[pgilles]

Looking at JohnnyBlaze's thread on the old forum: http://tw200forum.com/forums/73991/ShowPost.aspx



I have no experience with forks and putting them together, I've never even pulled them apart either. But curious if the stationary part (mounted to triple tree) of the YZ80 forks could be assembled to the sliding part (axle bolts to) of the TW's forks? I'm okay with losing some travel as I don't feel I need it all. Just curious if something like this is even possible?



Just throwing out an idea. Feel free to give me a straight up answer. Just want to know.



Thanks for the input!

Pat

 

[Gerry]

Pat, I think everyone will ask you for additional clarification. Based on my thinking and experience, if you are to try and mate one part of the YZ to another part of the TW, I would say it is very unlikely without major modification.



Now, the potential of putting a complete YZ fork (tubes) into a "bored out" TW tripple-tree holds lots of potential, but no-one to my knowledge has presented a "complete" and tested set-up. Seems Jonny came 'very' close, but we have not heard from him since his last "mock-up".



You will likely need the TW tripple-tree for its width if you stay with the stock front wheel (Rodrey did not). I was able to overbore my stock 32mm (I think) triple-tree to 34mm (I think) to use the Tri-Z forks. For me, these forks have been great, but required some significant changes to brake mounts that would require that you give some serious thoughts to safety.



For me, the stock axle was plenty long enough for the new forks. However, the axle 'holes' in the new Tri-Z forks were a larger diameter. Again, caution here, but I felt comfortable having a machinist make sleeves/bushings to produce a snug fit.



In my opinion, suspension mods reguire that you give lots of thought to your personal safety (I still wonder what happened to Jonny Blaze). I would suggest, if you proceed (I did) do lots of slow, cautious trial runs with lots of 'test breaking'. Good luck, Gerry

 

[pgilles]

Pat, I think everyone will ask you for additional clarification. Based on my thinking and experience, if you are to try and mate one part of the YZ to another part of the TW, I would say it is very unlikely without major modification.



Now, the potential of putting a complete YZ fork (tubes) into a "bored out" TW tripple-tree holds lots of potential, but no-one to my knowledge has presented a "complete" and tested set-up. Seems Jonny came 'very' close, but we have not heard from him since his last "mock-up".



You will likely need the TW tripple-tree for its width if you stay with the stock front wheel (Rodrey did not). I was able to overbore my stock 32mm (I think) triple-tree to 34mm (I think) to use the Tri-Z forks. For me, these forks have been great, but required some significant changes to brake mounts that would require that you give some serious thoughts to safety.



For me, the stock axle was plenty long enough for the new forks. However, the axle 'holes' in the new Tri-Z forks were a larger diameter. Again, caution here, but I felt comfortable having a machinist make sleeves/bushings to produce a snug fit.



In my opinion, suspension mods reguire that you give lots of thought to your personal safety (I still wonder what happened to Jonny Blaze). I would suggest, if you proceed (I did) do lots of slow, cautious trial runs with lots of 'test breaking'. Good luck, Gerry

Yeah, I'm basically thinking if you could take the stationary fork tube from the YZ (more length) and match that with the sliding forl tube from the TW (retain axle diameter and brake mount) that you could have best of both worlds. But of course, the odds of these actually being compatible together and bolting together are slim. Just thought I'd see if this has been thought of.



Thinking about finding some junk forks on ebay to play around with on the work bench, and not have too much money into it to find out it doesn't work.

 

[Gerry]

If all you are wanting to do is 'balance' the bike front to rear, and not necessarily get a better fork, this idea may be easier; When I was thinking about the problems I may have had to deal with when installing my Tri-Z forks, Rodrey made a suggestion that I did not completely understand, so we went back and forth in order to gain some understanding. The long and the short was to machine a 'fork tube extention'. This would allow you to 'simply' drop your stock tubes below (out of) the top triple clamp. This would level the bike and likely require 'only' longer brake hose/speed-O cable. NOW, you would have a clamping sleeve machined (aluminium) that would 'cup & clamp' say 3" of the top fork tube, and then of course extend high enough to also be secured into the top triple-tree clamp. Should you have a welder, you could fabricate this yourself using some tubing and bar-stock. ******** AGAIN....... SAFTY is a concern, this was simply an idea that was discussed, I believe it has merit, but remains untested..... Gerry

 

[joedirt1970]

Good day to you,



I was wondering if anyone has any idea what the diameter of the '84 YZ 125 forks are and if they might fit in the TW triple clamps. Or might they be waaay to long. I was just dreaming without the checkbook to do it...but at least it is cheaper that fixig up an old classic car...

 

[Gerry]

Brock, fork lengths and diameters were discussed in some detail before we switched to the new forum format. A member was even good enough to log a very long list of 'posibilities' most it seemed were from road bikes. I don't remember length (to long) being an issue for us as we can push them up out of the triple tree a bit. The big issue is diameter of the fork tube and how much you dare bore the stock clamps. I purchase an older set of YZ 125 forks on E-Bay, then asked the seller to provide me some measurements. The price was right and I had only a few minutes to bid. Won the forks and then had the seller indicate that they measured 36mm perhaps it was 37mm. In any event I deemed them to fat and told the seller to keep the cash and the forks as paying for shipping would add insult to my folly. Gerry

 

[pgilles]

I haven't been able to find the fork diameter list from the old forum, but I was able to find this list through google:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3565549/Motorcycle-fork-tube-sizes

 

[Gerry]

Pgilles, the list I spoke of looked like that, perhaps it was. Gerry

 

[joedirt1970]

I ended up getting some YZ 80 forks and have been waiting to put them on for about 12 months now. Chick to fix something that works and I have LIMITED room in my apartment.

 

[pgilles]

I ended up getting some YZ 80 forks and have been waiting to put them on for about 12 months now. Chick to fix something that works and I have LIMITED room in my apartment.

Brock, I thought you did the hybrid fork thing? Or are you still soaking those things?? haha

http://tw200forum.co...h__1#entry18123



I know how projects go! I have stuff in the garage that needs to be fixed up for winter and, well, it's been too busy to get to it yet!