Suzuki DRZ400SM fork yokes

[Big Thumper Rider]

Suzuki 2006  DRZ400SM  VIN#JS1B8111200102919

I am located at the very southerly point of Europe in Gibraltar.

In March of this year I t-boned a tired shift worker who pulled out into the main stream of traffic, the result was that I, and the bike, were catapulted some 15 metres over his car. I'm just about recovered from my injuries but the bike has a lot of front end damage. The forks seem to be straight but the fork yokes (triple tree) are completely broken. I'm desperately trying to find some replacement yokes but many I've seen for sale are the wrong diameter. The top yoke with a digital caliper measures 54.93mm. and the bottom yoke measures 58.59mm. 

Can anyone advise on the correct part number for these two items, and the best place to source them? Most that I've located are a much smaller in diameter and not suitable. 

There are other issues with my bike but on different forums on the board that I'll post into,

Very many thanks for any help or advice,

James.

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Big Thumper Rider
Added info

[Broadie]

Don't know much about the sm but those forks look like the showa twin chambers on my CRF.

[Big Thumper Rider]

Thanks Broadie, mine are Showa forks that seem to be wrapped in carbon Fibre!! Maybe they are from a different bike????

I'll take some photos of the forks tomorrow and post them up.

[Broadie]

Sorry looks like my mistake I'm used to my e with conventional forks on a drz.
Loads of decent chaps in the drz area. Click dirt bike , make and model , Suzuki , drz. I'm probably telling you how to suck eggs, I'll get my coat.

[Big Thumper Rider]

4 minutes ago, Broadie said:

Sorry looks like my mistake I'm used to my e with conventional forks on a drz.
Loads of decent chaps in the drz area. Click dirt bike , make and model , Suzuki , drz. I'm probably telling you how to suck eggs, I'll get my coat.

No need for apologies, I'm new here so I'll look up info on the DRZ area.

[Redryder1]

2006 DR-Z400SM lower triple clamp# 51410-29F70, upper triple clamp # 51311-29F70. When I had my 2009 DR-Z400E it had a tapered fork, smaller at the top clamp

[Redryder1]

These are Suzuki part #'s you can also check out Ride Engineering out of the USA as they carry aftermarket triples.

[MotardMadKiwi]

Look up you closest Zeta agent as they do a full triple clamp set for a SM. Part number ZE14-3403. Only in black though.

[MotardMadKiwi]

That's the 2nd set of those I have seen photos of, that have ripped the triple clamps of the headstock and the forks appear ok.

Glad to hear you survived.

[Big Thumper Rider]

Thank you all for those invaluable replies, it's much appreciated.

I've just removed the forks and broken top yoke. the bottom yoke looks OK but as seen in the photo, the stem is very bent. Is the stem a tight interference fit into the bottom yoke or is it threaded?

The Showa forks are dead straight so are OK. The wheel is badly damaged but there is a specialist wheel repairer in Málaga city which is about an hours drive away, they show examples of really badly damaged wheels that can be repaired. http://www.llantacars.com/reparacion-de-llantas/

I need wiring advice for the speedo but I've seen another thread on the forum about speedo wiring.

Thanks again, James.

[Big Thumper Rider]

I've asked the same question in another section of the board about interchangeability of triple trees but no replies.

My question is would the Yamaha YZ triple tree in the attached photo be suitable for my Suzuki DRZ400SM.

1. distance between fork centres. 2. diameter of the upper and lower fork clamps. 3. length of steering stem. 4. Diameter of steering stem for bearings.

            Yamaha YZ Triple tree                      DRZ400SM triple tree 

1.               192mm.                                             200mm.

2.  upper 56mm. lower 59mm.                  upper 55mm. lower 58.6mm.

3.               260mm                                              260mm.     

4.   lower 30mm. upper 28mm.                 lower 30mm.  upper 30mm.

The fork clamp diameters are OK but what concerns me is the 8mm. difference between fork clamp centres.

The upper steering stem bearing diameter has a 2mm. difference. 

As always any thoughts much appreciated.

James.

 

 

[Backwoods-Bomber]

The stem is pressed into the lower triple, not threaded. Sm triples are frequently bent in wrecks which I view as a positive, had they not bent or broken (as yours did) the frame or forks would likely be damaged beyond reasonable repair. In many cases the bend is very slight and isn't noticeable until the bike is ridden after reassembly. With that said, and the damage to your stem, I would recommend getting a complete set of triples.

 

As for the yz triple, you can make anything work but is it worth it? You will have to figure out how to mount the headlight and Speedo cluster to the yami triple as well as adapt over the dimensional differences. Probably not worth the hassle when used oem replacement triples are available.

 

Back to your original question of what triples will fit, any drz400SM triples will fit. My speculation is that the ones you are seeing with smaller yolk holes are for drz400E or drz400s models that use conventional forks as opposed to the inverted forks on an SM model.

 

 

[jjktmrider]

You need these , https://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Suzuki-DRZ-400-SM-DRZ400-Upper-Triple-Tree-Clamp-Holder-Steering-51311-29F7/253272916129?hash=item3af83e00a1:g:2wAAAOSwFb5aFfZ8&vxp=mtr  , Though I agree with BB , I'd replace the whole triple tree unit by the looks of that stem , the bottom took a hell of a lot of sideloading ,wouldn't doubt if it crack when trying to press out the stem.

 

 

[Big Thumper Rider]

Thanks again for such informative replies that leads me to the decision to bite on the bullet and buy a complete DRZ400SM triple tree set.

There are no good used ones locally so I'll buy one of the used SM triple tree sets on sale from the USA.

