T500 with GT550 front end

[TitanRider]

So I've officially started swapping parts to put a '75 GT550 front end on my T500. The discussions from the old board said that you can get bearings from 2 different bikes to make it work. I think one was an H2 bearing but I can't remember the other one and unfortunately I can't find the upper bearings I bought. Can anybody shed some light on this?

Also, from looking at it, it appears that instead of the upper bearing being double nutted like the T500, the top triple clamp gets pressed into the nut that holds the upper race, is this correct or am I missing something?


Thanks,
Steve

[diamondj]

Steve,

Are you using the GT550 triple clamps? The T500 triples are for 34mm tubes and tops are an even smaller diameter for the bit that sticks up out of the top of the fork leg on the T500 forks. These won't work with the 35mm GT tubes.

Use the GT550 triples OR a set or GT500 triples and then get a set of GT roller bearings. HVC has a decent price on them:

http://www.hvccycle.com/hvcpartscatalog ... shings.htm

Although they may be cheaper elsewhere so shop around...

Jim

[TitanRider]

Thanks Jim, I have gt550 triples, but I could have swore that the headset diameter where the outer race goes was different, requiring you to get sets from 2 different bikes, but it was awhile ago. I have the bearings for the bottom from all-balls but the package doesn't say what bike they're for. I know I ordered the top ones at the same time, but I can't find them

[diamondj]

You would need to use the 30mm ID Kawasaki bearings with the T500 steering stem for the lower. The GT's used a 27mm ID x 48mm OD x 14mm high lower bearing assembly. The top assembly is 25mm ID x 48mm OD x 16mm high. All Balls part number 22-1005 should include an upper and a lower bearing for a GT series Suzuki.

Bear in mind you'll need to remove the outer races from the T500 frame and install the outer races included with the All Balls bearings.

Jim

[debby]

I bought the first of my two GT550 project bikes because I wanted to put the disk brake front end on my T500. I ran into a couple of complications though.

The GT550 uses totally different steering stops, so you have to either weld new stops onto the T500 frame or you could use GT500 triples.

Also, the GT550 forks are two inches longer than the T500 forks. If you're running clipons that's probably ok but I'm not and I didn't want to extend the forks that much. I figured I could slid the forks up maybe an inch, but they would still be an inch longer and the steering is not exactly quick as it is.

I ended up deciding to get the GT running and just keep the T500 stock.

Debby