Topic: 1974 CB550 K0 Restoration Project

[Stev-o]

Dont know how I missed this, you've done a great job! 

I'd be on the lookout for a replacement exhaust, those original pipes show up here and on eBay from time to time. There was a member selling an NOS set [$1400], but I dont recall his name.

[MauiK3]

Great thread, the bike looks fantastic.
I know they would be pricey but I think David Silver may carry repop pipes for it. It only hurts once and looks, sounds great.
Otherwise, Delkevic makes good exhausts.
Mark Paris is great to work with.

[wolf550]

it seems when Im looking at these pipes on ebay or C.L. the Muffler part is always the piece that seems rusted through and the pipe is left untouched or minor wear on it. is it because the mufflers are Made Thin?

[Stev-o]

is it because the mufflers are Made Thin?

Water [condensation] typically collects at the lowest part and then rusts.

[wolf550]

dont know the chemical make up of metals but would aluminum do the same. i liked the the look of the tulip shape muffler and going to about making one for the 4 in 1 on my aluminum bike.

[wolf550]

hey tom looks like somebody heard you about getting a better set of exhausts on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CB550-Four-OEM-Exhaust-NICE-1976-or-Earlier/193569106858?hash=item2d119e2baa:g:Fm8AAOSwu3VfC2M1

If you get em then Sell me yours!!! LOL!!!

[Tom C]

hey tom looks like somebody heard you about getting a better set of exhausts on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CB550-Four-OEM-Exhaust-NICE-1976-or-Earlier/193569106858?hash=item2d119e2baa:g:Fm8AAOSwu3VfC2M1

If you get em then Sell me yours!!! LOL!!!

Woof!  Those sure look nice!

[Tom C]

Well I haven't given an update for a while on my 550, so here goes. 
I finished the dual disk upgrade quite some time ago, and it had made quite a difference in stopping power up front.  Looks pretty nice too!


I had a persistent front brake squeal after (and perhaps before) the upgrade that I recently solved with a new set of pads on the right side rotor. 

I also got around to installing the side cases my buddy Steve painted to match the rest of the bike:

Rear turn signals now installed in the side boxes:

She's looking pretty sharp but I sill need to get the exhaust situation sorted out.  As one of you said previously, it only hurts once when you bite the bullet and get the shiny new replacements.... Well maybe when I win the lottery....

One persistent issue I still need to sort out is a strong wobble at 30 mph that goes away at higher speeds.  It was there before the dual disk upgrade and it is still there, controllable so long as you have your hands on the bars but I really want to get rid of it.   I always static balances my wheel myself with no issues on my other bikes and did a static balance on the 550 wheels as well, but I thought perhaps it needed better balancing, so I took it to the local powersports dealer for a good dynamic balance.  Unfortunately that did not do the trick, the wobble persists dammit. 

So my next steps are to check the alignment of front and rear wheels, paying particular attention to the possibility of a bent frame from some mishap that may have occurred in the forty something time span before I became her owner...  Who knows?  I've been referring to this old thread on the forum for guidance and Hondaman's book of course.  Hopefully I'll get it figured out eventually.  No rush, this restoration project is an end onto itself, it's all about the journey!   

[seanbarney41]

Most likely cause of your wobble is damaged, worn, or mis-adjusted steering head bearings.  I have found them to be shot on bikes with as little as 14000 miles and even the ones that are not shot need fresh grease and proper adjustment.

[Tom C]

Most likely cause of your wobble is damaged, worn, or mis-adjusted steering head bearings.  I have found them to be shot on bikes with as little as 14000 miles and even the ones that are not shot need fresh grease and proper adjustment.

Thanks for the advice! A set of All Balls tapered steering head bearings have now replaced the original bearings.  Before removing the triple tree I did my best to check the steering head alignment given the tools at my disposal.  I inserted my Cogent Dynamics DDC installation tool into the triple tree - the red magnetic holder on the end of the rod of my Cogent Dynamics DDC installation tool just so happened to be the correct diameter to tightly fit into the triple tree - here's a picture of the tool:

And here it is inserted into the triple tree:

The rod should stick out concentric to the steering head.  I then sighted along the center line of the bike, which I estimated by centering the two frame members running down from the steering head with the luggage rack tubes in the rear of the bike - all highlighted in red below:

You can see that rod intersects the center of the oil filter housing more or less, so it looks like the steering head alignment is good!  No need to get the frame realigned. 
Then it was dinnertime so I haven't yet fully reassembled things.  Also it got really cold and a bit snowy here, so it'll be a little while before I get her all back together and out for a test ride.  But when I finally get around to it I'll let you guys know how it worked out. 
Thanks again for the advice. 

