04 yz 450f suspension help

[ericb269]

I bought a used 04 yz450f its a great bike and runs real good. The problem i am having is that i live in el paso tx and i have no shops around that do suspension work. Here is what i need to know how much would it cost to revalve and respring my forks and rear shock and does anybody know of some good shops to send my stuff to.

[YamaLink]

I bet the suspension forum on TT would have several options for you.

[ericb269]

k I will check I know there are people on these forums that usually do their own work thats kinda what i was looking for. Also I am in Iraq right now so it takes a super long time to search due to the crappy internet out here lol but thx.

[grayracer513]

The suspension forum is here:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=47

The '04 is a tough case to deal with. They can be improved, but it takes a lot to match a set of stock '06-'07 YZ450 forks, and you can find those on eBay and elsewhere for about what you'd spend on reworking yours. If you get the whole front end with clamps, they bolt right on.

[Streamline]

The suspension forum is here:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=47

The '04 is a tough case to deal with. They can be improved, but it takes a lot to match a set of stock '06-'07 YZ450 forks, and you can find those on eBay and elsewhere for about what you'd spend on reworking yours. If you get the whole front end with clamps, they bolt right on.

I have an 04 YZ450F as well and was getting ready to get mine done.

So 06-07 Yz450F forks will swap as long as I have the clamps, what about the rear shock? Is that able to be swapped as well or should I just get that done at a susp shop?

Lastly, how much better is the 06-07 stuff? Thanks!

[grayracer513]

...what about the rear shock? Is that able to be swapped as well or should I just get that done at a susp shop?

Lastly, how much better is the 06-07 stuff? Thanks!

The fork is more than night and day different, and a huge improvement. The '04 shock is pretty good, though. The '06 has a beefier shaft, and several other little updates, but there's not so much that I'd look for one instead of having the '04 re-worked.

[Streamline]

The fork is more than night and day different, and a huge improvement. The '04 shock is pretty good, though. The '06 has a beefier shaft, and several other little updates, but there's not so much that I'd look for one instead of having the '04 re-worked.

Thank you. I'll look for a complete set of front forks/clamps then. And stearing stem I'm guessing? Any idea around how much I could expect to pay? Also, my wheel will bolt right up correct? No spacers needed? And lastly, do the front plates/front fender differ or can I use my 04 stuff?

Thanks as always for all of your help.

Tyler

[grayracer513]

The stems are the same, the bearings are the same, the wheels, spacers, and axles are the same. The whole deal is a 100% bolt on if you use them as a complete set. You can't use the '04 clamps, and the forks have to be '06 or '07 to use your brake caliper.

Prices vary a lot, but you can find them for $3-400. They're great stock, revalved, they can be utterly amazing.

[Streamline]

The stems are the same, the bearings are the same, the wheels, spacers, and axles are the same. The whole deal is a 100% bolt on if you use them as a complete set. You can't use the '04 clamps, and the forks have to be '06 or '07 to use your brake caliper.

Prices vary a lot, but you can find them for $3-400. They're great stock, revalved, they can be utterly amazing.

Awesome, considering mine are aftermarket set up for somebody 50lbs lighter than myself, I think this will be the way to go! Any idea what weight the 06-07 forks are set for stock? I'm 6'2 215lbs C racer. Just got my first GP win on Sunday. As usual in the MX sections the bike tried to kill me on the landings. Somehow I was still able to beat all the Cs and even some B racers. ?

[grayracer513]

Stock YZ450's are sprung for riders in the 175-190 pound range.

[xl-one]

Ah but you can use the 04 clamps..with a minor modification to one of the wheel spacers...been there done that

[grayracer513]

Well, you can, but...

The '06 clamps are 2mm wider, and each axle lug is offset 1mm farther inboard than on the '04 clamps to make up for it so that that the same wheel, axle, and spacers will work. If the '04 (or '05) clamps are used, you have to, as you said, at least alter the brake side wheel spacer by making it 1mm narrower so that the brake rotor will align correctly. Doing this by itself will get the whole thing to work, but the front wheel rim will now be off center to the left by 1mm. Not a lot, and not a real big deal, but you should re-center it.

