Need help on parts interchangability

[quincyman]

I am looking to put the triple clamps and forks of a 2002 KX500 on my 1994 KX500. Is there any reason these will not work?

Also I need a new rear caliper. Will the 2002 fit my 1994?

According to the online parts diagram only the 1995 parts are interchangeable. The parts numbers are different for the 2002 but is that just internal changes or am I wasting my brain power hoping they will change over.

[Hillclimb#42]

 I think the stems are different. New one is smaller, i believe, but you can use upper and lower clamp with stem and make a bushing for stem. Don46 has alot of specific info on this on another thread, but I can't remember which one. I have newer Super stock clamps on my 97 with a stem bushing with no issues. Heavier (taller) upper clamp did lower my front end about 1/2 " or better. No Idea about brakes, but no need to waste brain power. If you want to do something, someone on here has done it and will help shortly!!!!

[BDI]

I dont think they ever changed the frame sence 1990 so I would assume the forks would go on. I think you will need the front caliper off the 02 but this Is a assumption they also like to change axle sizes a lot not sure about the rear caliper all this stuff should be easy to figure out with a little reserch I like to go to ronayers web site they have online micro fich.You can sit there with pencil and paper and compair part numbers for things like frames and stearing head bearings.

[BigGreenMachine]

What about the bottom end? Is the clutch hub interchangeable? I have an 88 and can get a 97 clutch hub. Will it work? What about the cable? Will a 90-04 cable work on an 89/88?

[don46]

I am looking to put the triple clamps and forks of a 2002 KX500 on my 1994 KX500. Is there any reason these will not work?

Also I need a new rear caliper. Will the 2002 fit my 1994?

According to the online parts diagram only the 1995 parts are interchangeable. The parts numbers are different for the 2002 but is that just internal changes or am I wasting my brain power hoping they will change over.

K5 forks will bolt right on, 94 and 00 take same stem diameter and length, direct swap. The caliper may be different, I can't remember where the caliper guide was on the 94. You could use the guide 94  and install just the caliper from the 00, that would work.

Rear wheel from 89 on will work, you will need the spacers for you specific year they are either 22mm or 20 mm. discs, front and rear from 89 to 02 maybe 03 will work, front hub is a little more difficult, I don't remember what year they went to the 20 mm axle it was 17mm? prior to that so that can pose some problems.

Good luck with the swap.

[quincyman]

Thanks guys. I did go to Kawasaki's factory web page and looked at the micro fiche for the various years. 1994 to 2002 the exact same front and rear axles and bearings are used. The 2002 front hub is the same part number as the 1994. 1993 had the smaller axles.

The triple clamps are obviously different due to fork size but the steering head bearings and shaft are identical. The front calipers on a 2002 are different from the 1994 but bolt up to the exact same mount. Front spacers are identical on the 2 years. The rear hub changed and the 2002 is narrower requiring different spacers. There was also a change of some sort with the swing arm. I suspect that the 2002 swing arm is narrower at the axle point. The swing arm mounting hardware (bearings and shaft) are identical.

It appears I cannot use the rear caliper of a 2002 on a 1994 due to the changes in the swing arm dimensions. But I am not sure about that without being able to measure the thickness of the 2002 where the axle passes through it.

It is true that the frame never changed from the early 90s on. Therefore it would be possible to totally upgrade a 1994 frame by attaching 2002 parts.

I learned all this by looking at the micro fiches. It took a while comparing the various years. Thanks for directing me back to the micro fiches. I didn't take the time to look at them in detail when I had asked these questions. It amazed me how little the bike changed when examining bearing and axle sizes.

[don46]

I'm pretty sure the hubs are dimensionally the same, in 97(I think) there was a change, they added an additional bearing on the sprocket side, even though it was the same. on later models the swingarm did change, they added 2 mm spacer bolted to the inner side of the swingarm and shortened the wheel spacers by 2mm, thats what I was talking about the 22mm and 20 mm spacers. I don't think the swingarm is any narrower, it's just the 2mm spacer added to the inside. I would think the caliper would work if the guide is the same.