REAR BRAKES

OK, i really need some help here.

this is my first kz of any kind and am not a pro about all the parts yet. getting there but only had it about 2 months and haven't even rode it yet.

Bike is a 79 KZ1000 ltd (B3) and the first thing it needed was a major brake overhaul. Front did not work at all and the rear barely worked.

When I took apart the rear, I noticed that the pads overhung the Od of the disk by about 1/4" so the entire pad was not on the disk surface.
I had no reason to believe that the caliper had been changed. The disk was badly gouged and i figured that it was the wrong one anyway so I ordered a new one from EBC. I also investigated the size of the disk I had removed. according to what I found it should be 277mm or about 10.9" which is what it is and the rotor also. so now I suspect the caliper is wrong.

I measure the distance from the axle hole and the piston center and it is about 5". This is the size it needs to be for an 11 5/8" OD rotor. I think it is the size of a 77 or 78 kz. in order for the piston to push in the center of the disk area on a 10.9" rotor, the piston needs to be about 4.5" from the center of the disk.

SO my question is can someone with a 79 or 80 kz1000 ltd measure the distance from the center of the axle to the center of the piston and tell me if its about 4.5 inches?

I am guessing some hack previous owner swapped the caliper from a 77 or 78 1000 ltd.

Thanks a ton

Dman

The discs on an LTD are the larger ones so you will need the larger disc or the smaller caliper. I went through the same thing when I got my 78. The PO had used LTD wheels and a standard rotor. I lucked out and found the correct rotor at a wrecking yard.

So EBC has it wrong then? they sent me the smaller rotor that they list as the one that fits the B3/B4 ltd.

It does make more sense that some previous owner would change the rotor out before the caliper. but I really got confused when EBC sent me the smaller rotor.

Is it possible that the B1/B2 take the larger one and they changed on the B3 and B4? when you go to the parts lists, they only list the same rotor fitting on the B3, B4 and 1980 Z1. or is that the years that they changed from the solid rotor to the drilled one? Ebc does list the B1&2 rear rotor as a different number as the B3&4. so I am thinking it is not just the holes.

This boggles the mind....

i think that is an A instead of a B caliper in your picture

I am getting more confused by the minute

It has cast into the back SIDE "1 11/16 KONKICO"

What I need is someone with a STOCK original B3 to take a picture and measure the caliper or the disk.

Thanks all
dman

just for the heck of it I checked the frame number, it falls into the B3 range. so the bike is definitely a B3

The disc in your photo is definately not original. I don't have a LTD, but have a 1979 KZ650SR that according to Kawasaki uses the same disc, so I'll measure it later. It will be a few hours though, I've got tons of work to do today.

no, the disk in the photo is a new one from EBC

I did look harder and found the letter A cast into the main body and the bolt on piston piece.

does this mean its for an "A" model? I thought it was just a misc casting number.

I measured the rotor and it measures 10.9" so your rotor is the correct size. It must be the caliper that's wrong

Damn, just painted that one and rebuilt it. it is as good as a new one now. but I suspect you are correct, Thanks. that would explain that the new EBC rotor is the correct one.

Anyone have a decent "B3" rear Caliper they want to part with?

Now that I think about it I believe the caliper from an A model bike is bigger that an ltd along with the rotor. Maybe you can return the rotor and get the bigger one?

check with Duck,he might have the right caliper for ya.