1. Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

1984 AE 500 restore

Discussion in 'Vintage Restoration Projects' started by JWilson, Oct 24, 2013.

  1. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    So it sounds like I should purchase extra springs for when they break. Where would I get those from?
    Also fab up a spring retainer/case saver.
    Do you think the case will be okay in the long run? I guess I should start looking for another on "just in case" :D.

    The speedo said it only had 519 miles on it. I didn't really believe it until I saw the cylinder and piston.
    The gears don't even look like the have wear on them.

    Have you ever thought of getting the internals of a clutch motor and converting the auto to a clutch?
    I have been looking at a lot of pictures and looking at my cases and motor. All the holes are there to add a clutch. I wonder if the transmission parts will fit in the auto case?!
    Just in case the auto parts can no longer be found.....
  2. Rossik Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    West London
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1985 Husqvarna 500AE
    I have 2 sets of springs, to have a spare set....and Tritrophy (US) on eBay has them. Apparently the original springs from back in the day are very scarce now so not sure if his are genuine NOS or new copies....

    From what I have read (and other more knowledgeable, experienced CH members can either confirm or refute it), I think that if you were to finally have had enough of the auto, the whole top end can be dropped onto a manual gearbox Husky.....

    I'd be surprised if the engine mounts were much different, if at all....the thought has crossed my mind to do the same, as a fall back plan if the auto gives me too much grief. It seems that some auto owners have a lifetime of fun and good times with them and other the opposite.

    I should add though that I am only relaying what I have read and found out since buying my 500AE 18 months ago but I think I've gone through the same things you are thinking now.......just trying to find out about these amazing machines but at the same time thinking 'what have I done?' :-)
  3. Rossik Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    West London
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1985 Husqvarna 500AE
    oh and IMHO your ground casing will probably be fine as long as you use the spring retainer......
  4. jo360 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    perth australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1983 exc framed wr430 engine
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 520exc
    clean the shock bolts with a wire brush, grind a groove into the bolt head and mig weld on a small solid bar, i used s/steel the heat also helps unjam things.
  5. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    Great thank you jo! I didn't even think of that.
    When I was a mechanic (a live time ago) we used to weld nuts onto broken bolts to try and get them out...
  6. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    Rossik, them springs are expensive...
    I thought I would get a couple sets, now I think I will start with one set...

    I hope I don't have to wait 18 months to get mine going. I was hoping to do it over the winter and here in Texas, winter isn't that long :-).
    I am going to start looking around for some WR, CR or XC internal engine and transmission parts to see if it is possible to convert over to a clutch.
    I have started looking at the parts books to see what are the same part numbers with the 500s.

    As soon as I get my pressure regulator switch for my compressor tomorrow evening, I'm going to start blasting all the parts that fit in my cabinet again.
    Hopefully I will be done by the 31st so I can get it all over to the powder coater by the weekend!!!
    Looking at new cables, bearings, swing arm bearings, wheel bearings, chain, the chain pulley things on the swing arm, and a new kill switch (it shocked me when I tried to kill the motor). Then the new rear fender, side covers, all the new nuts and bolts as mentioned, and a new front fender. I need tires so I might as well get tubes as well.

    The only thing I think might be a little issue getting are the front forks or fork tubes and rebuilding the rear shocks.
    I will probably send them to someone to do for me as I have no experience with those shocks. All I have done is, replace seals and oil one my other bikes.

    Maybe Michel or someone else can give me a little direction on the spring retainer/case saver.
    Rossik likes this.
  7. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
    cache ressorts.jpg

    Spring cover made out 1.5 mm stainless steel.
    Not hard to do if you are helped by your friend DIY !
    You can make it with a round shape diam ext 100mm. The scale is in centimeters not inches.
    On pic, the cover begin at 10 cm and ends at 20 cm.
  8. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
  9. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    Perfect thank you Michel!!!
    I speak metric also! ;)
    I actually grew up in Canada and was very hard using SAE at first.
  10. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
  11. stormer254 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    England
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    More than I dare let her know
    Other Motorcycles:
    Yes!
    Michel, will those dimensions work with the 360/390/420 clutches?
  12. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
    I don't know, but surely.
    My 420 has a primary clutch from a 430 ae.
    On 420 there has brass shoes.
    etoile 420 Francis.JPG
    420 spring cover of Francis Stempien ( Belgium).

    Spring cover military 1.jpg

    Cover of a Military 250.
    micke_vb likes this.
  13. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
  14. dukkman Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Warwick Queensland Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    85/WR 400,86/WR 240,83/430 is mates
    Other Motorcycles:
    69@71/TS90-76/TS100-72/DKW-78/PE
    Always wondered how a clutch based on the chainsaw clutch design would work.
  15. Rossik Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    West London
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1985 Husqvarna 500AE

    I bought mine from a lady in Abilene then imported it to the UK, which set me back quite a few bucks from the start. My delay has really been due to lack of funds. I could have gotten it running and been using it now but I just got carried away and it's basically taken me this long to get all the bits that I want.......I'm sure you'll be riding & enjoying yours before mine is back together :-)
  16. Rossik Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    West London
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1985 Husqvarna 500AE
  17. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    I am finally home from my two week business trip and have three weeks at home before I have to leave for two weeks again.
    I have been slacking a little on this project because I also bought a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. Now that the TA has been looked at and know what it needs, I am back on my 500AE project.

    I tried to weld a piece of steel rod on the shock swing arm bolts and it just broke the bolt head off, so I started drilling. After drilling the bolts out, I was able to remove the shocks. I think I am just going to buy a swing arm off e-bay. I have found a couple that look nice and are under $50.
    I took my front shocks apart and it looks like just the tubes need replaced or restored. I think it will be easier to get a pair of shocks off e-bay and use the tubes from them.
    I have taken apart the motor except the cylinder still doesn't want to come all the way over the studs. I am putting CLP down the holes to try and free it up.
    I took the auto off and the key was broken in half.
    I have blasted all the parts except the frame and swing arm. Do you think I should get the parts powder coated or just paint them black?
    I was going to send the exhaust off to get it ceramic coated.

    Can anyone tell me where the best place to get all the bearings and seals for the motor? I would like to just replace all the bearings since I am already there, unless the cost a fortune to replace.
    Were would I get good springs for the auto?

    When I get everything ready to bring to the powder coaters, I will upload some pictures. Hopefully next week! This weekend, I have to take a trip to Florida and see the family... cutting into my project time...
  18. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France
  19. JWilson Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Houston-ish Texas
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1984 AE500
    Other Motorcycles:
    Running one - 08 Fat Boy, 89 TW200
    Thank you Michel!

    I just bought front forks, rear swing arm and a SS bolt kit off e-bay.
    Left a message for husqvarna-parts to call me back so I can find out how much all the bearings will be.
    Starting to work on my spring retaining plate that you posted. Looks like it will be pretty easy!

    Do you know any tricks to getting the magneto out? Do it require a special puller or is this something I can make/modify some other puller?
  20. Michel Dufayard Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    France