KawasakiTrax Community

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: mswyka on September 07, 2020, 07:09:07 AM

Title: Suspension Lift
Post by: mswyka on September 07, 2020, 07:09:07 AM
We have had more than one sled come into the shop with the underside of the tunnel ripped open by studs in the track.  Kawasaki must have understood that fairly early since in 1980 they began offering a Tunnel Rub Strip Kit in January 1980 P/N 99970-3524.  On element of that kit that I wasn’t otherwise aware of were the suspension lift brackets – essentially identical steel brackets for the support of the rear suspension cross-shaft with the exception that the mounting holes are dropped by about 1.5”

We only have one example of the OEM lift bracket - oddly enough that showed up on our 78 Intruder.  That sled has just been a wealth of information for us.  I have never found another pair so we started fabricating our own.  I cannot say that they are too elegant, but they get the job done.

With the added height of the rub strips, it is easier for the track to bottom out.  The little bit of lift offered by the new brackets helps to keep the track from bottoming out.

So for all our 78 and 79 sleds we add the lift.  We also add the lift to the 80 and newer, non-vari-ride sleds. 

Again, for us, this has been a good modification.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: mswyka on September 07, 2020, 07:13:16 AM
Ran out of picture space in the first post.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: bryan_damone on October 12, 2020, 10:15:47 PM
I thought I would add a few more details about the factory lift brackets, as I was lucky enough to find an NOS set. I have included a few photos. Basically they are the stock height brackets with a piece of 16-gauge sheet metal welded on the inside which acts as the drop. The piece of 16 gauge has a d-shaped hole in the center that the stock height mounting hole fits in such that the surface of stock hole and dropped hole are flush. The dropped hole is 1.25" lower than stock and shifted backward by 1/8".
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: mswyka on October 13, 2020, 06:23:56 AM
Good stuff.  Good photos.  Thanks for adding.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: Interceptor398 on October 16, 2020, 08:21:11 AM
Now that I see these pictures, it seems like I have a couple lift brackets here some place??
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: connolcj on February 15, 2021, 07:50:07 AM
So I'm getting an old 79 Drifter up and running after sitting for a few years and I'm looking into studding the track in the future.  After looking at this post it looks like I may have the suspension lift already installed on the sled.  I have yet to stick my head under to see if the I have the full tunnel rub kit installed or not though.  Am I correct with assuming that I don't need to do the suspension lift if I want to install studs? Ignore the missing bolt.  I found that it was missing and have it replaced already.

I guess I should ask does this drop the location of the front track mounting bolt or the rear?
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: Interceptor398 on February 15, 2021, 09:30:03 AM
Welcome to the site!!  ;D

 It does look like a lift bracket but I don't know the Kawasaki had one for the Drifter??
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: connolcj on February 15, 2021, 11:54:07 AM
Thanks, I just picked this up last week and its been a blast to get up and running.  After looking into it more I think the suspension modification is indeed for the front bolt and I was asking about the rear.  I should be able to get something fabbed up to give it the desired lift.  My next question though is to know if there are any work around for the tunnel slide that came in the factory kit?  I'm sure they aren't available anymore but is there anything off the shelf that's close enough to work with?
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: whitley1983 on February 17, 2021, 01:31:30 AM
We have had more than one sled come into the shop with the underside of the tunnel ripped open by studs in the track.  Kawasaki must have understood that fairly early since in 1980 they began offering a Tunnel Rub Strip Kit in January 1980 P/N 99970-3524.  On element of that kit that I wasn’t otherwise aware of were the suspension lift brackets – essentially identical steel brackets for the support of the rear suspension cross-shaft with the exception that the mounting holes are dropped by about 1.5”

We only have one example of the OEM lift bracket - oddly enough that showed up on our 78 Intruder.  That sled has just been a wealth of information for us.  I have never found another pair so we started fabricating our own.  I cannot say that they are too elegant, but they get the job done.

With the added height of the rub strips, it is easier for the track to bottom out.  The little bit of lift offered by the new brackets helps to keep the track from bottoming out.

So for all our 78 and 79 sleds we add the lift.  We also add the lift to the 80 and newer, non-vari-ride sleds. 

Again, for us, this has been a good modification.

Hey man, what material did you use to make the drop plate with? This seems to be the simplest idea, is to take a second flat piece of steel and then rivet it in behind the existing bracket? Is that what you did? I realize then that you might have to shorten the shaft that bolts to these brackets.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: mswyka on February 17, 2021, 10:05:23 AM
We have had more than one sled come into the shop with the underside of the tunnel ripped open by studs in the track.  Kawasaki must have understood that fairly early since in 1980 they began offering a Tunnel Rub Strip Kit in January 1980 P/N 99970-3524.  On element of that kit that I wasn’t otherwise aware of were the suspension lift brackets – essentially identical steel brackets for the support of the rear suspension cross-shaft with the exception that the mounting holes are dropped by about 1.5”

We only have one example of the OEM lift bracket - oddly enough that showed up on our 78 Intruder.  That sled has just been a wealth of information for us.  I have never found another pair so we started fabricating our own.  I cannot say that they are too elegant, but they get the job done.

