Best way to switch clevis mount to an eye mount?

[DrImodium]

Today I started working on the suspension of the GS1000L that Im working on. I swapped the forks to "e" forks and ordered some Progressive fork springs, new seals and 10w fork oil. Pretty strait forward.

For the rear, I bought some shocks that are eye to eye. The stock GS swing-arm has the clevis mounts on it currently so I will have to modify it for the eye mount.

Ive seen some others on different forums just mount the shock to the outside of the stock clevis mount with a hardened bolt and call it a day. To me, this doesnt seem safe. The load isnt dispersed evenly through the bolt and the thought of said bolt sheering off really has me turned off on this method. I realize that that probably wont happen, but while Im riding, thats not something I want to even think about nor an idea I want to entertain.

So.........have any of you switched from eye/clevis to eye/eye? If so, what did you do with the stock clevis mount setup to adapt the eye mount?

 

[tkent02]

The easiest and safest way would be to get the correct shocks for your bike.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Yeah you can't do that. You'd need to cut the clevis mount off and then have a stud type mount welded to the arm. If you run a bolt throu the clevis mount you'll probably have to add some spacers to keep it centered. I don't know that you'd be able to get it aligned correctly, and like you I'd be afraid of creating a shear point across the shank of the bolt. A high grade bolt will also shear before it bends.

Omars dirt track racing has a few set of Hammer Head racing shocks for $199. These are eye to clevis IIRC and I think I remember reading they come in 13.5 and 14.5" lengths.

You can check em out at OmarsDTR.com. They have that old school look too which will fit nicely with your cafe.

 

[DrImodium]

OmarsDTR.com has the hammerheads but they are eye to eye as well. What Im thinking is this:

Cut out the stock clevis mount with a whole saw on my tubing notcher, essentially notching the swingarm *slightly*. Split a piece of DOM tubing with the same OD as the whole saw, lengthwise. Weld that where the bottom radius of the stock mount was. Then add 2 "caps" at either end thus creating a boxed in mount for the eye to slip between and then a bolt to secure it.


*THIS IS JUST A SKETCH TO VISUALIZE MY THOUGHT, NOT TO SCALE*

Obviously this is just a sketch and I will not be notching the swing arm any more than needed to remove the stock mount. My logic is that creating a cradle for the eye to go into is far stronger than just slapping it on the outside of the stock mount with a bolt through it and calling it good.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Iirc the stock Suzuki bottom mount is nothing more than what you've done more or less. I dunno if I'd go through the trouble of notching out the arm though?

 

[cowboyup3371]

I agree with Tom, change them out. Dave Quinn sent me the wrong mount Hagons a couple of months back. A phone call and return of the wrong ones later and I had a new set of Hagons delivered to my door without paying shipping (even got reimbursed for the return).

 

[salty_monk]

I expect this is one of the bargain Ikon sets from Z1... Eye to eye only

The way you've drawn is the proper way. I have seen pictures of an "adapter" of sorts, basically a dog bone that bolts to the original shock mount & the eye of the shock.
The shock then sits an inch or rearward of the original position. It needs to go past the existing shock mount to the front so that it can't pivot on shock extension.

I can draw a sketch of it if necessary, just from memory & not tried it myself....

 

[DrImodium]

I expect this is one of the bargain Ikon sets from Z1... Eye to eye only

Indeed they are. There arent a lot of options out there for the eye/clevis application. I figured switching over to the eye/eye variety would make it easier for the future owner(s) to find replacements. I called Z1 originally planning on getting Ikon's for a CB1100f since they share the eye/clevis setup and they were longer(14.3") and would give me the stance I wanted. I called Z1 and got Chris on the horn. When he told me they were sold out of the CB's, my only option was their last pair of 14.25" eye/eye versions. After striking out on non-custom eye/clevis shocks elsewhere, I thought about it and it just made sense to change the mounting setup. I called Z1 again and spent 40 mins on the phone with Chris placing my order for almost everything I need to rebuild this bike. Placed the order on Friday and it was sitting at my door on Tues afternoon. Since I had the shocks in hand, I finished adapting the mounts today. This is how I did it:

 

[Steve]

Looks good to me. :clap: :clap:

.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

That looks like an excellent fix....