The time and effort you're putting in to this build and more impressive , the time and effort you're putting into documenting this build is truly incredible. Thank you
You're welcome, Crgsti. I appreciate the encouragement!
Lots to do this post, so it's on to the next order of business, which is installation of the gauges. Here they are in an exploded view along with their mounting hardware. At left top are the gauges (or clocks, if you prefer), fully restored. Below them are the gauge cushions and the gauge mount "pans" (aka "cans")
On the right, at the top, is the gauge mounting bracket followed by the bracket mounting hardware: two each nuts, split washers and plain washers. Next, we find the hardware for mounting the gauge pans to the bracket: four each washers, split washers, nuts and mounting bolts. All of these nuts, washers and bolts (including the bracket mounting hardware) were originally anodized or Japanned black at the factory; I hit them with a shot of POR-15 Blackcote and they look good as new.
Below those is a grouping of several small rubber grommets. On the left is the grommet for the speedo trip-meter knob, then two lighting sub-harness grommets, followed by four mounts that fit between the gauges and gauge mount pans. At the bottom are four each chrome washers and acorn nuts that are used to mount the gauges to the pans. And, finally, to the right are the lighting wire sub-harnesses.
Assembling all of these parts into an operational gauge cluster is pretty straight forward, so I'm not really going to get into it here. I do have a couple of pointers I'd like to share, though...
When I dis-assembled these gauges initially, three out of the four gauge mount bolts were loose and fell out of the pans as I withdrew the gauges. They're meant to be captured by a couple of small tabs inside the pans; this makes removing and installing each gauge to the gauge bracket easier. My particular bolts either didn't get properly swaged in at the factory or loosened up with use over the years, so I refit them before re-installing the gauges. It's pretty simple: install each bolt into its hole from inside the pan, then, using a pair of pliers, vice-grips or what-have-you, bend the smaller tab down over the bolt head
They don't need to be moosed down tight and immovable - in fact leaving the bolts a bit loose makes installation onto the bracket a little easier. They just need to be securely held in place so that they don't turn or slip out of position while the nuts are being run up.
And although it's not apparent at first glance, the foam cushions do actually have a specific orientation. Flip them over take a look; there are two small square sided grooves opposite each other on the cushion "ring", one at the top, and one on the bottom. Since the cushions are symmetrical from top to bottom, by aligning either groove with the drain hole in the bottom of the pan you can be sure you've got the cushion installed correctly.
Finally, after assembly of all of the components is complete, the sub=harnesses from each gauge are criss-crossed across the back of the gauge mount bracket and held in position by a metal tang attached to the bottom of the bracket
So, here they are: the gauges in their mounting bracket. Below that the speedo cable on the outside with the tach cable on the inside and, in the center, two each nuts, washers and split washers for mounting the bracket to the upper steering yoke
Studs attached to the rear of the bracket slip into two mounts formed onto the yoke. All of the various wires and cables running between the mounts should be gathered together before installing the bracket so that nothing gets pinched between the two parts. Once the bracket and gauges are installed, the washers and nuts so helpfully indicated here by our little Seal-Point Tortie "Moosie"...
...are run up and torqued to spec (see the kind of stuff I have to deal with?)
Now that the gauges are in place on the bike, it's time to install the cables. I started with the speedometer by inserting the cable up into the speedo drive, then attached the cable fitting to the drive housing, coupling the cable to the gauge
The cable then routes down across the bike to the small clip installed onto the brake joint way back during the front brake procedure
This little "L" shaped clip is fitted with the leg of the "L" pointing toward the yoke with the cable running behind it, entrapping the cable between the clip and the yoke. (yeah, yeah; I know I installed it the other way 'round back at the brake procedure... I, um.., I just did it that way to... to keep it in the proper location with... an eye to reversing it when the time came... yeah, that's the ticket!).
Actually, that little clip is addressed nowhere in any of the Honda literature I have, the exception being the parts fiche for the bike. I became aware of it while searching the pictures in the owner's manual with an eye loupe, where I saw it in the background with a cable running through it. Search as I could, I could find no other picture or mention of it anywhere. One more reason for the thread, I guess...
