Author Topic: A total beginner's CB550F resurrection... (Read 40398 times)

Roach Carver · « **Reply #50 on:** July 15, 2008, 12:12:37 PM »

looks good.

martino1972 · « **Reply #51 on:** July 15, 2008, 05:49:06 PM »

good to hear your still among us..

looking good..

NGL_BrSH · « **Reply #52 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:53:14 AM »

haha.. just found this thread.. I love that you stuffed it in a caravan. I almost peed myself at work because i could envision it.

looks real nice so far man. I'll be doing the same thing to mine probably in a year or so.

bzr · « **Reply #53 on:** July 16, 2008, 01:30:50 PM »

So turns out since I was a moron all those tender months ago when I took the swingarm to the powdercoaters, I didn't remove the bearings because back then I didn't even know there was something inside them. Now they're shot to hell and I'm in the process of hammering them out.

New needle bearing kit from Z1 Enterprises: $79.04. Anybody used these before, any recommendations?

If I don't pick up chicks with this bike after I'm done with it, I'm going to shoot myself in the face.

TwoTired · « **Reply #54 on:** July 16, 2008, 01:37:08 PM »

Quote from: bzr on July 16, 2008, 01:30:50 PM

If I don't pick up chicks with this bike after I'm done with it, I'm going to shoot myself in the face.

Chicks dig scars!

Not sure about powder burns. But, maybe it could pass for a tattoo?

Hush · « **Reply #55 on:** July 16, 2008, 04:36:22 PM »

Hurry up man!
You'll be too old to worry about chicks if you keep stuffing up this rebuild!

scartail · « **Reply #56 on:** July 20, 2008, 06:17:01 PM »

Really nice work. I wonder how long does that Duplicolor High-Heat take to dry?

Chris Liston · « **Reply #57 on:** July 22, 2008, 09:41:16 AM »

Great work BZR. Reminds me that I need to get cracking on my 550F.

fastbroshi · « **Reply #58 on:** July 29, 2008, 06:10:04 AM »

Quote

New needle bearing kit from Z1 Enterprises: $79.04. Anybody used these before, any recommendations?

I've heard these aren't the greatest at taking loads, as far as when your really leaning into a corner. I'm not sure how to verbalize, but I guess they're designed to take friction perpendicular to the bearing surface and when you're leaning the bike the force tends to go to one end of each bearing, increasing it's side load (correct term?). Plus, if these grenade on you, you're gonna know it real quick, versus a plain bronze bushing will just get more play and get noisy. Furthermore, those little buggers are expensive!

bzr · « **Reply #59 on:** January 05, 2009, 09:37:24 PM »

Thread bump...so I'm working on my wiring harness right now (it's a lot more fun than I expected). Quick question: I need to join three wires together with a butt splice, does it matter what direction they go in? As in which two wires are on one end, and which wire is on the other...

bzr · « **Reply #60 on:** January 08, 2009, 09:22:53 PM »

Never mind, I figured it out. Last week I didn't even know how to read a wiring diagram, but this week I think I should have had most of these problems sorted...hopefully. The PO clearly ripped everything apart at one point and massacred a lot of connections; he rewired the front headlight to turn on high-beam and rewired the starter button to an ugly RadioShack toggle switch above the instrument light panel. The goal was to return everything to stock form.

Spliced in the wires from a new set of right-hand controls I got off eBay. It came with a box connector at first that I cut off.

Where does this green connector go, if anywhere? On the diagram there's one green wire that's marked as a ground for the frame, I suspect this must be it...all the other green wires are accounted for.

Tagged all the ends that connect at the front end, inside the headlight housing. (What a nightmare.)

Finished, tagged, retaped, and ready for installation!

Also, the PO removed both the turn signal buzzer and the clutch safety switch. He ended up connecting the brown/blue wire from the buzzer into the green/red wire of the clutch switch. I guess that should be the end of that, unless you guys have a better idea of what to do with those loose wires.

cdoggy81 · « **Reply #61 on:** February 18, 2009, 06:24:49 PM »

How is it coming?

bzr · « **Reply #62 on:** February 18, 2009, 11:24:03 PM »

Quote from: cdoggy81 on February 18, 2009, 06:24:49 PM

How is it coming?

