linkage suspension?

[tecatecrazy]

Did any other company use a similar suspension (rear) to the goofy trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro setup that kawasaki came up with. The reason that I ask is I would like to replace mine with a better shock and dont want to pay $600 for a works shock or $750 from the dealer. I bet that I'm screwed ,aint I?

[Jeb]

Such harsh words for the infamous Kawasaki "dog-bone" or "rocker arm" Uni-Trak Linkage :shock:

Here's some useless but interesting info about it:

The 84 & 85 tecate Shocks and linkage are different, but still very similar. The 85 has a longer shock and the "dog-bone" is longer. An 85 shock won't work on an 84 according to the Factory Kawasaki Race Prep Guide.

The 86/87 redesigned Tecate 3 wheeler also used the dog-bone. But it was redesigned for more travel over the 85 and with an adjustable link strut.

The 87/88 Uni-Trak on the Tecate4 was moved underneath the swingarm as it is today on the KX's.

The KX250 had the same dog-bone linkage from the twin shock days (79 or 80??) up until 1987. I believe the KX 80, 125, & 500 was the same, they also dropped it for 87. The KDX 200 kept the "dog-bone" until '89 when it underwent a major redesign and became liquid cooled. And I believe the KX60 still uses the dog-bone to this day.

The early Suzuki Full-Floater was about the same setup. Had a rocker arm in the frame, under the seat. The shock stayed mostly verticle and the swingarm pushed the rocker arm up and it in turn pushed the shock down. I know the QuadRacers had this set-up in 85. Not sure if they kept this setup until they died out in '92. The RM's dropped this rocker arm set up in the mid 80's around 87 also I believe.

Oh yeah, I've heard of people switching to a TRX 250R shock for the 84 Tecate. I've never tried it.
Why don't you just have the one you have rebuilt and re-valved for your weight and riding style?

[Wickedfinger]

.... the Zook's used the Full floater setup through the 1990 model LT-R - for the 1991-2 models they switched to a much simpler under linkage type design - it is almost identical to the new LT-Z400 & KFX400's swingarm.