New 83 Front End For YellowJacket **NEW Probem**

[YellowJacket!]

Well, its been a long time coming and I have been beat out of several auctions but I think it was well worth the wait.  I finally got an almost complete 83 front end for Yellowjacket!.  It came to a bit more than I wanted to spend after the shipping was added in which I wasn't quoted until after the auction closed but, I think in the long run it will pay off much more.  I got a set of front forks in very good condition with only minor pitting on the upper part of the tubes which I can get off with wet sanding.  The tubes are straight and true.  It came with an unopened set of new fork seals too.
It also came with two 83 rotors that show almost no wear.  Two calipers with brand new brake pads, all mounting bolts, hoses, the "Y" junction and the top to a master cylinder but not the master cylinder itself (it was disclosed that it was not included).  All the hoses have the outer spring and seem to be in excellent condition.  They should workl ok for me untio I round up the dough for a set of SS lines.  The seller also included a brand new Haynes Manual.
I have heard that the 82 master cylinder works fine and in some cases, maybe better than the 83.  Is this true?
Anyone have a spare 83 master cyl they want to part with?

Once I get down to the assembly, I'll post some pics of the process and progress.  I'm aslo starting to accumulate some extra parts that are in good condition from all my upgrades.  I'll list them soon in the swap shop.  ;D

David

[ProfessorRex]

I may have an '83 master cyl. PM me

[kwells]

How's the resurrection of that 83 coming rex?

[h2olawyer]

You're gonna love the enhanced braking, Dave.  I did the steel lines at the same time, so I got the full effect from an 82 system that needed a total rebuild to the fully refurbished 83, so the difference was stark!  I know you've been hunting these parts for a while.  Congrats on finally scoring them!   ;D

H₂O

[kwells]

did yamaha ever post the braking differences for the 82s and 83s? 

[kiawrench]

i have those figures--- the 82 stops like it never intended to, and the 83 will stop on a dime and give you 9.9 cents change-

  i still have a long way to go to worry about the things that work but need updating, but i may go with a more rigid braking system soon- guy here does brake set ups for complete custom bikes, says we can build a nearly rigid system with a "center flex" type hose- a mere 12 inch stainless braided line, rest is solid lines- end a lot of the 82 abs syndrome .  i am still waititng to see this on his dime, then i may try it .

[kwells]

I havent tested one with the 83 setup but I have done what I consider all the 82 system upgrades to get it as good as it can be.  Braided stainless line, upgraded pads, sticky tires, and progressive springs.  I dont think it stops all that bad considering the technology(single piston and 82 master cyl).  When I got on my sprint I just about went over the front end on the first couple pulls of the brake lever so I KNOW it could be better.  I still cant imagine an 83 setup without stainless lines progressive springs or good tires can be better than what I am running currently.  I have a hard time believing that the 83 setup even upgraded can 'stop on a dime'

[Brian Moffet]

I haven't really pushed my stopping to the limit yet.  I'm still breaking in the new brake pads (they only have 60 miles on them, and not all of that is stopping  :) )  I do have stainless lines, progressives, new pads, and not-really new tires.  The stopping does feel a lot better than I remember the older system which was standard springs, non-stainless lines, and bad pads.

Brian

[kwells]

definitely those upgrades will improve either system drastically.  I think the stock setup with harder compound tires will easily lock the front wheel.  Once I put on a sticky tire it now has trouble even after the line and pad upgrades and that's a good thing.  I think the weak link in the system is actually the master cylinder but really the system needs both a master cyl and a 2-3 pot caliper

[Brian Moffet]

Oh yes, I cannot get the brake lever to the grip at all.  It won't move that far.  It used to.

Brian

[YellowJacket!]

Brian, I was on your site last night admiring your work.  I went out today and picked up a can of gloss black appliance paint.  ;D

David

[jasonm.]

the critical thing is that the '83 master is 5/8" bore. this gives the extra fluid needed for the 2nd caliper. there many Yamahas that use and have used the same animal. I believe even the late model Vmax will work.

[YellowJacket!]

Do the 83 forks have progressive springs?

David

[h2olawyer]

There has been conflicting info on that subject.  I know Lucky, Brian Moffet & I have all rebuilt our 83 forks & none had progressive springs from the factory.  I haven't replaced the stock springs as yet, but plan to sometime this Summer.

H₂O

[jasonm.]

The OEM springs have a very mild progressive design at the top. I put the Progressives in. The only gain is they lessen dive under braking. They also make a slapping sound at times. The OEMs did not do this. Turns out the Progressives a 2-3 mm narrower. Thus this noise as they bow durring compression. Progessive's help line made many excuses for this. But all were "the forks fault". But the noise is not there with the OEM springs. Also the insides of my forks are perfect. No scratches or wear marks.  The inner and outer tubes are a tight fit. SO the help line was no help.Basically I am considering putting the stock ones back in.

[YellowJacket!]

I got one of them open and it does not look like a progressive spring.  There was also only about 2 oz of oil in each fork.
Overall they are in pretty good shape.  I ordered a set of dust seals today.  So now I have both the oil seals and dust seals.
My only concern though is the slight bit of pitting in the chrome on the tubes.  Its not noticiable standing a couple feet away and it si above the travel area  on the tubes.  But, never the less a bit more than on my current 82 tubes.

Anyone have some extra 83 upper fork tubes they want to trade something for ....or donate to a good cause....? me.  ;D

Thanks,

David

[h2olawyer]

Just use your 82 tubes.  That's what I did.  Unless your 82 tubes are even worse . . .

The 83 tubes start the threads for the top plugs farther down inside the tube, so the 82 plugs won't fit in the 83s.  However, the threads on the 82 tubes will accept the 83 air caps - you just have more turns to make before they are tight.

Since you're rebuilding them anyway, it is no problem to swap the tubes from your 82 to the 83 fork lowers.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

Just use your 82 tubes.  That's what I did.  Unless your 82 tubes are even worse . . .

The 83 tubes start the threads for the top plugs farther down inside the tube, so the 82 plugs won't fit in the 83s.  However, the threads on the 82 tubes will accept the 83 air caps - you just have more turns to make before they are tight.

Since you're rebuilding them anyway, it is no problem to swap the tubes from your 82 to the 83 fork lowers.

H₂O

Great!  Thats good to know.  I thought the two were not interchangeable.  I'm really glad I can use the air caps on the 82 tubes.

David

[inanecathode]

Or you can just tap the caps you have, put in a schrader valve, and put teflon tape on the cap threads. Theres your air forks :D

[h2olawyer]

The issue is the tubes themselves, not the air caps.  The 83 tubes he just got are pitted & his 82 tubes are in better shape.  If the air caps came with the 83 tubes, they will transfer to the 82 tubes.  However, the 82 caps will not fit on 83 tubes.  The threads on the 83s start lower inside the tubes than the 82s.  He was looking for 83 tubes because he didn't realize the 82 tubes would work with the 83 lowers.  The schrader valves work great threaded into the 82 caps.  I did that before I found the 83 front end.

H₂O