Today, I completed the installation of the inverted KX forks on my 220. I used ’97 KX250 lower and upper clamps and wheel hub assembly to complete the conversion.
On its first attempt, the machine shop wasn’t able to remove the KDX stem from its lower clamp while using 20,000 pounds of pressure! They then proceded to heat the lower clamp and thick smoke revealed that KHI in Taiwan use excellent industrial strenght « loctite ». (They should also learn to use grease, but that’s another story…) Once heated, 16,000 pounds of pressure was sufficient remove the stem. To avoid bending the stem, they installed at shaft over the stem and applied the pressure directly on the shaft.
Unlike midhigh’s convervion (see above), shims weren’t necessary in the lower clamp. I see his point though, the KX and KDX holes appear to be the same diameter but there are not (1000's of an inch different). In my case, shims would be required if I wanted to install the KX stem in the KDX clamp.
I used the KX stem nut as a spacer between the kdx stem nut and the bottom of the top clamp. (Again, see midhigh’s conversion Point 3).
Point 4 : As stated by Midhigh, a ship is required on the upper clamp. I wraped about 4 inches of thin automotive aluminium sheet metal around the kdx stem.
Point 5 : No need to modify the steering stop in my case. The KX clamps mis the gas tank by about ¼ inch.
I wanted to reinstall the front lighting system but the kdx lower light bracket doesn’t fit on the lower KX clamps. The solution was simple : cut and trim the kdx lower light braket in two sections, install on the KX clamps, align with the kdx headlight and use appropriate spacers and longer bolts.
PS : Anybody who does this conversion should take the extra 20 minutes to install a greasing zerk on the steering head.
does it ever look good. Now, if that whit sh*t can melt!