swing arm

Has any one used a 1982 GS1100E suzuki swing arm on a 1978 KZ1000LTD? Did it work? And how did you make it fit.The Suzuki swing arm looks stouter. I would like to use the stock rim (16in alum mag)and stock brake caliper(KZ). Iv got the doner bike(suzuki) and its still got all or most of its parts. Engine has the plugs taken out and valve cover taken off and has been sitting out in the weather for a year or two so the engine may be toast. Thanks CruisingRam.

Post edited by: monky, at: 2005/11/29 17:31

ask cruisinram

Post edited by: dnyce, at: 2005/11/29 15:56

I am running this swingarm on my kz650. Bolts right in with two washers, one for each side. Handles great is lighter and looks the biz!

LOL- how I Ching, timely, circle of life this post is LOL-

well, you will need two bushings for the swing arm bolt, and a couple of washers, like was said. Be careful with the dustcaps and with your washer sizing, you can really ding those up and shorten the life of your little roller bearings there with dirt and such.

I will go and mic those bushings, has been some time since I did it and can't remember the specs, and can't find where I wrote it down.

What size tire and what are you going to use for brakes and rims? Makes alot of differences in this swap!

I wouldn't try more than a 160 tire up under there either. Even so, I am thinking I will need an offset sprocket.

hang o to that motor!drag racers and dwarfcar guys like em!happy wrenching

The '82 GS1100 swingarm will bolt on to a '78 KZ1000 with no problem and with no frame interference (not true for Z1's and KZ900s).

Mount the GS1100 swingarm in the frame (with its rubber/steel end caps in place), carefully shift the swingarm to one side, measure the gap on the other side, divide by two, go to ACE Hardware with a vernier dial caliper and find some washers (possibly sets of two washers) that match this figure so that you end up with two (sets) of spacers or washers of the correct dimensions.

Now, get old Z1 and/or KZ1000 rear axle spacers. You will need two extra ones to center the rear wheel in the '82 GS1100 swingarm (or you can simply replace the two stock ones with two 'new' ones of the right dimensions). I kept the stock two and created two extra ones: I used the hole in the rear rim/wheel as a base to figure out the proper width of the extra left and the extra right spacers should be. First I used PVC pipe as templates since they are easier to cut with a tube cutter. I cut and measured the PVC spacers until I got them just right, bolted up the whole rear wheel with the PVC spacers to ensure that the rear wheel was centered after sufficient torquing. When done, I cut the two old Z1/KZ rear axle spacers to size. I found that I had to cut away a small portion of the GS1100 swingarm on the sprocket side in order to be able to move the rear wheel assembly closer to the front of the swingarm; otherwise, the rear wheel would sit very near the outer limit of the swingarm's rear wheel range and limit the chain's adjustable range far too much.

The rear disc brake torque link arm the connects the KZ1000 rear caliper to the KZ1000 swingarm will work on the '82 GS1100 swingarm -- you will just have to grind down the KZ1000 torque link arm at the swingarm end to fit in the narrower GS1100 swingarm torque link arm hole.

Now the stock KZ chain line will be maintained if you're using a KZ rear wheel. Not so with wider tires/rims however that incorporate a different chain centerline. I am using a Klasmo 10 mm offset countershaft sprocket and a Klasmo 10 mm offset rear sprocket spacer (for a stock '78 KZ1000 rear hub) because I will be mounting a 160 mm (actually 166 mm) X 17" rear tire on a Excel 4.25" X 17" aluminum rim.

Hope I was of some help.

Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:42

Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:45

Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/12/01 14:29

Sorry, a double-post again! What's the deal with this?
I clicked submit once and it showed up twice!

Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:33

Post edited by: bohicabob, at: 2005/11/30 10:43