Zed’s Not Dead: Part 12

When I took off Zed’s rear wheel I noticed two spacers on the brake drum side. This isn’t very Kawasaki-like and I suspect it was assembled wrong. The long spacer probably goes on the drum side with the short spacer keeping the sprocket side from rubbing against the chain adjusters. I’ll try it and check alignment.

While I’m busting a new tire onto Zed I figured I might as well replace the rear wheel bearings. I could have cleaned them and re-greased them and if I was broke I would have. Z1 Enterprises carries the All Balls brand and they have fit well wherever else I’ve used the brand. I stick with what works. I don’t like change.

Kawasaki made a nice motorcycle when they built the Z1. Stuff like a brake shoe wear indicator was rare back in the 1970’s. Mama K even went to the trouble of recessing the brake shaft opening to fit a felt dust seal. That’s class, man. I’m not sure it does any good because the brake shoes generate more dust than you’d get kicked up from the street. Maybe it helps the shaft grease stay clean.

Kawasaki threw everything at the Z1. The sprocket carrier has its own bearing so that gives a total of three rear wheel bearings. Pretty sweet; I wish my Yamaha 360 had a better sprocket carrier design. The hub wears out and I have to feed spring-steel from a ¾-inch tape measure to take up the slack.

Part of the fun of working on motorcycles is setting up the exploded parts shot. I like to get all the parts clean before reassembly because they will never be cleaned again. Rear discs are mostly standard now but a husky rear drum like this will stop a bike just fine.

Changing tires is a lot of stress for me. If you don’t plan to use the tube or tire you can cut the work involved in half by cutting the old tire off. Use a razor, utility knife and lube the blade with a little oil. Then plunge in and pull the knife. Don’t saw at it. As you cut move around a little and you will find the thinnest part of the tire. Once you’re there, ride that sucker all the way around. After you do both sides the tread falls away leaving two beads. They pop off easy with no tire to create resistance and you can peel the remains off the rims without a tire iron.

I removed the swingarm to check the bushings and lube the mess. Zed’s battery box is pretty rusty so I removed it to clean and paint the thing. I looked at the rear of the bike and decided there wasn’t much more to take everything off and give the rusty frame tubes a lick of paint. So I did.

Reassembling the rear of the bike is going well and the Z1 Enterprises rear fender wiring harness fit perfectly. The original blinker stalks are slightly bent back. I’m going to leave them as they are. It gives the illusion of speed.

Almost time to make another parts order. I can get a seat cover or an entire new seat from Z1 Enterprises. Maybe Santa will drop one down the chimney.

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Zed is coming along!  Read the rest of the Zed’s Not Dead series here!