I thought at first I could use my bottom clamp that is pictured in one of the photos above showing the bent steering stem, however when placed on a flat surface it's bent by about 10 degrees.

Thanks again and I'll post back into this thread when I've got the proper triple tree.

James.

[Big Thumper Rider]

Just returning to this topic, is there another triple tree that is compatible with my DRZ400SM set with  p/n 51410-29F70 /51311-29F70 ?

The triple tree for an RM look similar p/n 51310-37F70 / 51410-37F70. or from an RM450 51310-35G00 / 51410-35G00 p/n 51310-35G00 / 51410-35G00.

I'm just trying to source a spare part locally where these seem to be more abundant than the DRZ400SM triple trees.

 

Many thanks,

James.

[Backwoods-Bomber]

Just returning to this topic, is there another triple tree that is compatible with my DRZ400SM set with  p/n 51410-29F70 /51311-29F70 ?
The triple tree for an RM look similar p/n 51310-37F70 / 51410-37F70. or from an RM450 51310-35G00 / 51410-35G00 p/n 51310-35G00 / 51410-35G00.
I'm just trying to source a spare part locally where these seem to be more abundant than the DRZ400SM triple trees.
 
Many thanks,
James.

Nothing is going to be a direct replacement except actual drz400sm triples. With that said, you can make anything work if you really want to.

Are you just trying to avoid shipping charges? Otherwise, I don't understand why you wouldn't just buy a good used set of sm triples off ebay?

[Big Thumper Rider]

It's partly the shipping charges but mostly the vast difference between buying a used DRZ400SM triple tree and say for instance a used DRZ400S triple tree from the same year but 75% less expensive. I suppose it's all down to scarcity?

I have a very well equipped workshop at my home that includes amongst other things a lathe, milling and boring machine, TIG and MIG welders, plasma cutter and many other useful pieces of equipment, so to modify parts is not too much of a problem.

To buy a decent looking used SM triple tree from the USA with shipping is near enough 430 Euros (around $500). There are then hidden taxes which are called "Administration Charges" that have to be paid when collecting goods that amount to 15% of the total including the shipping cost.

So for that reason I'll keep looking locally or investigate modifying a close match.

I still have the possibility to heat and re-align the bottom clamp then just look for an upper clamp. The steering stem is not sold separately, however this is the sort of part that I can easily make.

I have already re-cut  the thread that was slightly damaged and cut the steering stem on the lathe before the point where it got bent. I now have to turn down a piece of high quality steel tube that I have to fit into the bottom clamp and to house the lower bearing. These two pieces I would then chamfer the ends and weld them together then turn down the high welded point on the lathe.  Photos below:-

James.

 

[Backwoods-Bomber]

It's partly the shipping charges but mostly the vast difference between buying a used DRZ400SM triple tree and say for instance a used DRZ400S triple tree from the same year but 75% less expensive. I suppose it's all down to scarcity?
I have a very well equipped workshop at my home that includes amongst other things a lathe, milling and boring machine, TIG and MIG welders, plasma cutter and many other useful pieces of equipment, so to modify parts is not too much of a problem.
To buy a decent looking used SM triple tree from the USA with shipping is near enough 430 Euros (around $500). There are then hidden taxes which are called "Administration Charges" that have to be paid when collecting goods that amount to 15% of the total including the shipping cost.
So for that reason I'll keep looking locally or investigate modifying a close match.
I still have the possibility to heat and re-align the bottom clamp then just look for an upper clamp. The steering stem is not sold separately, however this is the sort of part that I can easily make.
I have already re-cut  the thread that was slightly damaged and cut the steering stem on the lathe before the point where it got bent. I now have to turn down a piece of high quality steel tube that I have to fit into the bottom clamp and to house the lower bearing. These two pieces I would then chamfer the ends and weld them together then turn down the high welded point on the lathe.  Photos below:-
James.
 

I figured the price/shipping was your motivation. Makes sense.

The lathe is the important tool to have for what you are doing. All you need to do is buy a cheap set of rm250 triples that fit the fork tube diameters, and buy a short chunk of solid aluminum rod. Press out both stems (drz and rm) and make a new stem that is identical to the DRZ stem except for the bottom where it presses into the rm lower triple. That portion needs to be the same od as the rm stem. Depending on the stem hole diameter in the upper triple, you may need to lathe a small tubular shim to match to the triple that gets dropped in after the bearing.

Next is accessory mounting, headlight, dash, ignition switch, turn signals. All this should be a matter of drilling and tapping some holes and making some custom brackets. Couple hours work.

[Big Thumper Rider]

Thank you for the encouragement, you are obviously a fellow engineer given your suggestions which is exactly what I was hoping for ?

Whatever I come up with, I'll post back into this thread.

Thanks Again,

James.

 

[jjktmrider]

I have a couple sets , RMZ-250 , RM-250, RMZ-450(?), and RM-125 triple trees here('01-'04 timeframe) I can measure . IIRC the hole the stem presses into were all 1.181"(30mm) . I put thoses triple and usd's on various bikes and made new stem for most of them so the oem stem is around somewhere . Biggest issue would be the outside diameter of the DRZsm forks compared to the RM/Z forks , none of them were the same dia as each other which surprised me . There isn't much that can be done if the forks are bigger/smaller , not wise to bore the clamp portion much since they're thin to start with . Shimming , if the forks are smaller is possible , however I have one like that using CR250 Showa forks in one and those shims keep wanting to move , I don't like to crank those bolts down more than the 10-12ft/lbs .

 

I wouldn't use aluminum for the stem , mine were all stainless (what I have in abundance) ,otherwise a good 4041 or something like that.

 

.

Edited December 11, 2017 by jjktmrider