Topic: Any tips for anyone starting their first frame off build????

[rocs]

Hey guys,

I am going to be starting my very first project/build soon and wanted to know any tips from people who have gone through this already. Where is the first place to start? whats the best way to stay organized when doing this? I know there are going to be a lot of parts being taken off and I wanted to know the best way about keeping everything in order to make the reassembly easier.

I am guessing that the engine should be taken out first? I want to strip the frame, powder coat it, paint the engine, gsxr front forks, some clip ons etc... I have quite a few stock bikes so I want to have something a little more personal. Also want to keep myself busy this winter.

Would a motorcycle lift be beneficial? I have to take the front and rear wheels off so maybe I should make some sort of stand?

Below are some pictures of the bike I am going to be working on. I will have better pictures once my thread starts. These were just the ones sent to me before purchasing.

[katman]

Hi,
I have done 2 CB750's. Get some of those big plastic boxes and lids to put pats in. Get a couple of boxes of zip lock. Label everything you take off and bag it.
I didn't power coat. Wasn't in the budget. I painted, but still turned out great. Soak all bolts and nuts in evaporust. As far as the engine, I bought one of the
engine adapters off ebay that bolts to the back of motor. Then motor can be put on a regular engine stand. Rotates and is helpful.
Take your time and have fun.

[70CB750]

Also take pictures if you are not sure what goes where.

Get Hondamans book if you dont have it yet, very helpful.

Lift - I dont have one, but lot of people here love theirs, depends how flexible you are

Jis screwdrivers and impact screwdriver are highly recommended.

[greenjeans]

I agree - you can't have enough ziplocks.  Get the big freezer bag type and a couple of sharpies.   Take photos before you take it apart and again when the parts are in baggies - preferably in the order you take things apart.  Go over them several times to familiarize yourself with the parts.

I also like to organize things according to their finish - ie  powdercoat, plating, paint, or can be used as is.

If you don't plan on rebuilding the entire motor, I like to get the bike dialed in and running great before taking things apart.  Unless your bike leaks or
has a bunch of miles on it, the motor may be able to just get a good cleaning and a coat of paint.

A large lift/table is great to have if it is in the budget - saves your knees and back.   Engine stands are nice to have as well.
I have both now, but the first few that I did, I worked off the floor and a steel table.  It's done all the time - just nice to have a lift and table.

When you put things back together, don't forget anti-seize and thread locker.

[jamesbekman]

Pictures, label everything, buy containers to store everything (Harbor freight has good cheap stuff that I just ran across and could have used a year ago, have a dedicated work area where parts can be laid out for long periods of time, someone recommended working with a towel laid down on your work area to prevent nuts/washers/parts from bouncing off the table and losing them - works great, more importantly... do not have any other projects going on at the same time.  Don't go buying other bikes, take your time, realize its going to take a lot longer than expected, you are going to do something stupid, and its going to cost more, and most importantly... enjoy it and let it be a form of meditation to you and realize you are capable of doing just about anything and also capable of having a bad day in the garage and learn to know when to walk away.

[754]

Baggies pics, labels, and notes.

[SohRon]

Nice looking CB550, looks like a good platform to start with (lose the seat as a first step!).

If you're working on this by yourself you may want to leave removing the engine 'til the very last step, rather than the first. With everything else off the bike, it's easy to just tilt the bike over on its side and remove the frame from the engine rather than the other way around... a simple, one man job that won't tax your patience or muscles!

Hondaman's book is a bit pricey and mainly covers 750s; I'm not sure how much will apply to your 550, but I'm under the impression that it contains quite a bit of general info that can be useful no matter what you're doing. Maybe someone who has a copy will chime in as far as relevance is concerned...

Take lots of pictures before, during and after dis-assembly from as many different angles as you can. They'll be invaluable when it comes time to put the thing back together. And, of course, you'll find this forum a great help when questions arise.

Good luck! 

[goldarrow]

very much everything everyone said

[AbbyRider]

+1 on the impact driver.
+1 on getting things running as best as possible before taking anything apart

Don't go diving into an engine rebuild if it doesn't need it. Test compression first and then go from there.

Also, best piece of advice I can give is have patience. Go slow and do things properly. Don't be tempted to rush through something or take a shortcut, just because you're excited to see a part of it finished that particular night. You'll end up doing things properly at some point.

[lrutt]

First and foremost, before you stip it down, get it running, running good. Go through all the brakes, make sure all bearings etc. are good in the wheels. do the fork seals. Get it all mechanically 100% before you tear down.

That way you don't have to worry about having to 'fix' anything after it's pretty. If that engine runs good, leave it the hell alone. Maybe pull the pan and clean it but there is nothing wrong with the adage 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'.  I do all my restos this way (and I've done a few, see sig). It works very well and when things are all painted pretty, I don't have to worry about messing things up by having to 'fix' anything after the fact. It's already done.

Also, don't get hung up on the powder coating crap. It's much easier and cheaper to just rattle can the black parts of the bike, and it will look just like original that way since original was paint.

