Tech Forums > SOHC/4 Bikes
CB550 Assembly Manual
SohRon:
Here are some of the items I'll be including in the next couple of posts - I may or may not get to all of them now, but we can at least take a look...
At upper right we have the coils; to the left of that is the electrical panel assembly. Directly below that is the right rear upper engine hanger bracket (whew!) with its mounting bolt and washer. To the left of the hanger is the positive battery cable, followed by the battery box (with mounting bolts), the negative battery cable and, finally, the rear brake switch with spring.
In addition I'll be installing some of the following today
At top are the headlight bucket and the headlight itself, along with its wiring harness and mounting hardware. Below and left is the main (ignition) switch. then the turn signal buzzer. Moving right we find the horn with mounting bolts and tach cable guide and, finally, the front turn signal assemblies.
As I said, I'll probably not get to all of this in this post, but rest assured that I'll get around to everything eventually.
To begin today's build, I installed the battery box. I sandblasted the old one then painted it up with POR 15 Chassis Coat (now POR-15 TOPCOAT "Chassis Black") which matches the original semi-flat finish. Here it is after painting with all of its little parts displayed
The mounting rubber and "collars" (small metal tubes) are in good used condition from an ebay "Box-O-Bolts" auction. This next shot shows the assembled box with its mounting hardware and associated components. To the right of the box is the battery retaining band; directly below that is the negative battery lead. Then we have three mounting bolts: 1 8X100 bolt (with split washer, washer and nut); 1 8X65 bolt with washer; and 1 8X40 bolt with washer. To the left, completing the list, is our old friend the right rear upper engine hanger bracket. I've tossed that thing on and then ripped it off a couple of times before, but now is the real time to mount it. If I ever edit this build thread, I'll probably remove any mention of it 'til this step as it really isn't needed at any other time than now...
I started off by fitting the engine hanger bracket. It's installed from the rear of the downtube, the central hole fitting over the upper rear engine hanger bolt which extends from the engine; the bracket is loosely held in place with the 8X40 bolt which extends through the frame mounting lug into a nut that's been welded to the rear of the bracket
One thing to mention about the above pic is something we've discussed before, but bears repeating: All of the frame mounts here have been sanded down to bare metal front and back, and the engine has been relieved of paint as well, so that a good ground connection exists between the frame and engine. All of the exposed metal has been coated with dielectric grease in an effort to cut down on corrosion at these connections.
I then mounted the battery box into its spot in the frame. There are a pair of brackets welded onto the upper frame rail (below inset)...
...that the upper left "arm" of the battery box fits into. The 8X65 bolt (with washer) is inserted through the frame bracket, then through the "collar" that runs through the battery box mount, and into the rear bracket where it's attached via a nut welded onto the back of the bracket.
There's another mount on the lower right corner of the box, and it fits up against the hanger bracket, sandwiching the hanger between the battery box mount and the frame rail. The 8X100 bolt is used to attach the box; after running through the frame and box mounts it's affixed from the rear using a nut, split washer and an 18mm washer (inset below)
Installation of the battery box is completed by attaching the negative battery lead at the upper rear hanger bolt using a nut and split washer. Once the nut is torqued down, the cable is routed up into the box, ready for use.
Next peripheral to consider is the Electrical panel. I picked this up with a used wiring harness several years age on ebay. Don't know what caused the green corrosion you can see on the connectors - it's hard to say
I used good ol' fashioned brass cleaner and skinny files on them and they came out nicely with just some mild pitting. I stripped the panel completely down, sandblasted and repainted the carrier, then spent a relaxing afternoon refurbishing the wiring harness and all of the other little parts that make up one of these panels
Here's the finished panel. Front
and back
It fits into an opening provided on the left side of the frame using two each 10mm bolts and 18mm washers (inset below)
and, until I install the wiring harness, that's all she wrote on that...
