Final Drive

[Redman]

Hi This is my first post to the GS Forums and I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge about using different final drives from different years. I have an 82 GS1100GKZ and when I took the back end apart I noticed that my final gear was in terrible shape, so I am trying to find a good replacement.

I did find a decent one on E-bay from a 79 850, but I don't know if the 79 850 will fit my 82. For information my bike has a 17" rim vs the stock 16".

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This is what the final gear looks like on the differential side and the wheel side looks about the same, terrible! Only 84K on the bike.

Hum... my experince, and seemily the expereince of others here, is that the splines on the hub in the wheel (called "joint assembly" on microfisch) can and do wear* but the splines on the final drive survive without wear, even after the wheel hub has worn and then completly strip out.

* especailly the original 1982 ones. Earlyer years and later years and new replacment one not so much, if properly greased.

About the final drive, I half recal that some years of GKs had a somewhat differetn gear ratio.

Yes, If look at original Suzuki microfisch (sheet D9, Propeller Shaft & Final Gear) , can see that is a part number for the "final bevel gear set" for GKZ/GK2 (1982/late 82) and and a differnt part numnber for GKD (83).

And on the microfische (the plastic film, take to library viewer/printer, not what might be online at some parts supplyer) is an other column of info of "remarks" (maybe not online). And the remarks are "NT:11/34" for the GKZ/GK2 part number 27300-45811
and "NT:11/32" for the GKD part number 27300-49810.
I would think those ##/## numbers are gear ratios (Number Teeth?). I dont know what such ratio numbers would be for nonGK 1100s or other G. But maybe you can check the part numbers.

[Steve]

About the final drive, I half recal that some years of GKs had a somewhat differetn gear ratio.

Yes, If look at original Suzuki microfisch (sheet D9, Propeller Shaft & Final Gear) , can see that is a part number for the "final bevel gear set" for GKZ/GK2 (1982/late 82) and and a differnt part numnber for GKD (83).

And on the microfische (the plastic film, take to library viewer/printer, not what might be online at some parts supplyer) is an other column of info of "remarks" (maybe not online). And the remarks are "NT:11/34" for the GKZ/GK2 part number 27300-45811
and "NT:11/32" for the GKD part number 27300-49810.
I would think those ##/## numbers are gear ratios (Number Teeth?). I dont know what such ratio numbers would be for nonGK 1100s or other G. But maybe you can check the part numbers.

Yes, the "NT" is for Number of Teeth. All of the shafties from 850 to 1100, from '79 through '82 shared one part number. It had the 11/34 ratio or 3.1. The '83-and-up 1100s (G, GL and GK) all got the 11/32 ratio, or 2.9.

.

[MikeS]

> "This is what the final gear looks like on the differential side . . ."

Thanks for posting the picture. It shows just where and how the wear starts.

My '82 with gold driven spline is holding up fine at 39K. Almost all of my driving is around the city/county of San Diego - so it's stop-start, accelerate, etc. Some freeway of course, but it's mostly drivetrain high-stress driving. I'm looking at a tire change just about anytime. I've got a good 1000 miles left on the rear but when they get worn is when flats occur so it could be anytime that I get a chance to look at my spline. I'll report back. Seems like some of the gold colored splines are more durable than others. It seems we can't reliably go by color nor by year. Supposedly '82 was a bad year I think I've read. So far, the spline is doing fine.

I have my '79 in the back yard sitting under a tarp so if I ever need to replace the spline I know where to go.

Mike