Big Ends Again.

Airmun · Post by **Airmun** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:19 am

I am not getting any response to my inquiry about alternative cages and rollers for CB 72/77 big ends. Does anyone have new original cages and rollers for sale? Any response will be appreciated.

teazer · Post by **teazer** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:55 pm

I wish I did. Honda used to sell rollers and cages in some markets and I have bought a few replacement roller cages in the past t they are made of brass/bronze and are much heavier than stock aluminum ones.

race kit cages were also available at one time with different number of rollers, but they are long since gone. I have two race cranks with those cages and one is in a race bike waiting for a new home.

Pete Rhodes was working on replacement parts for the big ends at one stage and maybe Alpha Bearings may have something suitable or did you try the Hot Rods catalogue?

Airmun · Post by **Airmun** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:09 am

Thanks Mate. I have tried all the usual. I got some race rods from a local firm and will approach them regarding cages. I have some old race cages to copy. I can get new rollers from a reliable source, so it may be the best way to go. If anyone else is interested in cages, feel free to get in touch!

teazer · Post by **teazer** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:27 am

If you have race kit cages to copy, that would be the way to go.

As you probably know, stock cages tend to break up by cracking from the corners of the roller slots. That corner must have an adequate radius.

Rollers are fairly square at the ends and the "corners" must be radiused to avoid that corner crack propagation. Last race crank I did, I had to manually round off the ends of all the rollers.

I still have a few brass cages around somewhere but they are for stock paired rollers. Is this project for a race bike or street? For race,m I can sell you a bike ready to go with all the mods you could want plus it has 4 and 5 speed trans, electronic ignition and tacho plus a ton of spares and a pair of new Avon Tyres just fitted and it's in Melbourne - just sayin...

Airmun · Post by **Airmun** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:32 pm

Thanks again. This is a race bike but has been out of action for a while while I try to do some upgrades. I want to have the bottom end complete, then try to finish off the top. I have one good crank and would like another, slightly heavier, as a backup. If I hadn't destroyed the thing at PI a couple of years ago, It would probably be a going concern.

teazer · Post by **teazer** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:46 pm

That bike has changed a little over the years if it's the one I think it is. I suspect you have more gears than I do and I see a Krober ignition and a very different top end. Is that genuine CR or replica head on that modified CB bottom end? It looks like a new casting. Very nice.

Airmun · Post by **Airmun** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:19 pm

It has changed a bit over the years. It picked up a six pack in 99. Send me a PM if you remember it.