KX Riders
Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Aluminum Frame Conversion (AFC) => Topic started by: sylvester on April 24, 2011, 04:19:18 AM
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This website has added one more to the list of AF conversion addicts. I can not remember where I saw the first picture of a KX500AF, I do remember saying to myself that was sick...I want one. After petitioning the wife's approval, we began the frame search. Low and behold it was like a sign from God, there it was a 2006 KX250F frame very reasonable on "the bay". One highly antisipated week later and the UPS man dropped off my highly reflective consumer of spare time. And so it begins...
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00771.jpg)
( Noun: - A juggernaut is a term used to describe a literal or metaphorical force regarded as unstoppable. It is often applied to a large machine or collectively to a team or group of people working together, and often bears association with crushing or being physically destructive.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut)
The next item in my scavenger hunt on the to be found list was the engine and electronics. After composing my craigslist ad, the only thing left to do was hurry up and wait. After days of sifting through spam emails and people who want to trade everything BUT what you clearly listed you would trade for, I got a real offer. Some shrude negotiation and the heart of the beast was sitting on my garage floor, a 1986 KX500. Not my first choise, but it looks very clean and the powervalve drums dont look all gummed up.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00811.jpg)
Duplicated the factory bends on the engine support tubes, and devised a crude jig, which suprised me with a very accurate bend for both pieces.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00781.jpg)
I must thank every other AF build in this forum and ones like this. I have copied some ideas, modified others and outright learned what not to do. Thank you all.
I elected to keep the engine support rails in factory appearance, mostly for the looks, but I later discovered... had I not bent the rails in, I would be inserting longer spacers to unite the motor mounts to their respective bolt slots on the cases.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00791.jpg)
Removed the cast "Y", cleaned it up for reuse.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00801.jpg)
Tack welded the cleaned and trimmed "Y" and fit the engine support rails for tack welding.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00931.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00921.jpg)
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i think you should get an 89 and up motor because of parts availability .
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Just got the frame back from Copper Fabrication, in Post Falls Idaho. Great tig welding job.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01161.jpg)
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Radiator's showed up, right side super easy... made a bracket to relocate it up and forward just a tad. Left tank will more than likely just be a right one fliped and relocate the fittings.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01191.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01201.jpg)
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Those frame welds look great!
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nice job ! welds look nice!
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Thank you gentlemen, I wish I could weld that nice...my controbution was the spot welds done with a spool gun. Those guys at Cooper Fab took it in Wed at 3:00 and had it done Thurs by 12. I was impressed! The Juggernaut may be on the back burner for a bit... the wife's bike needs attention and our son's KTM 50 just went through another coil and stator. $$$$$
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Slow progress this week, gas tank showed up and revealed to me that I welded the coil mount bracket in the wrong spot, so that comes off tomorrow. I used a heat gun and warmed up the plastic tank and pushed it up just enough to clear the spark plug. I have a regular plug in the pictures, but I will be finally using the stubby version.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01311.jpg)
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Hi mate , ref the plug if you look at my post jan de groot i think i posted a pic of my r8 plug very short top, youl need a special cap to suit or cut the old one down + a loan as there very expensive !!!
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r8 plug!
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That is crazy ! I will keep my eyes peeled for those. I had been told to use the NGK BR8ECM and those are $11 a piece. I think we remoulded the tank so it will clear even the regular plug.
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Got the coil relocated on the neck.. gobbs of room now! And way more protection for it too.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01411.jpg)
Coffee after 7pm is not a good idea for sleep... but great for getting things done on the juggernaut.
Hammered out a water pump protector.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01381.jpg)
And a skid plate. :-D
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_00951.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01121.jpg)
This is what it looks like with the tank and shrouds on. Need to get the wife to take a second job. :roll:
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01401.jpg)
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I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Paul at ALL BALLS RACING. There input and controbution to this project is greatly appricated. Please vist there website for your bearing needs, and tell them you saw it here on the Juggernaut.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/All_Balls.jpg)
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Wet rainy day outside! Looks like the perfect oppertunity to split the cases and get that wrapped up.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01431.jpg)
SHAZAM!!
Didn't even need a puller to separate the cases, I would not recomend the weighted plastic hammer tapping method...EVER. I had the three bolt puller at the ready, but I knew I was replacing the flywheel side case anyway.
A few taps and they fell apart. I know that had I been trying to save the cases and didn't have the replacement case on hand, it would have cracked for sure...murphy's law and all.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_01671.jpg)
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i fixed the side fins to the skid plate saved a bit of weight!
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That is SWEEEET. Looks good.
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Any more progress on this? Lookin' good!
Grey
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Yes... I just spent countless hours sanding, sanding, sanding, wet sanding and polishing the frame, skid plate, swingarm. It may be endless upkeep...but it looks sick.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_02171.jpg)
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very nice what did you use to get it looking like that?? :-D
Thanks
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Start with 400 grit sand paper on a dual action air sander and remove scuffs, scratches, gouges will come out for the most part as you advance through the sand papers, sand off the rough casting pebble finish. Remember tight tiny areas are a bugger to polish later, that is why I left the upper portion of the down tube, besides the radiators cover that entirely. Moving on... follow that with 800 grit on the D.A. That is to be followed by 1000 or 1200 grit on the D.A. Next get a squirt bottle and fill with water, and now use 2000 grit, by hand wet sand. It will now start to take on a bit of a shine, if you are not worn out now, wipe it down and look very close for and sand scratches left by the DA because they will show later, also look for any pits you missed and depending how deep they are you may have to go back a step or two. When you are satisfied with what you see, I polished mine with a Matco 3" air buffer with a wool pad. Use Mother's Aluminum polish as the compound or similar product. Buff it to a mirror finish, dont worry about the black compound that is gummed up in the welds and cast marks you will take care of that next. I might stress this point... use air tools!!!!!! Hand sanding will be a pain. And anything less than an air buffer will not get the mirror finish, it swirls the compound but also builds a little heat which helps...believe me. Now inspect it again, fix anything you don't like. If you are satisfied, take it to a pressure washer. I laid mine down on bubble wrap because the shine will show every little scuff and scratch now. Use car wash soap, it is mild. If you use dish soap you will remove some of the aluminum polish and be buffing again. Wipe it down with a car wash mit, especially at the welds and cast areas that hold the black compound. then pressure wash the soap/ compound off. Immediately blow the frame off with compressed air, untill no more water comes trickling out, water spots you know. Then tape it up with painters tape, the not so sticky stuff, if you need to reassemble. That's it in a nut shell, how I did it anyway.
