Another LC/TZ Hybrid

[85RZwade]

A stroke of luck  ;D, it happens that the ID of the top and bottom steering head bearings of both the TZ and the RDLC are 25mm. Youngest son wanted to know why there was a triple clamp in the freezer... Momma was even more interested in the bearing race in the oven! I'm working on sourcing tapered bearings in the right sizes, but will assemble with the RDLC loose balls for now.
Hagon offers their RDLC mono shock in custom lengths, which could resolve my ride height issue out back, where I've installed the TZ wheel. Next I'll assemble the front end and she'll be able to roll again  , and I can assess my chain run, assemble the brakes, 
Sorry, no pictures this time 

[85RZwade]

'Kay, so...



I finally got the front end on: 1983 TZ250 wheels, brakes & suspension (except the shock) on 1982 RD350LC.





Things fit pretty well, but I will need a spacer on the stem of the triple clamp to make things right, and there's a definite stink-bugginess going on back there. Move the upper mount, or order a shorter Hagon? I'm going to upgrade the shock anyway, so that's settled.



I was thinking a 140 or 150, but that 120 looks about right.



I have a YZ85 caliper to try back there; the lesson here is: don't sell it (the TZ caliper, in this case) until you're sure you won't need it.
I slipped the LC seat on and the riding position feels pretty racy, even with the stock pegs. TZ upper clamp has no provision for handlebars, so it's clip-ons of some kind. Maybe the adjustable Telefix I have on my RZ?


The clip-one were symmetrical when I rolled it out. A goat must have bumped it. Really.



I think it's starting to look kinda cool.

[toffee]

oh yes, that does sit nice!

im a bit of a hoarder precicely for when i need something i dont say..."shouldnt have sold it"

"better looking at it than looking for it!!" 

[85RZwade]

It's raining bobcats and bulldogs here, so I stole some time in the barn.



That table needed to be cleared off anyway, and it wasn't sketchy getting the LC up there at all 
I reassembled the LC cases with the countershaft inside and slipped the bottom end back into the frame to check chain alignment...



And my luck continues!

[85RZwade]

It appears that my much-abused swingarm will be safe from further chain damage.





It's difficult to see in these pictures, but the upper run of the chain rests on the front of the swingarm, and the rubbing block isn't installed, so it'll be worse with it in place. Of course, my skinny ass isn't on the seat, so...? That's a TZ countershaft sprocket, which is happily the same spline as the LC.

[85RZwade]

And what, you ask, of those goofy Suzuki pipes I bought awhile back? Well, they look as though they'll fit just fine...







Thanks for asking! I might even be able to line the muffler mounts up with the original brackets. They'll tuck in a little better when the centerstand brackets go away. I like those clunky mufflers, but they're almost as heavy as a half gallon of milk...each. Maybe they're full of two-stroke gunk.

[85RZwade]

I continue to fiddle with this project here and there as I get a few minutes to slip away to the barn. Finding a gas tank that I like has proved to be a challenge because of this:



and this:



which create this little issue:



The double backbone and upper shock mount of the LC frame won't easily accept a tank designed for the RDs; at minimum, some modifications to the tunnel would be necessary. It led me to thinking of this:



which is a compelling idea, as, if I could pull it off, I'd have the fit and that look I want. I have never built a tank before, I have limited equipment and it looks like a steep learning curve and major time investment. So:



maybe I can live with the LC tank, at least temporarily. It doesn't clash with the lines of the TZ bodywork as badly as it did in my head, at least from this angle.



Thanks for stopping in; your observations, opinions and suggestions are welcome!

[m in sc]

ambitious!

seems like the swing-arm angle is a bit steep though.   

[Jspooner]

ambitious!

seems like the swing-arm angle is a bit steep though.   

It looks a bit steep to me too, if I remember right something like 12-13 degrees would be the static angle you want to start with if you wanted to get all technical.

[m in sc]

that sounds right-ish as well. 

[85RZwade]

Good eyes; I found one author that said 5-10 degrees, and I'm still researching before I start cutting or buying a shock of a different length.

[Jspooner]

ambitious!

seems like the swing-arm angle is a bit steep though.   

It looks a bit steep to me too, if I remember right something like 12-13 degrees would be the static angle you want to start with if you wanted to get all technical.

I'm thinking the magic number is 11-12 degrees not 12-13. I just checked mine and it's at about 11.5. I did that based the input from someone (can't remember who) that knows (I thought anyway) what they were talking about. You can see what that looks like in the attached pic.

[pdxjim]

I have always heard 12-13* is the magic number.

[m in sc]

THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ME LIKE 10-12 YEARS AGO WHEN I MONOSHOCKED THAT 250, I DID ALL THE CAD WORK AT THE TIME. BUT WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT IS... SORRY CAPS.

[85RZwade]

Is the level app of an iPhone accurate enough for that measurement?