All of that is avoidable by using the right triple clamps. The '06 clamps also use 1 1/8" bars.

In answer to another question asked earlier, the number plate bolts on differently on the two different clamps. You CAN make the '04 plate work, but the '06 plate looks better, anyway.

[Streamline]

Well, you can, but...

The '06 clamps are 2mm wider, and each axle lug is offset 1mm farther inboard than on the '04 clamps to make up for it so that that the same wheel, axle, and spacers will work. If the '04 (or '05) clamps are used, you have to, as you said, at least alter the brake side wheel spacer by making it 1mm narrower so that the brake rotor will align correctly. Doing this by itself will get the whole thing to work, but the front wheel rim will now be off center to the left by 1mm. Not a lot, and not a real big deal, but you should re-center it.

All of that is avoidable by using the right triple clamps. The '06 clamps also use 1 1/8" bars.

In answer to another question asked earlier, the number plate bolts on differently on the two different clamps. You CAN make the '04 plate work, but the '06 plate looks better, anyway.

Well I just bought the 06 set up I showed you earlier for about $230 since it had everything I wanted including the 1 1/8" Pro taper bars etc. Do you know hard is it to make the number plate work? I'd use the 06 plate but I have 2 sets of race numbers for the 04 already haha.

[grayracer513]

Well I just bought the 06 set up I showed you earlier for about $230 since it had everything I wanted including the 1 1/8" Pro taper bars etc. Do you know hard is it to make the number plate work? I'd use the 06 plate but I have 2 sets of race numbers for the 04 already haha.

There's a thread about how to put an '06 plate on the '04 in the Yamaha 2 Stroke forum that will give you an idea of how they differ. The '06 uses pegs on the lower clamp that engage holes in the number plate, while the '04 is the reverse of that. It looks to me as though you should be able to trim the pegs off the plate and drill holes where they were and get that to work.

[Streamline]

There's a thread about how to put an '06 plate on the '04 in the Yamaha 2 Stroke forum that will give you an idea of how they differ. The '06 uses pegs on the lower clamp that engage holes in the number plate, while the '04 is the reverse of that. It looks to me as though you should be able to trim the pegs off the plate and drill holes where they were and get that to work.

Alright thanks I'll take a look for that thread and see what I can come up with. Thanks for all your help.

[Streamline]

I just got a call here at work from my wife to be that my forks came in so I will most likely be swapping everything tomorrow. Is there anything I need to do such as lube anything on the strearing stem etc? Or is it just a swap with no worries? (besides the Number plate of course)

[Streamline]

Started to tare down the front end of my 04 and had a couple questions, what size ratchet do I need for the steering stem bolt? I don't have anything big enough for it. Also per my last post should I lube anything on the 06 front end/06 steering stem before swapping it over? And is there anything I need to do/replace or is it really just a complete swap?

Thanks, Tyler

[grayracer513]

You'll probably want to use a 1/2" ratchet, as there aren't very many 3/8" drive or smaller sockets available in 30 and 32mm, which are the size sockets you will need. The '04 will be one size, and the '06 the other. You'll probably want a torque wrench as well, since the crown nut requires right at 100 pounds after adjusting the bearing ring nut.

Obviously, the bearings need to be lubed.

[Streamline]

You'll probably want to use a 1/2" ratchet, as there aren't very many 3/8" drive or smaller sockets available in 30 and 32mm, which are the size sockets you will need. The '04 will be one size, and the '06 the other. You'll probably want a torque wrench as well, since the crown nut requires right at 100 pounds after adjusting the bearing ring nut.

Obviously, the bearings need to be lubed.

Thanks, I'll have to go pick that up tomorrow, what kind of lube would you suggest?

[grayracer513]

Water proof extreme pressure chassis grease.