1987 500XC Rebuild

['87 500XC]

Machined a spacer for the front disc guard to make it work correctly when assembled.

Came out pretty good.

 

[1Tuff500XC]

Saweet**************************************** I didn't know you had a little baby lathe there. That is the perfect fix for the minor issue. You have an End Mill to????

I took an entry level machinist course when younger, but wasn't focused enough to make something happen, other than some lower level positions in machine/Aerospace shops. Have always wanted to have some basic machines in an at home shop though, like this.

Good job! No hurdle will stand in your way with the right tools, and knowledge to use them.

 

['87 500XC]

Saweet I didn't know you had a little baby lathe there. That is the perfect fix for the minor issue. You have an End Mill to????

I took an entry level machinist course when younger, but wasn't focused enough to make something happen, other than some lower level positions in machine/Aerospace shops. Have always wanted to have some basic machines in an at home shop though, like this.

Good job! No hurdle will stand in your way with the right tools, and knowledge to use them.

Thank you!

I do have a miller but the motor burnt out.

I took a small couse back in highschool but that's it, 3 days then later on 9 days in machine shop. It's a simple machine to use, I'm not a machinist by any means but I can make simple parts when I need to. I currenly work in the aerospace industry. Helicopter mechanic.

 

[1Tuff500XC]

Awesome, I should have pursued a similar direction. Even thought about getting a Helicopter pilots license at one point.

In not to long, I'll have a similar setup, just for exactly the same kinda little personal needs like that.

What do you think is up next on the bike?

 

['87 500XC]

Awesome, I should have pursued a similar direction. Even thought about getting a Helicopter pilots license at one point.

In not to long, I'll have a similar setup, just for exactly the same kinda little personal needs like that.

What do you think is up next on the bike?

Pilots don't make as much as you think, takes a long time to make some good money. Need to build up hours and gain the flight departments trust.

Next step on the bike is start putting the rear back together. Waiting on swingarm bushings and once I get those I'll install the swingarm, rear shock, and then the Nordisk wheels I just bought. Set my rear suspension sag, cut chain to length, and then finally move onto the front of the bike.

Still a decent amount of work to do on it but it's moving along nicely!

 

['87 500XC]

I haven't been on the forum in a while but that doesn't mean I have forgotten about the project. I just finished it last week. Some updates:

I couldn't fix the swingarm, too far gone, welds wheren't fixing the bearing bores. I found a brand new one off of a 430 in the United Kingdom from husqvarnavintage and had it shipped over.

Front end is completely rebuilt.

New tires front and rear.

Got the front disc guard from an '02 KTM 200 fitted and installed.

Some other odds and ends.

Anyways, here's the finished product. She goes like a rapped ape too!!!

Enjoy!!

 

[1Tuff500XC]

Quite the beauty. Can see a whole bunch of attention to detail.

 

[Wildebeest90210]

I must admit I wasn't a big fan of the LC's but that is very pleasing on the eye and you know it goes like it looks. You can keep your Hondas and KX's, what a bike. I want one ****************************************

 

[husqyhamm]

Dan Smith, who raced this bike in desert racing, did everything he could to calm it down. Balanced crank, blue printed motor (which this bike has) and he even went as far as filling the frame up with expanding foam insulation. It still vibrated. Remember that all they did to make it a 500cc was take the 430 motor and give it more stroke, and that's where the vibration came from. The extra long rod on the same 430 bottom end.

And as far as reliability, remember how over built the 250 bottom end is. I believe it has two bearings on the primary side and one huge bearing on the secondary (or the other way around, I forget) but either way it's way overbuilt so that's why the 500 bottom end is fine even with this much power.

Update on the bike: Took the shock shaft apart, dissasembled the shim stack, replaced the bump stop and re-assembled the shim stack and shock shaft. Waiting on locktite to dry before I re-assemble the shock body and pressurize it with nitrogen.

500 and 400/420/430 crankllobes differ substantially. Definitely not a bottom end interchange.

 

['87 500XC]

500 and 400/420/430 crankllobes differ substantially. Definitely not a bottom end interchange.

I didn't mention the crank lobes being the same. If you read my previous posts I said the 250 Cases the bike currently has had to have the webbing machined out to fit the 500 crank. I'm was talking about the bearings and how overbuilt they are as ALL Huskys from 1981-1988 used the same Primary and Secondary side crank BEARINGS along with counter shaft output bearings and clutch shaft bearings AND crank seals. NOT Cranks, I NEVER said they used the same cranks as far a size went, just the same BEARINGS. The entire post I wrote was about reliability and how the motor is fine. My point was is that the bottom end can handle the added power as the other engines where overbuilt as they all had more bearings and bigger bearing than necessary. When husky designed the new case design from the old one they designed it around the 430 so right from start it was desinged to be an open class motor. The 250 cases are actually 430 cases so the 250 just benifits from overkill in the bearing department.

So where did I say I did a bottom end interchange and or said that all cranks where the same again, other than the fact that the 500 is in fact a 430 with added stroke as it has the same bore as the 430. Stroke is increased by crank pin offset and since the rod is 5mm longer you gain 10mm longer stroke and at BTD the piston still sits at the same spot as the 430 piston due to that offset. Yes the cranks are different, they have to be, but I never said they where the same. Just the crank BEARINGS.

You have me quite confused right now and I'm pretty sure you and I are not on the same page as far as what I was talking about.

 

['87 500XC]

Quite the beauty. Can see a whole bunch of attention to detail.

Thank you, I hope to have a video up within the next few weeks. I don't have a helmet cam but I can get some fly by action possibly!

I must admit I wasn't a big fan of the LC's but that is very pleasing on the eye and you know it goes like it looks. You can keep your Hondas and KX's, what a bike. I want one

Thank you for the kind words!

And yes it does certainly go like it looks. Bike is one of the meanest bikes I've ever seen, it looks like it has teeth and it screams don't even bother starting me unless you are serious haha.

 

[1Tuff500XC]

Was this bike ever able to be put on video, like a YT clip or somethin? Would love to hear this beast, and see it under power........

 

[Wildebeest90210]

It's still the screensaver on my laptop at work, video would be great