Date: 28-03-24  Time: 13:50 pm

Author Topic: Thundercat forks swap just a little help  (Read 4994 times)

greenman

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 75
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« on: 09 June 2015, 07:03:20 pm »
Got myself a pair of thundercat forks off fleabay, they fit in the yokes nicely, front wheel fits well and the Speedo drive just slotted in and located on the forks just right, even the fazer mudguard can quite easily be made to fit with a couple of fabricated brackets. The only issue I've got is the brake calipers, the holes line up nicely but there's an overlap of fork to caliper mountings. Has anyone fitted tcat forks with fazer wheel? How did you achieve front brakes?
There ain't arf been some clever bastards

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #1 on: 09 June 2015, 09:39:00 pm »
You have to use tcat yokes otherwise as you have found out the brake calipers do not fit!

Luckily the stems are exactly the same so no need to worry about pressing and welding a new one in.

To fit the fazer front wheel you'll need the tcat spindle as the width is now slightly wider than the fazer forks, with this you'll have to make a spacer otherwise you'll be over tightening the spindle pulling the forks together putting the stanchions under pressure! You're better off getting a tcat wheel with the tcat spacers- extra advantage is you now have a 120/60 tyre better handling and more choice of rubber available,
The speedo sensor can be filed to fit the wheel quite easily, the sensor housing is the same dimensions so no mods needed there!

Going this route you'll also want the tcat fender.

The yokes can be drilled to fit the fazer handlebars.
I fitted the tcat clipons- this reduces steering lock as they foul the clocks, with this I also fitted the tcat throttle, brake master assembly and clutch lever, this was just personal choice and if you drill them for fazer bars you won't need to do!

Tcat forks are much longer than fazer ones so will need to be pushed through the yokes, take some measurements of the two to find out by how much, however the tcat forks also have more travel so you need to be aware of the travel distance between bottom of yoke and fork seals!
« Last Edit: 09 June 2015, 10:19:56 pm by Punkstig »
Some say...

gregwillclark

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 53
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #2 on: 10 June 2015, 10:52:12 am »
What is the part number for these forks?

greenman

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 75
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #3 on: 10 June 2015, 12:10:13 pm »
Thanx punkstig, some really good info there, what your saying is I should have got a complete front end, oh wel back to cleavage then.
There ain't arf been some clever bastards

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #4 on: 10 June 2015, 04:06:33 pm »
Essentially - yes!
I too tried to get away with just swapping the forks but came to realise it's unfortunately not as cheap and simple as that- there will be several yoke assemblies to choose from on ebay, tbh you're looking at another £50, if you're keen on doing this I'd send several of the sellers questions asking what deal they'd do for the set of yokes and spindle, possibly the wheel (wheel isn't necessary now, you can use the fazer one and get a wheel later)
Some say...

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #5 on: 10 June 2015, 04:07:27 pm »
What is the part number for these forks?
Don't know the part number, sorry
Some say...

greenman

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 75
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #6 on: 10 June 2015, 11:34:20 pm »
Essentially - yes!
I too tried to get away with just swapping the forks but came to realise it's unfortunately not as cheap and simple as that- there will be several yoke assemblies to choose from on ebay, tbh you're looking at another £50, if you're keen on doing this I'd send several of the sellers questions asking what deal they'd do for the set of yokes and spindle, possibly the wheel (wheel isn't necessary now, you can use the fazer one and get a wheel later)
yeah the wheel can wait but more money to spend by the looks of it. Will the improvement to the handling be worth the money and work involved?
There ain't arf been some clever bastards

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #7 on: 10 June 2015, 11:41:31 pm »
If you plan on keeping the bike for a while then yes, it's worth the money.
The next lofo ride out should be 5th July, if we can both make it you're more than welcome to swap bikes for a bit during the day so you can see the difference for yourself!
Some say...

gregwillclark

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 53
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #8 on: 11 June 2015, 09:07:37 am »
Really want to sort the front & rear suspension out on my boxeye now, the engine is finally running sweet so i'm starting to notice that the rear shock has seen better days and the front forks are not the best.....


I like the USD conversion but I agree with what someone said that I don't think they fit the retro look of the boxeye....

greenman

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 75
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #9 on: 11 June 2015, 11:36:50 am »
I've got a R6 shock on rear suspension duty, supplied and modified by kebab19, the best upgrade so far but is really shows up the shortcomings of the forks hence t.cat forks. I did think about USD R1 fork swap but loads of money and work, swapping of the stem and I want to keep it looking standard and I personally think the box eye doesn't wear USD forks well. It would be worth contacting kebab19 on here, he has a few mod ideas to get your fazer handling better.

If the handling improvement is worth the effort then I'll crack on with it.
There ain't arf been some clever bastards

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #10 on: 11 June 2015, 02:13:13 pm »
Well the Tcat forks certainly have no comparison with the likes of R1/6 forks but they also don't have the price tag and are better than standard, as said the different tyre is an advantage too!
Some say...

greenman

  • DAS Born Again
  • **
  • Posts: 75
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #11 on: 11 June 2015, 08:13:18 pm »
If you plan on keeping the bike for a while then yes, it's worth the money.
The next lofo ride out should be 5th July, if we can both make it you're more than welcome to swap bikes for a bit during the day so you can see the difference for yourself!
A ride out sounds fun, I'm not working that day, would be good to meet some fellow focers, I'm in, will it be posted in events bit?
There ain't arf been some clever bastards

Punkstig

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,191
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Thundercat forks swap just a little help
« Reply #12 on: 11 June 2015, 09:42:39 pm »
Yeah, keep you're eye out for lofo meet, its normally first Sunday of the month! Last week we was down your way!
Some say...