Topic: The Replacement: CB550

[Scott S]

 It's pretty small....it necks down after the nipple on the air box and the piece you see sticking out in that photo is what we used to call the "pooter" in the VW world. It has a slit in the end and you pinch it to let the moisture out.
 The hose leading to it is ~8.9mm O.D. Good luck finding one....

[Scott S]

 I got the 400F bars installed. I need to get a set of my favorite grips. Also, when installing the braided stainless brake lines I discovered that the hard line and caliper body fittings were cross threaded. Luckily, I have another caliper body....but...the pad on the caliper side was wet. I'm just going to be done with it and order a new piston, seal and hard line.
 I'm a big fan of the David Silver Spares master cylinder, but the stock one is working great and not leaking, so new lines and a rebuilt caliper will do the job. That's the same set up I have on my 550F and it's fine.





 Forks will soon be removed for service and polishing. And when the wheel goes back on, it won't be a wire wheel. 

[Stev-o]

What grips?  Lesters?!

[onetruepunk87]

Scott... looking great so far!  Question for you.... What size is the filter box drain tube?  I need to source one of these, but haven't found oem and don't know ID or length of the tube.  Thanks in advance!

Kyle

It's still available from David Silver Spares
http://www.davidsilverspares.com/CB500K1-FOUR-1972/part_61404/

Bikes looking good!

[Scott S]

Scott... looking great so far!  Question for you.... What size is the filter box drain tube?  I need to source one of these, but haven't found oem and don't know ID or length of the tube.  Thanks in advance!

Kyle

It's still available from David Silver Spares
http://www.davidsilverspares.com/CB500K1-FOUR-1972/part_61404/

Bikes looking good!

 Well, I'll be darned.... that one's missing the "pooter" on the end, not that it really matters.

[Scott S]

What grips?  Lesters?!

 I love the Pro Grip 714's. And, Yes.....Lesters!

[Stev-o]

The Pro Grips are my fav too, just installed a set on my 550F.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I also use the Pro Grip 714s on my 750 -- very comfortable and functional. 

Nice Lesters!!

Any decision on color?

[Scott S]

 As of today, Jade Green.

[fastbroshi]

Check out how dark CB750 Cafe Fan's jade bike came out; it looks awesome.  It's in one of his more recent posts.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

That stock exhaust looks pretty amazing. Does it have the baffles or have they been removed?  I imagine it sounds pretty good with a non-baffled 4-4.

[riverfever]

So jealous of those wheels. I don't like anything but spokes normally but I really dig those. Great work on the carbs too. They turned out super clean.

[Scott S]

Check out how dark CB750 Cafe Fan's jade bike came out; it looks awesome.  It's in one of his more recent posts.

 I saw that..... and I don't care for it (Sorry, Don    ). I LOVE the blue bodywork he has, though.
 I'm working with a painter on getting the correct factory hue. I was torn between the green and the blue. I've seen Jade Green come out wrong too many times; too much yellow, too dark, too much flake, etc. If we have trouble getting it right, I'll switch to the blue.

[Scott S]

That stock exhaust looks pretty amazing. Does it have the baffles or have they been removed?  I imagine it sounds pretty good with a non-baffled 4-4.

 The exhaust IS nice. I had planned on a 4-1 when I built this bike in my head, but those are too nice to remove. A minor ding here and there and the usual battery acid stain on the inside, but very solid and shiny.
 Baffles are still there and they sound great.

 I've always heard you'd be hard pressed to find better performing pipes for the 500/550. Only race pipes and then only at high RPM. You only save weight. Supposedly, the stock 4-4 is a very good set up.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Check out how dark CB750 Cafe Fan's jade bike came out; it looks awesome.  It's in one of his more recent posts.

 I saw that..... and I don't care for it (Sorry, Don    ). I LOVE the blue bodywork he has, though.
 I'm working with a painter on getting the correct factory hue. I was torn between the green and the blue. I've seen Jade Green come out wrong too many times; too much yellow, too dark, too much flake, etc. If we have trouble getting it right, I'll switch to the blue.

