Tecate Guys, No Link Rear Suspension

[BigGreenMachine]

How would you guys go about removing the UNI link rear suspension to install a no link rear suspension setup? No link meaning one shock mount on the frame and one mount on the swingarm.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/Tecate/be73ba10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/Tecate/TecateDirty1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/Tecate/Tecate1.jpg

[Billy Golightly]

You'd have to have a new swingarm, shock, and probably mod the frame for the shock to fit in the same place the top linkage is now or somewheres close to it. Pretty indepth mod wise.

[scooterroo]

no clue, just wanna know why you would want to do something like that? better handling? looking to mount someother type of rear shock?

[BigGreenMachine]

Billy, don't you think I could have the Raptor shock revalved? (needs a rebuild anyway) I plan on building a +4 for it once the 500 motor is installed so thats half the battle and the frame can be modded to accept the upper mount rather easily IMO. What type of angle should the shock be mounted on?

[BigGreenMachine]

Scoot, I love tinkering with this thing which is a major part of it but I want the extra room where the shock sits for a custom airbox to replace the POS Tecate unit.

Check out the ass on this 500.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/Tecate/Tecate5001Resized.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/Tecate/Tecate5002Resized.jpg

[Billy Golightly]

You should be able to, try someone like GT-Thunder, they seem to specialize in reworking oem suspension. As far as shock angles, I'll be honest. I dont know. I've "heard" that the more horizontal the shock is the stiffer it becomes. Different leverage ratios I guess.

[BigGreenMachine]

Plan is to remove the shock spring and try different mounting points on both the swinger and frame to find the points that allow full range of travel and the cleanest setup. If I have to I'll rework the whole rear subframe. I know a guy that can revalve the shock for my weight, maybe he can rework it once I do some R&D to figure out if it needs to be stiffer or softer damping wise.

James

[Bryan Raffa]

Now thats a bike.. I like that 500.... that pipe setup is similar to mine
Wonder why they removed the kips on that motor?

[BigGreenMachine]

Not sure. Probably didn't want to deal with timing the exhaust valves or sacrifice power because of them. I've found an 88 KX500 motor and everything except the pipe to run in my 85 Tecate, it should rip once its all done.

[MIK6]

garageboy has a 86/87 T3 drag trike. He had it at TF06, I know it has like a crazy 550cc (not sure the cc's but I know it is a punched 500) 2 stroke. It runs a custome frame w/ different swinger pivots and uses a non linkage rear end. I have some pictures from TF06 of the rear end, but I am in a different state from my picture CD. I know a few guys have my photos, if anyone has them look for the picts I am talking about and post them up for me.
I love that 500 as well!!!

THANKS
MIK6 / Mike

[BigGreenMachine]

I've got a few of that trike, nice machine. Anyone have some close up pics?

[Tecate250]

When I first got my 85 someone cut out where it looks like a good spot to put a shock in out. And welded in a metal bracket and welded in its place.
Actually Mik6 you sold me the piece I needed to put the right set up on.
Now Im just plagued with suspension problems.

[BigGreenMachine]

The UNI track works fine. Although it takes up a butload of room where I could put in a bigger/better airbox. Also plan to have different mounting holes on the swinger that I can use to lower the rear of the bike to match lowered forks.

[Tecate250]

I thought og using a tri z air intake design. Not having an air box.

[BigGreenMachine]

Thats a good idea. Maybe a clamp on filter and some tubing to a remote airbox.

[Jeb]

I wonder if Ron at PEP still has that Tecate 500. I believe the article says he built a totaly custom frame.

It would be cool to see where that trike ended up.

[BigGreenMachine]

Razor from this site has seen and sat on it in person. Says he hasnt seen it in quite some time.

[Tecate4life]

Ron Still has it, I tried to buy it from him 2 months ago...still in great shape, Tank is ugly now though....

[BigGreenMachine]

LOL! Great post Tecate4life, nothing like first hand info.

[Tecate4life]

Ron eventually ditched the "fuel Injection" setup...Still a sweet bike...I offered him $4000.00...Nope! Wayne said sell it...I thought I might have a chance. Then I showed a pic of one of my new 84 Tecate tanks and he was all for gettin one...

[Billy Golightly]

Any chance you think you could get him interested in the site? :)

[scooterroo]

been offline the past few days, but was looking at what you are talking about and must say that is an awesome idea, and sweet looking tecate 500 in them pics.

[Tecate4life]

Billy,

I let Wayne Moordian and Ron Baker in on the site and they said they would check it out. Both are not so computer literate but god can they build and tune suspensions, no matter what type of contraption. Both were hands on guys back in the day and both worked with Jimmy White and numerous other racers. Wayne still sponsors tons of quad racers. Both guys have tons of stories and have offered up tons of advice and you should see all their machines! I'll keep on them about the site and maybe drop off an "internet for Dummies" next month when I'm in SoCAL...

Judd

[Billy Golightly]

That would be awesome...I know they (PEP) do all the suspension for Walsh Race Craft. They are right here in Live Oak now and I've met Nate and Mike a couple of different times, real nice guys. I'd love to have a couple guys that know so much from a technical stand point and also just for the stories. They would be great additions.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

I talked to Ron Baker several times 3 or 4 years ago. He did all of Jimmy Whites Tecate suspension back in 84-86. He also rebuit Jimmys factory 86 Tecate four years ago that had been stolen and recovered with a blown motor. At that time he still had his old notes from tuning Jimmy's suspension from back in the day.

Curtis.

[BigGreenMachine]

Curtis, did you get the suspension specs off of him for the Tecate? Care to share if you did?

[Curtis-Tecate3]

Nope, He mentioned that he had them but obviously wanted me to send him my shock and forks in which one of these years I probably will.

Curtis.