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Does a seca 8 inch bucket go onto a maxim bracket ok?

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by Minimutly, Aug 15, 2018.

  1. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Ok, for the 550 Seca---the headlight bucket for the 650 Maxim is the same thing---JYA-146. So, that's an easy one to say yes for---
    I'll check the 750r after supper
     
  2. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I know the 920r does.....it also shares the gauge cluster.
     
  3. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    So, for the 750r--- not a chance, unless someone really REALLY wants to either do a lot of work or spend a lot of money. That said, it may be possible to swap mount ar0und, too, but I didn't go that route. Here is the pic of the 750r mount with the 650rj bucket in front of it.

    IMG_4902.JPG

    3/4" or so on each side is a long way to go.
     
  4. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    Actually, the 550 and 650 Maxim buckets are different, even though they are both stamped YHA-146 (the 650 Maxim and the 1983 XJ750 Maxim are the same, though). Also, the XJ550 Maxim uses a "integrated" headlight bucket support bracket (similar in design but different in shape) like the 650 Maxim does), whereas the 550 Seca uses a separate LH and RH headlight brackets that bolt together at the bottom to form a single "bracket".............so it may be possible to add a spacer to the 550 Seca "brackets" to space them further apart from each other to more easily accept the 650RJ headlight bucket.
     
  5. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    You want me to try it a different way? Let me know what you want me to try
     
  6. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    Dave, on the next to last picture. are you saying the locator bracket on the chrome headlight "stay" needs to be bent, or just the sheetmetal tab bracket that is welded to the bottom of the RJ headlight bucket? If just the sheetmetal bracket on the bucket needs to be bent, that's pretty easy. The much thicker bracket (with the welded nut) on the stay is a much tougher item to bend........
     
  7. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I believe the locator bracket where the nut is welded on needs to be bent (twisted would probably be a better word) so that the bolt from the sheetmetal tab will go straight into the nut. Otherwise the bolt will go straight TO the nut but not be lined up to go straight INto the nut. It does show well, but basically the problem is that on the bracket the nut is lined up for a sheetmetal tab at 6:00 position. But the sheetmetal tab on the 650rj bucket is at a 5:00 position. So, the nut just has to be twisted a bit to account for the new angle. It's NOT DIFFICULT. Bolt the bracket in place, and then use a pair of pliers. Slip it over the nut vertically and twist just a bit. Basically trust the splicers from 12:00 to 11:00 positions. That's all. Tweak a bit more as needed.
     
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  8. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    Do you have a 550 Seca there, or a 550 Maxim?

    The 550 Seca "stay" is a 2-piece version; the 550 Maxim is a 1-piece version (just like the 650 Maxim stay). The housings (the "buckets") are different between the 550's (both the 550 Maxim and 550 Seca share the same chrome bucket) and the 650 Maxim.

    So here's the scorecard:

    550's vs. 650 Maxim buckets: different (BTW, the XJ1100 bucket is also very similar to the 550/650 design bucket)
    550 Seca stay bracket: unique, 2-piece
    550 Maxim stay bracket: 1-piece, similar but different than 650 Maxim
    650 Maxim stay bracket: 1-piece, similar but different than 550 Maxim
    BTW, the 1983 XJ750 Maxim and Mid Maxim use the same bucket and stay bracket as the 650 Maxim/Mid Maxim

    I think what you'll find is that the difference in the buckets and stay brackets (besides the obvious 1-piece vs. 2-piece designs) is the location of the anti-rotation welded-on tab (on the bucket) and it's corresponding locator on the headlight stay.....AND, on the other end of that locator on the stay, is the position where the stay is attached to the lower steering bracket.....I believe that may also be different between the different stay brackets.........


    Thus, to make a complete and exhaustingly thorough evaluation, you'd have to look at the stay brackets for all of the different models (550 Seca, 550 Maxim, and 650 Maxim/1983 750 Maxim, and 1100 for gits and shiggles) to make sure that the 650RJ headlight bucket will actually "fit" and what needs to be done to adapt the 65-RJ bucket to each unique stay bracket(s)........

