front fork change/gs450t to gs550t

[Guest]

got myself a nice 1981 gs450t. the front forks are gonna need new seals sometime this winter. they also don't appear to be the stock forks (the lower part of the forks look like they're made of black plastic. i can find no pictures of my bike with those kind of forks). i once read an article were the gentleman said he put the forks from a gs550 on his gs450 to great sucess. i can get a really nice set of forks from a 1981 gs 550t. what do you all think about this swap? were there any difference between the forks on these bikes? thanks,
mike

[tkent02]

The bigger/newer bike would have better forks. They may be a little longer. I would guess the forks tubes are both 35mm, pretty sure the 550 forks are, but you should measure yours. Also make sure the axles and such are going to work. Again I think they would work but I've never messed with a 450 much.

Are they both leading axle forks?

[Gorminrider]

they are 33mm on my '81 gsx 400. The forks cross references to the same forks on a 550T
and also 450 E and T (#51110-44030) I think later models of T and also L's had longer forks...my 82 400T does have longer forks, but still 33mm.

....there are online parts diagrams to see for yourself or download a useful whack of these as pdf's from BassCliff's site.

[chadams66]

whew..had to go look up "leading axles"..lol...mine are the same as on the 550t..straight...i'm thinking the 550t has a better front end due to it's performance upgrade over the 450t...the wheel axle part numbers are the same..so assuming the forks i have now are actually from a 450 i should have no problems there...i could not find any information on the length of the tubes..but i can't for the life of me think they would be massively different...the forks i'm looking at come with their triple tree so diameter isn't too big a worry..though once again i'm betting they're the same until i hear otherwise...i'm just hoping that someone before me painted the lower tubes to look like plastic and that they're not from something that will leave me down a blind alley (one of the reason for just plain replacing them..with a known piece) of non fitting pieces...

[cowboyup3371]

The 550T is a single brake system only so although it might be better you'll still be somewhat limited. The PO put 750E forks on my 550T and I upgraded my brake system to a newer twinpot design - much nicer if you ask me.

[chadams66]

yeah dual disks up front is always better. i've consider this...maybe if i find the parts this winter i'll do that too...