Changing '79 KZ1000 LTD rear mag to spokes

I picked up a nice 18" spoke wheel from e-bay. It's off a KZ1000A. I'm having some problems getting the new wheel lined up with the spacers I have.

The '79 KZ1000 LTD has a slightly smaller disc and matching caliper. The caliper won't fit the older discs so I bolted the LTD disc to the 18" wheel.

First problem was that the wheel wouldn't properly align both the chain and the disc into the caliper. It took me awhile to come up with an idea - not elegant. I put washers in between the disc and the hub to move the disc outboard several millimeters and fit into the caliper.

Then I noticed the wheel seems to be a little bit off center, to the left in the swingarm. Take a look at the picture below and note the centerline of the tire and compare it with the tail light.
Here's the collar I'm using on the right side, between the hub and the caliper:

I came up with a brilliant plan to take the collar to a machine shop and have 6mm cut off it. Then the hub will move over 6mm and I can take the washers out from between the hub and the disc. I have a spacer 6mm wide that can fit on the left side, between the swingarm and the hub.

Why do I even need to do this? I don't know. I have several rear axles with spacers off KZ1000's and one would think some combination of these parts would work.

I have the parts diagram, but without the dimensions of the parts it's hard to compare something on the diagram with what I have here.

Has anyone done this conversion and maybe have some helpful info?

Here's what the KZ looks like with the 18" spoke wheel. Much nicer in my opinion. Just gotta work out the details on centering and spacing.

when i put wire wheels on my 80 ltd i used the complete wheel/brakes and spacers off my 74z1,which came from a 77 kz1000 origionally so i knew id have all the right spacers
ill try and measure some spacers tomorrow and see what i have for diffrerant combinations for ya.

I'm looking forward to seeing that info Wireman!

i found some spacers,just have to find my metric tape measure!

lets try this again! :laugh:

from left to right i have 23mm/35mm/15mm/11mm.
any of these help in your situation?

Wireman,

Thanks for checking, my spacers are all different. But then I have a disc brake and I think you have a drum since it's a Z1 drum brake hub, correct?

I guess that goes to show that just because spacers look the same doesn't mean they are the same (measurements).

The puzzling thing is I have three rear spoke wheels off '77-'78 KZ1000's, along with axles and spacers. You figure something would work here with all those extra parts.

Anyways, Plan B. My friend has that 30mm collar and he's going to machine 6mm off it. The shorter collar should allow the hub to move to the right, then I can get rid of the washers between the hub and the disc. And I have some spacers to go on the left side between the existing hub spacer and the swingarm.

Looking at my KZ1000 and comparing it with my KZ900, the sprocket does look pretty close to the swingarm on the KZ1000 right now. Nothing touches but it's close. I'm looking at the chain and it appears to be aligned, hard to tell though. 6mm is only about 1/4 inch, not a whole lot.

Hopefully I'll get that collar back in a day or two.

nope mines a disc brake wheel/swingarm i grafted onto the z1 from a 77 kz1000,i stuck the same wire wheels on to my 80 1000 ltd later on those wheel spacers are off another disc brake rear wheel
heres the disc brake wheel/swingarm when it was on my 74

The first spacer in your photo is 23mm. I have three spacers like that and they're all 30mm.

I have a spacer like the 2nd in your photo and it's 28mm vs. your 35mm.

I do have spacers about the same size as #3 and #4 in your photo.

Well I hope my friend gets grinds that spacer and gets it back to me soon. The suspense... I want to get this wheel on right and go riding!

the tape measure i was using wasnt really good,could be 23-24mm.
ive got 3-4 of those 77-78 bikes with wire wheels in the barn but right now ive got too many other things scattered in pieces to tear one down and check which spacers they have.

I got the spacer back, 6mm was the right amount to shorten it by. The new width is 24mm.

Wheel is centered now.



New problem - the caliper touches the spokes. I'm thinking about a fix for that. I filed on the caliper a bit to see if there would be enough clearance. There's not enough and I don't want to file through to the point where brake fluid comes out.




Also, I have a caliper from a '78 KZ1000 which I believe is a bit taller and may clear the spokes, however it's in sorry condition and I'm not sure I can get the pistons unfrozen.

More work to do.

do you have a picture of the caliper?
is the rotor off of the mag wheel?

Wireman,

Here's the picture of my '78 caliper off an "A" model. It's in very rough condition. The donor bike sat in somebody's backyard for 30 years. I'm working on unfreezing the brake pistons and cleaning out the brake fluid passages.

I put it on the spoke wheel and this caliper will clear the spokes. I have the matching disc brake for it too (also looks like a mess).