So, here is what I've come up with:

I ordered 4 of the needle roller bearings for a later model KZ650 swing arm from Z1E. I measured everything and then cut the ends off the old bronze swing arm bushings, as they are required for shimming the swing arm end play. I parted them off on a lathe using a parting tool, leaving 0.100" to protrude into the swing arm tube. See [strike]upper left in photo[/strike] sorry - mid - right!!!:




Then back to the lathe, I turned 2 inner bearing races from tool steel, with 0.001" of total radial clearance on the roller bearings and the swing arm spindle. I still have to cut the old sleeve down, but it was 2 a.m. when I turned the lights off in the shop last night!





The assembly (with liberal amounts of bearing grease) goes like this:





The new Z1E needle bearings get pressed (2 a side) into the swing arm in place of the old bushings. There is an air gap of 0.125" between them in the swing arm. The old, worn out center sleeve is cut to length (the amount cut off = the length of the 2 new inner bearing races I made) and inserted in the swing arm as a spacer between the new inner bearing races to keep them in place. The cut off ends of the old bushings then are pressed into the swing arm as end spacers



Then the old dust / grease seals placed over them, then installed in the frame.

Total parts cost is under $20! (don't ask about how long it took to make the parts, please!)

Welcome aboard! In order to buy the correct oil filter you need to know exactly which model 1982 KZ750 you own, because Kawasaki made 5 different KZ750 models in 1982. Once you know the model finding the correct oil filter is easy; just go to knfilters.com and plug in the make, year, and model.

Here are some tips that you may find helpful - Many newbies and not so newbies run into or issues with their bikes which could be easily avoided with a little preparation or information. Here are a couple recommendations that I hope you will find useful.

Before riding your KZ you should take a little time to become familiar with it. Simple things like checking the oil, tire pressures, etc. are explained in the Kawasaki Owner's Manual. If you bike didn't come with one (they normally are in a little holder on the bottom of the seat) you can usually find one on eBay - be sure to get one for your exact year/model.


MANUAL

You really should consider buying the Kawasaki Factory Service Manual for your bike. The factory service manual provides instructions on the various maintenance procedures and schedules for your bike, procedures for diagnosing problems, proper torque values for the various fasteners (VERY IMPORTANT), and insight into how each system on your bike works even if you are not repairing that system. Studying the manual before you attempt performing service on your bike will impart an understanding of the system you are working on which will increase the odds of success.

The manuals usually are readily available for most models on eBay and other sources; but be sure to get one that has your specific year and model in it as there are differences between the various KZ650 models. I do not recommend Clymers, Haynes, or other aftermarket manuals as I have seen instances where they provide inaccurate advice. You may decide to use those to supplement the factory manual, but in my opinion they are not a suitable substitute. If you have trouble finding one for your model ask us to help.


TOOLS

WARNING! Do not even try to use Phillips screwdrivers on the Kawasaki cross head screws. Despite their appearance they are not Phillips screws. They are Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screws. The tips of Phillips screwdrivers are too long & pointed to allow the 4 blades of the screwdriver to properly engage the screws, so when you apply force the screw head slots will deform and look like crap. The fact is that Phillips screws were deliberately designed to have the screwdriver bit "cam out." This was done to prevent production line assembly from over-tightening, stripping, or breaking the screws. JIS screws do not have this problem. A proper fitting JIS bit can tighten a JIS screw to and beyond the torque spec without camming out. Here's the good news - you can easily modify standard Phillips screwdriver tips to fit the JIS screws.

I have ground down the tips of DeWalt #2 and DeWalt #3 Phillips to make them fit JIS screws. The large crosshead screws on the cases take modified #3 bits (or genuine #3 JIS bits). To modify the DeWalt bits you need to grind the very tip a little, then test fit, then grind a little more and test fit, etc. until the bit no longer "rocks" back and forth in the screwhead. Picture 1 below shows how a DeWalt #3 bit fits the case screws of my KZ650 after being ground properly. The #2 DeWalt bits can be modified the same way to fit smaller JIS screws. Pictures 2 and 3 below shows DeWalt #2 and #3 modified bits.

I did find a place that sells authentic JIS bits. They don't list the #3 bit, but if you contact them they can provide the #3 JIS bits even though they are not listed on the website. These folks were very easy to work with, and the authentic bits do work great. Here's their site:

www.rjrcooltools.com/shop_item_detail.cfm?subcat_ID=89

Pictures 4 & 5 below show a comparison between my home made modified bits with the authentic JIS bits, and picture 6 shows a comparison between Philips and JIS bit tips.

PICTURE 1

PICTURE 2

PICTURE 3

PICTURE 4

PICTURE 5

PICTURE 6





Before reaching for that wrench or ratchet consider the following. The bolts are steel, but your engine and front forks are aluminum. The bolts are much tougher than the aluminum and if over tightened will strip the aluminum threads. Although these can be repaired, preventing damage by applying proper torque will save you grief, time, and money. Tightening fasteners properly requires torque wrenches. Various vendors, including Snap-on, CDI, Sears, etc., market torque wrenches. The two most popular types are the bar type and micrometer type. Either will work, but the micrometer type is a bit easier to use, especially if you are tightening several fasteners with the same torque - such as cylinder head covers. You will need a torque wrench calibrated in INCH POUNDS for many of the bolts. You will also need a torque wrench calibrated in FOOT POUNDS for the larger bolts. Don't try to use the foot pounds wrench on the smaller bolts as it will not be sensitive enough at low torque settings to provide accurate torque. There are many fasteners that require low torque. These include such things as 6mm oil pan bolts, cylinder head cover bolts, etc. for which the torque in 61-78 inch pounds. These low torque bolts require a wrench that is accurate at low settings and this wrench should be graduated in inch pounds. In addition, there are numerous high torque fasteners such as the front axle nuts (51 - 65 foot pounds) or swing arm pivot shaft nuts (58 - 87 foot pounds). These require a wrench that is accurate at higher settings; this wrench should be graduated in foot pounds. Using the proper torque wrenches to correctly tighten fasteners will help prevent damage and contribute to a safe bike. The Kawasaki Service Manual will list the various torque specs for the bolts. I suggest you get the manual before buying the torque wrenches so you can decide which wrenches best meet the torque specs.

