C
Colorado85gs550
Guest
well gentlemen, I took it all apart today and have it all figured out!
PICTURES TO COME SOON.....first the write-up!
First thing I did was make sure I have the proper sprockets and chain setup.
You can utilize your 550E front sprocket and chain(520) and just purchase a 520 rear sprocket to fit your 88-96 Katana 600 wheel (3.5 inch wheel with a 140/70-17 tire) OR.....you purchase a new 530 front sprocket, rear sprocket, and O-ring chain!
I opted to upgrade to the 530 O-ring chain(112 links) and sprockets 13t on the front and 48t on the rear.
While mocking up the wheel the first thing you'll notice is that there isn't much room for spacers! But this is the critical stage to get the wheel properly spaced, centered, and sprockets in alignment! I have come up with needing a 10mm spacer on the sprocket side.....this spacer ended up being 17x30x10 steel and I purchased it at the local bearing shop here in town for $2.50.
Next I needed the proper Oil Seal for the sprocket side of the hub......this ended up being a 30x62x8 and was purchased for $5.91 at the bearing shop. New 17x42x14 sealed wheel bearings were installed into this wheel also for $45.
I utilized the original spacer between the brake caliper bracket and the wheel on the brake side, but had to grind off about 1/4 inch off the outside of the bracket to fit in between the spacer and the swingarm. I ground a little at a time until it fit. This keeps the caliper mounted in the exact spot it needs to be in on the rotor. I utilized the stock Rotor that came off the Katana 600, and the stock caliper bracket for the GS550E.
Tomorrow I will be making the custom brake caliper arm that goes to the swingarm and I will post pictures at that time!!
Parts I used:
88-96 Katana 600 Rear wheel/drive hub COMPLETE OEM minus the oil seal
Custom sprocket side spacer 17x30x10
Custom sprocket side oil seal 30x62x8
GS550E Axle
GS550E swingarm
GS550E Caliper
GS550E wheel spacer on the brake side
GS550E Caliper bracket, ground down to fit
530 13t front sprocket
530 48t rear sprocket
530 112link O-ring chain
I'll post pictures tomorrow.....
After searching around OVER and OVER on how to do this I decided to show a list of the EXACT parts needed. I did the hard part with finding the correct sized spacers/parts.....all you need to do is follow these directions. This is a conversion to use the 3.5 inch rear wheel off a Katana 600 in order to put a 140 rear tire on your 83-86 GS550E utilizing mostly OEM parts.....
I have about $150 in chain and sprockets, $180 in my rear wheel and tire, and $55 in the rear wheel bearings/spacer/oil seal. Putting it right at about $385 in this rear conversion!
You can save $50 if you can get a rear wheel WITH the bearings already installed.
You can probably save a little on the tire too, but I decided to go with a 140/70-17 Dunlop D208 Sportmax Radial to match the Qualifier 110/70-17 I'm installing on the front.
I'll keep you posted.
Paul
PICTURES TO COME SOON.....first the write-up!
First thing I did was make sure I have the proper sprockets and chain setup.
You can utilize your 550E front sprocket and chain(520) and just purchase a 520 rear sprocket to fit your 88-96 Katana 600 wheel (3.5 inch wheel with a 140/70-17 tire) OR.....you purchase a new 530 front sprocket, rear sprocket, and O-ring chain!
I opted to upgrade to the 530 O-ring chain(112 links) and sprockets 13t on the front and 48t on the rear.
While mocking up the wheel the first thing you'll notice is that there isn't much room for spacers! But this is the critical stage to get the wheel properly spaced, centered, and sprockets in alignment! I have come up with needing a 10mm spacer on the sprocket side.....this spacer ended up being 17x30x10 steel and I purchased it at the local bearing shop here in town for $2.50.
Next I needed the proper Oil Seal for the sprocket side of the hub......this ended up being a 30x62x8 and was purchased for $5.91 at the bearing shop. New 17x42x14 sealed wheel bearings were installed into this wheel also for $45.
I utilized the original spacer between the brake caliper bracket and the wheel on the brake side, but had to grind off about 1/4 inch off the outside of the bracket to fit in between the spacer and the swingarm. I ground a little at a time until it fit. This keeps the caliper mounted in the exact spot it needs to be in on the rotor. I utilized the stock Rotor that came off the Katana 600, and the stock caliper bracket for the GS550E.
Tomorrow I will be making the custom brake caliper arm that goes to the swingarm and I will post pictures at that time!!
Parts I used:
88-96 Katana 600 Rear wheel/drive hub COMPLETE OEM minus the oil seal
Custom sprocket side spacer 17x30x10
Custom sprocket side oil seal 30x62x8
GS550E Axle
GS550E swingarm
GS550E Caliper
GS550E wheel spacer on the brake side
GS550E Caliper bracket, ground down to fit
530 13t front sprocket
530 48t rear sprocket
530 112link O-ring chain
I'll post pictures tomorrow.....
After searching around OVER and OVER on how to do this I decided to show a list of the EXACT parts needed. I did the hard part with finding the correct sized spacers/parts.....all you need to do is follow these directions. This is a conversion to use the 3.5 inch rear wheel off a Katana 600 in order to put a 140 rear tire on your 83-86 GS550E utilizing mostly OEM parts.....
I have about $150 in chain and sprockets, $180 in my rear wheel and tire, and $55 in the rear wheel bearings/spacer/oil seal. Putting it right at about $385 in this rear conversion!
You can save $50 if you can get a rear wheel WITH the bearings already installed.
You can probably save a little on the tire too, but I decided to go with a 140/70-17 Dunlop D208 Sportmax Radial to match the Qualifier 110/70-17 I'm installing on the front.
I'll keep you posted.
Paul
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