23" Front Tire on 85 Tri-Z.

[Jeb]

I was messing around this weekend and I successfully transfered the whole front rim/tire/hub/disc assembly off my 85 R onto my 85 Tri-Z!

Why you may ask? Well I've been wanting to try a 23" front tire on my Tri-Z for some time now. Since my 85 R doesn't run and is just setting around with a nearly new Kenda Front Max on it and they both have Showa trailing axle front ends and use the same front wheel bearings I figured why not give it a shot at switching them out.

Well the 85 R stuff went on the Z, using the stock Z axle and axle spacers. I did have to space the caliper over approx. 3/16" of an inch so it would go on and the front wheel would spin freely and not drag. I used some thick washers I had between the caliper and the fork to accomplish this. I may make some aluminum spacers for the hell of it. It's all assembled, tightened down, spins freely and is ready to go. Plus, it looks factory because all the gold components match! My R disc has the center portion painted blue, but a stock R disc that silver would look great. It will eventually cover my disc with a disc guard anyhow.

Vice-Versa, The Z stuff went onto the R as well, using the stock R axle and spacers. I did have to add an extra spacer (thick washer) between the disc side axle spacer and the fork leg. this was to keep the whole wheel assembly from sliding over and the disc bolts from contacting the inside of the fork leg. With this spacer installed, the R caliper went on over the Z disc. It might need to be spaced a little if the brake pads were new and thick, but I wasn't too worried about it because I just wanted the R to roll around freely and the front brake to operate. Until I get it running and then the 23" stock assembly goes back on it. Or a replacement set of stock items. It too looks factory.

Sadly, I didn't get a chance to ride the Z and see if it improves the handling or not. The Kenda tire is shorter and wider. It does look better in my opinion, but that's just a minor plus. The 11" Honda rim opens up a couple more tire choices, but I'm not in the market for a new tire. I will eventually buy a stock 86 Tri-Z 23" tire and put the stock stuff back on. Basically this is a way I could try a 23" tire without spending any bucks by using what I had laying around.

Hopefully this coming weekend I'll get to take her for a spin. I'll get some pics of it too. :)

[ScottZJ]

Wow that sounds interesting. I would like to see pics of it. Oh how does it look? Does it look smooth or kinda funny?

[BigGreenMachine]

Awsome, now you finally get to see how a 23 inch front handles compared to the old 25 without buying anything. Can't wait to see pics, especially of the R with a 25 front.

[Jeb]

It looks good. I bet the untrained eye wouldn't know the difference on either trike. :Bounce

I meant to ride it this weekend, but visiting family over the holiday kept me from it.

Hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend. :beer

[Xowner]

jeb pm me with what engine parts you need!

[CHAINSAW]

Thats cool man! So since a 250R will swap over with a Z, that means a 200X rims, hub, and tire will also swap out!

[Jeb]

Here's some pics!

[Jeb]

250R with the Z front Tire!! :eek:

[trikerider2oo7]

looks good...cant even tell the difference

[motoman1012002]

jeb whats wrong with the 250r how come it dont run

[dirtface]

Yea, I was wondering what was wrong with the "R" too?

[Jeb]

The R is an on going project. I've got the busted case blues to work out now and am waiting on some missing internal engine parts. When I got the R, it was in several boxes, a bare frame, 3 wheels/tires and a set of plastic. :D

Since getting it, i've replaced a badly bent front end, including cleaning all the internal fork parts and assembling with new seals and oil in the forks and replaced the triples because of a bent steering shaft, replaced missing airbox, front caliper, rear master cylinder, rebuilt rear caliper, hunted up numerous small chassis parts here and there that were missing, replaced switch cluster, e-brake and front master cylinder, removed a few broken-off bolts in the frame and seized linkage bolts, injured my left hand once trying to drive out a stuck, cut off linkage bolt :mad:, replaced the missing swingarm pivot shaft including a pivot-works kit for the swingarm bearings, polished up the gas tank from faded white, and last but not least done lots of cleaning.

I'm restoring for a rider, just taking my time on it i guess!

[trikerider2oo7]

can you put up some pics of the z setting down on the ground?

