Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original
Swapping RM Forks
sandblaster:
Both the 95 K5 and the RM 49mm Conventional forks have a center line to center line mount of 102mm for the brake caliper.
Even though I have not tried it I think you can use the RM brake on your K5.
The RM uses a 20MM AXLE and the outside of BRG to the outside of BRG is 88MM,
The KX also uses a AXLE OD 20MM - BRG TO BRG 89.5MM - (approx .060 difference)
Both use a 250mm brake rotor OD.
So, with a little bit of mods on the wheel spacers you might be able to use the K5 front wheel.
If you try any of this let us know if it works.
Enginerd:
--- Quote from: The Flyin Hawaiian on April 04, 2012, 03:41:18 PM ---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 machinist 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
--- End quote ---
This is an idea I hadn't thought of! You are right, that this would make it easy to go back to stock, and it would also prevent any issues with the RM steering stops not working with the KX frame.
I have two concerns. The first is that the RM and KX triple clamp center-to-center distance may not be the same. I do have both sets of triples and will have to measure when I get home (I'm working in N. Dakota for the next week)
My second concern is that the insert bushings that go between the KX triple clamp and the RM fork tube could move/slip when the forks take a big hit. However, if someone like Drew Smith thinks the use of the bushings will be OK, I think it probably will. He has a bit more experience than me. :-D
Thanks for the idea!
Enginerd:
--- Quote from: CR480R on April 04, 2012, 05:31:47 PM ---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.
--- End quote ---
I've heard that swapping the RM stem into the KX lower triple is a possible route to go, but I'm afraid there might be too much difference between the RM style steering stops and the KX style steering stops. I might get really lucky and the RM triples might go into the KX steering neck, and then it would be a super easy swap. Unfortunately, I am not at home right now to look at the parts.
Thanks for the reply!
Enginerd:
--- Quote from: sandblaster on April 04, 2012, 07:00:31 PM ---Both the 95 K5 and the RM 49mm Conventional forks have a center line to center line mount of 102mm for the brake caliper.
Even though I have not tried it I think you can use the RM brake on your K5.
The RM uses a 20MM AXLE and the outside of BRG to the outside of BRG is 88MM,
The KX also uses a AXLE OD 20MM - BRG TO BRG 89.5MM - (approx .060 difference)
Both use a 250mm brake rotor OD.
So, with a little bit of mods on the wheel spacers you might be able to use the K5 front wheel.
If you try any of this let us know if it works.
--- End quote ---
This is great info! Thanks, Sir!
don46:
first, if you press the stem out, you must press it all the way through, in other words the long part has to go all the way through, there is a circlip in the bottom that keeps the stem from coming through the clamp.
second, Emig will make you a set of KX triples bored for the RM forks, it would be a bit pricey but would work
The spacers referred to would have to be split so when the clamps are tightened they would compress the spacers locking them on the clamp, I've done this before but only on the top clamp
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