[madScientist]

When I did mine i first mapped out the order in which things were to be done...but then again I'm kind of particular about my projects. I knew about how long it would take when I had to farm out work so that I could work around the schedule to maximize my time. I make a gant chart and keep track of status on a couple whiteboards in my shop...i'm anal i know.

-- strip bike to a roller
-- make modifications (frame kit for me, try your gsxr front end, etc)
-- finish striping everything down
-- sandblast, pc, paint, whatever
-- rebuild engine
-- wiring
-- finishing touches

Copious numbers of ziplocs and clear boxes. Do things in groups (frame work, engine, suspension, etc) that way you dont have too many irons in the fire at any one time.

Other than that; take your time, label everything, take pictures, research anything you dont understand, drink lots of beer, and have fun.

One other note...powdercoating is all well and good. However, after having mine powdercoated I kind of wish I hadn't as I dont have any way to touch up future mod's or accidents. The 350 I'm building is painted and it's much easier to deal with. Looks pretty close to the same as well. Not to sway you one way or the other. just food for thought.

[rocs]

Thanks guys, this is awesome advise.

The bike didn't run for about 10 years I was told. After changing the oil, spark plugs and cleaning the carbs it started right up. The wheel bearings are shot and the for seals need to be fixed. The wheels are rusted pretty bad as well so I am going to paint the wheels.

I am going to go over the engine one more time before I pull it as mentioned in this thread.

[flybox1]

great suggestions above!
I printed out all the fiche pages from CMSNL and had them in the front of my shop manual binder.
when i dissasembled my 750, i looked over the fiche first, just so I could see all the parts i'd find when i took them apart.
if there was a stack, i took reference photos to help me remember.
baggies, labels or a big sharpie, your local walmart might have 1 gal clear bins and lids for sale, like 10/$10.
I got used to having one bin for each FICHE with small parts....like the gear shift drum, birdcage, shifter, etc.
keeps it all together 

[rocs]

I am going to bag the powder coating idea.

Whats the general process for rattle can?

 - Sand
 - primer
 - Paint
 - Clear coat?

[flybox1]

strip the frame and parts first.  aircraft stripper works great.
you'll need to scuff sand and then wipe everything down with acetone to get all contaminants off, then etch prime, and paint.

[DH]

All good advice. If I may add, pay special attention to cable and wiring harness routing
when you take your pics. Multi angle if needed.  Just my opinion, but it was invaluable when I did my bike, knowing all the tie down points for the wiring. Everything fit perfect going back together. 

[EricHa]

If your frame isn't too rusted up, you can rough up the stock paint with a scotch brite pad, wipe down with denatured alcohol, let dry, mask off the frame tube and spray. I used a semi-gloss black from Ace that looks pretty good.

Also, the factory manual is found here: 

http://www.sohc4.net/cb550books/

[edwardmorris]

Thanks guys, this is awesome advise.

The bike didn't run for about 10 years I was told. After changing the oil, spark plugs and cleaning the carbs it started right up. The wheel bearings are shot and the for seals need to be fixed. The wheels are rusted pretty bad as well so I am going to paint the wheels.

I am going to go over the engine one more time before I pull it as mentioned in this thread.

I'd caution against reusing rusted wheels (depends on how bad of course but check anyway/post pix for others to look).

If you're going frame off, then consider powder coating (relatively cheap and solid) along with this

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126735.75

[AbbyRider]

The last frame I painted, I rattle canned it with some satin black. Turned out nice, but it does have a tendency to chip if you bang something into it. Last summer my wife had me paint our metal patio table frame - she bought some Rustoleum hammer finish stuff. This paint was amazing. Covered incredibly well and hardened up to a thick, durable finish. I've actually tried to chip it in an inconspicuous area just to see how it held up, and I was hard pressed to be able to mark it up. So I think I'll use it on the frame of my next project.

One other paint you can get is a 2K version of black chassis paint. It's common knowledge on here that 2K clearcoat is the best choice for the rattle can finish on a tank, as it hardens like body shop paint and resists gas. I haven't tried the chassis paint, but it it's anything like the clear coat, it might be a good choice as well. They sell it up here at KMS Tools, but you can get it direct from Eastwood.

[Stoli]

Also, don't get hung up on the powder coating crap. It's much easier and cheaper to just rattle can the black parts of the bike, and it will look just like original that way since original was paint.

This is fine if you are on a budget and are willing to spend the time with the prep - especially the frame (lots of prep work to do it right). Powder will look nice longer and you can throw rocks at it and it won't chip. There is also something nice about dropping a rusty old frame off at the local PC shop and getting it back looking brand new without having to spend two days sanding it. I think PC is worth every penny but it can get a little pricey if you're on a budget. Food for thought.

[CapeCafe]

I'd recommend saving the PC money for more important parts ( cool pipes ) and use the Eastwood Extreme Chassis black http://www.eastwood.com/chassis-black .  I've used it on a number of bike restorations and it's as bullet proof as I've ever needed.  Like any paint project, the prep is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than the paint.  I always have my frames sand blasted prior to paint to make sure I start with an adhesive, clean, uniform surface.  Locally, I have a trailer shop that will blast a frame, swing arm and bits and pieces for $50.  Again, prep is the most important part.