I'm at school so I haven't gotten a chance to work on it yet.

Anybody know where that green connector goes?

J.Webster Designs · « **Reply #63 on:** February 26, 2009, 08:20:47 PM »

that would be a ground...

bzr · « **Reply #64 on:** March 08, 2009, 07:09:57 PM »

Back at home for a week and looking to work on the bike some more...some things I want to accomplish are getting the new wiring harness on along with the fork tubes.

But first, I'm replacing my chain tomorrow, so do these sprockets need replacing as well?

TwoTired · « **Reply #65 on:** March 08, 2009, 09:25:12 PM »

I'd replace them. If you don't, you can expect half life from the new chain.

Cheers,

Kemp · « **Reply #66 on:** March 09, 2009, 04:29:19 PM »

Front sprocket looks not bad, teeth still flt on top not spiked and no apparent wear on the shoulders. Rear is toast, teeth are peaked and coned or sculpted on one side. New chain would ride up the valleys as no longer consistent distance between teeth and as oldtimer says, it'll wear right out. Since you need new, why not add a few teeth to the rear sprocket (say 36 or 37 instead of 34) this will cost the same money but will give you more acceleration and top speed as these bikes are way overgeared. Count your front sprocket teeth also. Stock is 17. If you've got a 16 on the front that is the same as putting a 36 or 37 on the rear. You don't want to do both or you'll tighten up the gearing too much, great for acceleration but not good on the highway!

TwoTired · « **Reply #67 on:** March 09, 2009, 06:14:15 PM »

For a street bike. I'd stay with the stock ratios. The 500 used a 34 T rear sprocket 17 front. It has a different primary drive ratio inside the cases.
The 550s used 17T front and 37T rear. If you do any highway miles you'll like this. If you are primarily making a city bike, more teeth on the rear will improve acceleration potential. But, it'll be a buzzy bike on the freeway.

I don't favor smaller front sprockets, as the reduced radius shortens chain life. But, if you don't mind frequent replacement, that will also improve acceleration potential.

Cheers,

bzr · « **Reply #68 on:** March 09, 2009, 06:59:50 PM »

The bike currently has a 16T front and a 36T rear, so the PO must have had the same idea. I'll be going for a 34T rear (this one) and going with the same 16T front.

Eagerly waiting for my swingarm that Hondaman rebuilt for me to come in the mail!

bzr · « **Reply #69 on:** March 14, 2009, 05:14:06 PM »

Sweet, just got my refreshed swingarm from HondaMan in the mail.

Just in time for me to go back to school, sadly.

Dave-and-his-550 · « **Reply #70 on:** May 28, 2009, 03:58:10 PM »

Head shrink tubing would have been a better choice on those wires, way more professional lookin, clean, more durable then electrical tape, and won't come apart like electrical tape either!

Stuff can be found at just about any auto parts store. Put the tube over two spliced wires, take a hair dryer (Or heat gun) and after a few seconds it'll shrink right down!

bzr · « **Reply #71 on:** June 30, 2009, 12:27:09 PM »

I've been preoccupied with painting my bike so I haven't been updating this thread as much. However I'm still alive and motivated as all hell to get it done, finally.

Stupid question: I'm missing one of my chain adjuster nuts on the back of the rear wheel (see picture, circled). Do I REALLY need it or can I get away with leaving it off?

TwoTired · « **Reply #72 on:** June 30, 2009, 12:43:08 PM »

Yes, you need it. If you plan to do anything with it but let it sit for static show.

But, you knew that already, didn't you?

bzr · « **Reply #73 on:** June 30, 2009, 01:49:00 PM »

Anybody wanna drop one in an envelope and mail it to me?

My local scrapyard doesn't even have any motorcycles for some bewildering reason. Great.

the technological J · « **Reply #74 on:** June 30, 2009, 02:56:53 PM »

they are 12mm i was just playing with them on my bike today... you can probably buy one at the hardware store for less than a stamp costs... just make sure they're machine threaded

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Author Topic: A total beginner's CB550F resurrection... (Read 40398 times)

martino1972