1981 KZ550A2 Update

Ya gotta pay to play. :whistle:
Steve

Third acid etc aided by chain agitation did the trick on the tank. Inside was very clean. Dried with a heat gun. The KBS product was as advertised. With the petcock out and tank lid off I was able to get a good look in most areas of the tank. The tank is fully coated. Top, bottom, sides and seams. Drained excess out of the petcock hole. I did a few JB weld external rust repairs (no holes) near the badges. There was one pretty decent pinhole under the right side badge. Been watching a tank on ebay but think I'll pass for now. Will get a few pics up soon. R

A few latest tank pics. I think the KBS sealer is going to work out. R

Damn phone. Upside friggin down. Anyway 48 more hours an then I'll get some hardware on an leak check. R

Anyone have experience with the air adjusted front shocks on my 81 550A.Looking to replace the fork seals as the right side is bad. Wondering of any tips/tricks.

R

Get a set of Progressive springs, and then you wont need the air assist. Stock fork springs are approx .49 rate, which is just slightly more than 1/2 of what they need to be.

As far as taking them apart, they are pretty straightforward, and you probably wont need any special tools.

Much better view of the tank and sealer outcome. R

A video update on the project. R

My forks came apart well. Ltsa rust in the triple tree area. The tubes cleaned up well and they are not pitted or damaged. The dreaded dampener bolt came of like a charm on both legs. A quick rap on the socket handle did the job. this made me happy as I had a hell of fight with one leg of a 650 last summer. Needed a holder for that one. BTW I noticed that the dampener bolt had sealant and an apparent brass crush washer. is it a crush washer and should I replace? What type of sealant is bet when reinstalling? R

I have never replaced the copper washers on mine. It doesn't leak but you could use silicon if you're concerned about it.
Steve

Latest. Fork seals, dust cover and new 10w oil in place. Put six pounds of air in each side and bolted it back together. Much nicer and no leaky right side. Waiting for air ducts and a petcock rebuild kit. The cheapo non vacuum one off ebay is not gonna work as the outlet exits rearward and can not accommodate the bend back to the fuel rail. Found a used proper advancer too. With how mild it has been, I may get to ride soon. Stuff should all be here by Christmas. Happy Motoring. R