Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

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CYBORG
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#16

Post by CYBORG »

As I recall, someone did. But they had to order a very large quanty, and the cost was prohibative
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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5speed
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#17

Post by 5speed »

CYBORG wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:52 pm As I recall, someone did. But they had to order a very large quanty, and the cost was prohibative
not surprising. :(
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
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1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)

2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
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CYBORG
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#18

Post by CYBORG »

And to do it right there could be several different sizes even in a single engine
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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Old Fogey
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#19

Post by Old Fogey »

Maybe four years ago, don't remember exactly, my buddy Taunusrainer and myself partnered up to get GL1000 shells made. This was when the shells first started to be unobtainable. I was getting inundated with enquiries on my website, as previously I had bought a large quantity from a single source.
Ray found a German company to make rod shells and a Chinese company for the mains. You understand that these were not ordered in thousands and because of that the manufacturing prices were rather high.
Sold in kits (not individual shells), they were put on the website and I believe Ray put them on eBay too.
So what happened?? Next to nothing!
The enquiries dried up. Because, especially in the US, these are seen as old bikes not worth too much, no-one wanted to pay the price. It took a long time to recoup the outlay and we swore never to do it again.
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#20

Post by Shadowjack »

True, we don't fix anything old. I read the three major Brit old-bike magazines. I'm so envious of the talent and resources available there to resurrect old junk which may be no more than half a rusted frame, a lower end, and one wheel. Of course, that may take half a year's income, but you can get it done somewhere. I just noticed in my metro area of over half a million people near the middle of the country, that the small machine shops have disappeared. Only production-oriented places left.
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#21

Post by CYBORG »

sad......but true
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#22

Post by Bloodhound »

Old Fogey wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:22 pm
Bloodhound wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 1:56 pm There will be two sizes for the main bearings and the big end bearings , so it needs to be measured with a micrometer, the manual should have the tolerance , the first undersize is .25mm , take it to a machine shop if you want to know what clearance you've got with the old bearings , clean it all up and install the shells and torque to spec , a machinist will use a dial bore gauge and can directly measure the main clearance and the 4 conrods , he'll need the crank as well .
Sorry, but most of that is incorrect. Honda used a kind of 'blueprinting' technique, with FIVE different sized colour coded shells for both crankshaft mains and conrods. Also the rods use different shells in the caps and rods
There are no '0.25 undersize' shells as the crankshaft is not supposed to be ground.
All the four cylinder Wings now have major problems in this respect, as the vast majority of the OEM shells are extinct.
I ground cranks for years , there is always something you can do , just easier for people in the usa where lots have been gone to the wreckers, there are some very handy bearing books by vandervell and repco they list a lot of tunnel sizes and all the journal sizes for alot of vehicles , crank hardness can be checked cranks can be hardened if case hardening is to shallow, I am not saying there is a match, but quite possible . The guys with super old cars and bikes don't give up that easily. There is nothing wrong about installing all your bearings and getting the proper clearance that you have then you'll know what to do .
76 GL1000 ,73 Norton mk5 , 75 Triumph T160 , 49 Matchless G80 500 rigid ,and
X4 76 HondaTL250s
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#23

Post by CYBORG »

I think all things are possible, if you have the money. I could build a rocket to the moon....If I had the knowledge, and the desire.....and the funds. We, in the USA, have other resorces that are less expensive,and most often, choose to go that route. Thats one reason we ride Goldwings. As bikes go, I would love to restore Vincent's (black shadow), And,should I win the lottery, I might do that. But as of now it is just a dream
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#24

Post by Bloodhound »

I would email these guys at Vandervell/mahle https://vandervell.co.uk/custom-service/
and get them to check the data base for bearings for the two most important sizes The tunnel size and the journal size for mains and bigends .never know .
76 GL1000 ,73 Norton mk5 , 75 Triumph T160 , 49 Matchless G80 500 rigid ,and
X4 76 HondaTL250s
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#25

Post by CYBORG »

Ya,..you never know until you ask :lol:
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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Re: Newbie question about the cranckshaft bearings

#26

Post by Bloodhound »

wingersparty , please can you measure the main "tunnel"size and the bigend "tunnel" size , just vernier size for now I could only see main and bigend journals in the manual at 48 and 40 , just like to see what is around . Cheers .
76 GL1000 ,73 Norton mk5 , 75 Triumph T160 , 49 Matchless G80 500 rigid ,and
X4 76 HondaTL250s
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