My 81 xj550 Maxim build

Bought my 81 550 a few weeks ago from a friend. He had acquired it in a multi bike buy and did not want this one. It was without any front or rear fenders, no seat and the fuel tank has so much rust in it I hoped that the po never ran with it. The wiring was not hooked up because there was no lights, horn or any other electrical component. When he asked me if I wanted to buy it I told him I would check a few things out on it and let him know. He was storing it in my shop. I rigged up some wires so I could try and crank the motor over and check the compression. I rolled over and did have over 100 compression on all cyl. It had no air box and the Or side covers no nothing. But this is the way I like them. I like chops. Someone cut this frame up and so I want to do better for it. I bought some DOM tube to redo the hack job but first I wanted to hear it run or it might not be worth the time to fix the frame. So first I checked the valve clearance, I had to replace 7 shims but they are within or very close now. Being the fuel tank is so rusty inside, I tapped this tank on the floor and go a pile or loose rust half the size of a bowl of cereal. I have a fuel tank on a stand so I hooked up a fuel line to the carb rack and in a few moments gas was pouring out of 2 carbs. Pulled the carbs and took apart cleaned everything as good as I can with carb cleaner and air. Took the floats out and cleaned the needle and seats put back together and did a float adjustment after doing a wet check on the bench. Get to the good poing. If fired right up. no more over flows So far.
Someone has cut out and filled in on the backbone of the frame. I bought some DOM tube this week and going to see what I can do about replacing what I think is a mess. The bike only has a side stand and I think I should have a center stand or make a stand that will reduce the pressure on the frame up top when I do this surgery. So I needing to buy or make something to support the bike and weight of it as not to bow the frame when I remove the bad areas and make it over. Attached is a picture of the PO chop..
I also ordered some new jets for it and some other parts.
Ill be back.

 

Found my e-manual and was able to do my cam chain though I did not notice it do anything or hear anything when I loosened the tensioner bolt so I hope that did what it supposed to do, and I checked the timing and that was right on. My jets came yesterday so hopefully this weekend I can pull carbs out and change the jets. Im hoping I can use two of the old stock jets and put them in the 2 hoses of my home made vacuum gizmo’s to make it not quite so rapid of response when I syncing the carbs.

 

Sounds like this 550 is in good hands. Keep at'r.

 

Im wanting to buy a center stand for my bike, I found one that I can buy for under 18 shipped but its not for a a maxim and is for the other model. Or is the center stand the same for both models? I guess that is the question.

 

yamahapartsnation.com is a good place to look up part numbers for comparison.
And your in luck Center stand is the same for all xj550's

 

thanks a bunch Ill order that stand.

 

I'm sure if you put it out there one of the other members has one laying about. Not like some of the eBay ones that may or may not be the correct one

 

I ordered one from a xj550 so heres hoping. I made up a stand last night for the bike but I think that using the center stand for working on the bike is going to be far better than what I made. I would need help getting the bike on and off the stand everytime. I need some sort of support so I dare cut out the backbone hack job that was done to it, If I cut out the bad with it supported by rear wheel and front wheel it may just bend my frame bad. I think to support it with the center stand will be the best.

 

The best bet to correct the hack-job will be to strip everything off of the frame, and build a jig to support the frame before you cut out the bad work. You can do it without building a jig, but will need to plan carefully so that you maintain the frame geometry and don't cause it to twist when you weld in the new tubing (keep in mind that uneven cooling will make the frame distort).

 

Im thinking to tack weld a couple solid bars each side from front to rear

 

Have not did anything with the frame as of yet except I bought a centre stand and I now have the ability to put it on that centre stand to do the work, it sits just right when I slide about an inch and a quarter under the rear tire. and I have made plan of what to do with the frame and I need one more size of dom tube. I bought 4 ft of 1.2" OD and had 1" dom from last build that slides perfect into the 1.2 for the backbone. Now I need some 3/4 to slide into my 1". I ordered 3 ft of the 3/4 tonight so may be next week end I can start.

