How hard is it really? (take it down to the frame and rebuild)

G

grizwold

76 CB500T
I've been working on this CB500t for a couple years, pretty happy with it but needs some things like the frame/triples repainted, engine cleaned up, make the wiring look nice etc. Since I have next week off I am thinking about taking it all apart and doing all those things. I've never completely taken a bike apart like this but do have some mechanical skills.

Anything that I need to know before I start?
Anything that needs to be replaced to get it back together?

Planning on new steering head bearings but other than that, other seals/bearings have to be replaced?
 
take lots and lots of pictures
and bag everything that goes together, all nuts and bolts to a part

follow those 2 rules and you should be fine

also get a manual if you can, helps
 
Its a great exercise to get to know these bikes a bit better. Its not that hard, session listed off all the steps I follow. Just take your time and pay attention to how things come apart so that you can put it back together. Be sure to take pics of how the cables and wires route too,

Have fun.
 
Ditto to what session 101 said, I did my first bike strip down and followed these rules, 500+ pics and was still not enough!! clear food bags that you can write on, and yes yes yes to a manual! Good luck, go nuts! ;D
 
the other way to really 'learn' your bike, is pull it apart, labelling nothing put it all in one big box and then put it back together using only the parts book pictures........LOL, did this with a KH500 kwaka i got given years ago, it was all the bits left over from 2 parts bikes, one of which had been built and restored, i got the leftovers....
so i didn't know if i had everything but it turned out all i was missing was an external gear linkage, unfortunately that was enuf to keep it from running so i sold it, another one i wish i still had.......
seriously tho, as above label and bag everything, use a manual but also clean/wash everything before you put it away, it'll make putting it back together sooooo much nicer and easier
 
I'm with spotty, just dive in! If you really think you can do it all in a week... You'll remember most of it!
You'll need help with the engine, takes two. You can probably get stripped in 1 day. Actually you'll be surprised you may not need to strip completely? Leave forks and front wheel together, rear wheel and swing arm etc.
easy man just go for it!
 
I do this everyday to late model/new sportbikes. Bagging everything and labeling their location is key. It makes for a very quick, organized re-assembly. Sometimes I take specific pics if I'm working on a new model or a bike I'm not familiar with. It's not as bad as you think.

BTW, I will also agree with blackbudda1. Receiving boxes of parts is always fun! Always an adventure!
 
try to get it back together again as soon as possible.
dont have it apart for more than a month.

The longer it is all apart, the more likely it will stay all apart.
 
I'd only do this if you have a 2nd bike to ride while you do it. Or, as others have said, be bloody disciplined in putting it back together. I have 2 running bikes (XS650 and BMW R75) and 3 in pieces (Honda CA95, SR500 and my rigid project). It takes me literally years to finish one of these things - I'm challenged for time mostly.
 
For me, it's electronics. I just plain suck at it, so I'd make sure to mark all the connections.
 
Figure now is a good time since winter is coming and the temp is nice enough right now to spend long hours in the un-heated garage.

Guess I'll just dive in. Keeping some things together (forks, etc) will certainly help so hopefully that'll cut down on the time and work. Should be fun and interesting!
 
lurkmaster2000 said:
The longer it is all apart, the more likely it will stay all apart.
Click to expand...

the longer its apart the less pieces you'll actually be able to find when you go to put it back together.......
 
Tim said:
I have 2 running bikes (XS650 and BMW R75) and 3 in pieces (Honda CA95, SR500 and my rigid project). It takes me literally years to finish one of these things - I'm challenged for time mostly.
Click to expand...

I have 2/3 running bikes and 6 8 'projects' on the go
I'm just challenged plus waste too much time in forums ;D
 
It isn't bad, but when I took my bike apart I expected to be putting it back together within the month. Coming up on a year later, I'm finally at the rebuild stage, and I didn't label things nearly so well as I thought I had. Microfiches are a massive help. Most electrical things can only go to one thing, anyways, but if you plan on rebuilding the harness, cutting circuits out, et cetera, then you'll definitely want a diagram. Over all, it really isn't all that bad, ESPECIALLY if you really can do it in a short time frame.
 
Electrical can be easy if you are still using factory connections, but many parts being added aren't stock units, such as aftermarket gauges and lights.
 
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