'79 kz650 sr fork oil HELP...

hey y'all,

I've been searching all over and CAN NOT find the proper info on how to change my fork oil and seals.
I have a digital copy of the kz '78-83(?) shop manual, which gives only the BRIEFEST of descriptions, and also mentions things like an air nozzle, which my forks do not have...
it is getting to the point where my front end wobbles at low speed, and dips unexpectedly while cornering which doesn't make me comfortable at all!!!

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
THANK YOU,
REV. R. BECK

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationIf decide to invest in another manual, could consider:


Includes a downloadable manual:
jarlef.no/Kawasaki/Series/Z/650/z650files.htm

And general info:
jarlef.no/Kawasaki/Series/Z/650/z650sr.htm

If needed, there's a link in my signature for help with navigating kawasaki.com to see the parts diagram of the forks on the particular model at hand.

Good Fortune!

I don't know what manual you have, but it must not be a Kawasaki manual. Look on pages starting with 122 and 185 in the link. It explains all. Ed

www.scribd.com/doc/48655900/Kawasaki-KZ-...B1-77-Service-Manual

A few quick steps.

Remove the front wheel.

Remove the brake calipers, but don't disconnect the lines. You can support them from the front of the frame with some string or insulated wire to keep them out of the way.

Remove the drain plug and then remove the cap at the top of the tube.

With a high-sided pan around the bottom of the slider, GENTLY move it up to start pumping the oil out. Forcefully moving the slider and not having a high-sided pail or some such around the bottom of the slider or you'll decorate the garage wall.

Remove one fork from the tree leaving the other bolted in to help retain alignment.

Separate the slider from the upper tube. On my '79 SR I used this procedure to remove the damper rod .

I used a seal puller to remove the seal with a thin piece of wood to protect the slider from damage.

Drive in the new seal. I used a large socket to drive it in square.

Replace or anneal the copper crush washer on the bottom bolt that holds the damper rod.

Put it all back together and torque all the fasteners properly.

Do the other one.

Only then do you hit the fridge for beer! :woohoo:

thank you guys for all the info!

...it seems I'm still at a bit of a loss however. At the top of my forks, under the plastic cap is a large aprox' 1" square hole, I have no tool which would fit this... and is it simply a set-screw? there appears to be several smaller tooth-like pieces just below this?!?

I am not familiar with the 650s, but that does not look right to me. Under the plastic cap should be the spring seat which threads into the fork tube and should not have a hole in the center. That looks like a perfect way for dirt, water and various free range animals to get into the fork.
At any rate, hopefully the square hole is 3/4 of an inch so that you can use a 3/4 drive ratchet or break over bar to get it out. You will need to loosen the top triple clamp pinch bolts and CAREFULLY unscrew the seat. If the spring is still any good, there will be pressure against the seat and it could fly out with some force. More likely though, the springs are shot and there may be no pressure at all.
Keep us posted.

That square depression is normal, some (like mine) have a 6-sided depression. What is NOT normal is that it appears that someone has punched all the way through the bottom of the square depression. You should be able to fit a ratchet extension into the depression to unscrew the cap (officially called the "fork top bolt"). Before you try to unscrew it, loosen the upper fork clamp bolt next to the cap or you will have a rough time unscrewing it. If there are in fact holes punched all the way through the bottom of the depression you must replace the cap. Otherwise, as TexasKZ points out, water and other crap can get into the fork tube plus you will have air escaping from the fork tube every time you hit a bump instead of that air being compressed which adds a little air spring pressure resistance to the fork movement. Ed

Some are not threaded. The 1/2 square recess allows you to put a 1/2 extenstion in that square and push down on the spring, under that plug is a groove with a retaining clip.(if it doesnt unscrew)
It will be threaded or be a retaining type, sometimes I forget on these dinosaurs.

Remove the retaining clip and carefully tap in on the extension. Usually there is dirt and crud whick causes it to stick. Most likely have to tap it down. After clips out, it comes out and you'll see the spring under it.

I usually wrapped a tie down strap around the upper chrome part of leg and vise it, then remove the plug top.
(its spring loaded so always be careful)

OldSchoolZ wrote: Some are not threaded. The 1/2 square recess allows you to put a 1/2 extenstion in that square and push down on the spring, under that plug is a groove with a retaining clip.(if it doesnt unscrew)
It will be threaded or be a retaining type, sometimes I forget on these dinosaurs.

Remove the retaining clip and carefully tap in on the extension. Usually there is dirt and crud whick causes it to stick. Most likely have to tap it down. After clips out, it comes out and you'll see the spring under it.

I usually wrapped a tie down strap around the upper chrome part of leg and vise it, then remove the plug top.
(its spring loaded so always be careful)

There's no retaining clip on the KZ650. Just a threaded cap with an O-ring. Ed

Loosen bolt 5 in the diagram above before trying to remove #3. As Ed said, #3 should be a square hole that a 1/2 drive extension will fit into.

Yes sir, in my reply I stated it was one or the other. I worked on all bikes for many years, so Im not one of those guys who only knows Kawasaki KZ's.
Ive rebuilt just about every fork on the planet all the way up to new, inverted, conventionals ect...
I can rebuild and repair anything from V-max cranks all the way to 1800 Goldwings. You name it, Ive been into it.