1985 Yamaha Tri-Z Forks and Engine advise

[Hurricane]

I just picked up a 85 resto project to keep for myself and currently gathering parts up, i was lucky enough to stumble across this site and joined to gain knowledge and advise.
My first couple questions are who rebuilds the oem forks / rear shocks? who would you trust to go through the motor? it turns over now but i was told by previous owner when he purchased it was locked up and looked as if there was a lot of water in the crankcase..yuck
thanks in advance for the input...
250567

[fabiodriven]

I don't know how mechanically inclined you are, but forks aren't difficult to rebuild yourself if you're capable and if the tubes are good. If you have some extra dough, a lot of guys go to inverts these days. The shock is best rebuilt by a professional though. I don't know about the Tri-Z's specifically, but many times there is a modern equivalent you can swap in for cheap with little or no mods.

I don't know where you live, but a competent local shop could rebuild the engine for you. A lot of places will be nervous about working on something so old, but they're actually pretty simple engines just like dirt bike engines that have been around forever.

[dave ytz250s]

Good rear shocks are hard to find, there's a member here that rebuilds them with warrior and banshee shock parts, search for FRANKENSHOCK on this forum.
If your on a lower budget warrior shock with remote reservoir will fit but ressy doesn't fit perfectly.
ON a higher budget aftermarket for warrior or banshee with remote ressy, but might not be exact length, WORX made one specifically for tri-z.
I got a used ELKA that was on a warrior 250570

[Hurricane]

Thanks for the info

[ps2fixer]

Personally if there's signs of water in the bottom end, I'd pull the engine apart carefully and check out the gears inside and such. Light surface rust isn't super bad, but pitted gears means you need another transmission gear set (likely just get a whole bottom end). It's not too hard to pull apart, it's just to inspect, so split, look, and put back together. Fair chances it won't hold oil afterwards without a new gasket, but if you're looking to have it rebuilt, they would install the gasket for you in the process.

I think it's pretty common for rear shocks to go bad on Yamaha's, I have an 87 warrior, and the 85 tri-z I had both have bad rear shocks. My 99 warrior is still good and it's been used a lot and hard since new.

Looks like the machine you picked up is pretty complete, shouldn't be too hard to get it up and running once you figure out the engine situation. Good luck on the project.

[Tri-Z 250]

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/16277-parts-that-inter-change-with-TRI-Z-250

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/61133-Tri-Z-shock-options-and-interchanges

Your getting deep $$$, strip it to the cases hope the trans is good. The rest is most likely junk read up and search the site, tons of info. PEP, CustomAxis are top level rear shock mfg $800-1100 depending on your needs. You can get by with a Warrior model but performance wise it's well worth the cost. Your motor without spinning a wrench could run from $700-1200 depending on shop. YZ 490 skidplates and clutch baskets both fit the Z. Good luck

[Hurricane]

thanks for the info