Moving on, the next components to consider are the coils. Here they are with their mounting hardware: two 10mm bolts with nuts and washers, and two wiring clamps
As you can see, the coils are connected to each other by front and rear carriers that fit into the frame. The wiring clamps are attached at the breather cover and help route the wires for cylinders one and four; I'll get back to those in a bit. Installation of the coils is fairly straight forward. Both the wiring harness and coils are grounded to the frame via the front coil mounting bolt. Honda originally provided the ground path by leaving part of the frame bare at the coil mount; it looks to me like they just slapped some tape over the mounting lug before painting the frame. Here's a shot of the mount prior to refinishing the frame, showing the original ground relief (below left - this occurs only on the front left portion of the frame mount)
On the right, I've scraped away the powdercoat, emulating the original relief. The area of relief is slightly different on mine; in an effort to keep this bare patch as minimal as possible (Honda couldn't have cared less) I used the coil mount held up to the frame to delineate the actual mount contact area. I can always remove more powdercoat if it turns out to be necessary...
...and, of course, I'll smear some dielectric grease on this exposed metal before actually mounting the coils.
The coils are fitted to the left side of the frame utilizing the two 10mm bolts, nuts and washers, with coil 2&3 on the left and 1&4 on the right
The front bolt has been only temporarily fitted; I'll need to use it later to attach the main harness ground wire. I've fully installed the rear bolt, however; additionally, I've routed the HT wires to their respective cylinders, with the wires for #1 and #3 crisscrossing each other through the frame opening.
Now, here is where those little wiring support clamps come into use
The wires for #s 1 and 4 cylinders run back over the top of the engine before being directed toward each respective spark plug. I don't know why Honda did it this way... maybe to keep the wires away from the heat of the pipes... I just don't know - but this is how Honda's engineers decided it should go, so that's why we're doing it here. The little supports are attached via the two outermost bolts on either side of the breather cover and the wire is run through (below left)...
Click on pic to expand
...then the clamp is bent up over the mounting bolt, keeping the wire securely in place (above right). This acts to lift the HT wire so that it isn't lying directly on top of the engine. Here's a view from the top, showing how the wires are routed (#1 cylinder on the left)
With the coils in position, the next item on the agenda is the Main switch. Here it is with its related housing (aka "cover" or "Main Switch Bracket"): bolt, washer and mounting nut with washer
There's a little bracket welded to the left front down tube. The housing is positioned onto the rear side of this bracket via a "lip" formed on the backside of the housing (inset below) that fits into a slot on the bracket
The 10mm bolt and washer are then inserted from behind through a hole in the bracket into the housing where a nut has been welded into position to accept the bolt
The switch itself is then inserted into the cover from behind, and the big washer and nut are run up to hold it in place. There's a slot in the switch body that corresponds to a pin stamped into the housing face, orienting the switch into the proper position, so there's no chance of getting the it in wrong
I'd like to take a moment to give yet another thumbs up for POR-15 BlackCote (now POR-15 TOPCOAT "Gloss Black"). I painted these parts 3-4 years ago in a painting marathon one weekend at work, then transported them all back home in my old Summit wagon. Unbeknownst to me, this little cover slipped out out of sight and disappeared into the far recesses of the Summit's interior. I used the Summit as a work car and generally treated it like a pickup - we hauled sheetrock, paint supplies, trash and various other sundry items in the back of it. It was a nice little machine that came out about 20 years ahead of its time...
The upshot of the story is that when the tranny went on the Summit I decided it was time to part with it (one of the worst mistakes of my life... I loved that little PTV). While cleaning it out for the last time I came across the ignition switch housing packed down with all of the mud, crud and debris in the back of the car. It was covered in dirt, leaves, sand, fur and who knows what else; one look at it and I knew for sure it would have to be stripped and repainted. It looked like something that had dropped out of the south end of a northbound ungulate, then rolled in dirt and used as a kickball. I was sure it was a gonner.
