West Coast,RSA summer project

[aj52]

Hi all

This afternoon I started to strip the FJ for complete paint job and few machanical stuff like clutch,carbs,valve clearences.
While I'm at it,want to do the coil and headlight mods too.
Maybe it is going to be stupid or simple question,but I want to powdercoat the frame and swingarm. Is there some way or other that I can save the bearings at the linkages and the races on the stearing stem as it is been replaced the beginning of last year.
The wheels' bearings will I replace,as that also going to be powdercoated.

Thanks for any advice
Hannes

[Pat Conlon]

Hello Hannes, You should be fine, the curing oven typically gets to 400*F (206*C) Not really that hot.
Clean all the grease out of the bearings, clean, clean... then stuff the openings with aluminum foil to keep the power coat away..

You know the aluminum swing arm from the '89/90 FJ is a great replacement for the steel swinger on the '91-95's

Cheers

Pat

[aj52]

Hi Pat

Thanks for the advice on the powdercoating.
As for the swingarm,I didn't know that,thanks for that as well. I will try and see if I can find one here in SA.
I forgot to mention that the forks also needs to be done. But I think maybe to get front end of an Thunderace. What I understand that it is almost a direct swap. The forks diameter is bigger than the FJ's and make quite a difference.

Hannes

[Pat Conlon]

The YZF1000 Thunder Ace (T-Ace) is rare here in the USA, offered only for 1 year (1998) before the more popular YZF R-1 was introduced.
I do not know of any front end conversions using the T Ace forks here in the USA. I do know Dave Carter in the UK did a conversion.
http://www.fjmods.co.uk/

For conventional forks the T-Ace is the strongest you will ever get using tree stump 48mm stanchion tubes (vs. the FJ's 41mm)
The T-Ace forks are shorter than the FJ forks, so turn in will be much quicker, but they are full cartridge forks.

Unless you can get a complete clean T-Ace front assembly cheap,  I would look at other USD fork options.

Besides, USD forks gets the chicks....  

[aj52]

Pat

Thanks for the link,very interesting to read.
Maybe I must look for the yzf 750 front end.
I want to keep the original handlebar. On the site I see the person made his own adaptor for handlebar.
My father-in-law is an manager at a engineering in town with CNC milling machine. I think he will be able to machine a top yoke for me.
What material are the top yoke,do you maybe know.

Hannes

[aj52]

Pat

Sorry for all the questions. Do you have a write up about your front end swap?
Try to search,but do not find it

Hannes

[Pat Conlon]

Alloy 2011 offers good high strength and good machinability.

When you say you want to keep the original handlebar, do you mean the oem FJ bars, or do you have an aftermarket bar on your FJ?

It will be hard to keep the oem FJ bar clamps on your project, unless heavily modified.
The FJ bar clamps to the FJ 41mm dia. stanchion tubes.  There is very little meat on the oem bar clamps to work with....

Most USD upper tubes are 50mm dia, so you can imagine the size difference.
The YZF750R USD upper fork tubes (50mm dia.) do not extend far enough through the top triple clamp to offer a purchase for bar clamps to attach to the tubes, so a handle bar is needed for this conversion.

Giantkiller (Dan) and Aviation Fred both have done GSXR USD fork conversions on their FJ's.
The Suzuki forks are too short for the FJ so Dan has fabricated some trick fork tube extensions which add the necessary length to the GXSR fork tubes.
The new added length extends the GSXR tubes thru the top triple clamp, allowing a "clip on" style bar to attach.
Aviation Fred found some bitchen Tarozzi clip ons he uses on his conversions. Remember, these are sized for a 50mm dia. top tube. http://www.fastfromthepast.com/clip-ons

So, if you do not want a handle bar on your project, and wanted clip on style bars, consider the GSXR swap.

Cheers. Pat

[Pat Conlon]

The photos of my bike in the FJ Gallery are old.

I had then the 1992 FZR1000 USD forks : http://www.fjmods.co.uk/usdforks.htm

Now I have the 1997 YZF750R USD forks: http://www.fjmods.co.uk/MarcRittner2.htm

[aviationfred]

Pat has listed the links for the Yamaha USD fork mods.


Here is the write up for the 2008 GSX-R1000 fork mod. http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=16432.0

A couple of photos of the finished mod.

The 1st photo is the Original modded bike by Dan (giantkiller) The next photos are of my version of the mod that is the result of the link posted above.

Fred

[aj52]

Thanks Fred for the link and foto's
A lot of options between your and Pat's replies.

Hannes

[giantkiller]

I used the Ring's from the gsxr clippons to make aluminum bars to the exact spec's as the original Fj bars. The second set I made I tried to make them lighter. And then I bent them so I tried the Apex bars. Very adjustable. But no matter how I adjusted them they placed my hands wider than the stock spec bars that I made.(with a jigsaw and a belt sander). If you want to use the Fj bars. You could cut the stock bars And weld them on to a 50mm steel clamp. Or aluminum the way I did. I'm going to rebuild the second set a little beefier. And put the Apex on the turbo bike. When/if I ever get my house/shop Done.
Don't have a good picture of the bars made but here they are

[aj52]

Thanks for the photo.
Just an question. If I do the gsxr conversion,can I made the fork extender that goes through the yoke,the 50mm at the buttom for forks and the top to fit the FJ original bars

Hannes

[aj52]

Thanks for the photo.
Just an question. If I do the gsxr conversion,can I made the fork extender that goes through the yoke,the 50mm at the buttom for forks and the top to fit the FJ original bars

Hannes

Sorry,that was a dumb-ass question.
Went and look on PC,see what the reason is for not doing that.

Hannes

[aviationfred]

Actually, I would imagine that you could. You would have to put a 50mm to 41mm step at the top of the extension. The downside is that the inside diameter of the extentions will be reduced. On the GSXR1000 fork, there are suspension adjustment nuts on the top cap that need access through the extensions. In the photo, you can see the blue adjustment nut.


Fred

[aj52]

Actually, I would imagine that you could. You would have to put a 50mm to 41mm step at the top of the extension. The downside is that the inside diameter of the extentions will be reduced. On the GSXR1000 fork, there are suspension adjustment nuts on the top cap that need access through the extensions. In the photo, you can see the blue adjustment nut.


Fred

Hi Fred

Yes it can be done,but as you said,for adjustment it is going to be an issue.
Not for the adjustment itself,I think, but if you want to change fork springs or change oil,you got to take the forks out for maintenance.
I will see what way I want to go after seeing what is available here in RSA,but many thanks to you,Pat and Giantkiller for the responce and guidelines.

Hannes