GT750 Front End
Tud
needed to replace the front end. I ended up with the triple trees and forks
from a 1972 Suzuki GT750, which I managed to mount to the Triumph but it
didn't come with a wheel. I'm looking for alternatives to the original
GT750 drum brake, since I can't afford one as they seem to be favored by
vintage class racers. Does anyone know of an alternative to the GT750 drum
brake that will fit the 1972 front end? I'm wondering if the same vintage
GT550 or GT380 drum brake wheel and axel will fit the GT750 front end, or if
there are any other manufactures' wheels that will fit.
Failing this, would a slightly later model Suzuki disk brake wheel and lower
legs fit the 1972 triple trees and forks? In other words, would, let's say,
a 1974 GT550 wheel and forks work with the GT750 triple trees, or are the
forks a different diameter and the spacing different? The lower legs I have
now don't have the mount points for a disk brake, so I would either have to
replace the lower legs (or at least one of them), or the entire forks. This
then gets me into the question of whether the distance between the forks are
the same for the '72 GT750 triple trees and a later model disk brake setup.
If the drum setup is wider then I may be able to get away with a spacer. It
also prompts the question, are the diameter of the forks the same for
different years of Suzuki's in the early 70's? Is teh '72 GT750 front forks
the same diameter as, say, the '74 GT550 with disk brakes?
Lot's of questions, so I'm hoping there's a vintage Suzuki guy floating
around in here that can help.
Thanks in advance,
Tud
.
> Failing this, would a slightly later model Suzuki disk brake wheel and lower
> legs fit the 1972 triple trees and forks? �
Suzuki was very slow to change anything in the 1970's and early
1980's.
Axles were the same diameter so they could use the same bearings and
oil seals.
I know for a fact that a 1974 GT750 front hub bolts up to the disks of
my 1982 GS1100. The axle is the same diameter too.
http://www.powersportspro.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/parts.aspx
1972 GT750 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31000-019
BRACKET, FORK UPPER
1972 lower triple clamp SKU: 51410-31001
BRACKET, FORK LOWER
1974 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31700-019
STEERING STEM HEAD L,M,A; TO 51311-31701-019 L,M,A; TO 51311-31701-019
1974 lower triple clamp SKU: 51410-31700
STEERING STEM L,M,A; TO 51410-15210 L,M,A; TO 51410-15210
If you look at the steel fork stanchion tubes, you might find that the
1972 and 1974 forks have the same stanchion tubes, so the outer
aluminum sliders of a 1974 probably bolt right onto 1972 damper rods.
tink...@nomail.mnl
Bad first:
The fork spacing on the drum brake version is different than the disk
brake version.
Good:
The drum for the 550 will fit fine ( don't use the 380 it has only 2
shoes and severely reduces the braking power, which isn't great
anyway.)
The front end from any of the later GT750 and the early GS series
bikes is an easy bolt on. Though you may have to do some matching with
the bearing sizes if you go to the later GS1000 or GS1100 fork sets.
You should be able to pick up an entire front end from one of the
GT750 or GS series bikes for about what the drum brake is going for
now.
Tinker
Tud
> Tud wrote:
>
>> Failing this, would a slightly later model Suzuki disk brake wheel and
>> lower
>> legs fit the 1972 triple trees and forks? �
>
> Suzuki was very slow to change anything in the 1970's and early
> 1980's.
>
> Axles were the same diameter so they could use the same bearings and
> oil seals.
>
> I know for a fact that a 1974 GT750 front hub bolts up to the disks of
> my 1982 GS1100. The axle is the same diameter too.
>
> http://www.powersportspro.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/parts.aspx
Fantastic site, this will help a great deal in narrowing down (or
broadening) my options.
> 1972 GT750 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31000-019
> BRACKET, FORK UPPER
>
> 1972 lower triple clamp SKU: 51410-31001
> BRACKET, FORK LOWER
>
> 1974 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31700-019
> STEERING STEM HEAD L,M,A; TO 51311-31701-019 L,M,A; TO 51311-31701-019
>
> 1974 lower triple clamp SKU: 51410-31700
> STEERING STEM L,M,A; TO 51410-15210 L,M,A; TO 51410-15210
Sweet, looks like I can go with a disk brake.
Thanks a bunch.