I took it inside and ran some hot water over it and, lo and behold, to my amazement it came out looking much as it had the day I painted it. There were a few minor abrasions in the paint, but otherwise it was as good as new. It made me wish I had taken a before picture just to show the difference, but I had been absolutely certain that there was no way it could have survived its ordeal and I didn't bother. Wish I had, now. Turned out there was no need for repaint, and I'm using it just as I found it after cleaning.
POR-15 TOPCOAT... Tough stuff!
Moving on toward the front of the bike, the next order of business is this little item: The Dreaded Turn Signal Buzzer. Those who know how me will be surprised to see this here; it came with the bike when new, so it must be included in the build, whatever my personal feelings toward it may be...
It makes a racket that corresponds to the turn signals, reminding you and everyone else within three square miles that you have the turn signals on. For an idea as to how it sounds, picture the most annoying short-duration noise you can think of, then imagine it repeating itself over and over and over again as you sit in the middle of a sweltering traffic jam. Imagine drivers in neighboring cars starting to stare at you as you sit there with the sweat pouring down your back; and kids start crying and one little girl starts screaming "Momma, Momma! Make it stop!!!... and her mother, already driven half berserk by the din and the heat, turns around to shut the kid up and her foot slips off the brake onto the accelerator, sending her Hummer careening into a utility pole that collapses onto a gasoline truck refilling the tanks at a neighborhood Piggly-Wiggly; with the resulting fireball traveling three city blocks up the sewer system where it ignites and explodes a hidden pocket of natural gas that decimates an entire strip mall and sends a thirteen-story insurance building rocketing 1,473 feet into the sky before crashing back down to earth... in the middle of a poodle farm...
But, I digress... sorta
Seriously, though, I do have some objections to this buzzer. If you're driving defensively you won't need it; if you're paying attention to what you're doing while driving, then that light won't stay on for long. However, if you believe you have more important things to think about other than maintaining an awareness of your surroundings while riding a motorcycle then, yes... keep the buzzer.
It fits into this bracket attached to the inside of the left headlight "ear"
There's a square mount that fits into the hole in the bracket, and the "speaker" is oriented back toward the driver
The wire is then routed down through this wiring clip welded to the inside of the "ear"
For our final installation of the session (drum roll, please) we move to the front of the bike to the horn. I'll fit it using two bolts with washers, and I'll be installing the tach cable guide as well (the curvy wire thingie in the center bottom)
The horn mount sits out in front of the frame...
...and the horn is installed using the bolts and washers. The cable guide is entrapped behind the left bolt, fixing it in place
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/keen2oqe/
SohRon:
In this update I'll be installing the wiring harness and clutch cable. They are mounted using the same wiring bands, so it's best to do them both at the same time. In addition, we'll fit the remainder of the peripheral parts
Here are the wiring harness and clutch cable, along with the mounting bands, a "J" shaped wiring support and, to the right, the clutch switch with its mounting clip
To start the build, I'll mount the clutch switch into the left switch pod. This is a safety feature that allows the bike to be started only when the clutch is disengaged. After the clutch lever is removed, the switch wire threads through a hole in the lever mount...
...the switch being inserted fully into the housing where a small tab on the switch body (below inset) fits into a slot cut into the lever support
The clutch cable and lever are then installed, and the cable and switch wire are joined together with a plastic clip (inset) that keeps the two from flopping around in the wind
With this preliminary step completed, I turned my attention to the main wiring harness. It's a new OEM harness from David Silver Spares made by TEK, so I'm hoping everything fits and works as it should...
I started out by laying the harness roughly in position along the frame. Installation begins by removing the front coil mount bolt and inserting it through the large green ground wire lug, after which the bolt is re-installed (below left). Its important that this bolt is tight as this wire supplies grounding for the entire electrical system (all the green wires lead to here)
The coil and horn leads are then connected to the harness (above right). Note that the horn wire is routed behind the down tube rather than in front...
