79 1000/99 zrx parts swap

Help,i am restoring my 79 ltd 1000,i have a chance to buy a 99 zrx parts bike,can i swap the complete front end with wheel and the swing arm with wheel with out too much modifacations?

Have you trued the "search" function in the top right corner? I know there are several guys on here, Mark1122 for one, that has ZRX rear ends on their Kz's.

A search should turn up some info for you.

Later, Doug

still no info on this,sombody out there must have done this????

I haven't done the swap... but I have a complete ZRX set-up to use. The swingarm looks like it will need modified slightly. You will have to widen the top mounts for the rear shocks to match the width of the mounts on the ZRX swingarm. The front should just need the steering stem taken from a KZ and pressed/welded into the ZRX lower triple tree.

It can be done, I just never got around to doing mine......

Your in luck buddy,

My 75 900 has the zrx 1100 swingarm. It was a big deal, but not too bad.

We cut out the old bushings(frame), built a Jig, rewelded the new bushings (machined) into the old kaw frame.

Next problem, the offset for rear wheel, also a 99 zrx.
I could give you the bushing size I came up with. but after researching the issue I found out that the fella's in Japan had like .100" tolerance on the centerline of the front wheel to rear wheel alignment.

I had to build a jig which centered the front wheel to the rear wheel. then I built a bushing on the rear brake side that would center the rear wheel when pulled to that side.

Next. called Sprocket specialties, had a rear sprocket made with a small offset (to the inside), bought an 1/8 inch offset counter sprcket, so i could machine about .03" off, and the chain will be aligned.

Do not take advice that will tell you, just bolt it all together. You can do that, and it will work, unless the front end gets unloaded, and reloaded, in the middle of a high "G' turn, if the front and rear wheel are not properly aligned, you will get a wobble.

The cool thing is, if your bike is set up, even with the old frame. it will be very stable in any situation.

When you switch to modern tires, you will load the frame with more force, so get a gusset kit.

If you want a start point I can post the size of the bushing I made. for the rear brake side.

You will want to use a 170 tire for chain clearance. The 170 is way bigger than stock, don't try a 180 or it will cause chain clearance issues.

The track guys tell me a 170 "turns in" better than a 180 anyway.

The rear shocks on a stock KZ are symmetrical, that is when you look at the back of the bike they are the same distance from centerline left to right. When I installed the swingarm, I notice the ZRX mounts are not that way, I will need to move one mount on the chain side, but there is room to do that.

Ok thats plenty for now.

I think the photo, shows my bike, but I am no internet guru.

I did it, but to do it correctly it is a bit of a challenge.

Ted

Another Note..

My Buddy Dave, let me do alot of measuring on his ZRX we determined the front forks and wheel would be an easy swap, but I used a GSXR 1100 1993 front end.

The steering stem was built by Kossman. they are the greatest. 250 bucks, was steep, but Sandy (kossman) knew exactly what i needed, and it fits perfectly.

The front forks will need a new steering stop or you may bash the tank the first time you move the handlebars all the way in one direction.

I had three veteran racers, helping me with all this, and areally good fabricator. do it right, or it may bite you hard.

Have fun,

Or you can check out my thread in "projects" under ZZRMKII.You know zzr parts,zrx parts on MKII...:evil:

It's easy to go with a GS sing arm. The ZRX I don't like the bar at the bottom. I have that swing but I went with a GS swing it's about 1.5" long than stock and easy for a machine shop to make it a little long if needed. You have to us a off set spocket on the front to go with the wide tire on the rear. I'm running PM 17" wheels front and back a 525 chain. The shocks with have to change. jagrider :woohoo:

I just fitted a 2004 ZRX 1200 swingarm to my 77kz1000. There are a number of things that you WILL have to do if you want to fit that arm.

1. You will need to grind the inside of the frame to fit the arm its about 2mm to narrow. This is no big deal whats so ever.

2. On my '77 kz1000a NOW READ CAREFULLY, I HAD TO CUT THE BRAKE ARE MOUNT TO FIT THE SWINGARM.Otherwise the arm will not travel its full motion. This means you will need to run rearsets whether you want to or not. The reason is the brace underneth the arm will hit the bracket on the frame where you foot control (brake arm) mounts. There was no way around this and so i am not running rearsets from an R1 in place of the stock foot controls. I will get some picks up for you in the next day or two.

Post edited by: galaxian, at: 2007/12/12 08:31

galaxian wrote:

On my '77 kz1000a NOW READ CAREFULLY, I HAD TO CUT THE BRAKE ARE MOUNT TO FIT THE SWINGARM.Otherwise the arm will not travel its full motion.

I ran into the same problem installing th Gsxr arm in my 78 Kz1000A but I was able to grind down the mount enough for clearence. The mount is still thick enough not to cause worries.

Later, Doug

Interesting, but in the case of the zrx swingarm it had to come off, not to mention it was an excuse for rearsets anyway.

Galaxian and 'fighterKZ,
Do you have any pics of the swingarm stuff you're talking about? I'm in the middle of *ahem* several swing-arm mods and you're info (pics too?:blush: ) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-KR