I'd love to see it in Jade Green. It will set it apart from mine and dmonday's in orange.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

That stock exhaust looks pretty amazing. Does it have the baffles or have they been removed?  I imagine it sounds pretty good with a non-baffled 4-4.

 The exhaust IS nice. I had planned on a 4-1 when I built this bike in my head, but those are too nice to remove. A minor ding here and there and the usual battery acid stain on the inside, but very solid and shiny.
 Baffles are still there and they sound great.

 I've always heard you'd be hard pressed to find better performing pipes for the 500/550. Only race pipes and then only at high RPM. You only save weight. Supposedly, the stock 4-4 is a very good set up.

I've seen reproduction 4-4s to 750s but not 550s. Rare in good shape.

[Scott S]

 This is the first CB500/550 I've had that has the stock 4-4 exhaust. Went to swap put the rear wheel today and was surprised to find out that the exhaust has to come off!
 That's OK, it gave me a chance to touch up the frame, swing arm, exhaust brackets and even clean up the hard to reach spots on the mufflers.




 I soaked the exhaust clamps and a spare set I had in a mix of naval jelly and water. Still some rusty spots, but I'll be able to pick out the four best.

[Scott S]

 I cleaned the chain and got the real Lester installed. I tried adjusting the brake but it seems to take up all the adjustment before I get a good pedal. It was soft before, but I didn't mess with it because I knew I'd be swapping out the wheel/backing plate.

 The new backing plate has EBC shoes with only a few hundred miles on them. The pivot is installed right, dots lined up on the arm, the brake lever is the same, etc. Guess I'll just have to take the foot lever off and rotate it a couple of splines?

[mrfish2]

The rear wheel comes off easily without having to take the stock exhaust off, what made you have to pull the exhaust all the way off?

[Scott S]

 There was no way the axle was coming out. I consulted my genuine shop manual and it said to remove the left and right exhausts.

[mrfish2]

Haha come on guys, none of you have simply removed the chain adjuster stops and slid the rear wheel and axle off the swingarm? That's how i did mine (if I'm remembering correctly).

[Scott S]

 The only problem with that is I have a riveted chain. If I had a master link, maybe that would work.

[Scott S]

 After getting the rear wheel back on and the brake straightened out, I installed the exhaust. Pretty tough to do with one person. And I only broke one exhaust stud in the process. 

 Got the bike jacked up and pulled the forks. Also a little tough to do by myself, mostly because there was some rust in the left fork ear and it was holding on tight. I couldn't spread the triple clamp and pull the fork at the same time.
 I managed to get it out and I wire brushed inside the fork ears and sprayed it with rust converter. Sanded the upper forks and triple tree clamp area. I stripped the clear coat off the forks and gave the lowers a light sanding. I have a friend with a killer buffing setup and he's going to help me polish the forks (and my tappet covers while we're at it).

 I'll change the oil and add a few washers for some preload. It's hot as blue blazes here.....the forks are sitting out in the sun and, as soon as I'm sure there's no moisture left, I'll spray down the rusty areas with converter, too.



 Also cleaned up some of the caliper stuff. I have a new piston, seal and hard line sitting on the bench. Once the front end is back together I'll finish installing the braided lines and bleed the brakes.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Scott,

The fork tubes obviously have some rust, but I imagine that there is no pitting in the travel area next to the lowers, and the treated oxidation will be covered by the ears.  Are you rebuilding/servicing the forks, too.  I was just wondering since they were still "assembled" and polishing the lowers can be a little easier disassembled. 

[Scott S]

 No....the travel area is fine. Seals are good. All the rust is up in the area covered by the fork ears. The lowers can be polished like this. I've done it before.
 The plan is to just change the oil and add 2 or 3 washers on top of the springs for a little preload.