KawasakiTrax Community
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: mswyka on March 19, 2019, 07:41:40 AM
-
This week I find myself rebuilding a 1981 Invader Vari-Ride. And, since I don't have a 81 manual I find myself referencing my 1980 manual for the 4/6 quite a bit. I have a new track and wheel kit for this sled and it is interesting that the smaller wheels turn out to be smaller than the wheels currently on the skid. Consulting the manual this is consistent with the differences between the stock Invader and the 4/6 - with the 4/6 having larger wheels. In my office I have a poster (attached) of the 1980 sled line up. I stopped to look at it this morning and was surprised by the placement of the wheels. On my skid, and as depicted in the manual, the front most set of small wheels is on the outside of the aluminum rails. On this poster, the small wheels are shown to be between the aluminum rails. So this makes me wonder if this was an artist's interpretation or a pre-production configuration.
I do have a question out of all this. Is the 1981 Invader suspension skid configured the same as the 1980 4/6 suspension skid? And, if not, what are the differences?
-
I am in the process of putting the 1981 Vari-Ride back together and I discovered, quite by accident, that 4 of the smaller brackets are different from the other 4 smaller brackets.
The difference is the placement of the 3/8" hole. The one on the left is about 1/4" higher than the one on the right.
Four of these holds the shock absorber cross-shaft and the other four hold the rear suspension cross-shaft. I didn't notice the difference when the skid was disassembled.
Does anyone know which bracket lines up with which cross-shaft?
-
I will check mine but need a day or two to do it. After 8 weeks of working on a mold I finally get to deliver it to it'd forever home in the next day or two. This one has been a long haul!!
-
Mark
I have a wore out LTD 4/6 skid sitting in the shed. It is going to donate some parts to the Ceptor skid.
Would you like me to take some pics before I pull it apart?
-
Lloyd, that would be great, thank you.
The 4/6 and the 81 are a little different with respect to the rear suspension mount. But it will be interesting to see. Mostly I am interested in the hole height on the mounting point for the shock to the rail and the mounting point of the rear suspension to the rail.
-
81 Invader suspension.
-
This is great, thank you.
Clearly shows that the shock mount uses the bracket with the higher mounting position and the rear suspension uses the bracket with the lower mounting position.
-
I checked the 4/6 suspension and there are a little different.
-
Making some progress. Very slowly, but progress all the same.
-
It is looking nice, restoring a suspension is a lot of work.
-
I’m still amazed at the difference in ride quality between the VariRide and the old skid.
Looks great! Nice work Mark!
-
Finally done. Now I just need to restore the rest of the sled.
-
Very well done..!! Can't wait wait to see the whole sled completed...hard work pays off !!