YZF600R wheel mod wrap up...... or why I'm not a dive bomber pilot

[Fred]

    I've completed my wheel mod and thought I would share my experience. Not that I have any new insights, but there have been a lot of posts regarding wheel mods lately, so maybe this can be a help to anyone who maybe hesitant to give it a try.
   First a little about me. I'm familiar with hand tools and I do the maintenance on my vehicles. Back in the day I replaced a few clutches, did a valve job once, and installed some bolt on performance parts on '60's vintage vehicles. I don't have a modifier's or engineer's temperament. I tend to target fixate and miss side issues that modifying one part can cause. As far as my riding goes, I'd say I'm in the middle of the pack at the rallies I have attended. Let's just say I won't be needing knee pucks anytime soon.

   As my reference I used AK's Project FJ site. It was for the most part very good, the measurements were spot on. However, when a person is at a certain skill level they tend to view certain things as obvious. This is where I got into trouble, but there was always help a post away.
   My first problem was getting the studs out of the cush drive. I tried using two nuts.... nothing. I was told to use heat to break them lose. I was concerned about damaging the drive so I concentrated the heat on the stud.....fail.  OK so now I deserve to be hit with a board. The answer of course that the threads need to be heated. It only takes a few seconds and I could smell when the thread locker burned.

  My next problem was just stupid. I made sure I had all the parts that needed to machined then sent them off to the machinist (that was the target). I didn't realize I was missing the right side spacer until I mounted the wheel. Hmmm.. something doesn't look right. I was trying to get to the ECFR so made my own spacer, again with help from the board. It would have worked too and I would have made it to problem number 3.

  When I went for a test ride, I lost my rear brake. The website noted the caliper stay needed to be modified but didn't give any measurements, so I did what I thought looked right, but it wasn't. When the suspension moved, the stay hit the the master cylinder and broke the mount. you can't see it in the picture but there is a nick on the stay. It was suggested I turn the stay 180 degrees, but I had a spare stay and it seemed to fit better so I went with that. I'm running a Pilot Road 170-60.

  I've put a few hundred miles on the bike since completing the mod and I'm happy with the result. My main goal in doing this was to keep using radial tires and it meets that objective. The bike seems to turn better, no doubt because of the tire is new. I've also noticed the suspension seems to work better. There is a truck stop on my normal ride route and the truck traffic has really messed up the road surface. The bike feels a lot more settled over this rough patch. I'm guessing the lighter wheel is making it easier on the stock shock.
  So if you're considering this mod give it a go. Even if you're as dense as me you can do this and if you get stuck the FJ community is just a post away. Thanks to everyone for the help, Bill, Jake and especially Troy, I'd still be shopping for a rearset on eBay instead of riding if not for your kindness.

[Fred]

crap! let me try this again

[ccsct203]

Nice job!
What I would like to see are a set of "prints" or a manual for mods like this and front end upgrades.
This way I could send out the parts to a shop and when they are returned "bolt" them on.

[jvb_ca]

Great job Fred. Those white wheels "really" look nice. I also be likin your supertrapp 4-1. Wanna swap for some Kerker slipons??:wink
I see you have a Targa full lower. I picked one up a while back and never have mounted it. (other than test fitting it) I did not get the proper mounting brackets with it. The next time you take it off, can you snap a couple of pics of the brackets for me? Then I can see how it was intended to be mounted.

Cheers...Jake

[Fred]

Check out AK's site. The measurements are there and there are pictures of the parts that were modified. I just printed out the pages and took them to my machinist. He had no trouble following it and he's not an automotive machinist. He normally makes parts for oil drilling rigs

[Fred]

Then I can see how it was intended to be mounted.

Cheers...Jake

Jake,

The lower mounting is simple. It uses the stock mounting points at the bottom.  At the top there is steel strap, maybe six inches long, that slides behind the fairing at the back of the scoop. The bolt that holds on the scoop goes through a hole in the strap. The other end of the strap has a slot to put the lower bolt through. I don't know if thats the original way it was done it was on the bike when I got it, but it hasn't been a problem.

[jvb_ca]

Thanks Fred. Makes sense. My lower is new, never mounted, and there is a hole that looks to be in the same place as yours. Looks like I can just cut and bend a piece of sheetmetal to use as a strap, and bolt it on.

Cheers..Jake

[racerman_27410]

Fred,

Looking good brother!
i always tried to learn from other people's mistakes but sometimes that isn't possible.....i could go on and on about all the stuff i fubar'd going thru my learning curve but luckily my father didnt kill me before i got smart (that's relative BTW)


you got thru it though and you're riding now so it's all good!   



T Roy really is the good son!   .... BTW T Roy we gonna get together at pop's (rt 56) here real soon and the family would love to see ya!.... ride on over and hammer the DRZ up and down 56... i got a new set of pilot powers on it that are screaming to be shredded   



KOokaloo!

Frank

[ccsct203]

Check out AK's site. The measurements are there and there are pictures of the parts that were modified. I just printed out the pages and took them to my machinist. He had no trouble following it and he's not an automotive machinist. He normally makes parts for oil drilling rigs

I looked for "AK's site but to no avail.
could you post the link

Thanks

[andyoutandabout]

Top draw Fred - nice pics. I'm about to mod up and it's always good to see what one is aiming for. We both have 86s with supertrapps, so mine will look very similar - or should do unless things go pear shaped
Andy

[tqmx1]

Fred & all others doing the conversion the R1/6 banjo bolts ar thinner than the FJs and most other banjo bolts. It will gain you about 3MM+- more clearance.

As for the bracket you can take the broken assembly to a welding shop and have it tiged back togther.

[threejagsteve]

Nice work, Fred!

But I'm glad it aint me that's gonna have to keep those spiffy white wheels clean!

Cheers, and the duck says, "Kookaloo!"

[waricle]

Inspirational stuff Fred!!!
It's on my "things what I gotta do" list and you have given me some much needed confidence.
Good on you!

[higbonzo]

Fred,

Very nice looking bike.  Yes, the change to modern rubber is amazing.  When I changed over to the FZR1000 front and rear wheels on my bike I couldn't believe it was the same bike.  Your efforts will be well rewarded.  Great job!  I have a question though, did you change your Dog Bones out?  The need to be changed in length to compensate for the rear tire change.  I am sure one of the Guru's here know how to determine the length.  I couldn't tell you if it needs to be shorter or longer, I think it may depend on the bike, but I do know it puts the rear tire much closer to the ground when it is on the center stand.  It will quicken your steering up even more.

Ride on......

Later......

ps.  Is this the method you used?  http://www.btinternet.com/~fj1200mods/Project_FJ/YZFRear.htm

[Fred]

Check out AK's site. The measurements are there and there are pictures of the parts that were modified. I just printed out the pages and took them to my machinist. He had no trouble following it and he's not an automotive machinist. He normally makes parts for oil drilling rigs

I looked for "AK's site but to no avail.
could you post the link

Thanks

Sorry,  I didn't get back to you sooner, family stuff. Check out Highbonzo's link, that s' the info I used.