[Kreylyn]

The RF600 curved spoke rim has the same bearings, rotor, and center hub size as the early 90's 5.5" rims. It's 1/2" wider on the hub, and OEM used a 20mm axle size. While it is possible to swap the bearings to use a 17mm axle like the kat, you would need to have a center spacer between those bearings custom made to match then change, and make a custom axle 17mm that is longer to use since the wheel is 1/2" wider... You will still need to spread the swingarm legs apart by min. 1/2"

OR...

Widen the axle slots on your swingarm, spread the swingarm a bit, and use the 20mm axle, spacers, and a 20mm slotted caliper bracket from like a rf600 as well. You will also need new chain adjusters. The bandit or RF adjusters work great and look better anyways.

The Post Kat is a straightup swap... no mods needed to fit the wheel in the swingarm.

Both will require some work on the brake torque arm to give the clearance needed to run a 170 tire. The 160 on a 4.5" rim will JUST barely fit.

Krey

[katanarider]

If your useing the RF I think your going to need the brake caliper bracket too.
I running the the post wheel with the pre hub and cush drive but its showing signs of loose play on the hub from sliding back and forth. I remember someone saying your supposed to use the post hub and cush drive. I have about 6,000 miles on my hub so far though.

[Kreylyn]

If your useing the RF I think your going to need the brake caliper bracket too.
I running the the post wheel with the pre hub and cush drive but its showing signs of loose play on the hub from sliding back and forth. I remember someone saying your supposed to use the post hub and cush drive. I have about 6,000 miles on my hub so far though.

I would get that post hub and fix that... Hubs for kats are not very expensive.

Krey

[stretched600]

Thanks for the clear up Krey!
I've actually already worked my brake arm when I stretched my swing arm out...1/2" shouldn't be too bad to stretch the arms apart...The axle size was the only unexpected misfortune about the deal but I guess I'll get it figured out...Just have to hunt down the rest of the parts bc all I ordered was the rim...and was looking into a wave rotor
Is there anything other than a post rim that would swap right in with the slanted design?

[Kreylyn]

Thanks for the clear up Krey!
I've actually already worked my brake arm when I stretched my swing arm out...1/2" shouldn't be too bad to stretch the arms apart...The axle size was the only unexpected misfortune about the deal but I guess I'll get it figured out...Just have to hunt down the rest of the parts bc all I ordered was the rim...and was looking into a wave rotor
Is there anything other than a post rim that would swap right in with the slanted design?

Slanted spoke like the Pre?

No... unfortunately.

The general change goes...

3.5" small rim, small hub, 4 bolt rotor, 5 slot cush, 17mm axle.
4.5" med rim , large hub, 5 bolt rotor, 5 slot cush, 20mm axle.
5.5" large rim, large hub, 5 bolt rotor, 6 slot cush, 20mm axle.

The cush drive is the same so you can use the carrier between the 3.5" and 4.5" rim with a bearing and spacer swap. That's about it. Everything else is different.

The hub, rotor bolt pattern, and axle size is the same for the 4.5 and 5.5" rims, but the carrier is different due to the cush slots.

As for your specific situation... with a stretched arm.

Get the following parts from a rf600.

Axle and spacers.
Caliper bracket
Chain adjusters.

Pick up a metal file set (you can get them real cheap if you don't have one already). The axle slots are 17.5mm wide. You want them 20.5mm wide. Mark a straight line down the length either side about 1.5mm from the edge of the lip (this is where you find out OEM those holes are not so straight edged... )

Use the files and remove back to the lines. Do NOT make the holes longer. Blend to the curve of the ends. Use your new axle to make sure everything is free and lines up. You might have to adjust one edge a little bit for clearance.

The axle slot edges should NOT need to touch the alxe in the adjusters for it to move back and forth.

You can speed that process up with an air high speed rotory tool and rasp bit if you have one.

No rotor in these pics, but here is a 4.5" rim with Kat arm and all the fixins using stock parts... Only the swingarm was modded for the slots, and a slight increase in the fork spread.


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Krey

[stretched600]

D@mn you're a genius!!!
So I found an ad on ebay that got me ALL of what you said for about $35...so now it's just the axle slot holes to machine...

