycles.com/13-inch-black-chrome-hagon-road-shocks-eye-to-eye-rear-motorcycle-shock-absorbers.html

Otherwise I'll just clean up these old shocks & use them until maybe winter then change out. I think I'm going to get the engine back in & rebuild most of the rear then go out & ride. It's summer, guys!

Come winter maybe I'll rebuild the front end with new forks, springs, steering bearings, drilled floating rotor, etc.

[Desert-SOHC]

Glad to see you got it handled, I will eventually do the swingarm bushing upgrade, but I don't think that it will be this year. If you change your shocks I need a set.......my left one is blown and leaking oil all over the place.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Glad to see you got it handled, I will eventually do the swingarm bushing upgrade, but I don't think that it will be this year. If you change your shocks I need a set.......my left one is blown and leaking oil all over the place.

Great. I'll keep you updated, Desert.

[Davez134]

If your budget allows, get those hagons. Much better than stock, love mine for a daily rider. There are better out there, but you will pay more too. For the price, they are great shocks.

[AintNoEasyWay]

If your budget allows, get those hagons. Much better than stock, love mine for a daily rider. There are better out there, but you will pay more too. For the price, they are great shocks.

Awesome. Thanks for the input, Davez134. I've been reading through threads this afternoon. It looks like a lot of guys on here go through Dave Quinn (http://www.davequinnmotorcycles.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/Hagon.html). Supposedly he sets the shocks up for you according to weight & riding style, & you can swap them out if you don't like them.

I'll take a look at my shocks again tonight. I rode for about a month last summer before having to tear my engine down & the shocks seemed fine. Then again, this is my first bike so I don't have anything to compare them to...

[Restoration Fan]

Ok, for reference, a few threads on removing old bushings:
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=102742.0
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,86931.msg977820.html#msg977820
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=115405.0

I didn't go through these threads but I can assure you that there is no easier way to remove old swing arm bushings than the one that Bill Benton showed me how to make.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,141761.msg1638700.html#msg1638700

You can make one of these yourself or if you need to borrow mine, let me know and I'll ship it to you.  It literally took me about 2 minutes to make this one.  Then it took about one minute total to remove both old bushings.  Easiest thing we did on the whole bike.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Ok, for reference, a few threads on removing old bushings:
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=102742.0
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,86931.msg977820.html#msg977820
- http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=115405.0

I didn't go through these threads but I can assure you that there is no easier way to remove old swing arm bushings than the one that Bill Benton showed me how to make.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,141761.msg1638700.html#msg1638700

You can make one of these yourself or if you need to borrow mine, let me know and I'll ship it to you.  It literally took me about 2 minutes to make this one.  Then it took about one minute total to remove both old bushings.  Easiest thing we did on the whole bike.

Ron, this is awesome & I totally forgot that you had done this. I cleaned up the swing arm last night with a lot of degreaser. Still need to get the grease out of the pivot hole though. My dad works in a carpentry shop, so I'm going to take the swing arm by there during lunch & we'll see if we can come up with a way to get the bushings out. I imagine we'll try something similar to the Benton Method®. But I don't think we've got any valve shims laying around. If it comes to it, I'll cover shipping & borrow yours for a couple days, probably end up making my own based on yours.

While we're discussing removing things, how'd you go about getting all the old bearings out of your rear wheel?

The sprocket side of the wheel has nuts that are tab locked in. Is there a standard way to get these tabs pushed back down so that one can turn the nut?

[Restoration Fan]

Nate,
You won't need valve shims.  Just find a washer or something that works.  I just measured this one and you need something with a diameter of 25 millimeters.  If you can't find something that works for you, text me your address and I'll overnight my tool to you.  I can always make a new one.

We didn't pull our bearings from our rear wheel.  The bearings had already been recently replaced by the previous owner so we didn't have to do that.  But I'm fairly certain I remember reading that you have to drill those tabs out to get to them.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Nate,
You won't need valve shims.  Just find a washer or something that works.  I just measured this one and you need something with a diameter of 25 millimeters.  If you can't find something that works for you, text me your address and I'll overnight my tool to you.  I can always make a new one.

We didn't pull our bearings from our rear wheel.  The bearings had already been recently replaced by the previous owner so we didn't have to do that.  But I'm fairly certain I remember reading that you have to drill those tabs out to get to them.

Cool, a few guys in the above threads mentioned using a thick washer. I'll update you guys after lunch. Knowing the diameter should be helpful! Maybe it won't be that difficult of a process. I haven't tried removing them at all yet.

[madmtnmotors]

But I'm fairly certain I remember reading that you have to drill those tabs out to get to them.

I haven't tried removing them at all yet.

ANEW mentioned "tabs on nuts". I think you guys are talking about two different things. The "tabbed nuts" hold the rear sprocket on. The rear sprocket does not have to be removed if you are only changing the bearings. If you are replacing the sprocket too, then just bend the tabs out of the way and remove the sprocket nuts. The tabbed washers can be reused a couple times before the tabs break off and require replacement, although best practices dictate that they be changed every time they are removed.

As for "drilling", this would be limited to the "stakes" on the bearing retainer rings. The stakes must be drilled in order to remove the bearing retainers on both the sprocket carrier and on one side of the rear wheel hub. There are three rear wheel bearings, one in the sprocket carrier and two in the wheel hub.

[Restoration Fan]

Ahh, good catch, Wilbur.

Yes, now we absolutely did remove the rear sprocket.  Those tabs are very easy to bend down so you can remove the nuts and get the sprocket off the rim.  And if you're careful, you can re-use those tabs a few times.

[AintNoEasyWay]

Great info. & yes, I need to replace my rear sprocket, so those are the tabs I was referring to. What tool would be best to bend them down with?

[madmtnmotors]

Great info. & yes, I need to replace my rear sprocket, so those are the tabs I was referring to. What tool would be best to bend them down with?

BFH!      

or a screwdriver
or a chisel
or your fingernail (if you're tough like me)
or a P-38
or nail clippers
or your wife's best pair of scissors
or a stout knife
etc...

[AintNoEasyWay]

Great info. & yes, I need to replace my rear sprocket, so those are the tabs I was referring to. What tool would be best to bend them down with?

BFH!      

or a screwdriver
or a chisel
or your fingernail (if you're tough like me)
or a P-38
or nail clippers
or your wife's best pair of scissors
or a stout knife
etc...

Haha, I started hitting at one of them last night with a mallet to a screwdriver, but I figured I'd ask before I do something I could regret. Looks like I've got a lot of options...