Honda-SOHC

Sohron has learned me that the bracket of the lower pipe is supposed to be at the inside of the frame eye and the bracket of the upper pipe at the outside. So, unhappy with both brackets on the outside of the frame eye, I have yesterday (re)fitted both exhausts left hand side, with the help of a friend. Thanks to Ashimoto I know how to check the brackets. The RH side was allright. BTW, I've noticed that most CB500/550s out there, have it wrong.
Sohron's description is very useful, but because he does not mention fastening the brackets to the mufflers, I have made an attempt for a full step by step guide, which can be used for new and used exhausts alike.
I recommend to consult Sohron's pictures in the process. They are brilliant.
Please comment and feel free to correct my English.

Assuming you have all parts on the floor next to the bike, this is how I would do it. In the following I'll concentrate on the left hand side.

1. Apply some copaslip on the threads of the 6mm studs (head) and test the nuts will turn smoothly.
2. Dito for the 8 mm studs at the mufflers and the 10 mm hanger bolt and their nuts.
3. Check the brackets are in good order and not bent (you may consult pics below, courtesy Ashimoto).
4. Smear some vaseline or silicone grease where the brackets will contact the mufflers.
5. Dito for the balancetube that is to be between the mufflers at the rear end.
6. Position the brackets onto the mufflers. Note how Honda designed the holes, so make sure brackets can still slide somewhat!
7. Have the footpeg* with its 10mm bolt and its (spring)washer** at hand.
8. Check you have removed the old gaskets from the head and insert new ones. A dot of vaseline will help them stick in place.
9. Semi hang in the upper exhaust in front, just like Sohron shows. With one hand slide the JOINT over the studs making sure the two collars –  their flanges facing the JOINT -  stay in the correct position. Leave it there for the moment and let the rear end of the muffler rest on a high enough pillow or mattress. This helps a lot. No matter how concentrated you are, there is a risk a pipe will drop. No problem for a new one. Dropping a used pipe however can loosen the inner rusted damper.
10. Semiposition the footpeg*, its 10 mm (spring)washer** and bolt.
11. Now, with one hand covering the front JOINT, so everything there will stay in place, raise the muffler's end and use thumb to push the 10mm hanger bolt into the frame eye, so it now protrudes the latter by 1 or 2 mm. Leave it dangling there for the moment.
12. Position the connecting balancetube loosely over the little pipe of the lower exhaust.
13. Now repeat step 9 for the lower exhaust. On the LH side this pipe will route behind the side stand.
14. Raise its muffler end and position he top of its bracket on the inside of the frame eye, while allowing the balancetube to fit the alining short vertical pipes.
15. Push the 10mm hanger bolt fully in and fit loosely the (spring)washer** and nut.
16. At front equally fasten the 6mm nuts till some resistance is felt. Then semifasten the hanger bolt. Semifasten bracket nuts.
17. Before fastening further, check everything is in the right position. Check all bolts of the oilpan are accessible from below.
18. Fasten the 6mm nuts in front a bit more, then the big hanger bolt a bit more, then the 8mm bracket nuts a bit more. Now it is time for a final check to see everything is in the right position. The balance tubes and oilpan bolts are indicators.
19. Tighten the 6mm nuts in front. Gently! Do NOT use a torque wrench! Then tighten the big 10mm hanger bolt. Tighten the 4 bracket nuts. Finally for the 10mm hanger bolt, you may use a torque wrench.
20. Fasten crosshead of the balance tube

(Sigh!) If only Honda had made the exhausts in two parts to be connected with a joint halfway. So headers and pipes in one and the wider mufflers as separate parts.

* Later models, like the K2 had angled footpegs.
** The various CB500/550 parts lists show the plain washer and the spring washer in different positions. I don't think it matters much where you fit them.

Found it: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,185851.msg2152800.html#msg2152800 Ultrasonic bathing is no guarantee.
I never needed anything else than carb cleaner and some stranded copper wire. There is no need to separate carbs from the rack ever.
One possible exception is leakage of the O-rings at the T-joints. After 47 years mine still don't leak, but in hibernation I keep my carbs in a natural state which is wet. When carbs have been drained for a long time, O-rings will shrink however. In most cases after readmitting fuel in the lines forsaid O-rings will leak at first but giving it some time, they restore themselves into the original size.

The problem with spring clips at the T-joints is, if you forget to position them correctly, their little ears block access to the #2 and #2 airscrews.

There used to be aftermarket covers that were transparent.

I often wondered: what can you do to get the CB500 clutch operation as smooth as possible? For instance: is it safe to grease the pushrod with brake grease or is it better to stick to oil?

Found it
"The key to getting the 4 into 4 system to hang right is to fit them with the end joints missing at first. Fit the lower one first, remember that this bracket goes behind the frame hanger, fit the manifold clamp and collets very loosely so the front can still move around but can’t fall. Now fit the upper exhaust, bracket now goes in front of the frame hanger, so one each side, fit the footrest loosely. Look at the balance pipe at the rear of the exhausts, they should be directly in line with a small gap between them. Now move the pipes to allow this to happen, make sure the downpipes aren’t touching the frame especially on the left side, one pipe goes behind the side stand bracket and one in front. Once everything lines up, nip up the lower manifold clamp to fix it in place, loosen off the upper pipe until you can fit the rubber balance pipe, realign the upper and tighten the footrest bolts first, then the manifold ones. If you’ve got it right everything should look aligned from the rear with no twisting in sight."

Copyright Ken P

When you prefer to do it like this ^, it implies you bring in the 10X35 hanger bolt from in to out, meaning the nut will be on the outside of the footpeg. Probably doable, be it that it deviates from what pics in the parts lists suggest.
Furthermore I miss in Ken's description an explicitly mentioning that, in the process of mounting the exhausts, brackets should not be fully tightened to the mufflers, not until the very last. IMO it wouldn't hurt to lube all parts that will need to slide somewhat into position with some vaseline or silicone grease.
I haven't given up hope that we in a joint effort can establish the correct working order in a set of numbered steps for once and for all. Think instructions Honda labourers at the assembly line must have had. Does the Delkevich set come with instructions? Probably not.
I must say I became quite frustrated when I had to repair half of the 8 threads in the head where the studs sit. They're easily damaged when stressed. Not that long ago someone suggested to tighten them the last. In my - as always - humble opinion that would cause such a stress.

I'm reassembling the caliper and I'd like to learn the correct procedure. I'm using conventional DOT 4 brake fluid.
Prior to sliding the piston in, you need to smear some brake fluid in the cylinder. I understand that.
In an ideal situation do you:
a) also wet the rubber seal with some brake fluid?
b) also wet the seal's groove with some brake fluid?
c) also wet the piston with some brake fluid?
Reason I ask is, that I assume it's best to have as little brake fluid (hydroscopic) outside, to prevent attracting moisture and things getting dirty.
 
Silicone grease like Ate is in principle only applied on the sides of the pads, to prevent sqealing.
In the situation shown in the pic, so with the piston fully in, is it OK to smear some silicone grease in the area around the bore (indicated by blue arrows)? Will it prevent dirt build up?

To prevent future seizures, is it OK to smear a little copaslip on the bleeder's thread, or is there a risk you will contaminate the brake fluid?
How about the threaded end of the fluid pipe, that goes in top of the caliper?
Thanks in advance.

To all of you. I am interested to read what fastening order you like best. Does the set come with instructions on this?