[stretched600]

Ok...so I did some more googling and I came up with this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-Ducati-Supersport-900-SS-Rear-Rim-17x5-5-Wheel-900SS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZalgoQ3dLVIQ26ituQ3dUCIQ26otnQ3d5Q26poQ3dLVIQ26psQ3d63Q26clkidQ3d8069167259271952071QQ_trksidZp5197Q2em7QQcategoryZ35624QQitemZ130363171408

It's not a perfect match but it is a 3 spoke slanted design in 5.5 width with a 17mm axle! Comes off a Ducati Monster...Let me know what you think about this Kreylyn... I've already ordered my stuff for the rf switch or I'd be looking into this more...Looks like with a hub n rotor change and a lil more width between the swingarms and it'd go

[Kreylyn]

Ok...so I did some more googling and I came up with this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-Ducati-Supersport-900-SS-Rear-Rim-17x5-5-Wheel-900SS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZalgoQ3dLVIQ26ituQ3dUCIQ26otnQ3d5Q26poQ3dLVIQ26psQ3d63Q26clkidQ3d8069167259271952071QQ_trksidZp5197Q2em7QQcategoryZ35624QQitemZ130363171408

It's not a perfect match but it is a 3 spoke slanted design in 5.5 width with a 17mm axle! Comes off a Ducati Monster...Let me know what you think about this Kreylyn... I've already ordered my stuff for the rf switch or I'd be looking into this more...Looks like with a hub n rotor change and a lil more width between the swingarms and it'd go

I got nuthing on that wheel.

I'm sure you could make it work. Not sure you could swap just the wheel though. Looks like the rotor is smaller, so that would need addressed.

I had looked at getting the axle from one back when I did my swap but realized it was a tad short to use with my swingarm. The Duc arm uses the external spacer/bolt adjustment which is about half the thickness of our swingarms. Double that, and you end up with the axle about 3/4" too short for what I was doing.

Ended up going with a custom axle size back then.

Now, all my mods are to the swingarm and use stock made spacers/axles from other suzuki bikes. Much cheaper that way in the long run.

Krey

[katanarider]

How about someone shedding some light on good ways to bend the brake caliper torque arm properly.
I'm thinking blow torch and a sledge hammer

[stretched600]

Shouldn't need a hammer...once it's glowing red it should bend easily...

[katanarider]

Shouldn't need a hammer...once it's glowing red it should bend easily...

If you bend it, it will shorten the length. It will have to be pressed in on one side to keep the length. One of the local machinist said he'll put it in a press and charge a half hour labor/ around $35. Thats why I'm thinking of buying a Bernzomatic and a heavy hammer for the same price.

Anyone with a better idea feel free to speak up.

[Kreylyn]

If you bend it, it will shorten the length. It will have to be pressed in on one side to keep the length. One of the local machinist said he'll put it in a press and charge a half hour labor/ around $35. Thats why I'm thinking of buying a Bernzomatic and a heavy hammer for the same price.

Anyone with a better idea feel free to speak up.

You can change the length by up to 2" longer/shorter than stock and have no real effect except visualy where the caliper sits.

Bending it isn't going to shorten it anywhere near that much if your just giving tire clearance.

I tried bending options on the brake arm... didn't like how any of them turned out. I switched to fabricating from scratch custom arms. Much better, but still alot of time messing with that.

Cutting off and welding back on the brake mount on the swingarm to use the stock arm... MUCH easier, quicker, simpler, and ... no custom parts to be made.

That is now my suggestion.

Krey

[stretched600]

Cutting off and welding back on the brake mount on the swingarm to use the stock arm... MUCH easier, quicker, simpler, and ... no custom parts to be made.

That is now my suggestion.

Krey

+1

[katanarider]

So shorten the torque arm ? Does it matter where it located ? I would like to move the mounting area back as far as possible to have a really small torque arm but I would think that would weaken it. Why didn't Suzuki do that from the factory? It would look cleaner. I just think there is a mechanical reason for the long arm.

[Kreylyn]

So shorten the torque arm ? Does it matter where it located ? I would like to move the mounting area back as far as possible to have a really small torque arm but I would think that would weaken it. Why didn't Suzuki do that from the factory? It would look cleaner. I just think there is a mechanical reason for the long arm.

Longer the arm, the less pressure on the swingarm and the less flex you have, since there pressure is pushing further from the wheel and closer to the pivot.

1-2" change for our setup really isn't going to have that much of an effect because it's already designed to have at least that much adjustability for moving the axle in the axle slots on the swingarm.

Moving the mount location an inch or so really isn't going to change much. You can also add brace supports to the arm if your concerned.

If you really don't like the arm... get rid of it entirely. Swap to using a RF600 caliper bracket for the armless design and weld an internal slide to the inside of the swingarm that bracket hooks into.

Even if your sticking with the 17mm axle, a simple bushing can be made to fit inside to match the smaller axle size. You would probably have to shorten the width of the bracket as well if your sticking to OEM sized axle and such.

If your doing the wider option... really it's just weld on the slide catch on the inside of the right arm.

Krey