DRATV/Beatrice complete front end... have you used it?

J

Jeckler

Member
My CT70K4 came in a box of parts along with a K0 front end. It's going to need virtually everything from the top plate up, along with the headlight. Since it's technically not right for the year anyway, I was thinking of picking up the complete front end from DRATV.
http://dratv.com/ctfrendupkit.html

Has anyone used it? I pretty sure it's from a clone :) , but it'll come with a lot of stuff I need anyway, including the wiring harness (I'll be putting a Lifan in it most likely).

Or, if someone has a totally complete K4-ish front end for sale, I'd be up to see pics.
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
I didn't even know that they had this clone 91' - 94 front end clip. For $268.oo I think its a good deal as a package but not vouching for it, lol. It includes, a 95 Mph speedometer which is the first i've seen.
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
I probably should mention that a K0 front end is kinda valuable and perhaps you could sell that to rebuild your K4 front end, Which is prob what i would do jeckler...;)
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
You could use K1-`79 front end parts. K1 are the most commonly available; the biggest difference, in the fork legs themselves, is that the K1 lacks grooves on the lower legs, to retain the gators (rubber boots) used with K2-`79. It doesn't matter, there's more than enough friction to hold the lower ends of the gators in place, as long as they're not oiled.

The biggest issue is that the chromed trim rings, gators and HL ears can only be used as a complete assembly. The gatorless K1 lower trim tubes, chrome rings and HL ears won't fit anything other than each other. K1 rings mount on top of the lower tree, K2-`79 fit below the lower tree...and they have the upper mounting points for the gators.

The K1-`79 are mechanically all the same and can deliver a surprisingly good ride + control. They're better quality than the low-dollar Chinese front end. K0 front ends are the most common, probably the easiest to sell since there are more K0s than any other model; they're also referred to as pogo sticks for a reason.
 
J

Jeckler

Member
Adam-NLV, I don't have any part of the K4 front end. I might have to piece together parts from eBay.

I've found a couple of seemingly inexpensive triples to start if I go that route. I'll need to look at some pics of OG legs themselves so I can make sure I'm getting oem parts.
It looks like headlight, speedo and HL ears are going to be the hardest to find.

Not sure what value to place on the K0 I have. One lower tube is slightly bent outwards, which seems strange, but both legs are straight, with fairly serious chrome loss however. I bought new seals and gators (with the caps) though.
And a fresh coat of paint.
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
Post a pic of your K0 front and we get a better idea of what value it has. I have a set of K4 shocks w/tree, and I will be putting them on eBay as soon as this coming week but i plan on selling again , this coming new month.:coffee:
 
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J

Jeckler

Member
I've attached 3 pics, one is the chrome damage on the brake side fork leg. On the tube, it's the upper side on the left side as your looking at the pic. If it were on the bike, it'd be the lower tube on the non-brake side. Hope that makes sense. The 3rd pic is the straight side.

I didn't notice the bent tube until after I painted it.
 

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Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if that can be straightened out and i do se the slight bend. It's a Good paint job and a nice color too.(y) Shout out to other members with the K0 pogo shocks restoration experience.'Pogo stick' That's what we call the early shocks vs the later hydraulic shocks. Thanks for the pics.:)
 
J

Jeckler

Member
I have an idea to try and bend this back, but we'll just have to see what happens. It will definitely destroy my paint job, but oh well, it's just rattle can. I plan on clamping the upper part of the leg to my workbench and I have a 4' long piece of pipe I'm going to try and use to bend it back. It doesn't need to go that far.
If I make it worse, let me know when you put your k4 front end up on the 'bay. :)
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
Sounds to me like you plan to clamp the upper portion of the fork leg in a vise. Don't do that, you'll be very lucky if the upper isn't ruined in the process. I've never seen a K0 upper fork unit bent laterally like this one. I've seen plenty that were bent in the trailing direction (i.e. toward the rear wheel) after being crashed. But I'm looking at this and wondering wtf this happened in the first place. o_O

I'm usually the optimist but, in this case, I am doubtful.

Only method I can think of, that doesn't require making a custom tool, is still a bit risky. You might try installing the unit in a frame, then securing the top tree...sans the lower leg assembly. Then a length of pipe (the closer the fit the better) could be inserted, up to the lower tree. That'll concentrate the force where it's needed and, hopefully, prevent distortion of the lower tube. Go for ~6" of stick-out length, then find a BF rubber mallet...to apply "persuasion" to the pipe. It's all about inertia. If you're lucky, a few good impacts will do the job, maybe not even injuring the paint.
 
airblazer

airblazer

Active Member
@Jeckler I don’t see the bend, but probably due to my tiny phone screen. Is the tube curved inboard/outboard? I have a similar issue with my Z50. In my case the plate that holds the stem and fork tubes is twisted. I’m also planning to secure the plate in the vice and pulling slowly on one of the forks to correct the error. Could be the same gamble, but the front wheel won’t track straight otherwise...
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
airblazer said:
@Jeckler I don’t see the bend, but probably due to my tiny phone screen. Is the tube curved inboard/outboard? I have a similar issue with my Z50. In my case the plate that holds the stem and fork tubes is twisted. I’m also planning to secure the plate in the vice and pulling slowly on one of the forks to correct the error. Could be the same gamble, but the front wheel won’t track straight otherwise...
Click to expand...
On my 26" desktop monitor, the lower RH tube appears to be bent such that the bottom (threaded) end is farther toward the right...IOW outboard.
 
J

Jeckler

Member
Well, I tried putting the top plate on, using the top nut to hold it centered and just had a couple bolts taped in the fork cap holes to give the whole thing a bit of support, then laid it sideways on the bench and used a c-clamp to hold it down. There was still way to much flex, I'm by myself and didn't want to clamp it so tight I crushed it. I also didn't want to break the wood top of the bench, so I simply said 'screw it' and put it back together with the legs cleaned up, new caps, boots and seals.
@airblazer , the tube is bent outwards. Not back or fore, but out. Weirdest thing. The legs themselves aren't bent, jut the lower tube.
We'll see what happens when I go to bolt a hub in it, like how far the legs have to be squeezed together.
 
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