Author Topic: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?  (Read 2235 times)

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Offline Register

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CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« on: February 12, 2019, 01:30:26 am »
I’m fitting twin disc set up.

What’s the good and bad of fitting standard calipers behind rather than in front of forks?

Offline calj737

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2019, 02:06:37 am »
Stock fender probably won’t fit. Swap the forks and the calipers will mount easily, but you want the stock fender as a fork brace, or some other solution to replace it.
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Offline seanbarney41

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2019, 02:32:32 am »
Yup, could be a lot of extra work for little or no gain...i have not tried it, but intend to at some point.  I have noticed that my dual disc set up does have a heavier steering feel and all that extra mass way out front will encourage head shake slightly.  Perhaps fork flipping is a worthy fix.
If it works good, it looks good...

Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2019, 03:08:43 am »
Thanks for the heads up.
I’d not considered the fender/fork brace.
Too many parts to quit now.
What’s your view on the bleed nipple not sitting top of the calipers?

Offline robvangulik

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2019, 03:22:18 am »
I've done it once some 30 years ago on a 750F1, when fixing forkseals, and i really felt the difference in weight distrbution, BUT i also found that the calipers needed cleaning more often.
Probably the reason why more modern calipers (all mounted that way) all have  additional dust seals, which have to be cleaned/replaced more often too....
So i switched back after a couple of months to the 'normal' front mounting!
With that bike front fender/mudguard mounts just as well front and backwards as the mounts are at the same height.
And no, i didn't take pics ;D

Offline calj737

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2019, 06:25:43 am »
Thanks for the heads up.
I’d not considered the fender/fork brace.
Too many parts to quit now.
What’s your view on the bleed nipple not sitting top of the calipers?
Bleed them before swapping, or remove the caliper and bleed it. Or, use a vacuum bleeder and “push” the fluid to the reservoir.
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Offline MauiK3

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2019, 08:13:39 am »
You carefully swap the location of the bleed nipple and the brake line connection. There are threads here on how to do that by cutting a finish nail short, putting it behind the seat that has to be removed and pulling it out.
Mine were too far gone so I bought a new caliper from Yamiya that was already swapped. If you don't swap the line and bleed nipple it looks a bit goofy and the brake lines have to be run very differently.
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Offline 754

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2019, 10:56:41 am »
Do it   remove fender brace rivets  turn it around,  change the bleeder seat as described above.

My honest opinion, that fork will flex easier with one caliper, than with two..
Turned calipers looks a lot better.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2019, 10:58:37 am by 754 »
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Offline jakec

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2019, 11:23:42 am »
I wanted dual disc on my 400. The guy on here who races talked me out of it. Too many parts needed, too much fab work (but this is on the 400 which doesn't have the mounts on the right side). I never even considered a heavy steering feel / or wobble. Thats an extra 10 lbs. at least.
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Offline bryanj

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2019, 11:41:16 am »
500 does not have caliper mounts on the other slider also you can not swap steel pipe and bleed nipple like on 750 as there is no removable cone seat to swap
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Offline 754

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2019, 03:37:04 pm »
Yeah   I thought it was k1 750.
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Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2019, 11:04:26 pm »
Thanks all.
I've sourced 550 sliders so no problem with mounting.
Handing the fender shouldn't be a problem.
Extra weight, better located, better stopping?
Just need to find the right thread on what to do to the caliper.
And also a decent photo of the install
Thanks

Offline bryanj

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2019, 03:10:49 am »
You dont do anything to the caliper there is a write up on here of where i twin disced a 500 years ago, hardest part is the speedo drive
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Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2019, 02:20:55 pm »
Thanks, I found your thread which flags up the Speedo drive issue. I think I have that covered with K1 parts hopefully.

Trying to understand the do/don’t of calipers behing the fork leg.

Some threads refer to handing the feed/bleed fittings.

Thanks

Offline bryanj

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2019, 03:44:25 pm »
Like i said you CANT alter the feed and bleed on the 500 only the 750. K1 speedo drive wont work only very early CB750 one but you can modify yours to work if you study pic closely. Way back before 550 came to UK i twined a 500 with one caliper in front and one behind, carefully cutting off the fender mounting holes on the one side, reversing and rewelding(then painted black) brakes were fine, in fact worked so well that when little old lady walked off sidewalk in front of me in torential rain the wheel locked and dumped me off! Little old lady just carried on ambling accross the road.
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Offline low-side

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2019, 03:50:31 pm »
I flipped the calipers on a 750.  Handled much better.  Mityvac to bleed.  Ran without a fender, with a Tarozzi brace.  Worked great.

Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #16 on: February 14, 2019, 12:02:27 pm »
Thanks, a bit slow on the uptake.
Just so I have it correct -
CB500 four K1
Calipers behind forks ok/improvement
No need/can’t hand feed/bleed
Hand fender/or fork brace.

I’ll go with that and post photos.
Collecting rebored barrels and new pistons Saturday so will be a while.

Thanks

Offline calj737

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2019, 02:09:39 pm »
Bleed the caliper off the bike, install afterwards. Simple.
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Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #18 on: February 15, 2019, 06:25:37 am »
Apologies for using someone's photo but this looks to cover the bases.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;pic=1195
« Last Edit: February 15, 2019, 06:28:52 am by Register »

Offline calj737

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #19 on: February 15, 2019, 07:11:55 am »
550 forks. They have caliper mounting bosses on both sides, the 500 fork lowers do not.
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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #20 on: February 16, 2019, 12:37:15 am »
Thanks, i got hold of some 550 sliders so I'm good to go.

Had to fit 500 internals as 550 tubes were shot.

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #21 on: February 16, 2019, 08:26:14 pm »
I ran that way on my CB750 when I was more of a hot-shoe, and they reduced the steering effort when rapidly transiting side-to-side. But when touring, this eventually didn't work out so well, as the water during rain took MUCH longer to scrape off the discs, so it amounted to less braking at first, followed by too much braking a second or two later, made heavy traffic in the rain very unnerving. I swapped them back to the top again and it worked much more evenly. Eventually I went back to one caliper (when I found some good brake pads again) and never looked back.
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Offline 754

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #22 on: February 16, 2019, 08:28:49 pm »
Mark did you have drilled discs ?
My rain problems disappeared with drilling the discs.
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Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2019, 01:13:05 pm »
This is where I’m at.

Tight and personal on the speedo drive.

Offline Register

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Re: CB500 K1 calipers behind forks?
« Reply #24 on: March 31, 2019, 10:59:23 am »
Finally got everything mocked up.

I haven't fitted brake pistons and pads yet but everything looks to be ok.

Calipers behind forks and mudguard/fender bracket reversed.

Random selection of bolts at the moment.

Can anyone spot anything out of order, except pink ribbon, lack of rotor bolts?

Thanks