Double disc conversion z900 a4

[eastlondon]

I'm finally getting around to sticking a second brake disc on my a4 and have a question:

I will be using z1000 a2 calipers which will be mounted to the rear of the fork legs. I am going to switch the A4 fork legs around so that the mountings are at the back. The problem is that I have 2 left hand side calipers and if I was to remove the mounting plate and put it back the other way around, would it be o.k?
I can see is that mounting plate has a small recess where it fits on the fork leg and when it is turned around it is flat. Shouldn't cause a problem, should it?

[tlc]

Most certainly will.

What you need is a pair of forward mounted calipers so that your fork oil drain holes are in the right place.

And it looks right.

[eastlondon]

The fork oil drains will be at the front when the legs are switched around but I can't see any problem with that.
As far as I can see, the calipers are symetrical so can go on either side as long as the mounting is turned around or changed.
Anyone done this on their bike?

[bunnysZ]

I turned my forks around on an old zed I had, no one noticed about the drain holes....change the oil before you do it so you wont have to touch them again for years .
I sourced a matching caliper for the other side ... what side do you need a rear left or right ....?

[Garn 1]

EastLondon, the rear mounted Z1000-A2 calipers are the go! However, I tend to disagree with Chris in that you may run into a problem. Forgetting about the repositioning of the bleed screw on the RHS, I think some problems may raise themselves with the RHS center piece pad mount regarding that recess you mentioned. Have a close dimentional check of each, as they should be exactly a mirror versions of one another.

ALso, don't forget you will need a longer (A2) speedo cable to get around the calipers.

RegardZ.

[tlc]

I meant that the problem will arise in trying to use the caliper bracket on the wrong side.

As you rightly point out the calipers are the same, but the brackets are different.

Of course it doesnt really matter wether your drain holes are in the front and not the rear, but why don`t you just fit A4 / A1 calipers in the first place.

The only reason they changed the calipers to the rear of the fork was a supposition that the centre of gravity was better suited behind the axis of the yoke spindle. I would say that if you can tell the difference then you are a racing hero and should do well in earlystocks !

I bought a pair of A1 calipers hastily and subsequently found plenty for sale on ebay a heck of a lot cheaper.

Take it from me, DON`T BE HASTY !
Bide your time and a set will come up at the right price.

[tlc]

By the way I have plenty of A4 / A1 brackets and calipers.

Maybe sell the A2 calipers and see if I can help you ?

[eastlondon]

Thanks for your input guys and offers of calipers/brackets. The longer speedo cable required by using a2 calipers wasn't something I had thought of.
I've also got a z1000 a1 which I did up many years back to near original condition and although it looks gorgeous I have always thought that the front mounted calipers looked out of place at the front and spoliled the lines of the bike. There is a lot of unnecessary plumbing showing i.e a steel brake pipe, then the bulky connector where the rubber brake pipe joins the steel one and finally the bracket to route it all. It just looks wrong.

The Z900 is going to be a different kind of beastie. I've collected loads of genuine 70's bling z parts over the years so I'm not too bothered by originality. Also the a2 calipers have been refurbished and I have all the correct brake hoses/splitter/master cylinder.

I'm going to try swithing the fork legs over and reversing the caliper mounting bracket and see if it works. If it doesn't, then I will need a right hand side rear mounted caliper bracket.


Thanks again.

raf

[Murph]

Hi East
I also have an a4 and what i think are all the right ! parts for doing this
conversion but have not had the time to do it yet .
I would be interested to see some before and after pic's of your's
just as to see what it look's like.As i have never studied this in detail.
Hope it goe's well bud.

[eastlondon]

Hi Murph,
I'll do some pics and update my post under projects shortly. I undid the the mounting bracket on the caliper and turned it around today and it looks fine. I'll post some pics tomorrow.
The small recess where the mounting attaches to the fork leg will be redundant on one caliper but I can't see any issue with this. I think the recess was only there as a locater to assist in the assembly process at the production line. Just my theory.
Get that front wheel off your bike and bolt on the second disc. That's the first step. I've got a spare set of disc mounting bolts if you need them.
Raf

[Taffus]

Gues this might a dumb post but your are swapping the left and right stantions completly? Cause when I did this on a kettle there wasn't an issue except for the kettle it looked "ODD"...

[eastlondon]

Taffus,
Yes. Swapping left and right hand stanchions which will mean that the caliper mountings will be at the back so that I can then fit z1000 a2 calipers.
Also I had two calipers for the same side and by reversing the mounting plate, problem sorted.
Kettles would look odd with calipers at the rear, but have a look at some pics of the calipers on a z1000 a2 and then a z1/z900/z1000 a1, and then decide which ones look add.

[tlc]

Personally I don`t think either way round looks odd !

Z1, Z1A, Z1B etc.................

[eastlondon]

Chris,
You are probably right but as they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
I was messing around with my z1000 a1 this afternoon and all the time I couldn't help but notice how ugly, odd and out-of-place the front-mounted twin calipers looked! Next job - turn the fork legs around on the a1 and mount the calipers where they belong.
only jesting!

[Pigford]

A single caliper's the way to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO