Installing a GSXR rear wheel-simple swap

D.I.Y. 1988-89 GSXR 750 rear wheel(4.5x17) onto a GS500E swap

(Should take about 1 hour with hand tools!!!)

PARTS NEEDED:

1 GS500E

2 1988-89 GSXR 750 4.5x17 rear wheel with 150/60-17 tire installed,

also with bearings installed and rear rotor

3 one extra axle washer....about 1mm thick

4 NEW rear wheel bearings....(for the anal people)

SPECIAL TOOLS NEEDED:

1 Hacksaw

2 File

3 Caliper (or something to measure 10mm with)

PROCEDURE:

1. Remove the bearings from the GSXR wheel. Save the center bearing spacer and label it " GSXR ".

2 Remove rear wheel from GS500.

3 Remove bearings from the GS500 rear wheel.

NOTE: The center bearing spacer on the GS500 is 9mm shorter than the GSXR center spacer. Also, it is 17mm I.D. and the GSXR spacer is 20mm I.D.

This is the best way to install a 150 tire on a GS. A 160 is too wide for the chain/tire/brake stay clearance.

7 File the bracket smooth and as close to parallel (as possible) to the inside machined surface.

8 Install all parts into swing arm to check fit before installing GS500 bearings into GSXR wheel. Install in this order: Left spacer-GS500 cush hub-GS500 bearing-***GSXR center spacer*** -right bearing- right spacer-***~1mm washer***-modified caliper bracket (Note: I added the 1mm spacer later to help align the rotor in the caliper).

9 Install GS500 bearings into GSXR wheel ***USING THE GSXR CENTER SPACER!!!***. It is ok to use the GSXR center spacer even thought the diameter is bigger than the GS spacer. This is installed to prevent side loading the wheel bearings.

10 Install GSXR wheel into GS swing arm. NOTE: Remember to add the ~1mm washer between the right spacer and the caliper bracket to help center the rotor in the caliper.

11 Spin the wheel and check operation of the rear brake. This re-aligns the pistons in the caliper.

FINAL NOTES and COMMENTS:

1 The GSXR rotor is about 1 inch smaller in diameter than the GS500 rotor and about 1/2 of the GS brake pad comes in contact with the rotor. The brake pads will wear funny. Get over it.

2 The rear brake arm is NOT modified with a 150 tire and the clearance on both sides of the tire is acceptable. 160 tire...I do not know if it will fit.

3 I used a 1988-89 GSXR 750 wheel because the GS500 cush hub is a direct swap. This allows for perfect chain alignment or as good as a stock GS500.

4 A late model KATana 600/750, SV650, RF600, Bandit 600 might work.... I do not know. I have not had one in my hands to verify compatibility.

5 This is the proceedure I did...WITH HAND TOOLS!!!! I had to loosen the caliper from the the brake arm to bolt the caliper back on. I would have been finished in less than 1 hour, BUT, Srinath called so it took me about 1 hour and 20 minutes from start to finish ( including taking some measurements and pics for Ya'll)

6 This modification was performed at 10 pm on a Saturday in prep for a ride on Sunday with Srinath. This was typed up and sent by 1:30 am. Yes it actually took longer to explain how to convert the wheel than to actually convert the wheel.

Fightin-ry of gstwin.com also suggests a method of using a gsxr 1100 wheel by using a GT550 carrier (6 cush), instead of the gs500e sprocket carrier (5 cush), but it needs some machining to get chain alined and to make it narrow enough to fit. It will fit, just alittle more than an hours work.