Once all of the connections have been made, they're held in position using this flat "J" shaped stamped aluminum hanger clip, shown here with a tank mount rubber
The hanger is concave at its mounting end, and is inserted down over the tank mount on the frame with the concave portion fitting over the base of the mount; this also orients the curve of the "J" inboard roughly toward the centerline of the frame. The coil and horn connections are then bundled together and collected inside the curved portion of the hanger (below left)...
...and the tank rubber is inserted down over its mount, holding everything in place (above right). On the "F" models, the wiring connections actually run under the frame and are collected inside a small box mounted beneath the coils. The "J" hanger is still used, but the curve is reversed and it acts to hold the wiring harness itself...
From here on out, the wiring harness and clutch cable will be mounted to the frame using stamped aluminum cable ties (Honda likes to call them "bands"). They're different sizes: the longer, wider tie, measuring 7X3/8", is referred to as "Band B1" (or simply, the "B" band); the shorter tie, measuring 5 1/8X5/16" is called "Band A2" (band "A") (below upper)
These OEM bands were originally coated with Rubber Dip (similar to Plasti-Dip). They're no longer available in this form from Honda, who has substituted a narrower band in place of band "B", and a black plastic band for the "A" band (above lower). Additionally, they've stopped actually dipping the bands in rubber dip and, instead, are now using wire sleeve in its place. I like this idea. The OEM bands are relatively easy to find in ebay auctions, but on most of them the rubber coating has deteriorated and is either pretty beat up or is missing altogether. Using Honda's lead, the original metal bands can be straightened and the rubber covering replaced with 7mm sleeving for the "A" bands, and 9mm for the "B" bands. Other clips and straps originally given a rubber coat can be resurrected using larger diameter sleeve, such as the wiring hanger and HT clips, which can be covered using 11mm sleeving (below)
At this point in time, this nice, shiny black wire sleeving can be found at "Vintage Connections.com" for a reasonable price per foot.
To install the harness, I'll be following the wiring diagrams that are printed in the Honda Shop manual (find these in your Clymer's ;)). Here are copies of the diagrams, once again shamelessly purloined from the manual (click on diagrams to expand to full size):
Again, it's stuff like this that compels me to urge you to pick up the official Honda Shop Manual. Clymer's is OK as far as it goes, but adding the Honda manual to your reference is like going up a click on a 3-way bulb: much more info is suddenly available. Download it or, better yet, get a hard copy you can actually fondle and smear grease all over!
The first tie we'll install is a "B" band, and it wraps around the front left downtube, capturing both the main harness and (behind the downtube) the horn sub-harness
Now, if you're following a parts fiche it might indicate an "A" band in this location. Fact is, one of them just isn't long enough to reach around the tube and wiring bundles, so I'm fitting a "B" band here. There are a couple of other places where I will deviate from the fiche - you can decide for yourself if I'm wrong or not.
The next tie is installed farther down the frame and wraps around the "backbone" behind the coils. It captures the main harness and ignition switch "dongle" as well as the clutch cable, so it really does triple duty. Unfortunately, neither of the bands is long enough to accomplish all of this on its own, so what Honda did was to take two "A" bands and splice them together (inset below) which creates a long enough band to do the job. Here it is on the wiring harness side, with the main switch already connected...
...and this is how it captures the clutch cable on the right side of the frame. The cable routes around the headstock in front of all of the other cables and wires (see above diagram), then down between the forks, under the tank mount and up to the top of the frame, where it's held in place by the wiring band assembly
Back on the left (harness) side, the harness tucks down under the frame "backbone" and continues on toward the back of the bike. When it reaches the electrical panel triangle several things happen at once: the harness kind of "dives" down under the cross brace and routes along the top of the electrical panel, where it's held in position using a couple of "A" bands: the first routes down through a hole stamped into the frame gusset...
...while the second band supports the harness farther down the frame tube, just before the frame brace.
At this point, all of the connections to the electrical panel are made. The connectors for the fuse box and SSM tuck away behind the panel, atop the inner fender. Something to note in the bottom left portion of the pic is the stator sub-harness and the starter motor lead, which come up off the engine. The stator harness routes in front of the downtube while the starter lead snakes around behind, and both are fixed in place with an "A" band.