The old extended Triumph front end:
http://tinyurl.com/58sa9u
The GT750 front end:
http://tinyurl.com/66fkxb
Tud
Tud
> Bad first:
> The fork spacing on the drum brake version is different than the disk
> brake version.
>
> Good:
> The drum for the 550 will fit fine ( don't use the 380 it has only 2
> shoes and severely reduces the braking power, which isn't great
> anyway.)
>
> The front end from any of the later GT750 and the early GS series
> bikes is an easy bolt on. Though you may have to do some matching with
> the bearing sizes if you go to the later GS1000 or GS1100 fork sets.
>
> You should be able to pick up an entire front end from one of the
> GT750 or GS series bikes for about what the drum brake is going for
> now.
Yeah, the last one I watched on E-Bay went for $566. Yikes!!
> Tinker
Thanks a bunch for the info, I think I have enough to go on now.
Tud
.
> >http://www.powersportspro.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/parts.aspx
>
> Fantastic site, this will help a great deal in narrowing down (or
> broadening) my options.
>
> > 1972 GT750 �upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31000-019
> > 1974 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31700-019
I hopet the 1972 and 1974 Water Buffalos having the exact same part
number triple clamp should dispel any doubt about the diameter of the
fork tubes and their spacing.
The difference in dash numbers on the lower triple clamp is probably
due to the slight difference in casting to accomodate the brake hose
junction fitting...
As Suzuki proceeded to accomodate customer demand for radical colors
and styling, many perfectly interchangeable basic part numbers gained
a plethora
of dash numbers
Tud
> Tud wrote:
>
>> >http://www.powersportspro.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/parts.aspx
>>
>> Fantastic site, this will help a great deal in narrowing down (or
>> broadening) my options.
>>
>> > 1972 GT750 �upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31000-019
> > > 1974 upper triple clamp SKU: 51311-31700-019
>
> I hopet the 1972 and 1974 Water Buffalos having the exact same part
> number triple clamp should dispel any doubt about the diameter of the
> fork tubes and their spacing.
Possibly, assuming that the diameter and spacing is determined by the 51311
number and not the 31000 versus 31700 number.
> The difference in dash numbers on the lower triple clamp is probably
> due to the slight difference in casting to accomodate the brake hose
> junction fitting...
So the main part number is the 51311 and the numbers after that aren't as
critical, is that correct?
I'm thinking I may be wrong in that assumption. I typed in 51311 into that
web page and got back everything from a 2008 GSX1300BKA to a 1968 50M12.
The 51311-31000 narrows it down to just one year, the 1972 GT750 upper
triple tree that I have. When I get home I'll see if I can confirm this
number on the part itself. I'm hoping my starting point (the current triple
trees) isn't a one year item. The axel for the 1972 GT750 seems to fit a
whack of bikes, so I'm assuming that the width is at least the same as other
bikes.
I'm going through the page you pointed me to and am building up a list of
parts that should be interchangeable. Obviously I'm not going for an
accurate restoration, just trying to find something that'll work to get the
bike on the road.
Tud
> I'm thinking I may be wrong in that assumption. I typed in 51311 into
> that web page and got back everything from a 2008 GSX1300BKA to a 1968
> 50M12. The 51311-31000 narrows it down to just one year, the 1972 GT750
> upper triple tree that I have. When I get home I'll see if I can confirm
> this number on the part itself. I'm hoping my starting point (the current
> triple trees) isn't a one year item. The axel for the 1972 GT750 seems to
> fit a whack of bikes, so I'm assuming that the width is at least the same
> as other bikes.
I'm wrong, I double checked and the axel is a one year part number as well.
54711-31000
The axel for the 1973 GT750 fits a bunch of bikes, from a 1973 GT250 to a
1985 GS300, and many in between.
54711-33002
I'm beginning to think, based on the the triple trees and axel part numbers,
that I got a one year only front end (maybe not the forks, but the rest),
which means I may have to look into a different set of triple trees.
Tud
Tud
> On Jul 30, 5:57�am, "Tud" <tud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Failing this, would a slightly later model Suzuki disk brake wheel and
>> lower
>> legs fit the 1972 triple trees and forks? �
>
> Suzuki was very slow to change anything in the 1970's and early
> 1980's.
>
> Axles were the same diameter so they could use the same bearings and
> oil seals.
