CB desert sled

[LC Garage]

Danny has trained Luke to fetch him bacon treats whenever Luke opens a beer can.

Technically Danny is the wife's dog, but I was the lucky SOB who got to clean up after the "incident".

[TwinDuro]

Originally Posted by Luke

Nu uh.

CR26s


Originally I was going to get CR29s, but there were too many reports of them sucking. The common theme was that the carbs were too big for the 550 and would go way lean below 7k rpm. The fact that most people run them with pod filters doesn't help, but still.....

Sudco recommends CR29s for the 550, and probably because they're the only US importer, everyone else recommends the same thing. Except for Keihin. You know, the company that actually makes the carbs. They recommend the 26s for mildly built 550. For a full-on race motor on a racetrack, they do recommend going one size larger to the 29s. For a totally stock 550 they recommend going one size smaller. Or would, if that size existed.

But anyway, that agrees with what the sohcforumites were saying, so I bought a set of 26s. I do already have a set of CV carbs that one guy said worked well; good performace, terrible fuel economy. But, it seemed like a lot of potential screwing around to get them working right. I'd rather spend a week screwing around with jetting than a month.

Ah, good to know! It did seem kind of weird that Sudco recommended the CR29s for both the CB550 and CB750; it all makes sense now!

[Luke]

Alex and I got a little more done yesterday.

It's a bit cold and a lot damp about now, so we started a fire.

First split some wood.


The usual camp fire starting methods work great; when you're in a place where sensible people go to camp. This isn't one of those places. Who needs sensible, anyway? Or tinder? Or Kindling?






Plans, I haz them.

These are for the shock bearing bushings.

Yes, the bearings will have bushings.

The bushings need to be a press fit both inside and outside. They also have lips to set the depth of the parts so the bearings end up (and stay) in the right position.

Starting on the inside:



Then a whole bunch of work happens.


To end up with this:









Unfortunately the whole thing turned out a tiny bit too loose, so I either have to make another or just glue it in with loctite. I measured up all the parts again so that I'll have a reference for what works and what doesn't.








And, on a different note, I welded up the back of the frame. It feels good not to leave it lashed together.

[TwinDuro]

[MortimerSickle]

Originally Posted by Luke

...

The usual camp fire starting methods work great; when you're in a place where sensible people go to camp. This isn't one of those places. Who needs sensible, anyway? Or tinder? Or Kindling?

...

I like it.





The machine work ain't bad either.



.

[Luke]

New Year's Day and we're back at it. Allan and Rick were able to help too and we got a lot done.

There was a little more spacer work, this one was for the steering stem.




But the good stuff is the engine. Rick and Allan got most of the top end done while I was messing around on the lathe. Then we all had to get into it.



There're no pictures of putting the pistons in the cylinders, it took all hands available to do that.




The 5" spring compressor wasn't big enough, so we made a 6" version.




This one worked much better.






Figuring out how to set the timing. It's important! It's also harder when you've replaced the parts that have timing marks with other model / aftermarket parts.






A little victory. The motor isn't quite done, but it's a lot closer. It was definitely a good day.






It doesn't seem like much, because the stuff that didn't take pictures of never happened. Like Allan and I pulling the triple clamps off the forks and mounting them to the frame just to figure out the size of the spacer. Rick's half-dozen trips to the computer to figure out which piston rings go in which groove. (no instructions included and no online consensus, of course). Hogging out holes in the headgasket so it fit properly. Little things. Important things. But they didn't get a picture. There are a lot of things like that.

[Luke]

Other big news. I am officially entered in the Mexican 1000, so now this bike really has to get finished.

#33, Motorcycle-Vintage-Open class.

115 Days to Mexicali.

[oregoncoast]

oh yeah

[LC Garage]

Just to follow up on Luke's report and add a few more pictures, yesterday was a great day out in the shop and felt like a really good way to kick off the New Year!

Starting the day out in a chilly shop, but not inclined to bitch much after watching bmwktmbill working on his GXV out in the snow drifts!

In the AM;


Getting the fire burning;


Luke with heater buddy;


Loud Al with portable fire pit;


In the PM (it eventually got up to 52 degrees when we closed up the curtains);


Luke lathing;


Early in the day, lots of cleaning and prep work, measuring rings, getting everything ready for piston-ring-cylinder install;


After Luke found the "sweet spot" and got the first guide in;


Guide number 2 installed;


Pistons and rings ready for the ever so delicate process of installing the cylinder. Luke noted later that the only cussing heard during the entire day was during this process, and most of the special words were coming from me. Think football and three monkeys!


After cylinder install, the three of us assembled the head, bolted it on and then installed the rocker cover assembly so Luke could rotate the motor thru a couple revolutions and verify all was in harmony.

Awesome day, really enjoyed being out in the shop and seeing so much progress.

[DustyRags]

Looks great! Wish I knew that trick about installing the cam chain guide BEFORE the cylinders go back in- woulda saved me two and a half days work back in September :P

I'm really looking forward to seeing this come together!

[TwinDuro]

Awesome guys!

It looks fantastic and as always, great photos Allan!

Go Team Greenshirts!

[DOCsprocket]

Awesome installment, but how come when I come to the shop we spend all day making a hole in a piece of aluminum, and when I'm not there you guys appear to be making a motorcycle?

[LC Garage]

Here are a group of photos from last night, showing Luke's most recent progress. Luke has mega hours into this bike laready, with many more to go!

Fabricating one upper shock stud, 4 hours;











Test fit of shock;

[jesusgatos]

Luking good.

[LC Garage]

Had a family obligation today and missed most of the work session, but got home in time to spend an hour or so out in the shop with Luke, Loud Al and TwinDuro (Corey). They got a lot done, engine is pretty much buttoned up and the bike is almost on its wheels. I'm sure Luke or Loud Al will post more pics later, here are just a couple I took when Jan and I were out in the shop with the guys.

Luke & Corey had a nice surprise for me, they welded up the steering dampener post and also added the extended steering stops to my TTR;





The obligatory shot of Al taking a picture of me taking a picture of Al, but I was a little slow on the shot. You can see Jan peeking around the corner, she was gathering up coffee cups and the thermos;



The gang;