CA95 project(s)

Perhaps a thin barrier to slip in the fender like wax paper & dish soap. It is going to be tight with the extra paint thickness on both pieces. You need all the slick you can get.
 
The clamp just barely fit down on the axle mounts - too wide for the actual legs. Wow that was tight. Couple paint touchups to do since I ham fisted it a little, but its together.
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Spokes said:
Perhaps a thin barrier to slip in the fender like wax paper & dish soap. It is going to be tight with the extra paint thickness on both pieces. You need all the slick you can get.
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I put a little grease on them.
 
Got the washer, seal and lower race that I needed so installed them - will deal with bearings tomorrow.
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This is how I install front forks on my CA's. Flip the frame upside down. With grease, secure roller balls in place inside cup in the frame. Slide neck down to encase roller balls.
Screw the upper cap down (while frame is still upside down) to hold stem tight. Flip the frame back right side up and rest on the forks. Unscrew cap, grease race and place roller balls around stem. Screw down cap. Just a suggestion.
 
I would remove the paint under the washer or race seat and the bottom of the steering tube. 8mm or 5/16" loose balls, if I remember correctly.
 
I've done this in a lot of bicycles over the years (never had a MC with loose balls). But I use a lot of Mobile 1 red grease and just run the bearings around the lower fork race before pushing it into the head tube. Little extra grease in the lower head race to make sure that there is plenty. Later today I need to make myself a wrench for that headset dust/tensioning cap. Seems like everyone needs to be special, I've got a bunch of 4 pin and 6 pin top nut tools, but not a 3.
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Grabbed a previously welded to socket (Yamaha cartridge tool when welded to the jack pipe from my press) , some rusty key stock that was a little too big and donned my safety slides. Little grinding and booger welding - full custom head nut socket
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oldjeep said:
I've done this in a lot of bicycles over the years (never had a MC with loose balls). But I use a lot of Mobile 1 red grease and just run the bearings around the lower fork race before pushing it into the head tube. Little extra grease in the lower head race to make sure that there is plenty. Later today I need to make myself a wrench for that headset dust/tensioning cap. Seems like everyone needs to be special, I've got a bunch of 4 pin and 6 pin top nut tools, but not a 3.
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I was a bicycle mechanic from 1973-1990+ and still have my specialty tools , like an adjustable hook spanner for that locknut.
I also put balls in the cups, not on the cones, to make sure there is the right number.
You've got it handled in fine style. Sticky grease is the secret sauce.
 
I have hook spanners, just don't like using them near paint I care about
 
Question - whennthe top cap is installed over the dust cover should it sit flush with the top of fork where the 2 bolts go? I have this horrible feeling that the washer under the seal is not needed for this fork design. That is the amount that it is sitting high.
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So you just don't tighten the bolts down and bend plate? Or stick a washer in there between?
 
Yeah that's the issue. If I cranked down the 15 bolts. Part 11 would bend to sit on part 7 without there being either a washer between 11 and 7 on each bolt or removing part 6, which would also fix the spacing.
 
My opinion, add washers and move on. It's not a safety issue; the washers are buried under the handlebar cap anyway.
Just a throw another thought, just for kicks, you have the correct original roller balls, or are they aftermarket?
Otherwise, add washers. IMO
 
Stock balls that came off the bikes I took apart. I'll just toss washers on. Thanks
 
After messing around with the fit on a few more parts, I have come to decide that if I worry about gaps on this bike that I will be fussing with it for a year. Going to start treating it like a jeep build 😀
 
oldjeep said:
Stock balls that came off the bikes I took apart. I'll just toss washers on. Thanks
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Something seems funny with the stack height, the blue plate should fit flush on top. I don't think the washer #6 is out of place, It protects the rubber seal from the elements. The slip on lower cone race can be put on upside down. It's hard to see with all the grease but it should not be tight against the rubber seal. Being that the race has curved surfaces on both top and bottom, it's easy to flip it and have the balls look like they're sitting on it correct.
It's been awhile, for me, so I should go dig up my project headset stack and verify. Flakey memory needs a double jog.
 
The lower race is curved on top for the balls and square on bottom where the seal sits around it - the lower "shelf" is exactly the same height as the seal. Would be pretty impossible to put it on upside down. There is no way to squish the seal since the bottom of the cone goes through it and rests on the washer.

The washer doesn't seem to protect anything more than the fork itself would on this fork. On @Spokes picture the washer definitely would protect the seal. For now going to leave it the way it is, the fork moves freely. If I were to try anything it would be to remove that lower washer that seems un-needed on this fork.
 
Figured that I better get it off the table before adding much more weight. Started figuring out what hardware I am missing. Also turned out that there was a brand new set of cables in the parts pile, so have an extra set to get rid of at some point.

