Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 22, 2024, 10:47:54 PM

Title: Front Fork Clamp Bolt Torque settings.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 22, 2024, 10:47:54 PM

As my rebuild has spanned almost two years with some parts taken off  & put back again more than once I  am doing some basic safety checks before I take the 500 out for a shaked down run.

I'm now having a senior moment when checking the front fork clamping arrangement as the terminology I find confusing.
In the Chassis section the  500F  shows the various Torque settings.

Item 16 front fork bolt (2)  (bolts with O ring seal - fork tubes) - 39.8 - 47.0 ft lbs.
Item 17 Steering stem nut (1) - 57.9 - 86.7 ft lbs.
Item 18 Steering Stem bolt (2) - 21.7 -  28.9 ft lbs  Is this the bottom yoke pinch bolt?
Item 24 Fork Top Bridge bolt (2) - 13.0 - 16.6 ft lbs. Is this the nut and bolt on the top tube clamp?
Item 30 Bottom bridge (2) 21.7 -28.9 ft lds No idea what this is referring to?


There is a pinch bolt on the stem nut - please what is this setting as I can,t see it listed?

Title: Re: Front Fork Clamp Bolt Torque settings.
Post by: Bryanj on August 23, 2024, 12:42:50 AM

The top yoke pinch bolt torque is for when the D washers are fitted and even then is too high, bottom bridge is the lower yoke pinch bolts, i have used a torque wrench on the steering stem nut and this will be different if you have fitted taper rollers which i seem to remember you did in which case it goes tight enough to remove all play, the top you centre pinch bolt is just tight

Title: Re: Front Fork Clamp Bolt Torque settings.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 23, 2024, 08:11:49 AM

Thanks Bryan, as you know I do have taper roller bearings so the nut at the top of the bearings is suitably adjusted - so is there a value for the top chromed nut?

At the moment its just suitably tight as is the pinch bolt that I nipped up afterwards.

Title: Re: Front Fork Clamp Bolt Torque settings.
Post by: Bryanj on August 23, 2024, 01:41:56 PM

Never looked Ted, i have always done them up by "feel"
Do be careful of the enclosed top steering stem nut as i have read that in some cases there are not many threads to screw on to so not as tight, maybe a turn of ptfe tape or a blob of silicone to act as a type of threadlock

Title: Re: Front Fork Clamp Bolt Torque settings.
Post by: Seabeowner on August 23, 2024, 07:20:16 PM

Normal Honda Manual confusion:
Item 18 is marked as M10 x 40. (but CMSNL list it as M10 x 35?) So must be the bolts in the bottom yoke.
Item 24 is marked as M8 x 56. So has got to be the bolts through the spacers in the top yoke. But be careful.
Item 30 seems to be a repeat of item 18, the torque values are the same.
And go easy on that top nut, I've never torqued one.