Meanwhile, a wiring extension takes off at a tangent from the main harness and routs under the frame gusset to the right side of the bike. Here's a blow-up from the routing diagram that demonstrates this (dotted lines)
It carries wiring for the brake pedal switch and the ignition points. Once in position, it and the clutch cable are secured to the frame via a "B" band that wraps around the frame tube and through another hole in the frame gusset
Here's a shot from above, showing the bands and their locations; compare it to the diagrams above. At top is the "B" band holding the clutch cable and wiring harness extension, while at bottom we have the two "A" bands holding the main harness in position
Something else to notice in the above pic is the positive battery cable (on the right). It's connected to the solenoid, then extends across the bike between the air box and rear inner fender to the battery box.
Next, I installed the rear brake switch and spring. The switch fits down into a mount welded onto the downtube, and the spring connects to a tab on the brake pedal
The switch wiring is routed around in front of the downtube and, along with the points leads from the engine, are connected to the harness extension (below inset). The connections are then covered with a rubber shield, and the whole assembly is tucked away between the battery box and air box where it's held in position with an "A" band around the frame tube
Still on the right side of the bike, the clutch cable snakes down between the intakes for cyls 3 and 4 and connects with the rear engine mount at a curled section of the mount formed to accept it. The cable shield threads fit down into the mount, where it's held for adjustment by the lower adjuster nut, while the cable itself attaches to the clutch lever via a clevis on the end of the lever
Once the cable is attached, the clutch mechanism is given a "preload" by turning the clutch adjuster screw on the clutch cover in a counter-clockwise direction until the marks punched into the actuator lever and the clutch cover are in alignment (above inset). This forces a long lever inside the clutch cover to make contact with the clutch rod; final adjustment is then made using the adjusters on the cable and at the lever on the handlebar.
Here's a shot of the clutch cable installation. Notice the fairly exaggerated "hump" between the cable ties. It should reach to the center of the frame (and a bit beyond) when the cable is laid flat against the frame. It's covered by the tank and insures smooth operation of the clutch mechanism.
Returning to the left side of the bike and the wiring harness, the "tail" of the harness routes up between the rear frame brace and the inner fender. There's a rubber boot that fits over the connectors; you'll want to install it before routing the harness as it's a major PITA to try to install once everything is in place. Talking from experience, here...
Once the connectors are routed, the wiring harness installation is completed by making the tail light and rear turn signal connections
And here is a shot of the installed main harness
SohRon:
Here are the throttle components all laid out for your perusal
Shown above are the grip, throttle tube, the push and pull cables and, kind of in the middle right, a little assembly of parts known as the "Throttle Adjuster Screw" that appears only on the '74 model CB550.It's a real curiosity and, in fact, it's where I'll begin the install.
Here are the parts that make up the "Throttle Adjuster Screw": a screw, spring and a small half-moon shaped flat spring. It resides in the throttle section of the throttle/switch pod. After the switch pod is opened, the moon-shaped flat spring fits down into a recess in the bottom of the switch case with the curve oriented toward the throttle pipe (below, lower right), and the screw and coil spring are inserted from underneath, making adjustment of the flat spring possible (below, upper left). The moon-shaped spring should be covered with a film of grease, not shown here for clarity
There has been a lot of speculation in the forums as to exactly what this is, ranging all the way from a cruise control to a grip stabilizer. I've been told it's used to keep the engine at specific RPMs during tune-up procedures (which is entirely possible); others like to use it to keep a balky engine running during warm-up. Here's what HondaMan (a veteran Honda mechanic) has to say:
"Back in [the day], I heard lots of 'reasons' for it, the most common being that the bellcrank carbs have such a strong spring that it was (is) indeed difficult to hold 75 MPH for a long ride. Honda worried that it needed the strong spring in case the throttle slides get sticky, while the PR Department worried it was too much for the 'average' rider. It was too much for me: the whole first year I had my K1 I used the screw on "slow drag assist' all the time while my right arm grew enough to return tennis balls in matches against the school champs (without ever actually practicing...). When I got the K2 and found the spring to be even STRONGER, I immediately removed it, stretched it to 9" length, then put it back in. It's still that way. :D
Chopper riders of the era simply took the spring off and threw it as far as they could...then the DOT made Honda remove the Throttle Stop Screw altogether in late 1973. It was just another government buttinski move against Honda in those days.
