frame year or k model?

[Roadking1]

Greetings all,
I am still having a real issue with installing the tapered bearing kit in this frame. The race on the bottom simply doesn't wish to completely seat. I checked the parts book and there are different trees apparently for different years. Can anyone tell me where CB350 5064694 fits in year or K version. I sent the frame out for powder coat and it returned with the VIN tag missing. Is it at all possible to have mismatched tree and frame? I felt sure this was a 72 frame, and am attempting to install an older external spring front end to match the older style tank and side covers. A bit of a mongrel I admit, but those are the parts at hand in the moment.
Best
Dan

 

[Boomer343]

You have a K5 frame. That was last year of production so 1973. It was probably a CB350G with a disc brake.

If that area was powder coated it should have all been removed before putting in the parts. I haven't seen different lengths of stem between the years but will dig some out to check.

 

[ancientdad]

Dan, it always helps to add the K series to all the bikes in your signature (at least the twins) and you can identify them here

https://www.vintagehondatwins.com/f...a-Motorcycle-Identification-Guide-(US-models)

Your current CB350 project is a CB350G and it came with a disc brake front end (or at least, it should have). Remember that the K series is more important, and often more accurate, than the actual year assigned to the bike because of the way they were sold back then. If any Honda was held over unsold at the end of a model year in those days it was titled the year it was sold later, so you can have a CB350G that is titled 1973 or 1974 as it was released in January of '73 but if it didn't sell by September 1st of '73 it could have been titled as a '74 when sold.

So a quick comparison of part numbers between the CB350K2 and the CB350G frames results in 3 different numbers, 2 for the older bike

K2 - 50100-286-020B Frame Body

K2 - 50100-317-670B referred to as Frame NH1 for whatever reason

G - 50100-455-670B also referred to as Frame NH1

Problem is, we don't know exactly what the differences are and the available pictures or drawings don't confirm what might be differences in the neck area

 

[Roadking1]

Dan, it always helps to add the K series to all the bikes in your signature (at least the twins) and you can identify them here

https://www.vintagehondatwins.com/f...a-Motorcycle-Identification-Guide-(US-models)

Your current CB350 project is a CB350G and it came with a disc brake front end (or at least, it should have). Remember that the K series is more important, and often more accurate, than the actual year assigned to the bike because of the way they were sold back then. If any Honda was held over unsold at the end of a model year in those days it was titled the year it was sold later, so you can have a CB350G that is titled 1973 or 1974 as it was released in January of '73 but if it didn't sell by September 1st of '73 it could have been titled as a '74 when sold.

So a quick comparison of part numbers between the CB350K2 and the CB350G frames results in 3 different numbers, 2 for the older bike

K2 - 50100-286-020B Frame Body

K2 - 50100-317-670B referred to as Frame NH1 for whatever reason

G - 50100-455-670B also referred to as Frame NH1

Problem is, we don't know exactly what the differences are and the available pictures or drawings don't confirm what might be differences in the neck area

Hi Tom
I purchased 3 frames with good registrations to build from. When the powder coater returned the frame to me the VIN tag was missing. I could have sworn that was tagged as a mid year 72 frame, but your explanation is no doubt the correct one as the frame number indicates. I have studiously cleaned the interior surfaces of the neck prior to attempting to install the lower race. The race itself was put in the freezer overnight as that process seems to have some validation. I purchased a set of bearing and race drivers from the Canadian comparator of Harbour Freight. The race itself does not want to seat all the way in the neck. I have taken the lower bearing off and removed the spacer ( Thinnest in the kit ) and tried the tree in the neck with the top bearing laid in place to no avail as there were no threads visible to get any grip on. I then removed the upper bearing and was able to get the nut to grab. I tightened it firmly down using a pipe wrench and then released everything again to replace the top bearing. No thread to grab again.
Looking at the lower tree, I note that even with the bearing in place with no spacer at all, the steering stop tabs that would butt against the stop tab on the frame are just marginally high enough to contact it. This brings me back to the lower race not seating all the way as a potential issue. Do you think it is at all possible the race is incorrect or possibly the whole bloody kit is for another model?? It is a bit of a mystery for sure! I have three other tree stems and all measure the same so the stem itself being an outlier is very remote.

Best ( although I have had better days ),
Dan

 

[ancientdad]

I would drive the lower outer race back out of the frame neck and carefully inspect the bottom of the neck area to see what might be inhibiting the final movement of the outer race to get to the full depth.

 

[LongDistanceRider]

My not so great PC person shot the bearing cups so I had to take a Dremel and clean all of it out to bare metal. You might scratch the base where the bearing rides/stops to see if that's an issue.