Restoration of a 74 RD350

jpmobius said:
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The bronze bushings are ok for the swing arm. (don't forget to paint this (along with a bunch of other parts) when you paint the frame!) It's good to mask the bushing bores to avoid difficulties pushing them in. Including the edges where paint can build up preventing the bushings from being pressed in ALL the way. This makes the arm too wide. What you REALLY need are the swing arm SHIMS:

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The Yamaha part number is #2402212700

These take up the side-to-side (axial) play. The bushings take up radial play. It's important to understand how the pivot assembly works to assemble and adjust it correctly. The assembly works by clamping the two inner steel bushings and spacer tightly between the two sides of the frame. These three parts do NOT rotate with the arm, but become part of the frame structure. When tight, along with the bolt, they function like a structural element of the frame, and the swing arm rotates around them. Correct assembly is a cut and try procedure. Assemble first with new bronze bushings and NO shims to be sure the arm moves freely with the bolt tight. It's possible for the flanges on the after market bronze bushings to be too wide, or not be pressed in fully, and you need to know this and correct it before proceeding. Assemble with thorough but minimal wheel bearing grease on everything. Add shims evenly on both sides (you can have an uneven number, just try to keep the arm centered) until the arm is tight, but not clamped in. With the bolt tight, the arm should just barely fall slowly by its own weight. You should be able to detect resistance when moving it by hand. This is simple enough, and may be obvious to some, but I rarely see this done properly, even by pros. No doubt accounts for the difficulty finding shims. I've even been argued to that there ARE no shims! WRONG! This is more important than you might think. You might not be able to put your finger on it, but when you ride, the bike will just seem 'tighter' or more secure and confidence inspiring. It's a fussy, time consuming job, but costs nearly nothing, and really is worth it!
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Great thanks! I definitely want to do it the right way.
 
Got a picture of my new arm. It will have a hand attachment but better yet. I am getting all the standard and metric wrench up to 1" and 22mm. Plus other types of tools. And also a rolling tool chest.
I am blessed with good insurance.
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Haven't forget you all. My wife and I are traveling from Florida to Michigan. We are in Kentucky. Be gone for 3 weeks.
Have the primer and paint, so I will get frame sandblast when I get home.
 
Last Chance said:
I am actually going to be in a salmon fishing tournament the 18th -- 20th.
So fair winds and following seas would be great on lake Michigan.
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It's been some years since I salmon fished up there. I'm originally from just north of Detroit, but we'd fish the St Mary's Sound in the summers. I hope it all goes well.
 
That is some awesome news about the tools man, I'm sure that will be a big spark in your project. Hope the fishing tourney and travels went well.
 
Luugo86 said:
That is some awesome news about the tools man, I'm sure that will be a big spark in your project. Hope the fishing tourney and travels went well.
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Now my insurance is playing games with my prosthetic arm and tools. I was assigned a new case manager. He is playing hardball with the price. I am going to give him a call. My new arm had a better appliance that attached to it. It was so I could reel fish in. I am going to give him hell. Telling him he screwed me for the fishing tournament.
 
Does anybody know if a 73 RD 100 parts are interchangeable with the 74 RD 350?
Wheel size, seat, fenders, lights, side motor covers.
Or know of a site I can cross reference?
Going to have the frame sandblasted fri. So Friday evening I will be laying down some primer.
 
I very highly doubt any major parts from an RD100 will interchange with a 350. The 73 RD100 was a single cylinder engine bike with drum brakes.
 
Rider52 said:
I very highly doubt any major parts from an RD100 will interchange with a 350. The 73 RD100 was a single cylinder engine bike with drum brakes.
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Ok thanks, the bike is 100% original except the exhaust. He has the original exhaust. I figured I would pay alot more for original parts. Then the asking price of the RD100. A friend of mine asked why would I cannibalize a good bike. I told him the goal was for me to complete the RD350. Not to just have a nice looking bike that I could buy. If that makes any sense. LOL
 
It is best to stick with the same year groups and models. Some parts from other models/years will work but guessing is expensive. It's good to ask questions before buying. I'm sure someone here has either done it or knows it won't work. I mostly stick with Hondas, especially 70s models as I've got a long history with them. However, I do get stuck and I do get surprised. Here's an example of some of my craziness. A 1972 Honda CB500 engine in a 1978 Honda CB550 frame. The forks are bits and pieces of 1972 Honda CL350, 1972 Honda CB350/4 and 1974 Honda CL360. I knew these parts would essentially bolt together...long experience but it was still a puzzle. The gas tank is from an unknown year XL250 it will kind of work but is only sitting on the frame at this time. It may or may not be used. This is a "sweep the floor" bike. I had all the parts in the garage so I have $0 invested in this bike at the moment. Adding carbs, electrics and all the other little bits will push this into the $1000 range quickly.

Another project is a mix/match of Harley Sportster parts. I have a 1995 Sportster (Evolution) 883 engine sitting in a 1982 Sportster (Ironhead) frame. The engine is almost but not quite a bolt in. The top engine mounts on the frame need modification to use the Evolution 883 engine mounting plates. Not a big deal, but it requires cutting and welding. A friend gave me a 1984 Sportster gas tank...you would think it would bolt on to the 1982 frame but it doesn't. I'm not out any money so no harm/no foul. However if I had bought this gas tank on EBay or FB market, it would have cost close to $200, maybe more.
 

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