Topic: k2 clocks,"getting inside"and source of faces questions!

[kaceyf2]

Hya guys, any of you good folk know firstly, how to get inside of the clocks without damaging them at all? and then once in, a good source for replacing the faces? also, how do you get the needles off to get a new face on, thats supposing they can be sourced...... I keep seeing whats called "K2 faces" on ebay, but they are black and not right at all..........I am doing a concourse restoration, so any faces need to be as near to 100% as possible!
Has anyone done this themselves?
Thanks as usual!!

[Zane]

Hya guys, any of you good folk know firstly, how to get inside of the clocks without damaging them at all? and then once in, a good source for replacing the faces? also, how do you get the needles off to get a new face on, thats supposing they can be sourced...... I keep seeing whats called "K2 faces" on ebay, but they are black and not right at all..........I am doing a concourse restoration, so any faces need to be as near to 100% as possible!
Has anyone done this themselves?
Thanks as usual!!

Check out the topic "Gauges on the K5 Before and After" currently active in the Open Forum.

One of the current contributors to that topic is Carpy, and his website  http://www.cb750cafe.com/
under “Parts” has a pretty good picture book on how to take the needles off.

Also check this topic  http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=1320.0   … towards the end of the topic…)

I also found this helpful - mainly for lubing the actual insides.
http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/speedo/spedo1.htm

I think the bottom line must be, after you read and research a bit,  you have to decide first whether you’re going to mess with your steel rings yourself, have them removed and re-installed by a pro with the proper tools, or if you’re going to buy new gauges.  If you opt for the first choice then you decide between bending or cutting.  Different folks have had some success with both methods.  But my guess is that one must be an excellent technician with a lot of ability and luck to open up and close one of these old NS gauges without leaving any evidence of your labor whatsoever.

With option 2 you’ll be lucky if you find someone who makes a high quality and correct reproduction face plates - but I would think any of these guys who make the more custom face plates could (for the right money) make a couple of “originals” for you.  But opening these old clocks with the proper “can opener” like tool is something I don’t think you’d regret doing.

Option 3 is the one I would take (if it’s within the “rules” of doing a concourse restoration.)  Even looking exclusively for CB400F gauges (as I do) I’ve come across a number of new CB 750 gauges covering a range of years and models.  If, as Carpy says, a complete instrument resto can run you in the range of $400 to $500 (US) it might be worth considering digging up a couple of new and correct ones for your model instead.

(I don’t know what year your bike is, but here are a couple, as an example ….  Ebay 4637536015   4621590892        4637771190

It's a lot of work, but the results can be extremely satisfying, I think....

Best of luck .....

wz

[kaceyf2]

Thanks a lot for that bro, actually for some reason., i had forgotten carpy does this!!
Its been ages since i gotten intouch with him, must remedy the situation!
Great!!
Ride safe! ( and fasttttt)

[merc2dogs]

 best tool I've found to open them up the 'bending way' is a modified paint can opener, file to tip of the hook smaller and sharper and it fits perfectly in the groove and the way the tip is bent it makes it very easy to open up the ring, I use a hole saw to cut a circle in a chunk of plywood the same size as the gauge housing, but smaller than the ring, slip the gauge in with the bent part up, then use a small hammer and a hardwood chisel to close it back up.
 normally can't tell it was ever opened up.

ken.