Need help with GS1000 frontend and swing arm swap

[ozzykat]

Hey people I have a 1978 gs1000 that I want to put my 92 gsxr 1100 front end and swing arm on. Can I use the original top and bottom head bearings as the look the same size but I`m not sure ? With the swing arm what are my options ? Drill the frame to except the bigger swing arm pivot rod or find new bearings to except the smaller pivot rod or make a sleave up ,what do people usually do ??I also need to find weld on bottom shock mounts as I want to keep it twin shock .

Thank

Ozzykat. 

[slim]

From memory the front end is not a straight swap, check bearing sizes online & that should give you an idea, 30mm ID on the gsxr (again from memory)the next problem is the length of the stem, probably shorter on the gsxr so......
At best you are looking at a bearing swap or maybe a stem swap or a new stem to suit

Swingarm .... check the width at the pivot point if it goes in which I think it does, you can then have top hat spacers or bushings made to suit the gsxr bearings & the gs frame, don't forget the bearing centre spacer in the arm, drilling the frame never works out well in my experience

The next problem is chain alignment presuming you are using the gsxr wheels which is fairly simple, a spaced or offset front sprocket & you may need to skim a little off the rear carrier, on some combinations of parts the frame needs grinding back & plating up for chain clearance

Then its shock mount time these are usually welded to the arm for twinshock, but again they can get in the way of chain clearance, the chain may want to run through the bottom of the spring & some have to be spaced out or up to avoid this 

Gsxr gearing will be off for a gs so new sprockets will be needed to get back to where you are now, a 530 chain will help with clearance a little  

[gsx]

Front end goes straight in mate but gsxr swingarm 8 mm too wide . Fitted one in me gsx 11 kat ,which is same width and spindle size as thou , just knock needle rollers in 4 mm a side and hacksaw and file till flush then get some bushes made up to take up difference between gsxr bushes and gs spindle

[ozzykat]

Thanks that info gives me a head start. Anybody else got an opinion o n this can`t have too much info ask twice cut once
Ozzykat

[wraith]

As above, front end strat swop but you will need to sort out lock stops, rear end done this on a GS1000 and a Kat so same as above but I used a 520 chain on the Kat and did not need to shave the frame but you still need to space out front sprocket, best with rear shocks is get the rear end in with chain put the top of the shocks on the frame and see where the bottom of the shocks will sit for ride hight etc.