It did spawn a whole industry of throttle assist devices, though."
Here are a couple of pages from the CB750 Shop Manual that explain its use a little more technically:
It's not really suggested for use as a cruise control and, in my humble opinion, you're "cruising" for a Darwin Award if you do; it's too fussy and awkward to fiddle with while in motion and just isn't practical. As HondaMan said, there's a "whole industry of throttle assist devices" out there to choose from specifically aimed at the task.
Back to business. With the Throttle Adjustment screw installed, I turned to the throttle pipe and cables. The grip is fitted onto the throttle pipe, which is then mounted to the handlebar. The bar should be lightly greased - especially at the open end that fits into a "pocket" in the OEM grips - to ensure smooth travel of the throttle pipe. With the pipe and grip in place, the cables can be added.
Here's a close-up of the cables (the ends, at least). Below left are the bar end connectors - the "pull" cable on the left and the "push" cable on the right. The "pull" cable is adjustable while the "push" cable is not
Above right, we have the carb end connections with, once again, the "pull" cable on the left and the "push" cable on the right. Again, the "pull" cable is fully adjustable while the "push" cable is mounted solidly in place...
I'll begin the installation with the "pull" cable. The cable shield fitting is threaded and screws into the front hole in the lower switch housing, where it's locked in place with a nut; I'm leaving it loose for now to aid with cable routing. I threaded the fitting in about a third of the way to set a preliminary adjustment; I can then move it in or out as needed as I progress with fitting the cable.
The "push" cable is positioned next; it's inserted into the switch body and is held in place via a threaded ferrule that's part of the cable fitting. Again, I'm leaving it loosely attached for now; once everything is in place and working correctly, I'll run up the ferrule until it's snug
Now that the cables are attached the ends are inserted into the throttle pipe
I've added a bit of grease to the cable ends to ensure smooth operation of the cable within the throttle pipe guides. With everything in place, I installed the switch cover and buttoned the switch pod up using two screws
So, here's where the real fun begins and, of course, I'm referring to cable routing. The first step, before doing anything else, is to make sure that the carbs are free and snap back from an open to closed position on their own. Just lift the bellcrank and let it snap shut. Reports of sluggish throttle response can sometimes be traced to sticking slides or a stretched return spring, so it's a good idea to test them out before getting the cables involved.
After verifying correct functioning of the carbs, the throttle cables are ready for routing. The main thing to remember is that they run pretty much behind everything. Once the cables are connected at the throttle, they're routed toward the left where they dive down between the gauge mounts on the upper steering yoke
Note that the cables run behind the brake hose and handlebar wiring and, at this point, I've oriented the "pull" cable to the top (outside). As the cables make their way around the headstock they cross and their positions are reversed so that the "push" cable is on top as they're routed under the tank mount, past the wiring harness and between the coils. The "pull" cable is actually a bit longer than the "push" cable in order to accomplish this routing...
...which is necessary to minimize the angle the "push" cable has to take as it plunges downward to the bellcrank stay. Having the "pull" cable on top at this point can force the cables to form a sharply angled "Y" at the bellcrank which has the potential for both interfering with cable movement and shortening the life of the cable
With the cables in position (the "push" cable is installed first) I adjusted the throttle according to the manual, then tightened all of the loose nuts down. I tested throttle movement by moving the handlebar from lock to lock, making sure the throttle snapped closed in all positions - especially in the full right hand position, as that puts the most strain on the throttle cables.
