Shorter Fork Tubes

[mluk1]

I know this question has been asked to death but I want to lower the front end of my 77' 750F. I know I can just slide the tubes up higher through the triple tree, but could I replace JUST the tubes with shorter ones (while still using my stock fork case (I really like how they're black!)? I know Cycle X sells them but are there any smaller CBs like a 450 or 550 that I could just swap the tubes out for? Bare in mind I would like to drop them about 2 - 2.5 inches.

[Re-run]

I don't know. Let me look through the manuals and see if I can find out.

[mluk1]

What if I replace my whole fork set up with a 77' 550F fork set up? Will the caliper mounts match? Could I use my stock triple tree?

On a side note, how much shorter are they?

[Re-run]

Well I did some looking. So far, I have found that they are the same diameter, 35mm. And I THINK they are the same length but nothing conclusive. Unfortunately nothing on the inner bolting for fork/leg. Given cost cutting those days, I wouldnt surprised if they fit but I can't say for sure.
I will see if I can find anything else with a little more time.

[mluk1]

On a different Forum I read that someone was doing the opposite, they wanted 750 forks on there 550, the lower cases wouldn't fit unless they changed out the springs and damper rods as well. Does that sound right? I will try and find the link again.

[Re-run]

I can understand the springs, I would bet the 750 springs are heavier and stronger. Something not needed in a 550. The damper I am not sure, it may have something to do with the bolt that goes through the bottom of the leg. That is the part I am not sure o So they may be the same area in question. I will see about checking some parts fiches but unfortunately I do not suffer from lazy sundays!

I am wondering if the 550 and 750 axles are the same and brake mounts. If so, a set of 550 fork legs may be an option. I still have to see if the lengths are different. If not, then you wouldn't gain anything.

EDIT: What type of handle bars did you want to use? I ask cause if you use clip-ons, then you could raise the forks in the tree more, at least till a better solution could be found as the stock bars I think are the limiter.

[mluk1]

I'll be using clip ons. I'm dropping the rear quite a bit so I need the front dropped lots too. I know about pulling the forks through the trees but anything more than an inch looks ridiculous to me. It looks a lot cleaner if the forks were just shorter.

EDIT: I know I am jumping the gun but a guy in a city 3 hours away is willing to sell me the fork assembly off his 1977 CB550k for $20.00 Canadian.

[Re-run]

Hey for 20 clams you cant go wrong. Heck you can ebay the thing and get your money back if it doesn't work!
I haven't found anything else yet. If it comes down to it, google forksbyfrank and you can get new ones but of course, somewhat costly.

[mluk1]

So I got the forks yesterday and they're about an inch shorter. I have stock 77' 750F forks and the ones I got are 77' 550 k forks. The lower cases don't match so I'm thinking I have to use the ones from the 750 and just use the fork tubes from the 550. I found this on another forum:

"This is an oddity that has struck me recently as well. I have a '73 CB750 that looks to be factory-stock. I also have two sets of over-length forks, and a set of what are supposedly stock CB550 forks on my bobbed CB550.
Of the four sets of forks, only the ones currently on the 550 are different- the lower legs are 14.5" from axle to top, and the forks are 27" overall. The lower legs on the other three- the CB750 forks, and the two sets of over-length forks, all are stamped "341" on the inside of the leg, and are only 12.5" from axle to top.
What's interesting is that one of the sets of overlength forks came on my 550 when I bought it (first pic in this album: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/n9viw/album?.dir=4eb8&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/n9viw/my_photos), but they're identical to those on my 750. The brake hardware between them is slightly different, to account for the larger disk on the 750, but the legs are the same. The other set of overlength forks also came from a CB550, but had the CB750 brake hardware on them.
I do know that the upper legs on both the 550 and 750 are 35mm, so that would make them basically interchangeable, so long as the internal piston stays with the upper legs. Apart from that, I don't know what the difference is, nor why the lower legs on the forks I currently have on the 550 (which were supposedly from a '75 550) are different from those I had on it to start."

Does this mean I would have to keep all the parts from my 750 forks and just use the 550 tubes? Would I use the 550 springs?

[Re-run]

Well the 550 was lighter but if there is a quite a difference in spring length, you could probably make spacers out of pvc pipe to add a little more boing to the 550 springs.

[mluk1]

Where would the PVC spacers go in the forks?

[Re-run]

up on top, just under the caps.