[arsenic]

well according to the USPS track and confirm, you piston/seal set was processed and left Richmond this evening so you will likely get it tomorrow.

[ctandc]

well according to the USPS track and confirm, you piston/seal set was processed and left Richmond this evening so you will likely get it tomorrow.

Thanks, your effort / help is much appreciated.

A potential gotcha on the new bolts.....check my thread

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=76880

The 2mm shorter deal doesn't do the trick on the lower and upper shock bolts or the cushion lever to frame bolt. With the addition of washers on both side, plus the nylon insert nut is wider than the stock flanged nut.

Just a heads up, hopefully you won't run into that.

[arsenic]

okay cool, it's a work in progress, like I said, I ordered the bolts nuts and washers I have listed, I will get them tomorrow. I'll check everything and revise what needs to be revised.

[arsenic]

Okay, ctandc is correct. With the washers 50 and 60 mm are not long enough. I have 65 and 55mm bolts on order. with the M14x1.5-120mm bolts. I'm not going to use washers on them. They have the dog bones directly inside the head, so the dog bones act as a washer. Plus if I use washers, 120mm is too short, and 120mm is the longest offered. I will take pictures and post a final chart when everything is set in stone. Until then, this is a work in progress, in theory everything should work, until I know it does, it just in theory. Picture of the 120mm bolt posted side by side with the OEM. All pictures added

[GytRDunKat]

Pre 98 750 Bolts

Bolts
2x M12x1.25-52mm Item 6349
2x M10x1.25-52mm Item 6315
1x M14x1.50-62mm Item 7270
1x M12x1.25-96mm Item 6356
Nuts
3x M12x1.25 Item 6893
2x M10x1.25 Item 6890
1x M14x1.50 Item 6894
Washers
4x M10 Item 7743
6x M12 Item 7744
2x M14 Item 7745

For clarity, ctandc, put this in here for the item numbers so people can order them online. I wasn't trying to step on your toes. These work for Pre 98 750 AND 600, like you previously stated.

[ctandc]

Pre 98 750 Bolts

Bolts
2x M12x1.25-52mm Item 6349
2x M10x1.25-52mm Item 6315
1x M14x1.50-62mm Item 7270
1x M12x1.25-96mm Item 6356
Nuts
3x M12x1.25 Item 6893
2x M10x1.25 Item 6890
1x M14x1.50 Item 6894
Washers
4x M10 Item 7743
6x M12 Item 7744
2x M14 Item 7745

For clarity, ctandc, put this in here for the item numbers so people can order them online. I wasn't trying to step on your toes. These work for Pre 98 750 AND 600, like you previously stated.

Not stepping on my toes.

I would have ordered the same bolts, but I was in a hurry to get the bike back together....and since the bolts don't thread into anything but the nut on the other end, the thread pitch, IMHO, wasn't a deal breaker.

More info is usually a good thing.

[LAsunbird86]

I must be crazy....I cant figure out what advantage you can have by changing out bolts??

[arsenic]

uuummm... there are a few few advantages.
1. grade 8 bolts will not corrode like the OEM bolts will.
2. nylock nuts will not back out at all, torque them to what they go to, and thats it.
That being said, is it a must to switch the bolts? Absolutely not, when you're anal about EVERYTHING like I am, it's a good ider.

[The CyberPoet]

All this started actually as a result of the Ohlins shocks for the Katanas -- they required longer-than-stock bolts, which made me examine the stock bolts and come up the conclusion that the stock solution isn't an ideal one to begin with...

added: Ohlin's tech-reps repeated the same thing back to me as well -- the OEM bolts come from the factory too tight on most bikes, not permitting the dogbones & shock mounting locations to rotate freely as the rear suspension extends/contracts, and thus limiting movement and suspension effectiveness. Once I examined exactly what he was talking about, I realized that the binding effect of the interference nut used with the stock bolt meant that it had to be a specific tightness (a bit more than ideal) for the interference aspect to work; replacing the bolt with a longer bolt permitted use of a nylock-based nut solution that allowed a bit less pressure at the mounting interface (basically the spec called for in the factory manual or perhaps 10% less) without concern that the nut would come undone. This in turn, permitted the rear end to move more freely, allowing the shock to do it's job more accurately.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[GytRDunKat]

Yeah, what CP and arsenic said, and it's just pretty!

You know, down adjusting your chain, or cleaning your swing arm.... you notice those nice shiny bolts... It reminds you of how intimate you are...


Never mind.

Not stepping on my toes.

I would have ordered the same bolts, but I was in a hurry to get the bike back together....and since the bolts don't thread into anything but the nut on the other end, the thread pitch, IMHO, wasn't a deal breaker.

More info is usually a good thing.

That's why I added my little disclaimer. I knew you were in a hurry, I just wanted to add to the original content so people could order online and not chase thier tail all around the state like you did to come up with the same bolts!

[ctandc]

I must be crazy....I cant figure out what advantage you can have by changing out bolts??

Advantage? For me?

I cleaned and painted all other components when I yanked the swingarm. And there were these ratty bolts.

Not to mention that my sockets must be harder than the 16 year old bolts on my bike, as several of them got chewed up removing them.

[The CyberPoet]

Some other words of wisdom:

Once every few years, pull the pivot arm bolts, undo the lower shock & both dogbone bolts (be sure you are supporting the swingarm with something like a shop-jack), push the sleeve inside the passages (the one that surrounds the bolt), and then reslather the bearings those sleeves run on with automotive or marine grade grease (can't use too much by definition). I use marine-grade because here in Florida, that shock pivot system sees a lot of rain-water at speed. Those of you with bearing-pullers can pull them out and repack them properly, but even just forcing in fresh grease and rotating the bearings manually to drive in the new stuff & lift out the old is a whole lot better than simply making what was already there from the factory wear on-and-on-and-on for years on end.

Specific Advice:
Do NOT use lithium grease on these bearings; it won't hold up to the radiated exhaust heat and to the temperatures of summer in most of the USA...
Do check the sleeves themselves for corrosion, wear, and either clean them up well or replace them as needed. Pay attention to the insides of the sleeves as well.
Do cover the bolt shaft & head and the dog-bone holes with anti-seize paste to prevent electro-welded-rust from seizing the dogbones to the sleeves (been there, done that on a bike I bought that lived at/close to the beaches). If you don't have anti-seize, at least use a good slathering of automotive/marine-grade grease between the sleeves and the dogbones, but I believe anti-seize is better for this particular interface. Esp. if you are using aftermarket dogbones made of non-stock metals to lower the bike (go find Noublie's offerings for custom-made SS dogbones, or my offering of a special batch of Suzuki OEM dogbones to raise the rear).
If using aftermarket bolts with nylock nuts, install the bolts in reverse, so the nuts sit on the left side of the bike -- that way the nylon in the nylock fasteners at the bottom of the set-up are away from the exhaust heat.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[arsenic]

you can knock those bearing out with a 3/8 extension, you don't NEED a fancy blind bearing puller.

[bob393]

I know this is an old thread but it is an oldie but goody.
Thanks for the in info!