Author Topic: New addition to the family! Gotta rebuild the brakes...  (Read 2848 times)

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Offline nobody

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New addition to the family! Gotta rebuild the brakes...
« on: July 03, 2009, 12:24:22 PM »
So after a bit of looking and wondering if I'd find something good I finally have. A 1978 cb750f that's been sitting for like six months in the back of some shop owners shed. He said he thought it ran but it had no title, hopefully it won't be a huge hassle to get a new title. So we hooked it up to his shop truck (no battery in the bike) and the thing started right up and ran clean and smooth. The front brake fluid is gummed up and doesn't work, needs new tires, a handful of other things but all in all a good score at $600. Come winter it'll be torn down and turned into a cafe bike but for now I'll just try to get it back on the road.

right side... I don't know what kind of exhaust that is but holy crap it's ugly. I picked up some black kerkers to replace it.


left side


check out the clock... SICK!!!!!!!


a touch of class from a previous owner


aged like a fine wine


some pictures of it's big brother waiting for the engine to be pulled, been dragging my feet getting the transmission rebuilt.


« Last Edit: July 08, 2009, 06:43:21 PM by mgab »
74 cb750k

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Offline j-conn

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2009, 12:26:50 PM »
hmmm... more toys! :D
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Offline Alan F.

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2009, 01:35:18 PM »
Good score for 6 bills!  That muffler almost looks like a cherry bomb that's been slash cut, how's it sound?

Offline robe0531

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2009, 01:38:18 PM »
very good score
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Offline HavocTurbo

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2009, 02:11:28 PM »
Either that or a truck muffler from a dual set-up.

I'm curious as to the sound as well.

Good score for 6 bills!  That muffler almost looks like a cherry bomb that's been slash cut, how's it sound?
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Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2009, 02:21:04 PM »
It actually sounds really good, very deep and loud. Kinda like straight pipes but cleaner. It's just too ugly to keep on the bike though, hopefully the kerker maintains some of the meanness that it currently has.
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Offline Dave-and-his-550

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2009, 02:32:33 PM »
I think the pipe looks good. Is it rusted through or something? I say paint the whole thing flat black.

Offline Toxic

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2009, 03:00:12 PM »
Anyone can have a Kerker, that pipe looks great.

+1 on keeping it and painting it flat black, maybe some black header wrap to.

Offline Alan F.

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2009, 03:03:00 PM »
Yuck, header wrap... :'(

Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2009, 03:48:28 PM »
I don't know, I think the exhaust is plain old ugly. I might try chopping it or something but I think Kerkers would look better, probably perform better too. The jury is still out on the header wrap, I guess that depends on how the bike looks when I actually start putting it back together next spring.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2009, 03:54:44 PM by mgab »
74 cb750k

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If life hands you tomatoes, make tomato soup. If life hands you a box of hand grenades... well, now... THAT'S a message!!

Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2009, 12:18:03 PM »
What would be the best way to clean the gelatinous goop that once was my brake fluid out?
74 cb750k

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Offline Frankenkit

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2009, 12:31:38 PM »
take off your caliper and MC and blast them all out with brake parts cleaner.
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Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2009, 01:26:32 PM »
So I should probably buy a couple front caliper rebuild kits then?
74 cb750k

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Offline Frankenkit

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2009, 01:30:20 PM »
yup and make sure you don't have *any* pitting in your piston, or you're asking for problems.  (that said, I have a little but my brakes are still good.  Would go for a new brake piston, but 650 pistons are pretty near unobtanium.

rebuild your master cylinder, too. there are tiny, tiny orifices that clog easily and cause major problems.
"Moderation in all things - especially moderation. Too much moderation is excessive. The occasional excess is all part of living the moderate life."
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1980 CB650c- (sold) Delilah
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Sweet, bubbly, Buddha - Say it ain't so!!!
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Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2009, 01:55:11 PM »
Where can I get a master cylinder rebuild kit? I found a kit for the front calipers but not the master...

http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Honda-CB750-F-Front-Brake-Caliper-Rebuild-Kit-cb750-f?sc=12&category=52301
74 cb750k

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Offline Alan F.

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2009, 03:56:48 PM »
Get your M/C rebuild kits directly from Honda.  Price isn't that high, besides it's not something to skimp on to save a few bucks.

Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family!
« Reply #16 on: July 04, 2009, 05:31:09 PM »
So I pulled the calipers and master cylinder off the bike completely. All the bolts were finger tight and there were no brake pads on either side, they must have started a brake job and changed their minds. Both calipers seem to be seized, I can't get either piston out of the caliper. I know you can pop them out with compressed air or with hydraulic pressure pretty easily. The problem is I don't have an air compressor and I don't think the master cylinder is working well enough to pop it out. With the master cylinder off of the bike and the reservoir full should it spray fluid out when pumping the piston? I'm only getting a dribble.
74 cb750k

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If life hands you tomatoes, make tomato soup. If life hands you a box of hand grenades... well, now... THAT'S a message!!

Offline Old Scrambler

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #17 on: July 04, 2009, 06:46:18 PM »
Don't pump it until you have removed and cleaned all of the old gunk.  Put a heavy plastic bag on the MC with a big rubberband....punch some small air-bleed holes........then get some compressed air and blow the lines out in the opposite direction.  Then rinse with brake cleaning fluid and re-attach the line to the calipers.  Install new fluid and press out the pucks............works for me.........
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Offline Frankenkit

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #18 on: July 04, 2009, 09:51:05 PM »
I would recommend against ordering from OBB.  It's rare when a person gets what they want when they want it from them.  I'd try partsnmore, actually, and z1 enterprises.
"Moderation in all things - especially moderation. Too much moderation is excessive. The occasional excess is all part of living the moderate life."
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Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #19 on: July 04, 2009, 11:06:34 PM »
I was thinking about upgrading to steel lines while I have it apart but can't find them on either z1 or partsnmore... any idea where I could find them?
74 cb750k

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Offline Frankenkit

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #20 on: July 04, 2009, 11:11:05 PM »
go to your local harley dealership... the ones around here have pre-measured pre-manufactured lengths of ss lines in black or steel grey, along with all the necessary banjo bolts and copper washers.
"Moderation in all things - especially moderation. Too much moderation is excessive. The occasional excess is all part of living the moderate life."
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1980 CB650c- (sold) Delilah
1973 CL350- Lola?
Sweet, bubbly, Buddha - Say it ain't so!!!
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Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #21 on: July 05, 2009, 09:05:32 PM »
At a Harley dealership? They won't laugh at me when I ask for honda parts? :P
74 cb750k

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If life hands you tomatoes, make tomato soup. If life hands you a box of hand grenades... well, now... THAT'S a message!!

Offline Frankenkit

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #22 on: July 05, 2009, 09:14:28 PM »
I didn't even have to ask. They were just hanging up. I just measured mine for reference and brought the banjo bolts to make sure they're the same size.  If you need to ask anyone for advice, ask the oldest guys.  The young guys don't know crap and are too full of themselves to care.  The young guys remember their old jap bikes from 'back in the day' and are often quite willing to help you.
"Moderation in all things - especially moderation. Too much moderation is excessive. The occasional excess is all part of living the moderate life."
2012 CBR250R "Black Betty"
1980 CB650c- (sold) Delilah
1973 CL350- Lola?
Sweet, bubbly, Buddha - Say it ain't so!!!
Stuff for sale

Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #23 on: July 06, 2009, 05:47:47 PM »
I found some places online too. I might hold off on the stainless lines until I get my clip-ons (this winter). Don't want to waste money on lines that I'll only use a few months.
74 cb750k

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If life hands you tomatoes, make tomato soup. If life hands you a box of hand grenades... well, now... THAT'S a message!!

Offline nobody

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Re: New addition to the family! Time to start wrenching...
« Reply #24 on: July 07, 2009, 07:30:26 PM »
So I popped the pistons out of the calipers, there was a ton of gunk in there just like in the reservoir, not super surprising. The pistons have a little pitting and may need to be replaced, I'm a noob though so you tell me. The calipers don't look too bad, maybe a good cleaning will bring them back. I'm a little worried that maybe the lines have some gummy goop in them as well but I can't tell, nothing dribbled out of any of the hoses when I removed banjo bolts. I stuck a Q tip in the splitter joint to see if any gunk was in there but it didn't look too dirty. Again, noob, you tell me...  ???




74 cb750k

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If life hands you tomatoes, make tomato soup. If life hands you a box of hand grenades... well, now... THAT'S a message!!