GT500 Shifter Shaft

[Moyock13]

Hey ya'll, I'm new to this group. I'm trying to rebuild a 77 GT500 and am running into a few difficulties finding parts. I'm looking for a shifter shaft, the one I have is gnarled on the shift lever end and needs to be replaced. It almost looks like a previous owner might have welded the shift lever to the shaft. I've watched eBay and have scoured most of the Suzuki 2 stroke sites I can find without any luck. I'm hoping ya'll can give me a notion of where I might look next.

Thanks, appreciate any advice.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Thanks for joining up, I don't have any spare ones BUT I'm sure a board member might have one. Place a post in the buy/sell section and you may get some results

[dogseal]

Hey ya'll, I'm new to this group. I'm trying to rebuild a 77 GT500 and am running into a few difficulties finding parts. I'm looking for a shifter shaft, the one I have is gnarled on the shift lever end and needs to be replaced. It almost looks like a previous owner might have welded the shift lever to the shaft. I've watched eBay and have scoured most of the Suzuki 2 stroke sites I can find without any luck. I'm hoping ya'll can give me a notion of where I might look next.

Thanks, appreciate any advice.

Hi Moyock,
If you can grind the end of the shaft & remove the lever you can then remove the shaft out of the engine ( from the clutch side ) then get the damaged shaft repaired. What I've done in the past is to turn ( face off ) the shaft to the depth of the original splines & drill & tap the shaft 6mm about 20mm deep. Go to your local bike breakers & buy a gearlever & shaft off any scrap engine that has the same size ( diameter ) shaft & cut the splined part off plus 25mm or so, turn & thread the end 6mm to screw into your original, modified shaft. Cut the splined boss off the matching gear lever, cut the suzuki lever off the old splined boss then weld the modified parts. The splines wont be original but it works.
I last did this when I rebuilt an old kx 80 for my son & could'nt get the parts, like yours these had been welded up..the gearchange shaft & lever I used were off a honda 90.
If you cant do the work, any good machine shop will do it for you..& I would only do it if you cant get the original suzuki parts.
Good luck with it!

Tim.

[oldjapanesebikes]

I'm looking for a shifter shaft, the one I have is gnarled on the shift lever end and needs to be replaced.

Welcome ! Just as an additional to dogseal's suggestion (which is a really good one by the way), any gear shift shaft from 1968 through to 1977 will fit, although the early ones were double ended (to allow conversion to right side shift if desired) . What you are looking for as a direct replacement are 1971 and higher which do regularly show up on eBay.

[Coyote]

Why do guys ask for help and never post again? Not even "thanks for the info".
Ian, your info opens lots of doors! Good stuff to know.

[Moyock13]

I did post a "thank you" to Dogseal! And I'll post a thank you to oldjapanesebikes...Thank you, guys! I appreciate the information.

However, I replied to Dogseal but the post did not show up. So let me put it to you this way Coyote, unless you can recall that you've thanked everyone for every bit of information...!

[Suzsmokeyallan]

I was reading the post about how Moyock altered his shifter shaft and thought of this as an optional fix. This naturally is also intended as a fix if you cannot find one for your bike, but have access to some other Suzuki ones with that spline design.
Get a Suzuki shift shaft from your wreckers yard and cut it just about 2mm behind the spines, grind and square the back end so the length is just the splined portion. Then place the piece in a lathe or drill press and bore out the centre to as big as possible taking into account the splined pieces wall thickness needed for strength.
Take the damaged shaft and reduce the end diameter in a lathe so you can lightly press the cut and bored splined piece onto it with a snug fit.
Make sure you have the inside shafts end shortened to just below the end of the outer splined pieces face, which is set at the OEM shaft length.
Simply weld the two together CAREFULLY filling up the end recess. Then clean up the face in the lathe or on a grinding stone to recreate a solid shaft that looks stock.
If a spline gets closed by a bit of stray weld on the outer edge it can be removed by first chipping it off with a cutting chisel then chasing the grooves end with a triangular file.

[ConnerVT]

One on eBay now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-T500-Tit ... 2e&vxp=mtr

[Moyock13]

Awesome! Thanks for the tip! Bought and paid for!