[Tom C]

Well @seanbarney41 was correct, replacing the steering head bearings fixed the wobble problem!  I finally had a chance to take the 550 for a short test ride today after replacing the OEM bearings, which seemed to have never been serviced, and no more wobble!  Thanks again for the helpful advice!




...still have to re-attach the windshield.  And fix the neutral switch.  And new mufflers.  And fix the oil leaks around the cylinder head cover.  There's always something to do!

[Stev-o]

Good to hear you got the wobble issue solved, Sean always gives good advice.

Bike looks good! What mufflers do you want to put on?  There are a few on eBay right now...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224567029118?hash=item34493ced7e:g:jxIAAOSwhz9hEn3y

[Tom C]

As much as I’d like to I’m hesitant to spend $1200+ on a replica 4 into 4 system.  I might spring for a Delkevic 4 into 1 system then try to get the two OEM upper pipes welded together. I doubt if any repair of these mufflers will be a permanent fix however.  I do know a guy who is a very talented welder, he’s offered to try. There is so much laminar corrosion that I fear it’s only a matter of time before any repair would be compromised by further corrosion. 

Thanks for the eBay links, unfortunately I need the upper mufflers, the lower ones are in decent shape which is the norm I suppose. 

Another minor issue to fix is the high/low beam switch.  Cleaning and/or replacement are in order. 

[Tom C]

well when I finally removed the swingarm to check the bushings (which only needed a good cleaning and fresh grease) the #4 muffler fell off... It is time to replace the OEM mufflers.   I've ordered a set of the Delkevic 4into1 megaphone pipes for the 550 hoping that this will the be the last expenditure before I sell the old girl.  It's long overdue, the pipes have gotten really bad over the three years I've owned her.  I'll include the OEM pipes in the sale should the new owner wish to try to have them refurbished.  #2 and #3 are in fair shape but #1 and #4 are both completely detached from the headers. 

[Tom C]

PS the windscreen is re-attached, the oil leaks in the head were from the wrong o-rings in the tappet covers and the high/low beam switch responded well to a thorough cleaning.  Once the new mufflers are installed she should be good to go! 

[wolf550]

hey tom let me now if the buyer does not want those bad mufflers.
im still looking for the upper right #4 to try and make an aluminum casting that slips over the oem pipe to refurbish.

[Tom C]

hey tom let me now if the buyer does not want those bad mufflers.
im still looking for the upper right #4 to try and make an aluminum casting that slips over the oem pipe to refurbish.

They are not in good shape, particularly the #4:

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[wolf550]

holy smokes!!!

that is interesting. you can see in my pic how the exhaust pipe goes through to the chambered area. wonder where that pipe was that it went right through that pipe there.

but still I should not have thrown away this project as now I am getting so much better with my casting.

It loos like the right side mufflers are the same shape/angle just the mounts are in different places and of course those end holes they connect to each other.

I figure by the time Im done with a muffler the person can cut the old muffler off and just slip over the end of the pipe.

[Tom C]

@wolf,

Here's pictures of mufflers #3 and 4 when I bought this bike in 2019:


Here's #4 from another angle:

You can see that they were in much better shape at that time.  I don't know what can be done to delay the inevitable destructive corrosion in these pipes.  I did make sure that the weep holes were functioning back then, but who knows, perhaps they clogged up again and the condensation helped to speed up the decay. 

Muffler #1 was also in better shape when I first got the bike:

This is what #1 looks like today:


ugh... it's like looking at autopsy pictures...

[wolf550]

i hear ya. it inspires me to give it another try. to see if it can be done and save those oem pipes to be reused another day.

[Tom C]

These look pretty good!

[Little_Phil]

The more you look at that pic from wolf550 the more it looks like a terrible design. A large void enclosed by the wafer thin outer skin that take 15-20 miles at least to achieve a decent temperature to drive out condensation.
The Delkevic looks good and is a bargain.

[Tom C]

Yes she's looking pretty good now!