Changing fork tubes

[napoleon83]

This might be a dumb question but can I switch the fork tubes from another set of forks into the lower part of another fork?

 

[Hurco550]

This might be a dumb question but can I switch the fork tubes from another set of forks into the lower part of another fork?

Are they the same model of fork, just from two different identical sets? If so then yes, you can

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[napoleon83]

They are not. Basically what i am working with is a 1973 CL350. I have forks from a 1982 CB450SC. I held the Cb450sc forks up to the cl350 and they seemed really long. Both bikes have 33mm fork tubes so I didn’t know if I could take the fork tubes from the cl350 and put them in the lower fork part of the Cb450sc.

 

[Hurco550]

Not sure about that particular situation, but you probably can. I put a set of cb550 lowers on stock Harley ironhead tubes before. They were both the same diameter. The important part would be to keep the damper rod and internals with the fork tubes and just use the other lowers.

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[napoleon83]

Awesome!! That’s exactly what I needed to know. I was hoping I can put the fork tubes and everything else into the fork housing from a different model. I will break these down and give it a try.

Once I make sure this works then I want to find a way to make the forks a little stiffer. Maybe get new fork springs or stiffer ones. I was told if I upgrade the braking then I should make the forks stiffer to handle more powerful braking. Wasn’t sure if that’s true or not.

 

[whynot]

Cool, post some pix, I'd like to see how you do it?

 

[jammer415]

This might be a dumb question but can I switch the fork tubes from another set of forks into the lower part of another fork?

Did you ever complete this swap??

I’m about to do something similar... I’ll be putting on CB550 lowers onto a CB450 (so I can use double discs).

Wondering if you ran into any trouble doing this??