86 to 83 fork swap

[rhncue]

I bought the entire front end off of an 86 this past winter to install on my 83 so as to get the better brakes and damping system. Here is my problem. This set up came without the top triple tree. I was trying to decide what would be the easiest way to install these, just the tubes and use my present trees or use the lower tree that is now on the forks and use my top tree. I checked part numbers and the lower tree numbers are the same but the top is different. The tubes are also of different numbers. Would those of you who have switched these front ends like to share your experience in this modification. Did you use your old trees or the later or just how did you come up with a solution? Thanks mucho in advance.

 

Dick

[Rick Butler]

Dick,

 

I'm pretty confident that the 86 tubes will fit just fine in your 83 triple trees, etc. If you are looking at part numbers, the big difference you will see is mostly from the model change from the XVZ1200 to the XVZ1300, which is in the first 2 letters. You should se that the next set of numbers are the same. So I would proceed and check that they will work together.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

[rhncue]

Dick,

 

I'm pretty confident that the 86 tubes will fit just fine in your 83 triple trees, etc. If you are looking at part numbers, the big difference you will see is mostly from the model change from the XVZ1200 to the XVZ1300, which is in the first 2 letters. You should se that the next set of numbers are the same. So I would proceed and check that they will work together.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

Well I'm pretty positive that the forks are the exact same distance apart between the early first gens and the later as the lower triple tree has the same part number. The top tree has a different part number and the pictures of it are quite a bit different but I don't know if the dimensions are different as to how far the tubes go into the top tree. Since the tubes also have a different part number I'm not sure if the length is the same or if the distance from the air inlets and the distance to the top tree is the same.

 

Once I pull the front end off the bike these questions, of coarse, will be answered but I was wanting this change to go smoothly and quickly with no surprises to slow down the up-grade.

 

I had intended to slip the tubes out of the trees on the bike and remove the lower tree from the new front end and just slide them into place with the trees still positioned on the bike. I kind of have my doubts now as I don't really want to disturb the air seals on the tubes which would have to be removed if I remove the lower tree from the 86 forks.

 

Thanks for giving me your insight on this change Rick and I hope you have a wonderful day.

 

Dick