Consider buying a can of Kroil penetrating oil and use it to soak stubborn fasteners for a couple days before trying to loosen them. Remember, the original screws and bolts were installed on your bike when Jimmy Carter was President, so many of them may be hard to remove. Kroil can be bought online, at guns shows, and at some other venues.


MOTOR OIL
The ingredients in oils have changed over the years. For example, today's Castrol GTX oil (and pretty much all other AUTOMOBILE oil) is not the same as it was in the 1980's. Back then it worked great in KZ bikes. But, things have changed. Early AUTOMOBILE oils contained zinc phosphorus compounds (ZDDP) to protect engine components from metal to metal contact. This was good for engines, but it was found to be destructive to catalytic converters. Consequently, in AUTOMOBILE oils ZDDP was virtually eliminated and replaced with different chemistry generically referred to as "Friction Modifiers." These work fine and offer good protection for normal AUTOMOBILE engines. However, today's AUTOMOBILE oil "Friction Modifiers" are destructive to wet clutches. KZ bikes (and many other brands) have wet clutches. As a result of these oil chemistry changes a distinction needed to be made between those oils which are suitable for wet clutches and those which are not. That distinction was documented by the Japanese Engine Oil Standards Implementation Panel (JASO). JASO developed a number of different oil specifications for different applications. The specifications that apply to 4 stroke motorcycles fall under the "4T Specifications." Within the 4T specifications the JASO MA class oils are specifically formulated for 4 stroke motorcycles with wet clutches.

There are synthetic, semi-synthetic, and non-synthetic oils that meet the JASO-MA standard and any of them will work ok. However, using oils that are not designated as meeting the JASO-MA standard is destructive to KZ clutches.

Good luck with your bike. Ed

Does anyone know if there is a book or somewhere where I can find piece for piece how to my my twin back together? I was in too big of a hurry taking in apart and now it's biting me in the ass any help would be appreciated. I have the swing arm battery box and ever thing else down ad back tore off and I know I will need some new gromets and bushings so help with finding those would be great too

Kray-Z wrote:

650ed wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote: ..

REPLACEMENT SLEEVE

Attachment 00003b-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22.jpg not found

Hey, this is exactly the solution I need! If I can buy this "replacement" sleeve - the grooves being closer together will work (acceptably) with the needle bearings - and I won't have to machine my own sleeve! Where can I get one of these????

Never mind - just found it and it is over $120 CAN.! Looks like I'm back in the machine shop on this one!!!!

650ed wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote: ..

REPLACEMENT SLEEVE

Attachment 00003b-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22.jpg not found

Hey, this is exactly the solution I need! If I can buy this "replacement" sleeve - the grooves being closer together will work (acceptably) with the needle bearings - and I won't have to machine my own sleeve! Where can I get one of these????

This is the parts list for the new build:

ZXR750 USD front end
woodcraft clipons
custom top yoke
810 Wiseco kit
Top end redone with ground / lapped valves and ported head
mild / hot street cams
teflon coated piston skirts
Kiehin CR29's
upgraded clutch springs
ISR discs, master cylinder and levers
GSXR1000 K1 6 pot caliper conversion
ZXR1200 swingarm, rear wheel brakes etc
Stack ST700 clock
racefit quick filler
new custom stainless 4-1 exhaust
new bodywork form airtech
BEET rearsets
Shorai lithium battery
And much much more.

Here's a few pics of the build process till date.

The needle bearings would make a nice upgrade. Without regular greasing, they would be harder to replace.
Steve

RonKZ650 wrote: ...... Problem is the worm passages get clogged with old grease almost right away then you can pump all day through the zerk and no grease goes anywhere. ......

I've never had that problem with mine and I've had the bike for 39 years, but I lube the swing arm every 1,000 miles. Grease always flows freely through the worm passages. on mine. I guess if it is neglected the grease could coagulate, but I have no idea how long that would take. One thing I would say is that the worm passages on the original swing arm sleeves are more widely spaced and are more laterally oriented than I have seen on some replacement sleeves (see images below), so that may have an effect. To me, the replacement sleeves look like they could clog up easier than the originals. Ed

ORIGINAL SLEEVE


REPLACEMENT SLEEVE

The design of the bushing setup with the sleeve was pretty poor, so I don't blame anyone for wanting to get rid of the bushings for needle bearings. The way the grease zerk works on the 1977 model with the bushings is grease goes in through the zerk, then travels several inches via worm passages in the sleeve to the bushings. This is the concept anyway. Problem is the worm passages get clogged with old grease almost right away then you can pump all day through the zerk and no grease goes anywhere. Good reason they got rid of that system quickly, one of the worst designs ever.

If the owner is so dopey that he doesn't know the swingarm has a grease fitting maybe you should hardtail the swingarm and tell him it is permanently lubed. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Ed