Author Topic: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown  (Read 1794 times)

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Offline Ace Blackwell

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550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« on: July 27, 2017, 10:53:20 AM »
Hey all,

I'm reworking my speed and tachometer.  I notice the tach face plate paint is starting to breakdown. I wanted to clean the area and maybe coat it in some way. By the time I got down to the tach alone it appears to be a closed /crimped assembly.  Before I tear it a part and find out it's spring loaded or not supposed to come apart, can anyone tell me if there is anything to watch for or should I just leave it alone?

Thanks
Ace
1977 CB550F Work in Progress

Offline my name is nobody

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2017, 11:58:36 AM »
http://www.cb750faces.com/cb750faces.nl/en/

Heard good things about this service.

Offline Smudgemo

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2017, 12:12:51 PM »
Undoing the crimped band is the hard part.  Once apart, all you need to be careful of is not dropping the tach and breaking off the needle.  Nothing will fly out at you when you separate the case. I used a sharpened paint can opener and a screwdriver to open the band, but other guys cut them and JB Weld or replace with new.  I cleaned up the band with a brass hammer and a piece of 4" aluminum round stock.  Good time to thoroughly clean the lens and repaint the black case, or change out the faces if you want something different.
-Ryan

Thread - How to fix your starter button (for real): http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,163170.0.html

Offline Ace Blackwell

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2017, 12:34:01 PM »
Thx all,

I was hoping I had over looked something like a magic bolt that would allow it to fall part. None the less I'm going to have at it this weekend. Thx for the advice.

Ace
1977 CB550F Work in Progress

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2017, 01:50:45 PM »
getting that damn crimp ring off is a serious pain. But once it's off the rest is pretty easy. I got a set of replacement faces and face plates from an eBay vendor for $40. I haven't installed them yet, Hopefully on Sunday, but they look good.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CB550-CB550f-CB500t-CB-Cafe-Racer-Gauge-Face-Plates-Decal-Overlay-Applique/253004552895?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
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Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Smudgemo

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2017, 07:54:41 PM »
I got a set of replacement faces and face plates from an eBay vendor for $40. I haven't installed them yet, Hopefully on Sunday, but they look good.

Yeah?  I got some but screwed up and they aren't the correct ones for my gauges.  However, I was less than impressed by the quality of the numbers - edges weren't sharp.  Fine other than that, but in this day and age..

For my tach, I got an outfit that does R/C aircraft decals to reproduce just the red section since it fades.  Haven't gotten the results yet, but I hope to by Saturday.  The owner says they are excellent, and if so, I'll order more and offer them to members.  Got this idea from an earlier thread, and not removing the needle and face seems like a winning combo if the decal is good.
-Ryan

Thread - How to fix your starter button (for real): http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,163170.0.html

Offline CycleRanger

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2017, 08:08:31 PM »
Yep those free paint can/bottle openers they give away at Home Depot work great for prying open the stainless ring sealing the gauge. I did my XS650 gauges a while back. They have an even beefier ring than the Honda gauges.
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Offline b52bombardier1

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2017, 05:03:50 AM »
A You Tube video helped me but all of the advice above is correct. Just search You Tube for "motorcycle speedometer repair" and stuff will show up.

I just needed help with the un-crimping technique and I wound up using a sharp flat screwdriver.

Rick

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Offline Ace Blackwell

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2017, 08:42:52 AM »
I have both flat head screw driver and a paint can opener.  I should be able to get it broke loose. I'll watch the video just in case.  Unlike my normal repairs I might even watch it BEFORE I start .  :)

Ace
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Offline Ace Blackwell

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2017, 02:54:08 PM »
All,
 
Well I got to the speedo face plates to clean up. Needless to say they don't really cleanup as much as the paint comes off. So now they look streaky and small section has the the white plastic exposed. 
So I've been looking at the $24 speedometer and tachometer "decals " . Are they just stickers. Do you have to remove all paint from current plates before installing?  The 750 faceplate website seem to be cheaper but not sure if 550 and 750 are the same.   

Thanks
Ace
1977 CB550F Work in Progress

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2017, 04:09:24 PM »
Danny, do you really wish to risk breaking your speedo or tach before a long trip?  Murph stays too close for me to risk that.  My luck I would have a needle break rendering the instrument destined to the parts pile.

I had a disassembled tach on a shelf and it was bumped into and the tach took a gravity trip to the floor shattering the face.  So much for that gauge.  It worked fine before that.
No clue if the fall did damage to the tach beyond a broken face.  Did not intend to try replacing the face to see.

David
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2017, 05:53:15 PM »
I got a set of replacement faces and face plates from an eBay vendor for $40. I haven't installed them yet, Hopefully on Sunday, but they look good.

Yeah?  I got some but screwed up and they aren't the correct ones for my gauges.  However, I was less than impressed by the quality of the numbers - edges weren't sharp.  Fine other than that, but in this day and age..

For my tach, I got an outfit that does R/C aircraft decals to reproduce just the red section since it fades.  Haven't gotten the results yet, but I hope to by Saturday.  The owner says they are excellent, and if so, I'll order more and offer them to members.  Got this idea from an earlier thread, and not removing the needle and face seems like a winning combo if the decal is good.

Here's the Speedo. I'm quite happy
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Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: 550F Speed / Tachometer Teardown
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2017, 06:13:23 PM »
Ask Lecram, he recently added cb500 and cb550 faceplates to his line up. He shpuld be able to supply you with a nice one.  Vinyl is used by many to do the job. It has to be temperature tolerant as well as UV tolerant and not be too opaque if any backlighting is used rather than just the light around the ring.
David
 

All,
 
Well I got to the speedo face plates to clean up. Needless to say they don't really cleanup as much as the paint comes off. So now they look streaky and small section has the the white plastic exposed. 
So I've been looking at the $24 speedometer and tachometer "decals " . Are they just stickers. Do you have to remove all paint from current plates before installing?  The 750 faceplate website seem to be cheaper but not sure if 550 and 750 are the same.   

Thanks
Ace
David- back in the desert SW!