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Will 81 750 parts will interchange with 82?

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by mook1al, Oct 22, 2010.

  1. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    I just got a 1982 XJ750 Maxim on the cheap. Good papers and 98% complete. I had an 81 with round gauges and Highway bars when I was a "younger" kid than I am now. Does anyone know if the gauges, handle bars and round headlights from other years will swap to the 82 XJ750? I want to rebuild this bike to mimic the one I used to have...
     
  2. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Yes they will, but I will need to get into my schematic book to be 100% sure they will plug right in. If they don't, it is a simple matter to push out some connector pins and re-assign them to match the 82. I'll get back to you shortly (sometime this weekend, perhaps sooner).
    Welcome to the site.
     
  3. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Looking over the schmatic now... there is a fair bit of lead swapping you would need to do. The oil indicator comes in in a different location, high beam indicator is on a totally different connector... the list goes on. You can do it, you just need to chase out each of the wires going into the 81 cluster connector and swap them to suit the 82 harness connector. You will have a few connectors left over that will not have a home on the new gauge cluster and you will need to pull wires out of some of them to plug into the gauge connector.
    Good luck, if you are really savy, you could pull this off inside an hour.
     
  4. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to the site and send some pics when get thru with the wires, hope it works out. :wink:
     
  5. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    Thanks! I guess first things first, I need to locate and get a detailed repair manual that should have the schematics. Any suggestions on which one to look for?
     
  6. xyxj650

    xyxj650 Member

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    You will need to do some rewireing if you switch gauges. Here is a link to a thread that has the schematics for it and a description of how to do it. I am looking to do the same thing over the winter. Hopefully it helps.
    http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... art=0.html
     
  7. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    I've been very successful over the years with my trusty (but fraught with technical errors) Haynes. The carb jet locations are known to be erroneous but the rest of the book is solid (unless someone knows something I don't). And at around $20, it is a deal. The schematics are present for all years of US import and include the UK versions as well. They are small so a magnifier is needed if your vision isn't in top shape (like mine).
    If you have spare change, you can score the factory manual for around $70 (or less if you comb flea-bay regularly). They are great, just poorly set up. They list the base bike (the 650 G model) with the supplements attached to the back of the book. Annoying but great photos and diagrams.
     
  8. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    Ok. I just saw a pic of an 82 650 when I logged in today on this site. It has the gauges handlebars and side plates I want. Should I look to take parts from a 650 of the same year, or does it matter? Here is the link on ebay for the bike I saw...
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... tem=#v4-35
     
  9. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    They will not fit the 750. Sorry.
     
  10. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    Re: Will 83 750 parts will interchange with 82?

    Hi All,
    I have regretfully been stalled on this project for over a year now. All I have accomplished is getting the engine to run to verify it is a build-able. Luckily the plant is very sound and just needs tlc. I am still looking to change the gauges, bars and lights to the round ones.

    What I have been doing over the past year is following this forum and doing a fair amount of research. It seems that perhaps the 83 XJ 750 would be the better candidate for the parts. What I am unsure about is if the fork arrangement is different. I can't seem to get all of the dimensional specs I feel necessary, so here is what I am thinking about...

    1) if the fork setup is the same, tube diameter wise, can I take the upper section of the triple tree from an 83 (which has the mounting configuration for the bars and the gauges) and put it on the 82?

    2) if not the above, could I simply take the whole front end from an 83 and mount it to the 82 (is the whole in the tube of the frame the same size for both years?

    With the above options, here are some keys points to consider. The fork tubes on my 82 are trash, pitting beyond reconditioning so I will have to get some new ones anyway. So that being said, if the 83 front end swap will work without major fabrication, then I should be able to order new tubes for an 83 and be good to go in that respect.

    Also, my brake master cylinder is in very bad condition, the sight glass is what appears to be shattered, but holding fluid. So I will be replacing that as well, and should get one for an 83. I assume I will need to get the controls and such, being the different bars, or are the ends on the 83 and the diameter of the round bars on the 83 the same?

    Third, I know my 82 has air assist on the forks, does anyone know if the 83 has the same setup?

    I have updated my gallery with some pics of my 82, and added a pic of an 81 650 which is identical to the bike I owned 17 years and what I am trying to mimic with the 83 750... and also the color.
     
  11. mtnbikecrazy55

    mtnbikecrazy55 Active Member

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    that bike is in need of some major cleaning, and please say you're going to strip the red pain off the exhaust?

    good luck on the project! be sure to keep posting pics!!
     
  12. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    I am going to completely strip it down and rebuild it. It was sitting in a barn in Kentucky for about 10 years. And yes, the red exhaust is history. PO used rattle can spray to somewhat match the red tank, which is in fantastic condition by the way. I will start the build process first week of February, and plan to have it on the road by the end of March. I am looking for a good complete set of 4-2 exhaust, but if I haven't found one by February, then I am just going to get a new Jama complete system.
     
  13. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    mtnbikecrazy55, I see you have an 83 XJ750, do you have some pics?
     
  14. DaveXJ

    DaveXJ Member

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    You can check my pics out. If you need more i can email you pics of whatever you need to see.
     
  15. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    Thanks Davexj. Hard to tell in the pics, but does the forks have the air assist like the 82?
     
  16. DaveXJ

    DaveXJ Member

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  17. MiGhost

    MiGhost Well-Known Member

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    The 83 uses individual air assist through the top of each tube. The 82 uses an equalizer tube, and joints that allow air to enter through the side of the tube. Airing up both tubes at the same time.

    All 750's use the 36mm diameter fork tube. The 83 tubes will just slide into your triple tree.

    To convert to the 7/8" round bar style handle bars you have 3 options.
    1. Use the 83 top crown for the molded in riser style.
    2. Use the 81-83 750 Seca top crown for the removable riser style.
    3. Use the 82 Maxim top crown. Remove the mounting nubs for the modular bars. Then drill out the hole, and bolt on some risers.

    The controls/switches will work on any 7/8" round bar. No need to change them.

    The round gauges, and headlight from 650's, and 750's will work.

    Some of the issues you will have to deal with.
    The 82 uses the computer based electronic monitoring system. You will need to work around all the monitoring sensors

    You will lose the fuel gauge. None of the round 650/750 clusters have the fuel gauge in them. The only round style guage cluster that uses the fuel gauge is the 550 Seca.

    Ghost
     
  18. mook1al

    mook1al Member

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    Wow! Thanks Ghost. That is exactly the information I was looking for. I knew I would have electrical modifications to deal with, but I really like to round look on the bars and gauges. If it weren't for the safety factor, I just unplug the safety kill all relay and not worry with the sensor rewiring.

    I have seen several builds with aftermarket speedo and a couple with mod sensor idiot lights. I am definitely doing the bar and headlight swap, so I guess I'll decide on the gauge cluster when I get to that point.

    Know of any issues swapping the 550 Seca cluster on the 750...say speedo and tack accuracy?
     
  19. MiGhost

    MiGhost Well-Known Member

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    To use the 550 Seca gauge cluster you will have to swap out the tach for an electric tach. The speedo will work fine, and you will need to redo, or make an adapter for the fuel sending unit. The 550 sending unit is reversed, and different resistance than the 750 sending unit.

    gitbox posted his adapter for the 750-550 fuel sender in the following post Adding a Fuel Gauge.

    darkfibre did a writeup on moding the 550 sending unit to work in his bike build Pumba the XJ750 project. Check on Page three!

    I do have all the necessary parts available off of my 83 750 Maxim that I changed the front end over to a virago 700 front end to run wire wheels. If you are interested. Shoot me a PM, and we can talk about it.

    Ghost
     

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