kz1000 front fork rebuild ???

took the front shocks apart, and in lookng at the diagram, looks like soemthing might be missing. if you look at part munber 19, the top of the shaft appears to have some type of seal ring on it, but it shows no part number fo it.
The FSM identifies it as number 4 and lists it as a piston ring.
The whole question is, what is supposed to be there if anything, I have a groove with nothing in it.

any ideas?

www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/19...le-1000-ltd-kz1000b1

Hello Bobby...I need some clarification...I think I understand what you are asking, but your link has already expired. What page on the FSM are you referring (I have it so I can take a peek)? What is the part Kawasaki number of the larger piece that the 'piston ring' fits on? I think it is a bushing but we'll see.

Michael

in my FSM its on page 185, maintenance - chassis

thanks for your help

What is supposed to be there is a non-metallic, thick, split, ring. It fits loosely, spins freely, is probably a fiber-based compound, and probably aids in retention of fork oil as the oil is forced up and down the inner fork tube. Unfortunately, it does not, as you suspected, come as a separate part...you have to acquire the entire inner fork tube. If I recall correctly, others have run into this problem and ended up making their own, running the front end w/out it, or substituting from another bike (there are other model bikes that use the the same sort of technology...I just don't recall which). The set of 1977 inner fork tubes I have are in good shape and I think I could remove these fiber 'piston rings' w/out damaging them. Who knows, you might find them on eBay (not mine, though )

Michael

Michael, you were correct, the left fork had the fiber ring on it and the right did not, so I went to NAPA, and bought a o ring and installed it.
I am now kind of having second thoughts since both sides do not match, but I guess I will ride it and see what happens.

On another note, seems to me with oil only in the shocks, and working the tube up and down you would feel some resistance, but I really didnt feel any, seems to me that its working off the spring only.
is there still a problem with the shocks? any thoughts would be appreciated

Bobby

It's possible that the o-ring may absorb some oil and swell. It may add some amount of stiction to your fork. I'm not sure how much difference it will make, but if the fork starts to become stiff, then I would suspect your o-ring is the culprit.

You may try and call Race Tech, they do sell all kinds of small rebuild parts for motorcycle suspension.

I'm with testarossa on this...I don't know how much of an effect the o-ring will have...as long as the fit on the inside of the outer fork tube is not tight, then it might mimic the effect of the fiber ring. There is a fair amount of play with the fiber ring and as long as the o-ring doesn't swell up and completely block oil movement (it needs to impede it, not block it) you might be fine.

Michael

Is this the all Houston Metro Area thread? Happy New Year boys.

testarossa wrote:

Is this the all Houston Metro Area thread? Happy New Year boys.

Yep...strange, but true.

I didnt think about the o ring swelling, good point, I am going to look for the correct fiber part, prob goning to look for a complete good set of forks to rebuild and replace the ones I have.
Thanks for all the help !!

Bobby

well he said it was a split ring
and a o-ring is not a split ring?
alota dif
take o-ring out.