Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original
Swapping RM Forks
Enginerd:
Gents,
I'm working on swapping a set of 96-98 Suzuki RM forks to the front of my 1995 KX5. These are twin chamber, 49mm conventional forks made by Showa. Lots of offroad guys really like these forks, so I thought I'd give them a try.
However, I haven't found any record online of anyone who's performed the swap. Have any of you guys done this swap, or seen it done? :?
It seems to me that swapping the KX stem into the lower RM triple clamp will be the way to go. I want to keep my entire 95 KX5 front end together, and set it to the side in case I don't like the RM forks. So, I need a lower KX triple to get the steering stem out of. What years and models are interchangeable in the KX lineup?
Also, if you have any tips or suggestions for me, I'd be glad to hear them.
Thanks,
Gary
kxpegger:
--- Quote from: Enginerd on April 04, 2012, 08:13:50 AM ---Gents,
I'm working on swapping a set of 96-98 Suzuki RM forks to the front of my 1995 KX5. These are twin chamber, 49mm conventional forks made by Showa. Lots of offroad guys really like these forks, so I thought I'd give them a try.
However, I haven't found any record online of anyone who's performed the swap. Have any of you guys done this swap, or seen it done? :?
It seems to me that swapping the KX stem into the lower RM triple clamp will be the way to go. I want to keep my entire 95 KX5 front end together, and set it to the side in case I don't like the RM forks. So, I need a lower KX triple to get the steering stem out of. What years and models are interchangeable in the KX lineup?
Also, if you have any tips or suggestions for me, I'd be glad to hear them.
Thanks,
Gary
--- End quote ---
Im pretty sure the stem is a press fit. My only concern would be the number of times you can press fit a piece of steel into aluminum before you run into some problems. I suspect this is why the OEM manufactures don't sell the stem from the clamp separate but as one unit. If the Suzuki stem uses the same size bearings but the stem is to long you could probably have it machined. If the stem is to short your out of luck unless you choose to press fit. I saw a post around here where someone had modified a KX450F set of clamps and forks for a KX500. Can't remember exactly what he did though!
ID KX500:
I swapped forks on an XR650L from a CR500. kxpegger is right on the repressing of the steering stems,,, it should not be done. If the fork tubes are the same I'd keep it simple and just drop in the RMs in the KX. Do they fit?
The Flyin Hawaiian:
Popular mod among a core group of enduro riders here on the east coast. You simply have a set of spacers made that will fit into the KXs triple clamps to make up the differance of the smaller 49mm forks. I am contemplating the same mod on my 500 using a revalved set of DRZ400 49mm forks. A machinest friend of mine is going to make the spacers for me. I spoke to Drew Smith from WER (Works Enduro Rider) and he said using spacers will work w/o any issues. Any machinest can make them and you can go back to stock easily. You will probably need the forks, wheel etc from the donor RM. I believe a DRZ wheel will work also
CR480R:
stems press easy...thats the way to go if you can. Most i've pressed had some type of factory anti seize on them... do you know for sure the RM stem is a no go? If you could find any info on CR to Rm swaps it would be useful because if a honda stem (USD models) will press into the rm clamp, so will a kx500/kdx stem. I know because i have some '95 cr500 forks with a kx500 stem in them.. identical press fit and i believe stems from most 90's jap motocrossers will too.. I had a kx500 stem with stripped threads, i replaced it with one I took from a kdx.. so that opens up more potential stem donors.
--- Quote from: Enginerd on April 04, 2012, 08:13:50 AM ---It seems to me that swapping the KX stem into the lower RM triple clamp will be the way to go. I want to keep my entire 95 KX5 front end together, and set it to the side in case I don't like the RM forks. So, I need a lower KX triple to get the steering stem out of. What years and models are interchangeable in the KX lineup?
--- End quote ---
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