Topic: CB 500 Four (1972?) Full Restoration

[MickB]

Dave you're a champ, can I fit them onto a 61 frame?

[MickB]

Sorry a 71 frame

[MickB]

Can I fit the guts of the 550 innards into a 500 fork bottom section?

[dave500]

yeah you can swap entire forks over between 500/550s,the first 550s were only a 500 with the 550 engine and those "improved" front forks,unless someone knows for sure i cant see why the guts wont interchange?you cant swap the sliding tubes though,they go with the dampers to match!often the lower leg has a different part number as it has gaitors or the simple slider seal so the upper lip is different only,ive never felt any difference between 500 and 550 front ends,in fact the 550s ive had have felt harsher?id give it a go,the caps are different as you wouldve found out for the threaded rod,use atf a bit less than the book says for a start,then go from there,the 550 right hand lower leg has provision for a second caliper that never happened from the factory,these get used for if you do fit the second front disc with a little work to the speedo drive area.

[MickB]

Dave you're a guru (what is ATF?), I tried to fit the guts into the 550 bottom fork - no problems, it works.

Do I need to get longer rear shocks because the forks are 15mm longer? Would it affect the handling (the main reason I went for a 500/4). What do you think?

I remember 40 years ago how my mate's CB500/4 handled, fantastic - Mike Hailwood on a works Honda (same frame as the CB500/4 I think), Isle of Man lap record on the 500 Honda against Giacomo Agostini on MV Augusta on a MV 500 (in 1970 the MV 750 was $3500 and I was making $25 a week, there was a beautiful MV 750 in the show room in Footscray Melbourne down from where I worked), drool.

I feel I've had a win today.

What do you think about Chrome spokes from Thailand?

[MickB]

I meant 500 bottom fork, not 550 as in the previous post.

[dave500]

atf=automatic transmission fluid,i aint no guru but thanks,yeah i knew you meant the 500 lower with 550 guts,chrome spokes from thailand wont last long maybe?,get zinc or stainless,yeah i think the 500/550s still hold there own against some new bikes almost?almost!

[MickB]

Finally got the triple tree with tapered bearings and forks finished with new seals. Fork boots are from Thailand and they fit great $9. Forks are just sitting in the frame, got to get top fork nuts chromed and go through the parts that need rechroming. Need to find headlight ears.

Next is rebuild front callipers for disk brake.



Front rim arrived today, waiting on spokes.

[MickB]

Can anybody advise me on this swinging arm, I think it might be a CB400, note the 3 lugs near the pivot point. I thought the 500 had only 2 lugs not 3?

[MickB]

Can anybody advise me on this swinging arm, I think it might be a CB400, note the 3 lugs near the pivot point. I thought the 500 had only 2 lugs not 3?

[bryanj]

Nope thats standard 500/550

[MickB]

Thank you Bryan

[MickB]

Can anyone help me identify what part or parts I'm missing please.
I bought bronze swing arm bushes and if you look at the photo something's not right


It would appear something is still in the Swingarm and something's missing on the bolt so the bush fits?

[Ewan 500K1]

see parts diagram attached:

The bit you are missing off the bolt is part 13, collar . This slips over the bolt.  The bits still in the swing arm are the old bushes , part 10 in the diagram. You need to get these out. Your new bushes replace parts 10, 11 & 15.

[dave500]

the old bushes will take a little finnesse to remove,you can run a hacksaw blade slot through them to get them out,you dont get a direct hit at them from behind.

[MickB]

Thanks Ewan and Dave for solving my problem. Now the search for the collar


Regards
Mick

[bryanj]

The collar, 54121-300-000, wears more than the bushes so a new one is best but sit down when you ask the pricw!!



And pump up with grease every 500-1,000 miles or at least every 4 months

[MickB]

Thanks Bryan, I'm feeling the pinch already

A question for all the brains trusts out there- when I fitted the top bearing (tapered roller) into the steering neck it sits about 1/4 inch above the neck - is this normal? The tapered bearing is wider than the ball race I took out.


Regards
Mick

[MoMo]

Thanks Bryan, I'm feeling the pinch already

A question for all the brains trusts out there- when I fitted the top bearing (tapered roller) into the steering neck it sits about 1/4 inch above the neck - is this normal? The tapered bearing is wider than the ball race I took out.


Regards
Mick

normal

[MickB]

Got a few hours yesterday arvo, got a bit done to the carbs. But I think I missed\ lost one of little felt washer at the top.

Another photo of carbs




Regards
Mick

[MickB]

A bit more work on the carbies


Regards
Mick

[MickB]

I cleaned them with Ali Brite Aluminium Cleaner and then polished with Purple Metal Polish

They came up quite good I thought

[MickB]

Found the little felt washer

[MickB]

Saturday a bit more on the carbys and restored the plastic rear guard.

Got a little bit done this evening (stinking hot around 95), front wheel bearing installed and laced the new spokes (which arrived from the US on Friday morning) into the new rim.
Got a Swinging Arm collar coming soon, I'll have to get replica rear shocks, then I'll have a rolling chassis.

[MickB]

Some photos of the progress















Still a long way to go.