>
> I know for a fact that a 1974 GT750 front hub bolts up to the disks of
> my 1982 GS1100. The axle is the same diameter too.
>
> http://www.powersportspro.com/pages/parts/viewbybrand/parts.aspx
I didn't get a chance to get to the bike last night, but I'm looking at some
pictures, and then looking at that website, and I'm beginning to think I
don't have a 1972 Suzuki GT750 front end. It's definitely a Suzuki front
end, and the lower legs aren't set up for a disk brake, so it'd be early
70's, but if I look at the top triple tree in the parts diagram on the page
you posted, the lower handle bar mounts are a part of the casting for the
upper triple tree. In this picture I took a few weeks ago I can see that my
triple trees have a bolt on lower handle bar mount.
Now I REALLY need to take a look and see if I can find a part number on the
triple trees.
Tud
.
> I didn't get a chance to get to the bike last night, but I'm looking at some
> pictures, and then looking at that website, and I'm beginning to think I
> don't have a 1972 Suzuki GT750 front end.
Your forks may be from a 1972 GT550.�
Tud
I think you may be right, in which case it opens up a few more options.
I'll post back when I locate the part number on the triple trees.
Tud
tink...@nomail.mnl
consider the two stroke group on
http://vancouver.globat.com/~sundialmotosport.com/
Both groups can be quite an asset when working on old two strokes.
Tinker
On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:16:11 -0300, "Tud" <tud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>. wrote...
Tud
>. wrote...
Then again... no part numbers that I can find on the triple trees or forks.
--
Tud
SENS BS#111 LFS#32 FLF MISFIT Vermort AH#115
http://ah115.com
Sisyphus rides a Triumph
tink...@nomail.mnl
>Tud wrote...
>>. wrote...
>>> On Jul 31, 4:30?am, "Tud" <tud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I didn't get a chance to get to the bike last night, but I'm looking at
>>>> some
>>>> pictures, and then looking at that website, and I'm beginning to think I
>>>> don't have a 1972 Suzuki GT750 front end.
>>>
>>> Your forks may be from a 1972 GT550.
>>
>> I think you may be right, in which case it opens up a few more options.
>> I'll post back when I locate the part number on the triple trees.
>
>Then again... no part numbers that I can find on the triple trees or forks.
Just from the configuration I'd say you have the tripple clamps from a
GT550J. The forks will be similar to the GT750J, but the springing and
shock valving will not be correct for the heavier bike.
Tinker
.
> Just from the configuration I'd say you have the tripple clamps from a
> GT550J. The forks will be similar to the GT750J, but the springing and
> shock valving will not be correct for the heavier bike.
The forks are on a 1972 Triumph frame, not a Water Buffalo.
Tud
> On Jul 31, 6:58�pm, tinke...@nomail.mnl wrote:
>
>> Just from the configuration I'd say you have the tripple clamps from a
>> GT550J. The forks will be similar to the GT750J, but the springing and
>> shock valving will not be correct for the heavier bike.
From looking at the page of Suzuki parts and looking specifically at the
image of the upper triple trees, I believe you're right, it's from a GT550,
not a GT750 as I originally believed. Knowing this, I can now make a list
of front wheels, axles, and lower legs that I can use with the current
triple trees and forks.
> The forks are on a 1972 Triumph frame, not a Water Buffalo.
Which will hopefully be fairly light, at least until I get on it.
Just for interest sake, this is what I started with for $300 a few years
ago:
http://tinyurl.com/2pullp
http://tinyurl.com/5dyp6
The front end was extended and it pretty poor condition. This is where I'm
at now:
http://tinyurl.com/55vt8c
Tud
.
> Just for interest sake, this is what I started with for $300 a few years
> ago:http://tinyurl.com/2pullp
It looks like the handlebars were a yellow wooden (or plastic) broom
handle...
Tud
They were actually made of a fairly thin metal, but could quite possibly
have been from a broom handle.
I actually tried to use them as leverage for something at one point, it
didn't work so well:
Tud
.
> They were actually made of a fairly thin metal, but could quite possibly
> have been from a broom handle.
I made a straight drag bar for a 250cc Yamaha out of a piece of
aluminum tubing that was laying about, but it had a thicker wall so it
wouldn't buckle.