With the added height of the rub strips, it is easier for the track to bottom out.  The little bit of lift offered by the new brackets helps to keep the track from bottoming out.

So for all our 78 and 79 sleds we add the lift.  We also add the lift to the 80 and newer, non-vari-ride sleds. 

Again, for us, this has been a good modification.

Hey man, what material did you use to make the drop plate with? This seems to be the simplest idea, is to take a second flat piece of steel and then rivet it in behind the existing bracket? Is that what you did? I realize then that you might have to shorten the shaft that bolts to these brackets.

We used 1/8" mild steel.  It could have been thinner but my local metal supplier didn't have anything thinner in stock.  I actually tack welded the stock bracket to the add-on plate to hold it in place.  Then drill  thorugh the old mounting hole location and use the same 5/16 Allen head bolt and narrow lock nut that holds the rear swing arm to bolt the old bracket to the new plate (nut on the outside - this will show through to outside of tunnel). We re-use the existing holes in the stock bracket and footboard to position the newly welded bracket and plate and then drill through the new plate from the outside of the tunnel to make sure that we get the holes to align properly.

We did not change shaft length.  There is plenty of splay and play in the tunnel to accommodate the new plates.

It is bothering me that I have not found the template.  I am sure that it is here somewhere.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: whitley1983 on February 17, 2021, 03:21:09 PM
We have had more than one sled come into the shop with the underside of the tunnel ripped open by studs in the track.  Kawasaki must have understood that fairly early since in 1980 they began offering a Tunnel Rub Strip Kit in January 1980 P/N 99970-3524.  On element of that kit that I wasn’t otherwise aware of were the suspension lift brackets – essentially identical steel brackets for the support of the rear suspension cross-shaft with the exception that the mounting holes are dropped by about 1.5”

We only have one example of the OEM lift bracket - oddly enough that showed up on our 78 Intruder.  That sled has just been a wealth of information for us.  I have never found another pair so we started fabricating our own.  I cannot say that they are too elegant, but they get the job done.

With the added height of the rub strips, it is easier for the track to bottom out.  The little bit of lift offered by the new brackets helps to keep the track from bottoming out.

So for all our 78 and 79 sleds we add the lift.  We also add the lift to the 80 and newer, non-vari-ride sleds. 

Again, for us, this has been a good modification.

Hey man, what material did you use to make the drop plate with? This seems to be the simplest idea, is to take a second flat piece of steel and then rivet it in behind the existing bracket? Is that what you did? I realize then that you might have to shorten the shaft that bolts to these brackets.

We used 1/8" mild steel.  It could have been thinner but my local metal supplier didn't have anything thinner in stock.  I actually tack welded the stock bracket to the add-on plate to hold it in place.  Then drill  thorugh the old mounting hole location and use the same 5/16 Allen head bolt and narrow lock nut that holds the rear swing arm to bolt the old bracket to the new plate (nut on the outside - this will show through to outside of tunnel). We re-use the existing holes in the stock bracket and footboard to position the newly welded bracket and plate and then drill through the new plate from the outside of the tunnel to make sure that we get the holes to align properly.

We did not change shaft length.  There is plenty of splay and play in the tunnel to accommodate the new plates.

It is bothering me that I have not found the template.  I am sure that it is here somewhere.

Hey thanks, I hate when you can't find something, I'm sure you'll find it randomly! If someone could just tell me the measurement from the bottom of the tunnel to the very bottom of the plate, so basically the amount of steel that is exposed? With all the other info I'm sure I can get one built no problem.
Thanks, -Jake
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: mswyka on February 17, 2021, 04:46:41 PM
With the new mount 1 - 5/8 lower than the original, the plate only needs another 1/2 inch  or so below the new mount hole.
Title: Re: Suspension Lift
Post by: Lloyd (ljm) on February 21, 2021, 10:52:56 AM
 Hi Everyone

 Just a note on the Drifter.  The are a completely different chassis than the Intruder/Invader chassis.

The Drifter tunnel is tapered. This makes them awesome fluffy snow machines.  With all the fluff we have this year I should dig my Drifter out.
 The tapered tunnel makes the drop bracket necessary. All the Drifters use a bracket similar the suspension drop option for the other chassis.