New member

[Sprinter]

Hi Guys, just purchased a CB400 four to restore. This looks like the only place for great advice on these machines. Looking forward to conversing with many of you like minded people.

[Orcade-Ian]

Welcome to this mad World of all things SOHC from a very sunny Orkney,
lots of great help on here with your forthcoming rebuild - have a look at Nurse Julie’s Patient Notes!


Ian

[Nurse Julie]

Welcome to the forum. What condition is your bike in and what are your plans?

[paul G]

Welcom on board plenty of advice and banter.
Can we have some pictures 

[Laverda Dave]

Welcome to another 400/4 owner. Photos of your bike please, we like photos and keep us posted on the restoration. I second Nurse Julie's thread for all the advice you will need. Any problems just ask the forum.

[Sprinter]

Guys,
Thanks for the warm welcome. The bike is a 1979 400 super sport. It's now in bits as a complete restoration is planned. These are the only two photos I have before stripping it. I have plenty of it while stripping it for reference later when I rebuild it.

[Nurse Julie]

Well, it's mostly all there which is a good start. It is a very late registered one, is it a 79 on a T or V?. I thought mine was quite late as a 78 on a T. Enjoy your project, these are great bikes to work on as most parts are easily available, although getting more expensive as time goes on !!

[Sprinter]

Yes it not in a bad condition, just decided it deserves a complete rebuild to look the part. Silencer needs replacing which I think will be the most expensive part other than the rim re-chroming. Stanchions need re-chroming as well. Yes it's a 'T' registration. 

[Johnwebley]

Welcom on board plenty of advice and banter.
Can we have some pictures 

  very popular these 400's

 welcome

[Nurse Julie]

Yes it not in a bad condition, just decided it deserves a complete rebuild to look the part. Silencer needs replacing which I think will be the most expensive part other than the rim re-chroming. Stanchions need re-chroming as well. Yes it's a 'T' registration.

More cost effective to buy new rims rather than having them rechromed.

[philward]

Welcome to the 400Four (oops meant SOHC) forum! Loads n loads of 400Four experts to help on here - plus a bit of banter
Enjoy

[Orcade-Ian]

Like Trig, I (usually) agree with Julie  but it depends on what result you are trying to achieve.  It’s definitely more cost effective to buy new rims but if you want to be closer to original then rechroming is possible.  I had a pair done by Prestige in Mexborough which were not too bad to start with and they have come back like new, even with the DID logo and stamped size still intact.  They obviously can’t work miracles with lace curtains though.
I got fed up with changing stuff which was not quite good enough to use but too good to throw away - I’m knee deep in the stuff!

Ian

[Sprinter]

My idea is to keep as many original parts on the bike as possible. The timescale of getting it done is not critical, so if it takes a while longer to clean and re-chrome or plate is OK. Actually purchased a zinc plating kit last year to do some parts for my other bikes and got great results, so these bits can be done as I go along.

The only problem I've come across so far is the main stand pivot tube is rusted to the stand itself. Someone has slackened off the pinch bolts to allow it to operate. I've tried heating it up, applying plus gas but it won't budge, any idea's or tips to removing it.

[Orcade-Ian]

I had one like that and there was just enough room to put a hacksaw blade between the lug and the stand - it was a tedious long winded job moving the blade to different places but it came out in the end.  Once the stand was out, I made a cup to support the stand and a close fitting stepped drift to drive the rusty pin out on the press.  Came out eventually with a few tons of pressure and much easier with the bare frame upside down.

Ian

[K2-K6]

For things that are stuck like this I've been using a SDS hammer drill to get them moving.

Either use a chisel which you can grind to size to make a drift or square socket drive converter and use an old socket of correct size as a drift. You can, on a hollow component that is stuck,  use a bolt in the centre to locate the socket and stop the drift moving off the side. Again,  you may have to grind the outside of the socket to fit, along with giving it a flat face to push effectively.

To modify the outside of the drift or socket,  just run it slowly in the chuck and use a grinder to resize abit like an improved lathe.

It can take a while to get it moving,  but persistence helps.  Just keep going at it until it starts to move but it is fairly gentle on the components and usually it'll break the rust bond.

Makes your ears ring though