Author Topic: CB400F, the water bike. (Read 3379 times)

ratranger · « **on:** November 20, 2018, 02:13:45 AM »

Calling it the water bike for the 1/2 gallon that came out when I pulled the sump. The bike was given to me by a friend and it sat outside with some covers missing for years. The cam and a few rockers are bad, the starter clutch is broken, starter motor and clutch cover are missing. Surprisingly the bottom end is in good shape, I need to measure the crank to really see.

Plans are a mild cam, 466 kit, and some fun mods with the frame/suspension. I don't feel bad messing with this as it is not worth restoring, even the kickstand fell off.

Pics are crank showing the gunk in there, and cleaned up.

Godffery · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2018, 03:24:02 AM »

Hey when it's done you could call it CB466.H2O...!

ratranger · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2018, 04:03:00 AM »

Well I called my last build the sumotrack, it looks like a tracker but has 17s and supermoto size tires. I'm not set on final looks for this one, I have a few ideas and some unusual suspension bits. So first steps here is the teardown and inspection of the engine, and repair the damaged frame tube.

Here are pics of how my last build started and finished. It is an XS650, definitely fun and took about 1.5yrs. Everything was done by me except powder coat the frame, lace the wheels and bore the cylinders.

Godffery · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2018, 05:08:58 AM »

Hey... That's not a SOHC4...!

But seriously; that's a pretty nifty look'n XS!!! (BTW: Nice Pooch you have there. I've got a Malinois)

LMK if you need any pimped goods for this new build your doing, I provide a verity of goods & services for Vintage Mods. https://godfferysgarage.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/godfferysgarage/

strynboen · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2018, 05:16:24 AM »

nice Yamaha.
..normaly i dont like supermoto builds..but this is kvality and rideabel and fun..and safty in one bike..not so often seen in one bike..and all fits and look good

jakec · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2018, 11:47:02 AM »

I would like to see some more photos of the bike. Once I found a deal on a 400 and 350 with 400 engine asking only $75. However all of the metal was so corroded from 30 years outside that the bike had almost grown into one chunk of metal.

ratranger · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2018, 03:03:16 PM »

Well did some more cleaning, I really need a parts washer. I'm using a cheap dish tub with mineral spirits, scotchbrite, paintbrush and rags to do my cleaning. So far so good though, most parts are coming pretty clean, and before assembly I'd like to either vapor blast or soda blast the cases to get them really clean.

ratranger · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2018, 03:04:58 PM »

And here is a pic of the upper case, it represents how everything looked pretty well, and then the ouside of the sump and rockerbox for an after clean pic.

MarkVMod0 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2018, 06:32:16 PM »

Yikes! I thought I was a glutton for punishment.

Nothing more heart breaking than draining water out of a crankcase!

I really appreciate the creativity of the guys here; you all turn out some awesome work, one day I hope it rubs off on me and I can find my way to building a SOHC cafe bike.

Mike

ratranger · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2018, 06:55:05 PM »

Quote from: MarkVMod0 on November 20, 2018, 06:32:16 PM

Yikes! I thought I was a glutton for punishment.

Mike

I have more time than money, plus I don't like to cut up nice bikes. So free bike that is really rough works for me. I can take my time cleaning and prepping, then do all the chassis mods and machining myself. Collecting tools and the knowledge to use them is the best way to go, in my opinion. I have plenty of tools from harborfreight, garage sales, vintage, and factory refurbished that I really don't have much cash invested for the capability of what I have.

calj737 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2018, 08:06:56 AM »

Quote from: ratranger on November 20, 2018, 06:55:05 PM

I have more time than money, plus I don't like to cut up nice bikes. So free bike that is really rough works for me. I can take my time cleaning and prepping, then do all the chassis mods and machining myself. Collecting tools and the knowledge to use them is the best way to go, in my opinion. I have plenty of tools from harborfreight, garage sales, vintage, and factory refurbished that I really don't have much cash invested for the capability of what I have.

Looks like you need some solid bases for your machines. Tramming a mill in thats sitting on a garage floor has got to be tricky without installed bases and levelers. Some leveling casters under your lathe would go a long way too.

ratranger · « **Reply #11 on:** November 21, 2018, 08:58:42 AM »

The mill is on the most level part of the garage, verified with an 18" starrett level that has been calibrated. The lathe cuts less than a .002" taper over 12", and yes it needs a better stand. I can tram the mill in a few minutes, it hasn't gone more than a few thou out even with some pretty heavy cuts.

Out of all the shops I've worked in or been in I have seen 1 knee mill with feet, the rest were straight on the floor. The one on feet was because the guy running it was a good bit over 6ft and would have been bent over otherwise.

Godffery · « **Reply #12 on:** November 21, 2018, 09:57:49 AM »

I don't like to cut up nice bikes.
[/quote]

ratranger · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2018, 05:29:41 PM »

Just upped my cleaning game. Traded a moped for a BIG heated ultrasonic, and a fuel injector tester/cleaner.

ratranger · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2018, 05:19:40 PM »

Started making my steering stem. Can anyone guess what front end I'm using from the lower triple clamp?

Godffery · « **Reply #15 on:** December 01, 2018, 08:02:36 PM »

Gilera CX125...?

ratranger · « **Reply #16 on:** December 01, 2018, 08:27:30 PM »

We have a winner! I have to make an upper clamp and axle for it, but a cx125 fork is waiting to go on.

Godffery · « **Reply #17 on:** December 01, 2018, 09:42:53 PM »

Groovy!

ratranger · « **Reply #18 on:** December 01, 2018, 10:59:47 PM »

Since in making my own front axle I'll have a choice of wheels. Should be interesting with the vfr400 swingarm.

ratranger · « **Reply #19 on:** December 02, 2018, 05:31:05 PM »

Steering stem is done. Now I gotta get bearings and plan the upper clamp.

ratranger · « **Reply #20 on:** December 06, 2018, 02:44:38 PM »

Everything fits. Now I have to make an upper clamp.

ratranger · « **Reply #21 on:** February 16, 2019, 03:43:16 AM »

No pictures, but this bike hasn't been forgotten. Since I was last here it got a title, and really that is about it. Between holidays, overtime and bills not much has happened. Soon I'll get the swingarm on and then I'll need wheels and materials to move forward.

ratranger · « **Reply #22 on:** May 18, 2019, 02:56:11 AM »

This bike isn't forgotten, just slow. A set of cruzinimage 54.5mm pistons showed up as well as a few missing parts from ebay. Big thing is I got the large chunk of 4140 to make the front hub. It has a few details to finish on the lathe and then onto the mill for a few holes.

Godffery · « **Reply #23 on:** May 18, 2019, 10:41:52 AM »

Glad this project is still making forward motion. Really looking forward to seeing the results!

ratranger · « **Reply #24 on:** May 21, 2019, 11:59:27 PM »

I'm not fast at building bikes, but they do eventually get finished.

I got the hub finished, waiting on bearings and rotor to show up.

Also measured the crank and rods and know what bearings I need. 2 green and 2 brown sets for the rods and all browns for the mains. Journals all look fine, no scratches or rust, bearings look rough from the water that was in the case.

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Author Topic: CB400F, the water bike. (Read 3379 times)