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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Kawasaki rims on a savage?
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Message started by rustysavage on 08/25/12 at 14:18:15

Title: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by rustysavage on 08/25/12 at 14:18:15

I have access to a rusted out 81 Kawasaki 440 ltd with mag rims and belt drive. I know some have used the front pulley but I was wondering if the rims would fit the savage? I believe front is 19" and the rear is 16". Thanks

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/25/12 at 14:48:01

send me the wheels and I'll let you know ;D

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by rustysavage on 08/25/12 at 16:20:13

Sure thing ;D

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/25/12 at 19:48:29

Ya cant put Sakkahockey rims on a Zuki, boy!! Dont you know NUTHIN?
Dang thing'll blow up,,Geeeze,, kids these days,, I tell ya,, dont know nuthin 'bout nuthin..

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Jack_650 on 08/25/12 at 23:04:20

I have a '74 Pinto wagon up on blocks in the back yard. Can I put those rims on my Savage? Or should I go with my first plan which involved Super Glue, hula hoops and 50' of Weed Wacker string?

Sometimes the voices make me do stuff.

Jack

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/26/12 at 06:18:55

I ran with a guy who had a Pinto wagon. WE pretty much lived in it once for about 6 weeks. They had a strange thing goin on down in Mobile Alabama with them. We couldnt keep a gas cap,, not for a week, park, come out, gas caps gone, we bought one, it got swiped, so, from then on , it was swipe a cap, no one in town had the right color gas cap on theirs & I suspect somewhere there was some klepto with a garage full of them,

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Savage_Rob on 08/28/12 at 09:52:30

1F34363E0A636065550 wrote:

Not sure about that but I'm pretty sure we had somebody on the site who was darksiding with a VW tire on his Savage.

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by ZAR on 08/28/12 at 10:27:34

54554B060 wrote:

Rusty you're right on the sizes of the Kawa rims...I have a 1980 KZ440 LTD and I've sat many a night wondering the same thing. I'd say it can be done but it might require major changes and refitting on the rear. Maybe more than the outcome is worth!

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Dave on 08/28/12 at 11:58:54

Not sure what belt you would end up with....the Suzuki or the Kawasaki. You may end up having to shorten or lengthen the swing arm to make it fit the belt length.

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Jack_650 on 08/28/12 at 19:13:19

I looked around and found that it's really hard to get tires narrow enough for the back of the Suzuki. The specialty tires for O-L-D cars can be gotten but they're expensive and often made to the old specs which means hard, stiff and unforgiving. Sound like anything you guys have heard before?

I'm running a Goodrich Radial T/A P155 on the back. And before you go looking for the Goodrich it's discontinued, or so I was told. I ordered it from somewhere in Tenn. I think, that had bought the molds, forms, whatever and was making them. Same markings and everything.

Jack

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/29/12 at 00:57:11

maybe sharing contact/ordering info would be a good thing..

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by teabowl13 on 08/29/12 at 06:07:28

HEY RUSTY,

Sounds like you need to go check out that Kawi and just take some measurements to see how everything will line up. For the rear as well as the front.
Are these wheels wider? Do they require a wider/larger tire?
Does the rear wheel have a drum brake? Is it the same as the Savage, or will you have to retro-fit the whole thing? Will the rear pulley line up straight with the front pulley?
What about the front brakes? I know I asked about using the GS550 wheels, and while the rear wheel is a direct swap, using the front wheel requires using the entire GS550 front end because none of the front brake stuff matches up; that means either custom wiring in all of the GS550 controls to match the Savage wiring because the GS uses a 7/8" handlebar...

I guess you'll find out if it works when you try it!!

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by rustysavage on 08/29/12 at 18:12:06

I'm thinking of stripping the rims, the front pulley, axles, front caliper and rear brake from the kawasaki. The price is right (free nothing to loose but some time). The front rim has a disc brake rear is drum, depending on axle, rim off set and clearance issues might be a winter project.

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Drifter on 08/30/12 at 05:57:54

Interesting idea, if you figure it out post pics i am sure others wuould give it a try. I like the look of those wheels!

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by Cavi Mike on 08/30/12 at 06:15:11

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by teabowl13 on 08/30/12 at 08:55:38

Hey Man... Give the guy a break, He's in Nova Scotia. He's got a nice LONG winter to figure it all out!!

;D ;D

Title: Re: Kawasaki rims on a savage?
Post by rustysavage on 08/30/12 at 16:04:15

What do you mean "fit?" Like bolt right on? Yeah, sure, different manufacturers get together ALLLL the time to make sure each others parts will just swap back-n-forth no problem. Seriously, they do.

FYI the front Kawi pulley doesn't fit, it needs to be heavily modified.

By fit I meant has anyone tried it. I know the front pulley has to be modified I have read the posts. Being an auto mechanic for 20 + years I am not afraid to try something. As for manufacturers getting together I just think back to AMC they sourced parts form GM Ford Jeep and etc. So on the of chance Suzuki and Kawasaki sourced their rims from the same rim manufacturer it might work. ;)