SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB350/400
My New Project arrives after a 44 year wait!
Laverda Dave:
I did look at that potential solution Nigel when I first had trouble trying to find another lower yoke. I was put off the idea as I don't have a welder and I really would not trust my welding on a steering stem but maybe if I ever get around to building that special I keep promising myself I would do then yes, that is something I would probabaly have to do although even then I would trust it to somebody who was good with a welder!
As for the centre nut, I'm just going to do it up tight, I really dont trust a fiqure of 57LB (min) on two fine threads.
Ted, I don't use steeering locks either, they are just for show in my opinion and they stick and are fiddly to reach >:(
AshimotoK0:
Dave I checked quite a few Honda's and they all seem to have that high quoted torque figure in the associated Shop Manuals.
I suspect your stem from Steve is from another market where they don't use the Nieman lock and the steering lock is part of the ignition switch (i.e. the ignition switch with a lock where the steel blanking plate is on UK models.)
Poor copy of fiche below. :-[
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McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
There are not that many threads at the best of time but two seems a bit minimalist - my 400 has a pretty thick chromed washer, would a thinner washer give you an extra thread?
You have probably done that already.
As I have no machining facilities I found out that JCB bucket shims fit the bottom yoke perfectly so I bought a selection thickness pack from ebay.
I am confused as to why you have so few threads - why does the top yoke not go a bit furter down?
I've always thought shortage of threads was with the top race nut not the top yoke nut.
Update
I ended up fitting a plain caged ball bearing on my 400 as the taper unit was clearly too tall for the adjuster fitting. The full BR kit fitted my 500 without issue.
Laverda Dave:
Strangely Ash the stem without the lock cut out is the original although there is a steering lock fitted to the headstock! I asked the PO a few weeks ago if he had previously replaced the forks following his accident and he said he did. I do wonder if the both lower and top yokes were also replaced, he said they weren’t but Honda would not fit a yoke without a lock cut out but fit a steering lock in the headstock! The plot thickens when the ‘original’ lower yoke is placed side by side with the replacement I bought from Steve. The ‘original’ is thicker by about 2mm although the stem is same overall length at 218mm. If the yokes were replaced that would indicate the bike took a bit of a thump, I’m so glad I had the frame checked for alignment as I always do when restoring a bike and it was found to be 100%, the first frame I have ever had that was completely true and didn’t require a tweek. I had the frame checked even though there was no paint flaking or other markings around the headstock to indicate any damage and the frame paint was the original.
Everything is now back together and I torque set the centre nut up to 45lb in incremental stages starting at 20lb, at 45lb I thought this was enough, it was really tight and it took an effort to brace the wheel whilst I was torque setting the nut, it’s not going to move for sure and tempting as it was to go to 57lb I thought better of it! I’ll see how it feels when I take it on the road. Ted raised an interesting point about the thickness of the washer and it is thick, if it was 1mm thinner I could get another turn on the nut for sure. I bought a new genuine nut from a guy on ebay and he threw in the washer as well as mine was now partially stripped, the new nut is thicker than the ‘original’ as well!
I’m back out in the garage today now the enthusiasm has returned ;D
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
When assembling my 400 before I decided to fit a caged top ball race in the top I did consider a thin washer in SS. Iirc I drew a blank at the time plus I want to progress.🏍ï¸
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