76 360WR Front Forks help needed.

I rebuilt the stock black forks and I'm not happy with them. Would like to up date them with something with more travel and bigger tubes at least 40mm. Can I update to a tapered bearing front end?

I think the short answer is no. I have a frame that has had a more modern steering tube grafted on, they did a very nice job. That engine and the plates that go behind it can be migrated to a more modern frame up to 1982 but that is not what you asked and the exhaust seat side covers etc match the frame not the engine to make it work out.

The bearing cones are just pressed into the top and bottom of the steering stem. I got a pair of Timken cups out of a 1978 ML OR frame to press into a 78 Auto frame that had the same ball & cone setup you have. If you know someone that has a metal cutting lathe, I can get you a blueprint I made to replicate exactly what you need.

Yes I have a friend with a machine shop. And that is what I need. Thanks

The cup of the cup and cone taper roller bearings on the 40 mm forks through the 45mm inverted with steel steering stem up to 2004 or so in Husky are kind of machinable. I might have a bit better luck modifying one clamping it to a vertical mill and using a boring head. The cup for the even better stuff with an aluminum steering stem including ktm stuff is the same size just a different taper and cup to go with it. Sorry I did not realize the 360 had balls and cones, I thought motorcycles with balls had flat races with a groove like my bmw with not too deep a pocket in the steering neck. We did all sorts of silly things like that putting dirt bike front ends on free or close to free bikes to make hillclimb machines at one time.

Unless you increase the rear travel a fork with much more than the stock one will hurt handling and make the slow handling ML chassis even worse. The easiest upgrade is '77 CR250/390 clamps and '77-'78 35mm leading axle forks. With a little bit longer shocks (14") and those forks you will have close to 9" at both ends which is really all the ML with the downward rear shock mount can produce. I think the forks on my '76 250WR are excellent and perfectly matched to the rear, what do you dislike about yours?

I'm looking for a little more travel in the front end. I put 14" WP shocks on the rear and gave it that 80's Muscle car look. The reason I would like to go to 40mm trees is I have a KX420 complete front end I could use, because Husky parts stupid priced these day's. I'm a fat old man just wanting to ride a few time a year.

That frame has the later upper mount, it will take a 15.5-15.75" shock, the '76 WR has the older downward pointed upper mount and will not take a shock much longer than 14".

That is a good look. I can live with the 35mm tubes just want a couple more inches of travel. Just need a 78 forks and wheel, I think?

No, you will need leading axle specific clamps too. The '78-up have tapered bearings and the '77-older have loose ball bearings but only the '77 250/390CR had the leading axle clamps and loose ball races. You can get the '77 250/390CR clamps or you can replace your races with tapered bearing races and use '78-'80 clamps.

Thanks that is what I needed to know. Now I will start looking for 77 clamps and front end.

Unless you modify the frame, the leading axle front forks will not work on the early ML frames. With the leading axle triple trees and 77/78 leading axle front forks installed the front wheel/tire will make contact with the front down tube on the frame when the forks are bottomed out. Husky made changes to the 77 250/390CR frames and all 78 frames to work with the longer travel forks and triples.

Marty

having the front brake suddenly applied when landing from a jump can be disconcerting.....