Tels CB550 project

[TezzerTel]

That can't happen the bracket is a 'U' shape and the bottom of the 'U' has to stay at the bottom as it bolts on to a plate welded to the grab rail. Therefore the only way to turn it around is move the inside to the outside moving the nut to the outside

[Bryanj]

The bottom stays the bottom but the left and right swop, it means the screw swops holes and the stem has the screw at rear instead of front

[TezzerTel]

Yes exactly this puts the nut that's welded to the 'winker stopper' on the outside rather than the inside. With the not on the outside I can't screw the indicator stem to it

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

A photo might help us/ me understand the problem better?

[Bryanj]

I cant describe it any other way, the nut changes holes but stays on the back

[TezzerTel]

Here you go the long awaited photos of what I have

[Bryanj]

In the lower pic take the RH one and without lifting off the table rotate it 180 degrees and look at it, the nut changes holes as it were, the holes in the rubber are both the same size with the bolt one having a steel insert tube, you then rotate the stem 180 degrees and fit it then rotate the head 180 so it faces backwards.
I know it works as i have done it, yes it looks different each side but can you look at both sides at same time and do you want it perfect or working

[TezzerTel]

The trouble is if I rotate it 180° degrees then the nut is on the outside. Dont both nuts need to be on the inside so it clamps up?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Your 550 might be different to my 500 K1, I have the US type rear grab rail, mine is powder coated in black as the chrome was rusty. Difficult to get my camera in, your brackets look handed as they should be. Do  these photos  help?

On mine the captive nut is facing the front of the bike with both nuts on the inside front.
Looking at your photo the one in the lower photo on the left is for the right side, the othe is for the left side?

Daft question, were the indicators fitted when you bought the bike or were the parts loose in boxes?

PXL_20250103_091149041 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

.PXL_20250103_091225882 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

.PXL_20250103_093426281 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[TezzerTel]

They were fitted but I didn't take any photos. I can fit them and they will both be in the forward or rearward hole. The brackets are handed but the rubber are not

[mickwinf]

ok my two pennyworth. you have a left and a right bracket there so correct. the later 550 are different to the earlier 500/550, as can be seen in your pic they are higher at one end, higher end to the rear of bike, the screw is in the front hole. brackets are handed, rubbers are not. will try to post a pic of my old 550 f2 which has the same set up as yours. edit still having trouble posting pics from laptop will try from phone

[TezzerTel]

That makes sense it's a shame they didn't make the rubbers handed as well. One side matches the contour of the bracket but the other side will not

[mickwinf]

Pic

[TezzerTel]

Yes that's right but on the other side the rubbers doesn't lone up with the edge of the bracket?

[TezzerTel]

I've finally found a bit of time to get back on the rebuild and back on the site!

So next question- would the intake manifolds be bare aluminum or painted the same as the engine castings from new?