On to the next order of business, which is installation of the gauges. Here they are in an exploded view along with their mounting hardware. At left top are the gauges (or clocks, if you prefer), fully restored. Below them are the gauge cushions and the gauge mount "pans" (aka "cans")
On the right, at the top, is the gauge mounting bracket followed by the bracket mounting hardware: two each nuts, split washers and plain washers. Next, we find the hardware for mounting the gauge pans to the bracket: four each washers, split washers, nuts and mounting bolts. All of these nuts, washers and bolts (including the bracket mounting hardware) were originally anodized or Japanned black at the factory; I hit them with a shot of POR-15 Blackcote and they look good as new.
Below those is a grouping of several small rubber grommets. On the left is the grommet for the speedo trip-meter knob, then two lighting sub-harness grommets, followed by four mounts that fit between the gauges and gauge mount pans. At the bottom are four each chrome washers and acorn nuts that are used to mount the gauges to the pans. And, finally, to the right are the lighting wire sub-harnesses.
Assembling all of these parts into an operational gauge cluster is pretty straight forward, so I'm not really going to get into it here. I do have a couple of pointers I'd like to share, though...
When I dis-assembled these gauges initially, three out of the four gauge mount bolts were loose and fell out of the pans as I withdrew the gauges. They're meant to be captured by a couple of small tabs inside the pans; this makes removing and installing each gauge to the gauge bracket easier. My particular bolts either didn't get properly swaged in at the factory or loosened up with use over the years, so I refit them before re-installing the gauges. It's pretty simple: install each bolt into its hole from inside the pan, then, using a pair of pliers, vice-grips or what-have-you, bend the smaller tab down over the bolt head
They don't need to be moosed down tight and immovable - in fact leaving the bolts a bit loose makes installation onto the bracket a little easier. They just need to be securely held in place so that they don't turn or slip out of position while the nuts are being run up.
And although it's not apparent at first glance, the foam cushions do actually have a specific orientation. Flip them over take a look; there are two small square sided grooves opposite each other on the cushion "ring", one at the top, and one on the bottom. Since the cushions are symmetrical from top to bottom, by aligning either groove with the drain hole in the bottom of the pan you can be sure you've got the cushion installed correctly.
Finally, after assembly of all of the components is complete, the sub=harnesses from each gauge are criss-crossed across the back of the gauge mount bracket and held in position by a metal tang attached to the bottom of the bracket
So, here they are: the gauges in their mounting bracket. Below that the speedo cable on the outside with the tach cable on the inside and, in the center, two each nuts, washers and split washers for mounting the bracket to the upper steering yoke
Studs attached to the rear of the bracket slip into two mounts formed onto the yoke. All of the various wires and cables running between the mounts should be gathered together before installing the bracket so that nothing gets pinched between the two parts. Once the bracket and gauges are installed, the washers and nuts so helpfully indicated here by our little Seal-Point Tortie "Moosie"...
...are run up and torqued to spec (see the kind of stuff I have to deal with?)
Now that the gauges are in place on the bike, it's time to install the cables. I started with the speedometer by inserting the cable up into the speedo drive, then attached the cable fitting to the drive housing, coupling the cable to the gauge
The cable then routes down across the bike to the small clip installed onto the brake joint way back during the front brake procedure
This little "L" shaped clip is fitted with the leg of the "L" pointing toward the yoke with the cable running behind it, entrapping the cable between the clip and the yoke. (yeah, yeah; I know I installed it the other way 'round back at the brake procedure... I, um.., I just did it that way to... to keep it in the proper location with... an eye to reversing it when the time came... yeah, that's the ticket!).
Actually, that little clip is addressed nowhere in any of the Honda literature I have, the exception being the parts fiche for the bike. I became aware of it while searching the pictures in the owner's manual with an eye loupe, where I saw it in the background with a cable running through it. Search as I could, I could find no other picture or mention of it anywhere. One more reason for the thread, I guess...