 

What's the wall thickenss and type of the tubing that you bought?

 

1/8 wall.

 

Removed the bad parts and then found that my Dom tubing had a thicker wall than stock backbone so I took a 13" piece and turned it down to just slide in the original piece drilled holes around it for welding. Also bent up 2 1" tubes to remake ones going back I think I'll have to replace all the rear frame. Here's some pictures.

 

New shocks came, I drew up a cad drawing for rear mounts and emailed to a guy who has a laser cnc to cut out for me..

 

Finally got my shock mounts from the laser guy. got everything even best I could. The tank and seat are from another bike but I will go with something similar only bigger seat. I might go with a tank that has a high tunnel this one in the picture is a mid tunnel.

 

Mid tunnel doesn't look bad... Size is ok too. I assume you are not planning to ride this for long distances. It would be nice to fill in the space above the valve cover though. Will you have a cover/battery box under the seat, or do you plan on hiding the battery? If there is space there, then the tank space will be fine. Unless it interferes with the bars...

 

Ill probably mount the coils under the tank if I use a mid tunnel. Ill have to see how big a standard battery is for these. I used one of the shorai super small and powerful one for my xs and I have the charger for it so may go that way. I built a electronic box for the xs that had regulator and rectifier, the fuse panel, start relay and the battery hung under it plus the start button and light switches were on the outside of it. Not sure on the bars if Ill use them or not they came on the bike. I do want to do forward controls and sissy bar and may be a small fender. thanks for the interest.

 

Looking for information on rear wheel spacing. Im in the process of mounting a rear fender and I got to looking and my tire/wheel is closer to the swing arm on the right side of it than the left side. I would think it should be centred in the swing arm. Can anyone confirm this. Im including a picture of the spacer that is on the right side acording to the parts fish the spacer is next to the chain puller adjuster and the brake shoe plate cover. I measured the distance from the tire to the swing arm and the chain side is 5/8" and brake tension bar is only 5/16". I have both of the chain puller right on the 3rd mark.
Any incite would be appreciated. thanks

 

Yep, big spacer as pictured on that side, small shim/bushing on the other side.

 

thats the way I have it, If I run it so the chain puller is at a different mark it works out ok but not when they are both on the same mark. thanks for your input.

 

Just playing with the idea

 

The po cut the 2 tubes that come back from below the coils off. The were just sticking out looking ugly so I removed them and fashioned pieces to fill the cavities.

 

I know you are in the build process but the nut and bolt on the brake tension bar needs a cottor pin

 

I really like how your bike sits. I have a 82 650 and Im doing something similar with the rear shocks. Are the shock mounts on top rear, not in the original spot? Where they more upright? IlI was gonna move mine forward a inch or two, but wanted to know how it effects the ride.

 

Im not sure as when I bought it it had already been hacked up and no telling about where the shocks originally would have been. The shocks on it now are shorter than original by almost 2 inches.

 

Edit: Matti wasn't paying attention to what model your bike is.

 

Not really sure on the model of the bike. It might be the xj550 C (chopper) limited edition!

 

witth the fenders XJ550 MM (Mad Maxim)

 

I decided not to use the dual fenders.

 

I think I'll use this style.

 

Last week I had the frame blasted along with the swing arm and center stand and kit stand, put some paint on them. couple weeks ago I shortened a fender I had welded on a mount. Had to cut some notches in the fender and shrink it up a bit to fit the tire. This is what i gonna go with Im sure.

Oh and I spent about 4 hours sanding down and polishing some of the cast parts.

Ill be taking the centre stand off after I get it all done but it sure is nice to have while working on it.

 

Im going to make a sissy bar to hold the fender up in the rear.

 

Will the fender be attached to the swing arm and the sissy bar so it moves with everything?

 

That's my plan. I bought that fender and fender mount for my xs650 but never used it. So I think its found a home here.

