Topic: CB550 camshaft - reface or replace?

[separatist]

I have a 74 CB550. My camshaft has moderate pitting on one face and more severe pitting on another. My question: reface (and if so by whom) or replace (and if so with what)? I wouldn't be unhappy to get a little more performance but honestly a horse or two won't make a difference in my life: I could make that up by just improving my riding skills. I can't find any new stock cams - maybe I'm not looking in the right place. I have no experience with dynoman or other performance cams.

I live in SoCal. Sorry for the newbie questions.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I just got rid of my last 650 cam yesterday in a trade. If you can find one in good shape years 79-82, that would be your best replacement option.

[calj737]

"Refacing" cams is called hard-welding them. And if you use a hard weld cam, you must also hard weld the rocker faces. This gets expensive quickly. But, for a performance build its almost necessary.

For your situation, CB750 gave you great advice. Find a good quality 650 cam and stuff it in and go. You also need to change the tach gear and tach gauge to a 650/750 unit as the ratios differ. Or find a good condition stock 550 used and plop it in.

[strynboen]

have you thekked the valve train..amd shaft for vear..on erly 550 vith floting valve shafts..it often vear aut the head housing..a fix is a later k3 77/78 valve cover ..so go for a used late type cover and cam..then you have all update parts

[mrfish2]

If you decide you want another stock cam I've got one that only had about 4500 miles on it when I pulled it out of my bike.