From the clip the cable routes down through the grommet installed onto the front fender (below left), then through this little wire guide mounted onto the fender stay (right), and finally it connects to the speedo drive at the wheel hub, where it's held in position with a screw (bottom)
Something to notice about the above pic is that I loosened up the axle clamp nuts and rotated the speedo gear so that it's perpendicular to the axis of the fork leg (in red). I then re-torqued the nuts, remembering to tighten the front nut first. This step completes installation of the speedo cable.
On to the tach cable, and it's fitted to the gauge just like the speedo cable was
After connecting to the gauge, the cable snakes under the bottom steering yoke and routes through the wire guide installed with the horn (inset below right), then on to the tach drive mounted to the head (below left)
Click to expand
And I like that base pic so much I'm posting an unadulterated copy of it here...
Click to expand
Sorry... just couldn't help myself...
Now that the gauges are sorted, the next items to consider are the front turn signals. Here they are with their mounting nuts and washers exposed
Installation is pretty simple; the wires and stems are threaded through the openings provided in the fork "ears", then the washers and nuts are run up to hold them in place (remember that it's orange on the left, light blue on the right)
Note that there are small dimples punched into each "ear" just behind the signal mount (above inset). Just align the "point" on the stem base "nut" with the dimple to orient the signals.
So, we'll need a ground for these signals, and that gives us a clean segue into fitting the headlight (smooth, right?). Here's the headlight support housing (AKA "shell" or "bucket"); it's one of the few parts off of the original bike that I'll be using on the build
I gave it a couple of shiny new coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X Gloss Black and it looks good as new. I'll be installing it using the hardware laid out below...
At top are the mounting nuts; these live inside the shell and are fitted with ground leads for the signals. Below them are chrome washers for the big mounting bolts, and two spacers. At bottom, on either side of the bolts, are two neoprene washers that aren't strictly standard, at least for this model. I picked them up at my local "ACE" in the "Large Neoprene Washer" section near the fender washers (below left)...
Using a dab of stick glue I stuck them to the inside of each of the headlight mounting "ears" (above right) in an effort to help keep the headlight shell in place and pointed properly down the road. They're not required; I just like to add this stuff because hey, that's just the kind of guy I am! Once the headlight shell is in place they'll be invisible and, who knows? IIRC there's at least one model that uses something similar to this, so they may actually work!
As a preliminary step, I installed the spacers into holes provided in the shell (one on each side)
Installation is easy as pie: I gathered up all of the sundry wires and harnesses (don't forget the turn signal buzzer and front brake switch sub-harnesses!) hanging out at the front of the bike and threaded them through the opening in the rear of the shell while simultaneously raising it into position between the fork mount "ears" (opening oriented down). Next, I inserted the mounting bolts through the washers, the "ear" mounts and the spacers fitted into the shell, then secured everything using the special mounting nuts (below left inset)
These fit into a slot molded into the inner case wall so they can only be properly oriented one of two ways, either of which will suffice. Something to note is that each mounting "ear" has a small punch mark at its nose that indicates the centerline of the headlight shell (above right inset). There isn't a corresponding punch mark on the shell (at least the one I have), so it's simply a matter of aligning the punch mark with the centerline of the mounting "land" formed into the shell in order to get the headlight into the correct position
With the headlight bucket in place I got a stool, needle-nosed pliers, 000 steel wool and a pinch of Sour Diesel and, facing the bike straddling the front wheel, proceeded to make the final connections. I used the steel wool to go over all of the bullet connectors until they shined; then, using the needle nosed pliers, inserted each connector into its corresponding female counterpart until it clicked. There's a dimple in each of the female connectors that "clicks" into a gap at the end of the bullet "head"; you can have the connector partially inserted and not know it, so feel and listen for the "click" to make sure the connections are right.
SohRon:
So, I've updated the thread and am re-posting. All of the pics should be here; let me know if I've missed any. Also, I've unlocked the thread so that comments and suggestions can be added. Thanks for participating!
dukduk:
Pics not working anymore :(
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