Home made steering shaft.

[brent j]

Hi all,

I've just finished making a new steering shaft for my next XT.

When I built the current bike I used Suzuki fork legs and Honda triple clamps to get the offset I wanted. This was using 38mm forks.

This time I used a 43mm front end from an XT600 (drum brake model) but could not find fork legs and triples with the offset I wanted. I ended up using the XT600 fork legs and set of XR500 triples (lighter than the XT ones) and making an offset steering shaft.

The shaft is offset 7.5mm at the bottom but I could not get the bearings on if I offset the top. I ended up boring the Honda top clamp offset and installing an offset bush. This set up uses std size XT bearings (tapered rollers).

I hope to fit the front end to my race bike this weekend and get it out for a ride. I know how it will handle but I'm waiting to try new springs and PD valves AND 11'' of travel instead of 9''.

If I've done this right I should have posted a picture of the shaft and top clamp.

Cheers

http://www.villagephotos.com/viewpubimage.asp?id_=22028553


Brent

[LWC82PE]

i thought XT 600's had 41 mm forks and only the TT 600 was 43mm

[LWC82PE]

if you got 43mm and TLS front hub i think it would be TT600. as far as im aware all XT 600's from the 80s are 41. im not sure about Tenere though. they may be 43. but i think they are disc.

if you send me a photo i can tell you what they are from. ive got access to a 41mm 84 XT 600 disc front end and a 83/84 TT 600 TLS front end and a 87 TT 600 disc front end

did a little checking

if you used 83/84 XR 500 clamps, then yes they are 43mm. earlyer ones are 37mm

all XT 600 forks 84 -95 are 41mm  (thats excluding tenere as they may be thicker??)

so from that i think you have TT 600 forks or YZ/IT forks

[brent j]

I think the front end is TT as you say, it has the TLS brake with the anchor lug at 90 degrees to the fork leg.
I'm thinking about fitting a disc brake front wheel and maybe one fork leg (left) with caliper for racing up here against the moderns.

Brent

[LWC82PE]

i will suss out what external differences there are between disc and drum TT. im sure you can just swap the one leg though no problem. the place to get TT forks is in SA as there is lots of TT's with sidecars and the front ends get taken off and leading links put on instead.

YZ stuff is interchangeable with TT front ends too. get a Z spoke front wheel as they are bullet proof. dont go for 85 YZ front wheel though unless the disc is good. its really hard to get aftermarket discs for them and you gotta get custom made discs if the original is stuffed. TT discs are no problems though.

sounds like a nice project. whats hapening to the rear end?

i like anyone whos willing to take on modern bikes with an old bike!

[brent j]

The back end of this will be PE250-400 swingarm and a set of OHLINS shocks.

Works out to 11" travel up front and 12" at the back.

I could be interested in a disc brake wheel and forks later in the year if they're still around.

Brent

[Nathan S]

What material did you make it from? The idea of it breaking is an unpleasant one...

Nice workmanship .

And you do know that mis-spelling your own name, offers the rest of us a lot of opportunities to take the piss? 

[brent j]

Shit I must be getting old if I can't spell my own name

The shaft is made from a section of truck axle. And I magnafluxed it before I started.
I've probably gone over board as the standard shafts appear to be mild steel and they are hollow. I've remachined a few and they don't machine like anything special.
Honda shafts are alloy, smaller dia than Yam or Zuk and hollow.
The step between the lower offsets is the point of concern. After the photo was taken the shaft was polished, not for looks but to remove any stress points or "stress risers"

If I suddenly stop posting anything (not that I do much anyway) at all, you'll know it didn't work!

Brent