 

I like it. Looks good on there.

 

Drew a sissy bar up I am going to put a bunch of led run and stop lights inside it. Also sanding on the valve cover.

 

As good as it's gonna get. I spent hours on this, hours

 

Did you strip and buff that yourself? Hours only, not days?

I'm interested to see that in the bike.

 

I sure did. I worked on it 3 different nights. Id say at least 12 hours. I started with 220 grit then 400 and tried to buff it out didn't look that good so I got some 180 for some tougher spots then the 400 and the 1000 grit then went at it with mothers and a buffing wheel. I also did the rear brake cover and both smaller motor covers that are the same. Id like to do the cover that goes over the clutch but I'm not taking that off the motor. I checked the price of gaskets for the motor and its hundreds of dollars for a complete set. Hope the motor never needs rebuilt. And that 12 hours only was working on the top cover not the other parts. Id say I have a total of 20 hrs so far in sanding and buffing.

 

You are in the know of our residential parts vendor, chacal? He runs xj4ever.. top right link on this page. You need not got any further for top quality parts. Anyways, clutch gasket is under $30 shipped.. here's the info

HCP233 OEM clutch cover-to-block standard duty paper GASKET, for all XJ550, 1984-85 FJ600, 1986-88 FZ600, and 1986-90 YX600 Radian models.
$ 18.95

HCP18426 Aftermarket clutch cover-to-block hi-performance GASKET, for all XJ550, 1984-85 FJ600, 1986-88 FZ600, and 1986-90 YX600 Radian models.
$ 21.95


I polished mine on the bike along with a few other covers. I'll remove mine in winter to rebuild the clutch and polish the cover on my pedestal buffer.

 

VALVE COVER REFURB: Step-by-step with pics

 

Yes on chacal, Ive bought twice from him already. Ill check the valve cover step by step also. Love working on these bike.

 

I see on my bolts that hold the valve cover down there are some very small o-rings and mine look very bad. Will this leak oil if those are not replaced. I looked at o rings on chacal page and did not find them or did not no what to look for. could one just use a o ring that will withstand the oil and temp?
A pedestal buffer would be nice.

 

Can some one point me to a diy for changing the 12 seals on the bolts that hold the valve cover down? I have read something about the way to get the old ones off and new ones on the bolts, I got that small tool from chacal and like to read up on it. And also try to find some replacement small o rings for those same bolts.

 

This is in the Engine page:

HCP1621 Aftermarket valve cover hold-down inner bolts rubber PRESSURE WASHER, used on all XJ550, 1984-85 FJ600, 1986-88 FZ600, 1986-90 YX600 Radian, 1982-84 XJ650 Maxim models, 1982 XJ650RJC Seca (Canadian yics engines), all XJ700 non-X models, and all XJ750 air-cooled models. These washers are for the four INNER bolts. Each:
$ 3.95

HCP1621SET4 Aftermarket valve cover hold-down inner bolts rubber PRESSURE WASHERS, set of 4:
$ 14.95


HCP1622 Aftermarket valve cover hold-down outer bolts rubber PRESSURE WASHER, used on all XJ550 models, 1982-84 XJ650 Maxim models, 1982 XJ650RJC Seca (Canadian yics engines), all XJ700 non-X models, and all XJ750 air-cooled models. These washers are for the eight OUTER bolts. Each:
$ 3.95

HCP1622SET8 Aftermarket valve cover hold-down outer bolts rubber PRESSURE WASHERS, set of 8:
$ 24.95

 

I have all of those. there seems to be a small o ring on the bolts just above the threads or maybe it is someone’s silicone around the threads. I do not find them at my local sellers web page.

 

just the donuts on that bolt no oring.
I change the donuts before the gasket. finding the gasket was not leaking just not tight.

heat up with torch metal washer will fall off the rubber then cut the rubber.

 

Ok will use the torch. Thanks for the tip