GS550 Wheel Options

[Mark0]

At some point in the very near future I will be getting my spoked wheels refurbished.

The whole point of this bike for me was to be my daily ride with the exception of seriously bad weather / ice. So far I've managed most days on it still whilst replacing parts that give up as it was stood for a while before I started to use it again.

 

At the moment I have a 19inch dual disc at the front and an 18inch drum at the rear.

 

I am trying to find some cast wheels that I can rub down and paint to use for now then send off my hubs etc to have the rims and spokes newly replaced..... 

 

However all the 18inch rear wheels I can seem to find are of a disc type. It appears I can only see 1 16inch cast wheel that would take the drum.

 

Is this my only option?

 

I was hoping to be able to reuse the tyres etc swapping them straight over then sending the spoked wheels off.

The Haynes manual doesn't seem to be overly informative so I was hoping someone on here may be able to advise me? 

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[oldmoto]

Mark0- old (73) Yank parts mgr., here. (This is USA aftermarket parts book info)-rear drum 18" cast wheels could be found on '80-3 GS450E-types, but they used a 3.50 oem tire vs vs 3.75 on the 550, and drum is smaller diameter than the 550's (160x30mm vs. 180x32mm per the EBC catalog), which implies your brake shoe hub won't fit that wheel. Good news is that axles are the same diameter. Hope this helps.

[Mark0]

Thank you, that's really helpful. Gives me another option to look at as I was restricting my search to the 550. The 16inch that I found did have pretty much the whole drum assembly with it. So I could get lucky and get the majority of parts needed with a 450.

[Mark0]

Looks like I'm going to have to get the wheels rebuilt. 

 

I've already dropped the front wheel out and was a bit surprised that there didn't appear to be a dust seal over the top of the bearing. 

I thought  I might aswell replace the bearings whilst everything was apart and the replacement bearings I have found come with seals. 

 

I take it they should be installed? Or is there a reason they were left out previously? Not sure if it was to do with the spacers and speedo drive that sits over the top of everything or if it was an oversight or different type of bearing maybe?

[DAZ]

By a quick check on an online parts supplier such as cmsnl suzuki would show you an exploded diagram and give you the parts numbers to check if you have all the relevant pieces as well as then being able to cross reference the part number to other models it may be used on .....

[Mark0]

1 hour ago, DAZ said:

By a quick check on an online parts supplier such as cmsnl suzuki would show you an exploded diagram and give you the parts numbers to check if you have all the relevant pieces as well as then being able to cross reference the part number to other models it may be used on .....

Thanks, my Haynes manual didn't show them. CMSNL however does. I've also just found on there that I need one for the mechanical speedo. Which sadly costs more than a bearing set just for the seal. But without that site I wouldn't have known. Good job I love the bike. Feels like il be replacing alot more than I bargained on 

[Swiss Toni]

4 hours ago, Mark0 said:

 Feels like il be replacing alot more than I bargained on.

That's normal!

[Captain Chaos]

8 hours ago, Mark0 said:

Feels like il be replacing alot more than I bargained on 

welcome to the world of OSS. Don't be surprised if one day you're looking at a GSX-R750 engine.

[Mark0]

15 hours ago, Captain Chaos said:

welcome to the world of OSS. Don't be surprised if one day you're looking at a GSX-R750 engine.

Will they fit easily? Just had. A shite of a day. So that may well be close and added to my expanding list.

 

Scrap that question I've had a nose on google. Will be a last resort option for me if I can't source 550 engine parts. Il have a go at most things but I'm not sure I sure be trying that myself. Unless there's a garage somewhere that offers it.

 

By the time winter is over I think the last remaining original piece from when I bought it will be the frame.

I'm currently writing a list of what needs changing at the table now. I've left off the price of the forks and wheels for now ... Currently totalling wheel bearings chain sprocket etc. Not including all the stuff I've already replaced. 

 

It was stood for a bit so with me using it regularly seals etc started to give. Not sure I can get it back on the road for next summer the way this list is going but that's my goal. ... whilst getting the bearings out I noticed no date stamps after the dot on the tyres either lol... so something else to go on the list 

Edited October 28 by Mark0