two questions about my new to me Xj5502

Hey guys this is my first time posting here as i'm a newish owner of a 1982 Xj550r. I have two problems with my bike right now:

So the first thing is that when I'm backing up my bike to park it feels like the front brake engages, but only for about 1/4 turn of the front tire. I will back up fine for about 3/4 of the front wheel turning, then it will become pretty hard to pull it back, then after another 1/4 turn it will roll freely again. I notice nothing while riding. And it isn't just backing up, if i'm pushing the bike forward it will do the same. Could the front tire be out of alignment? Something with the front brake pad?

And secondly, fairly often when the engine is running there is a high pitched buzzing coming from what sounds like the engine. Seems mechanical and not electrical, like a small piece of metal vibrating inside something. It will seemingly randomly go away and come back. It buzzes in neutral but seems to buzz less as I ride up through the gears, but like I said it will come and go randomly. It has been doing this since I bought the bike about 6 months ago but I just neglected it until now. Someone on Reddit suggested it might be something about the wheel bearings? Any ideas?

 

have you rebuilt the caliper master cylinder yet new brake lines?
also read first post in this forum about your rear brakes.
you do need to check front and rear wheel bearings , if bike has 20 k miles it is time to replace them.
your problem could be bearings or warped disc. could be that it istime to rebuild brake system.
buzzing could be someone removed the little rubber spacers between the cylinder fins .
have you adjusted the cam tensioner? its that thing under the carbs

 

some good info for you
1) I would read through the information over load
The Information Overload Hour

2) then church of clean
IN THE CHURCH OF CLEAN

3) compression test have you done one?

4) valve clearance have you checked this? you will need KD 2274 metric feeler gauges any auto parts store can order with this numder
AIRHEAD VALVE ADJUSTMENT with Pics

5) do you have a manual? sign up on this site www.4shared.com
http://www.4shared.com/rar/W7QZie6f/Yamaha_Xj550rh_Service_Repair_.htm

http://www.4shared.com/rar/VPkftmDj/Yamaha_Xj550rh_Service_Repair_.htm

lots of info thread at this link he is a parts supplier to
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/forums/xj4ever-supporting-vendor.23/

this link too
http://www.xj4ever.com/downloads.html

wiring diagram book mark it
http://www.frankjohansson.com/stuff/xj550/XJ550ElectricalDiagram.html

 

I am going to look at an 82 XJ 550R tomorrow
the valves do sound like a sewing machine that could be what you hear

 

Random buzz like that could be anything, til you narrow it down. That said, first thought to me would be a loose heatshiekd on the side of the collector, or an pipe has had the inner and out pipes separate, or a muffler O's coming apart inside.

Binding up could be brakes, could be bearings. Support the bike so the fronbis off the ground and spin the rim. See what happens... Do the same for the back , too

 

It really sounds like a bearing issue.

When you spin the wheel put a piece of tape on the wheel to use as a marker. This will allow you to see if the free spin happens in the same spot every time. Also check to make sure the front disc isn't warped. you can place a straight edge ruler on the disc and go around it to make sure there are no high or low spots.

 

If none of the above suggestions solved the front wheel problem, check your brake pads because one of them is supposed to have a thin steel clip-on shim between the piston and pad. Without it the shim can bind like a wedge when trying to back up the bike with the wheel turned. Check the assembly diagram in the manual or XJCD

 

I know one way to find out what it is, and take care of other potential issues: Catch up on all the maintainance that the prior owners didn't bother doing (which is likely all of it).

In my experience the most common culprit for binding brakes is a combination of the buildup of jelled brake fluid inside the caliper (this crap will not bleed out) and aging caliper piston seals.

Brakes are important. Do the job right and rebuild the whole system.

If you haven't read The Information Overload Hour, please do so (link is in my signature).