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know what you mean about the upkeep ,did the same on my kxf swing arm , kickstart and hgs pipe , looks the nuts though i used our workshop 415v ind bench grinder with mop wheel and ali soap ,your right you do need to get the heat into it!! nice tip on the black marks in the weld!!ta
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No much going on lately... side plastic showed up though.
Before
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_02321.jpg)
After
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_02361.jpg)
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looking sweet mate...cant wait to start mine :-D
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The Frame all polished up looks awesome!! The bike should look great when its done, How did you bend those frame rails? They came out really good! Im trying to figure out how to bend some myself for my new build
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I just copied the factory bend and transfered that to a 2x10, cut the profile on the band saw ( you can see the block in the 3 picture) just out of the picture at the top there is a 2x4 on the oppisite side of the tube for leverage. Learn from my mistakes get a 6 foot piece of 6061 aluminum square tube cut it in half then do the bends. If you don't get enough leverage to perform the bend you will only hurt yourself, trim to length AFTER the bending process. Now the trick, sweat the aluminum. I warmed it up with a propane torch, just enough to ease the bending process and to keep the metal from cracking or bunching up. For the sharp bend, I just stuck it in the vise with aluminum padded jaws ( you dont want galvanic corrosion). Just remember... WARM not HOT, and a little heat is fine, too hot will ruin the strength...especially if it is heated repeatedly.
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Finally !!! Got something done on this beast. Money has been sooo tight. Managed to get a Hot Rod connecting rod new off fleabay for $50. I pressed the old one out and the new one in, I used dowles to align the crank weights prior and durring pressing the new together. I will put it in v-blocks and check the runout but I feel that design is fairly foolproof.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04011.jpg)
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Hi how did you bend the frame rails looks good
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Hi how did you bend the frame rails looks good
Read the whole thread and you will find that he already explained how he bent the rails!!
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Thank God... progress. I was really getting discouraged with the build, I'm the type that has to be moving forward and seeing progress at least on a regular basis. Anyway radiators are bolted up, lower half of the engine is finally new and together. Now I need to order up the clutch, and piston. Thanks to all that helped advise me on the sleeved cylinder, I think I'm going to go for the limit and get the 88mm piston, when it can no longer be ringed or plated, that will be a good excuse to update the engine to a 90's verrsion.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04051.jpg)
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I would just like to take a second to thank everyone who has helped me with product and advise on this buid, from the start to this point.
HAMMER NUTRITION enter my customer # and get 15% off your first order, they have helped me get back to my racing form and fittness.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04121-1-1-1.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/HammerLogo.jpg)
Angela @ XTREME GRAPHICS & SIGNS for printing out numbers for the backgrounds.
If anyone is intrested in numbers etc. PM me and I will send you her phone #
xtremesignsandgrafix.com
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04111-1-1.jpg)
Boyesen.com for the sponsorship and the technical information/ advise on this build.
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like the engine colour is that powdercoat ??
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Rust-Oleum Engine Enamel 500 Deg. paint, " cast coat iron" they call it. I didnt like the colors they had, and aluminum heat paint has been done up the wazzu. Its diffrent and I think the blue anodize trinkets will work well with it.
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Great Project my friend!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:
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Slow progress, my father broke his hip so the bike has been on hold for a bit while he recoups.
Picked up a 1988 KX125 that someone had converted the forks over from a 97. I replaced the oil and seals, swapped the springs over for the ones from my 250 that C&M removed when he rebuilt with Race Tech stuff. Tripple clamps fit suprisingly well 2 diffrent bearings and viola.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04781.jpg)
Pulled the wheels appart, instead of going with aftermarket hubs I painted the hubs with 2011 Camaro Green, the wheels are cleaned up and dropped off for anodizing black. I am ordering RAD mfg spokes and nipples, 80% of the stock one are bent.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04771.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04751.jpg)
Doing some prelim hose routing too.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04761.jpg)
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04741-1.jpg)
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These are the numbers for bearings and races to fit the 06 neck to the 97 steering stem.
(http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee341/nailsbydeborah/Dirtbike/IMG_04801.jpg)
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I've been working on my af conversion since january, it really sucks the time it takes, & the cash outlay can be hard too. I had to part my running kx500 to help fund it, really wanted to keep it so I wouldnt be rideless. Its been months & months since I've been for a ride & that just isnt right. leaves you bummed when you cant get out & just get away from everything. My point though is riding an af500 puts everything else to shame. That & the cool feeling you having knowing I built this & I wouldnt trade it for anything 450f new. It really is worth it in the long run. Hang in there & finish it atleast, one ride is all it will take.
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Keep it... find other ways to get money...
I missed it.. but what are those rads off of?
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2006 KX250F Right (filler) sides. the left one is a right with the filler welded shut, and kawasaki must have switched mfg for the radiators because that one was 1/2" longer. So we just angled the bottom tank to clear.
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Good luck on the job hunt I really feel for you, sucks having to be a responsible adult.