79 GS 850GN front calipers don't look like factory schematic

[dragonfist81]

I went to www,cyclepartsnation.com to look up parts for my 850 and the schematics don't look like the actual parts. Specifically the calipers holders look different and I was wondering if there was a model change that year or what?

[Grandpa]

1979 was the first model year for the 850, the GS850GN. Suzuki changed a number of items from 1979 to 1980 and beyond.

One of those changes was in the front brake department. The 1979 model:
1. Solid discs, front and rear. (Later models are slotted, but they're all interchangeable).
2. Calipers are different. The 79 calipers are, I believe, double piston calipers. Subsequent models have a floating caliper with one piston. Calipers are interchangeable, as the mounting holes on the front forks are placed identically.
3. Master cylinder. The 79 model is round, where subsequent models are basically rectangular.

It's possible that your supposedly 1979 GS850 is actually a 1980. There are ways to tell besides the three I just mentioned. Answer the following questions:

1. Does your bike have a kickstarter? If so, it's a 79. If not, it's 80 or newer.
2. Does your bike have points and condenser? If so, it's a 79. If electronic ignition, it's 80 or newer.
3. Does your bike have the ancient slide carburetors with two throttle cables, push/pull? If so, it's a 79. If not, it's an 80 or newer.

I had a 79 850 back in the mid-90's. I replaced the calipers and master cylinder with those off an 82 model I had owned before. They interchanged perfectly.

Hope this helps.

[psyguy]

older calipers take ROUND brake pads
later calipers take RECTANGULAR brake pads, and the calipers are overall larger

[rusty boltz]

I just put 81 front brakes with the slotted rotors on my 79 gs1000 today everything bolts up directly but they were totally different in design. The slotted rotors require the newer floating caliper design. I tried it with my old calipers but they hit because the round brake pads were taller.Try looking up an exploded view of an 81, maybe someone put newer brakes on yours. The 81 brakes I put on my bike came off my 78 parts bike so who knows whats been done to it.

[Nessism]

All GS front brakes are single piston. '79 brakes take the round pads. Looked up the diagram on Cycle Nation and couldn't see anything obviously wrong (but then again, I don't have a '79 850). Sorry, can't be more helpful.

[Grandpa]

All GS front brakes are single piston. '79 brakes take the round pads. Looked up the diagram on Cycle Nation and couldn't see anything obviously wrong (but then again, I don't have a '79 850). Sorry, can't be more helpful.

Thank you for the correction, Nessism, about GS calipers. I just learned something I wasn't sure about.

[dragonfist81]

Eureka!

Thanks for all the info guys, my bike does have a kickstart and the tag on the bike says it's a 79 gs 850 gn, that I was sure of but it has a rectangular master cylinder slotted rotors and rectangular pads, so someone must have put the newer brakes on. That answers alot, thanks for the quick reply fellas.

[Cassell98]

I have a 79 gs850 and got a set of calipers off an 81 to do a switch and they wouldn't fit without hitting the disc. So slotted disc may also be needed to do a swap.

[Nessism]

I have a 79 gs850 and got a set of calipers off an 81 to do a switch and they wouldn't fit without hitting the disc. So slotted disc may also be needed to do a swap.

Might be that you have calipers intended for a leading axle fork.