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Probably dumb question - but any idea what these are for?
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About done for the day. Working on getting a nice seat cover from overseas. Spring-less seat build to come.
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ballbearian said:
Seat project will be interesting. Not a fan of trampolines, eh?
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Not really. One of the things that I do on most bikes I build are customish seats. Not sure the place in Italy deals with stuff this old, 2nd choice is a place in Asia that does some nice work. Just working on someone providing me a vintage brown leather look cover that is not just flat.
 
oldjeep said:
Not really. One of the things that I do on most bikes I build are customish seats. Not sure the place in Italy deals with stuff this old, 2nd choice is a place in Asia that does some nice work. Just working on someone providing me a vintage brown leather look cover that is not just flat.
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I meant, interesting in a good way. Your other projects work is really nice so I'm looking forward to what you come up with. I do think I remember seeing a repop from Asia using a sheet pan and foam but was unsure if for a Benly or other small vintage single Hondas.
 
Meanwhile, managed to find a NOS headlight housing. The one I had was more boogered up than I was willing to deal with. Had a lot of what seems like JB weld over rust under primer.
 
It'll slow down soon. Need to get the electrical and missing parts figured out next. Waiting on orders until the whole tariff thing stabilized.
 
oldjeep said:
It'll slow down soon. Need to get the electrical and missing parts figured out next. Waiting on orders until the whole tariff thing stabilized.
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Are you going with a real rec/reg in the left side cover? Green is HE, lights power, from key. Nabs's color diagram, in library, 12/21/21, is nice.
 
ballbearian said:
Are you going with a real rec/reg in the left side cover? Green is HE, lights power, from key. Nabs's color diagram, in library, 12/21/21, is nice.
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I have made 0 decisions other than buying a repro harness and a modern emgo 6v coil. Need to do some research on everything else.
 
ballbearian said:
Are you going with a real rec/reg in the left side cover? Green is HE, lights power, from key. Nabs's color diagram, in library, 12/21/21, is nice.
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I did find the drawing. that should come in handy. Also ordered up a Sparck regulator. Need to start messing with the 2 ignition switches that I have - one with no key and one with a key that won't come out or turn ;)
 
After work will be more sandblasting and then some bodywork on the chain cover top. had an issue with the epoxy primer on a couple of pieces, won't dry - so need to blast it off and start over. Luckily just a couple of smaller parts, and one of them was the headlight housing that I'm not going to use anyways. Still not sure that I will even use the chain cover, I think I like the look without it and I will be using an o-ring chain so no lube flying everywhere.
 
oldjeep said:
I did find the drawing. that should come in handy. Also ordered up a Sparck regulator. Need to start messing with the 2 ignition switches that I have - one with no key and one with a key that won't come out or turn ;)
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Oh boy would I like to see the lock that the key does not come out or turn. If you walk away from this switch, send it to me. I love these kinds of challenges.
 
Spokes said:
Oh boy would I like to see the lock that the key does not come out or turn. If you walk away from this switch, send it to me. I love these kinds of challenges.
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I haven't messed with it more than - hey there is a key in it that won't turn or come out ;) Lot of this stuff had been stored outside or in a shed before I bought it so hopefully just needs a load of penetrating oil.
 
Keep those switches and the chainguard (esp. the lower) sheet metal in the family. They're precious.

I had to open and clean my Benly switch now twice. First time I lubed with dielectric grease and it didn't work so good, fouled the sliding contacts. I'll only use triflow now.
 
Yeah, I was originally going to order a new switch until I saw what they cost. Funny thing on the chain guard is that the lower is the part in the best shape. Upper isn't terrible, but is dented around the inspection hole and missing a small chunk on back that I need to weld a patch for.
 
Got started on the seat. Cardboard template and some leftover HDPE from the Hobbit house I built for the grandkids. Dozen pop rivets and a coat of plasti-dip. Will do a couple more coats and flip.it to do other side tomorrow.
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Some more seat work. Need to sand out all the edges once I get the top layer on the riders portion of the seat - some ortho foam and then wrap the whole thing with some 1/8 stretch foam. Also need to drill/install staple strips - more HDPE since I don't like the deathspike way of securing the cover;) Will be a while before anything happens past that since I will be waiting a few weeks for a custom(ish) diamond pattern brown seat cover from Thailand.
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The only bad spot on the chainguard - little patch and I'll put some body filler on it today. It is on the backside of the cover - so not sure why I care, but may as well do it all the way. Once that is all done then I can prime it, the new headlight housing and re-do the plate holder. Need to run to the hardware store to get some grommets so that I can get started on at least hanging the wiring where it needs to go.

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Finished polishing the front brakes, so installed front wheel. Got some grommets and installed them on frame. Now I am waiting for regulator , need to make a new start solenoid to battery cable and then figure out where all the wires go ;)
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