Fork Bushings for 80 KZ1000 Shaft (40 mm): Source?

Mechanic has Forks by Frank in hand and one of my KZ's original forks torn down. Discovered that the lower tube bushing is worn. Would like to locate replacements, any suggestions?

Keith "Shin" Schindler
South Central Texas

You sure they have bushings? That's not a Harley FLH frontend!
I think they are just aluminum, and the inside wears.
You might be better off just finding a different set of lower legs on ebay. They sell cheap all the time.

You may want to ask him to show you which part he is talking about. There is a "non-replaceable" bushing on the fork cylinder near the top that's made of some sort of fiber (at least this is true on the KZ650). I believe sometime back someone on this site had some replacements made up special, but it's been a loong time. Maybe he can point ot the problem area on this diagram:



Here's what the bushing looks like on a KZ650 fork cylinder:

Don't know why this post showed up in the engine category, as I thought for sure I'd clicked Chassis.

Any way, I've had the parts in hand, and the KZ1000E Shaftie does have a split ring bushing at the bottom of each fork tube. It doesn't show on the diagram posted in this thread (which I have looked over before), but it is there. It wears inside the lower tube, instead of wearing the aluminum. Not only do Harley's have them, but many dirt bikes too. The inner piston also has a bushing, but it's nylon or teflon, maybe fibre. Didn't look close at the top of the lower tube, to see if it has a bushing also.

I'll keep looking.

Keith "Shin" Schindler
South Central Texas

Here's a picture of a 1981 KZ1000 front fork. It looks like there may be a bushing near the bottom of the inner fork leg (circled in red), although they didn't show a separate part number for it. I wonder if they began using this type sometime in 1980?

Race Tech has the bushings you need. The lower bushings 40mm x 20mm tall x 1mm thick, and the upper bushings 40mm x 12mm tall x 2mm thick. They are listed for the zx1000 1986-87. Measure yours and give them a call.