[mike from long island]

hey jeb need a sprocket cover for your R?? i have one pm and we can talk i have a good deal for ya later mike

[Wickedfinger]

I did the same thing on my frankenflyer '86 Z - transfered the whole hub, disk, wheel assembly off an '85 R. The only modification I had to make was install a large bore washer (your 3/8" spacer) on the axle between the disk and the fork so the bolt heads would clear. Other than that, it was a snap.

[BigGreenMachine]

that tri-z is nice, how are those GBC Dirt devils on the back?

[Wickedfinger]

... they were a great tire and I'd mount them up again in a second. A little on the heavy side though - but 6-ply!. Awesome in the snow and mud.

[Jeb]

Cool Wicked! I always loved the look of your old Z but I never noticed the R front set-up!
:beer

[Jeb]

can you put up some pics of the z setting down on the ground?

Here ya go. Sorry it took so long. I lowered it in these pics using my adjustable linkage strut and slid the forks up in the clamps. I hate to admit it, but the sad thing is I haven't got to really ride it yet and try it out. :(

[Billy Golightly]

Wow Jeb thats sweet looking! Looks like the perfect setup for a flat track race. That adjustable linkage strut, how does it work? I've been looking at my Z and figured probably the easiest way to lower it some would be to take the bottom bolts out of the carrier and make a bracket where you could let it twist up some. Not a whole lot, inch or or inch and a half max.

I got the Durablue +4 under my Z and man its a whole new machine now. It rails so well, I know it slides better then my trx250R now. I'll get some pictures soon and also demonstrate the lowering method I'm talking about. Yours looks killer!

[Jeb]

Thanks Billy! Flat track is about all it's good for. Not much ground clearance under that linkage.

Now for the lowering...

When I got my Z a few years ago I noticed it was low and wide. Somebody years before had made a new linkage strut to replace the small dog bone in the linkage. The original one was a piece of 3/8" thick steel poorly torch cut into a long oval shape and two holes drilled through it. Then for spacers, it was stacks of washers taped together with electrical tape! That "set-up" replaced the little dog bone and lowered the rear end. On the steel one, If i remember right it was 1.5" added between the holes compared to the stock dog bone. Anyway, after seeing this one and seeing that you can get basically the same kind of adjustable strut aftermarket for Banshees, I took the same idea and made a new one out of aluminum that uses a split bushing design instead of taped together washer stacks for spacers. Plus the aluminum is 3/4" thick and looks better. The bushings are tool steel and have a head on them. You place one in each side of the holes in the adjustable strut, place it in the clevis's on the swingarm and the linkage arm underneath. Then you tighten up your mounting bolts and the clevis's tighten up against the two bushings leaving the aluminum piece to freely spin around the bushings. If you wanted to get real trick, you could machine it for needle bearings. I just grease it good. Also, I found with the west coast swingarm I could space the holes and extra two inches instead of 1.5. On the stock swingarm I had in the begining, any more than 1.5" and the shock spring starts contacting the front part of the swingarm. With the west coast swingarm there's tons more clearance so you don't have that problem and it can go lower. so with the two inch space I had plenty of room to put a hole in the center which has the same spacing as the little stock dog bone so you can switch back to stock height fairly quickly.

I wrote up a post in the past with pics but I just looked it up and the pics are gone. Attached are some I just took.

As for the extra axle width, I don't have an extended axle but I do have some RK extensions. They were on the Z when I got it. These are the only pair I've ever seen. They are cast aluminum and pretty cool because you don't have to remove the stock studs from the wheel hubs. Just bolt the extension to the hub and the wheel to the extension. I recently gave them a bead blasting and then a new coat of gold paint with some black to accent. They are each about 3.5" wide.

:TrikesOwn

[Jeb]

Billy, here's the CAD models to show how the split bushing works. very simple. The "chain link" shape of the strut in these pics is my second generation. I gave it that shape just for a little style. I've got the blank squared up and ready to go just need to send it through the CNC department someday! ;)

[BigGreenMachine]

Very nice, that Z looks awsome. Very nice design work on the link, split bushings just like the suspension bushings used in the eye on lifted 4WD truck leaf springs. Should work great.

[Jeb]

Thanks! The link does work good. I've been running it off and on about a year now.