Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => Accessories and Modifications - C10 => Topic started by: Chrome Megaphone on June 16, 2021, 04:53:50 PM
-
I know a professional welder who retired from the oil and gas industry that will splice in a section of shock links to lengthen and lower. Can anyone give an approximate amount of adjustment for a mild lowering of 1 - 2 inches?
-
Lengthen to 7 7/8ths inches center to center to lower 1 inch.
I did a lot of research on aluminum alloy welding. Could not find a reason to not do it.
Had a welder expert do it after I built a simple jig to hold all in place.
Took 4 lever arms cut them at angle to give a long weld seam diagonally. 45 degreed a radius for weld to give good penetration on both sides.
Heated to just under 600 degrees in oven to normalise and destress welds after. Not sure that was necessary as aluminum will normalise at room temperature over time.
Have about 6-7k miles on them now. I tap on them for sound and check for cracking regularly. No problems at all.
Gave me a one inch lowering to offset one inch longer C14 shock.
It took longer to write this than the actual welding. Looks totally stock.
-
If heat treating? Do leave in jig absolutely!
For jig I used two bolts spaced 7 7/8 apart on centers and four appropriately sized sockets and a bunch of fender washers. All bolted to a rectangular tube stock. Quite rigid! The whole jig allowed access to all to be welded joints. Also allowed whole rig to go in oven straight from welding.
good luck!