Ball Bearing size for Clutch Lifter Assembly

djbrown · Post by **djbrown** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:25 pm

Hi all - I am a newly registered member, former occasional lurker on this site.

Not sure where to post this but here's a little info about my bike as an introduction. I have a 1965 Superhawk with, oddly enough, matching number frame and engine. When I was purchasing the bike a few years ago, the guy told me the frame and engine matched. Coming from a hobby background in vintage cars I thought "Okay, I guess no discount for a non-matching bike." The day I bought the bike I searched for a good manual and I came across Bill Silver and contacted him to buy his restoration guide. We discussed frame and engine numbers and I said I made sure they matched before I bought it (yeah right). Then he explained how that was actually kind of rare. It wouldn't have mattered, I would have bought the bike anyway, but with zero intelligence on my part I have a somewhat rare bike here. And now that I have owned and worked on this bike, and a CL450 and a CL350 I have become a vintage Honda slob/snob.

Now my technical question - I have seen some conflicting info regarding the size of the ball bearing that sits in the clutch lifter assembly. On this site I have seen suggested to use 10mm or 5/16" (basically 8mm). Can someone advise the definitive size?

Thanks,
David

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:29 pm

David

It's 8mm. I don't think a 10mm ball would fit in there.

I have a matching numbers bike, too.

G

djbrown · Post by **djbrown** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:15 pm

G-man,

That's awesome about your bike, maybe we should have a matching #'s forum to discuss how much better they run than non-matching #'s. Ha... just kidding everyone.... But that brings up a question I've had... are there more of us with matching #'s than I have been thinking? It wasn't like Bill S. was blown away when I told him, he just explained that Honda was selling engines and frames and bikes without paying attention to what the numbers were, so most do not match. He didn't seem to put any importance on it other than it was unusual. I guess our host would have a fairly good idea in the statistics of the members what the percentage of matching number bikes would be.

Re: 8mm Ball - Thanks, that is what I have and can get easily. So back together it goes, I will work on my cable adjusting technique this time and see if I can improve.

I know what you mean about a 10mm ball being too large but the opening on my lifter assembly is 10.5mm, I mic'ed it. It occurred to me that if the larger ball fits, and the cover fits correctly with the larger ball in place, then the larger ball may apply the force to the rod more effectively. I don't know the math but I am pretty sure that surface area helps when applying force. Regardless I couldn't find a 10mm ball in my area this weekend, so I will try that the next time I have the cover off.

Thanks again,
David

SMBH · Post by **SMBH** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:47 pm

For what it's worth I have a 15/16" in my 1964 CB77, I think I read it in the Bill Silver manual any way it works ok for me. And don't forget to put a blob of HMP grease in there stops the bearing dropping out.

48lesco · Post by **48lesco** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 8:22 am

From the parts fiche:

96211-10000 BALL, STEEL (#10) (5/16)

Why re-engineer it?

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 9:15 am

David

I helped date a 1964 Dream and that had matching numbers, too. I don't know of many but they are about.

My CB77 has two numbers between engine and Frame.

G

djbrown wrote:G-man,

That's awesome about your bike, maybe we should have a matching #'s forum to discuss how much better they run than non-matching #'s. Ha... just kidding everyone.... But that brings up a question I've had... are there more of us with matching #'s than I have been thinking? It wasn't like Bill S. was blown away when I told him, he just explained that Honda was selling engines and frames and bikes without paying attention to what the numbers were, so most do not match. He didn't seem to put any importance on it other than it was unusual. I guess our host would have a fairly good idea in the statistics of the members what the percentage of matching number bikes would be.

Re: 8mm Ball - Thanks, that is what I have and can get easily. So back together it goes, I will work on my cable adjusting technique this time and see if I can improve.

I know what you mean about a 10mm ball being too large but the opening on my lifter assembly is 10.5mm, I mic'ed it. It occurred to me that if the larger ball fits, and the cover fits correctly with the larger ball in place, then the larger ball may apply the force to the rod more effectively. I don't know the math but I am pretty sure that surface area helps when applying force. Regardless I couldn't find a 10mm ball in my area this weekend, so I will try that the next time I have the cover off.

Thanks again,
David

djbrown · Post by **djbrown** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:08 am

SMBH - The opening on my clutch lifter assembly is 10.5mm, I could not get a 15/16" ball in there.

48lesco - The reason to re-engineer is the pull is very hard. At a long traffic light my hand really feels it. Maybe I just need to work on my hand strength. I cleaned the entire assembly thoroughly, put in nice clean new grease and followed instructions I found in this forum (I think from Loud Mouse) to properly adjust the clutch and it is definitely improved. Although my CL450 still has a much easier pull. I realize the springs could be lightened to the Dream springs and that is most likely the long term solution. But I would like to try and see if the larger ball makes it better. I may learn something about physics in the process.

Thanks for all the help.