From the clip the cable routes down through the grommet installed onto the front fender (below left), then through this little wire guide mounted onto the fender stay (right), and finally it connects to the speedo drive at the wheel hub, where it's held in position with a screw (bottom)
Something to notice about the above pic is that I loosened up the axle clamp nuts and rotated the speedo gear so that it's perpendicular to the axis of the fork leg (in red). I then re-torqued the nuts, remembering to tighten the front nut first. This step completes installation of the speedo cable.
On to the tach cable, and it's fitted to the gauge just like the speedo cable was
After connecting to the gauge, the cable snakes under the bottom steering yoke and routes through the wire guide installed with the horn (inset below right), then on to the tach drive mounted to the head (below left)
Click to expand
And I like that base pic so much I'm posting an unadulterated copy of it here...
Click to expand
Sorry... just couldn't help myself...
Now that the gauges are sorted, the next items to consider are the front turn signals. Here they are with their mounting nuts and washers exposed
Installation is pretty simple; the wires and stems are threaded through the openings provided in the fork "ears", then the washers and nuts are run up to hold them in place (remember that it's orange on the left, light blue on the right)
Note that there are small dimples punched into each "ear" just behind the signal mount (above inset). Just align the "point" on the stem base "nut" with the dimple to orient the signals.
So, we'll need a ground for these signals, and that gives us a clean segue into fitting the headlight (smooth, right?). Here's the headlight support housing (AKA "shell" or "bucket"); it's one of the few parts off of the original bike that I'll be using on the build
I gave it a couple of shiny new coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X Gloss Black and it looks good as new. I'll be installing it using the hardware laid out below...
At top are the mounting nuts; these live inside the shell and are fitted with ground leads for the signals. Below them are chrome washers for the big mounting bolts, and two spacers. At bottom, on either side of the bolts, are two neoprene washers that aren't strictly standard, at least for this model. I picked them up at my local "ACE" in the "Large Neoprene Washer" section near the fender washers (below left)...
Using a dab of stick glue I stuck them to the inside of each of the headlight mounting "ears" (above right) in an effort to help keep the headlight shell in place and pointed properly down the road. They're not required; I just like to add this stuff because hey, that's just the kind of guy I am! Once the headlight shell is in place they'll be invisible and, who knows? IIRC there's at least one model that uses something similar to this, so they may actually work!
As a preliminary step, I installed the spacers into holes provided in the shell (one on each side)
Installation is easy as pie: I gathered up all of the sundry wires and harnesses (don't forget the turn signal buzzer and front brake switch sub-harnesses!) hanging out at the front of the bike and threaded them through the opening in the rear of the shell while simultaneously raising it into position between the fork mount "ears" (opening oriented down). Next, I inserted the mounting bolts through the washers, the "ear" mounts and the spacers fitted into the shell, then secured everything using the special mounting nuts (below left inset)
These fit into a slot molded into the inner case wall so they can only be properly oriented one of two ways, either of which will suffice. Something to note is that each mounting "ear" has a small punch mark at its nose that indicates the centerline of the headlight shell (above right inset). There isn't a corresponding punch mark on the shell (at least the one I have), so it's simply a matter of aligning the punch mark with the centerline of the mounting "land" formed into the shell in order to get the headlight into the correct position
With the headlight bucket in place I got a stool, needle-nosed pliers, 000 steel wool and a pinch of Sour Diesel and, facing the bike straddling the front wheel, proceeded to make the final connections. I used the steel wool to go over all of the bullet connectors until they shined; then, using the needle nosed pliers, inserted each connector into its corresponding female counterpart until it clicked. There's a dimple in each of the female connectors that "clicks" into a gap at the end of the bullet "head"; you can have the connector partially inserted and not know it, so feel and listen for the "click" to make sure the connections are right.
So, that completes the electrical system installation. I tested everything using a tank battery I have and everything worked as it should; I took some shots but those will have to wait for another day as this has gone on long enough. In the next post I'll be starting the beast up and installing the tank, seat, side covers etc, etc.
Getting closer every day!
'til next time
