Cruzin'image pistons?

[joolstacho]

Has anyone used the Cruisin' Image pistons? I'm wondering if the quality is good enough, -they're pretty well priced at A$83.
I pulled my barrels the other day and found the pistons fitted back to front! (The bloke I got the bike from was drunk when I picked it up, and I reckon he must've been drunk when he assembled the motor last). It ran alright though, mind you I didn't take it out, just a pootle up the driveway.
Arse-about-face pistons wouldn't have done the porting much good eh?. But on the upside she's on original bores which is good, but it's slappy so I'll go 1st oversize.

[Alan H]

If the pistons are ok, just reverse them. Arrow points towards the exhaust port. No damage should have been done.

[yeadon_m]

If the bores are also OK, it also shows that the positioning of those ring end-gaps doesn't matter as much as is often said!
Mike

[pearljam724]

I wouldn't buy from them again. They sell junk. Using a piston is quite risky. They won't return multiple messages either, unless of course it involves padding their wallets. Their carb intake boots aren't worth the package they come in.

[Coyote]

I hope their brake line is OK. It sure appears to be well made. I never will understand why Suzuki thought it was necessary to make the brake line out of 3 sections - especially on a single caliper bike

[pearljam724]

I hope their brake line is OK. It sure appears to be well made. I never will understand why Suzuki thought it was necessary to make the brake line out of 3 sections - especially on a single caliper bike

Their brake lines worked out well for me. I take back a part of what I said. The brake lines are good quality. Just don't buy the boots or hope to get good customer service if you aren't happy.

[parksie]

I've had their pistons and carb intake boots in my 73 T500 for the last two years with 12,000Km on them. No problems what so ever.

[tz375]

I know people who have drag raced with those pistons. They won't last as long under those conditions though....

[joolstacho]

Sounds like the proverbial 'curates egg'
(Good in parts)

[Vintageman]

Are we talking T500?

I am not sure anyone here has compared Cruzin's dimension against OEM for T500 later style?

I have purchased other pistons from him (not t500), while material looks good there was a dimension off with them. Arguable what the affect may be long term.

Since I had a fortune into these bikes, paying another 2x more coin (on top oft the fact I bought cruzin's first... too costly to return) has given me a better piece of mind. Again the Al is good quality... just need to verify no reproduction dimensioning errors. If none I am sure they are fine.

If this is a t500 and you want to rev it up/hop it up check out Wossner's

[tz375]

I can show you seized Wossners and Wisecos and cracked OEM and so on. I can also show you partially seized teflon coated pistons and detonated cast pistons.

BTW, the superlight $150 teflon coated WISECO's weigh slightly more than a stock cast piston.

I race and I'm OK using those Cruizin pistons, but it's up to each builder/owner to make that decision as to their comfort level.

[joolstacho]

I need the pistons for my '76 GT500 (should have made that clear). Am I right in saying that T500 and GT500 pistons are interchangeable?
(Slightly different rings or have I got that wrong?)
-Jools

[Vintageman]

I believe T500 and Gt500 same. the later pistons should be better... thinner modern rings maybe if they are indeed different

I think Wossner won't crack like OEM. I mean even factory warned about going over 8Krpm with their pistons before CRACK, but I think that may be the early windowed ones only... not sure.?

I wish I bought Wossner's versus OEM, just didn't feel like waiting (no stock at the time). I do agree most forged piston prove to be heavier than same size cast, but so isn't an oversize piston heavier for example than std size. I don't think that amount of diff is a problem for 8KRPM ish?

As far as seized pistons. T500 is air cooled and barley any cooling fins where the two cyls meet/butt. I have experience with other engines that limit fin area and not a wise decision for sustained HP (trying to keep it narrow design). There is no piston I know can handle too much heat and air cooled engines sure have a limit how much HP duty cycle you can get before melting/scuffing. Run it rich on fuel and extra oil helps some. Or back off HP sooner.

I would expect the GT750 liquid maybe different that t500 but, still even that liquid cooling design won't pull heat away from walls like a modern liquid cooled two stroke I would guess.

Does coating top of piston help or just pushes the heat else where. There is the full anodized like coatings for max heat resistance... not sure how much that helps piston in reality.

Also I have seen the cast liner melt worse than piston when too much heat.
Had a phone conversation with Bore-Tech about his "carbide bore" process.. he explained how vintage engines cast liner material is poor. .. said Suz was a little better but still not that great. f forget detail but worth calling him to hear his perspective on cast liner. I may try this next time.

I think the bore and piston is one place to have extra insurance... spare cyls are getting limitted

[joolstacho]

I get no result on the Wossner site for GT500 pistons, but they'd probably be too expensive even if they did have them. I'm leaning towards Cuisin'Image ones.
The bike won't be raced, but I do need 70-80mph cruising in hot conditions, and I do want to give it a bit of a good fangin' now and again!!!

Clearances. I know there are 'benchmark' piston to cylinder clearance recommendations, does anyone have good recommendations for the GT500 specifically?

[tz375]

If you are concerned and want to be as sure as you can be, grab a pair of WISECos.

If you cannot find them let me know. I can order them and ship them from the US to OZ. Or i'll slip them in my carry on when I head south in a few weeks.