    Obviously (I think.......) what everyone wants to do is to adapt the large 650RJ bucket/headlight to the other bikes....the 8" headlight really gives the front end of these bikes a very distinctive look (especially on the Seca models w/o a fairing). Why Yamaha gave up on the 8" headlight is beyond me, perhaps their designers were drinking too much or ??? BTW, some Kawa models also used an 8" headlight in this era, but it's different from the Yamaha version.


    Note that the XJ1100's also use 2 individual pieces to make a "stay" bracket, they are chrome tubes that are cinched between the bottom of the crown bracket and the top of the lower bracket, each one with an "ear" that reaches out to the headlight bucket. They are very similar to the aftermarket type of fork-mounted headlight bucket mounting brackets that you see on eBay.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2018
  9. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I have the 550 Seca. I didn't swap anything around there.....I figured since the bucket is the same as the 650 Maxim bucket, and the 650rj bucket was able to fit in the 650 Maxim mount, then it should fit in the 550r.

    Basically following the math:
    A - 650rj
    B - 650 Maxim
    C - 550r
    So---if A=B, and B=C, then A=C
    If the 650 RJ headlight bucket fits the 650 Maxim mount, and the same bucket fits the 550r, then the 650r bucket will fit where the 650 Maxim bucket fits.

    I'll try to get more detailed as I have time
     
  10. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Hmmm, not so fast mon amis.
    I tried fitting the 8 inch to my 650 maxim tonight. If you open up the ears, it will go in.
    But the gauges are fouled. You could raise them to above the top tree, but you would need a seca speedo cable, and possibly tacho cable?
    You also have an issue that the lamp points into space (well relatively anyway).
    To bring the lamp down you need to remove/modify the adjuster, and by this I mean the one on the mounting, otherwise I suspect it will go up against the bump on the bottom of the bucket.
    If, like me you have a rusty black steel bracket, the easy fix is to extend the ears by 1/2 an inch or so, it brings the adjuster back to where it needs to be, (but still not in line together), and removes the need to raise the gauges. (I didn't like them up there, but not the end of the world though).
    I'll see if I can post some pics later, but would like to mod the bracket tonight.
    The easy alternative would be to bolt on all the seca bits though, I guess.
     
  11. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    IMG_1807.JPG Ok, cut and welded my ears, will try it on the bike tomorrow and report back. I don't know if both the ends of the adjusting tabs need removing, I suspect they might.
     
  12. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I've had my gauges on top of the triple tree and didn't need a longer speedo cable to do that.. I'd think the tach cable would be long en0ugh, too...l'll check if i have time, gonna be away for a bit
     
  13. Bluegray57

    Bluegray57 Active Member

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    Quick question. I had seen a 650rj light bucket online and they state that its 9" in diameter. Im guessing thats just a misprint or did some years have an even larger headlight.
     
  14. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    The BUCKET will be close to 9" diameter to accommodate a HEADLIGHT that is 8" in diameter........

    Scroll back to the first page where I show quite a few angles of a 650r bucket mounted in a 650 Maxim headlight mount. You'll see what I mean
     
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  15. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    20180821_165909.jpg Test fitted the 8 inch this evening, looks ok. So tonight I filled the gap with sheet steel and ground flat. Also cut the end off the adjuster tab. Tomorrow I will fit and fettle, then grit blast, fill , rub down and paint loss black.
     
  16. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Pic of the japanese market clocks. Sorry about the reflection from the light. Anyone know what the red light in the tacho is for?
     

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  17. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, should have said thanks for the offer. However, there might be a couple of issues - uk is drive on the left, if the lamp kicks up on the right its a test fail. Do yamaha lamps do this or are they flat line dipped beam?
    Secondly there is the cost of postage tax etc for import into EU.
     
  18. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    The red light goes on when you exceed the Japanese national speed limit.


    Yamaha should have put that 8" light on everything.
     
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  19. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Couldn't you rotate the light?
     
  20. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    UK doesn't accept EU-standard lights? All EU and North American lenses kick the light up to the right.......
     

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