Sorry in advance if this has been beat to death. I need fork tubes for my 78 400e. Franks has not responded - Ebay has nothing. DC has them but only for 76 bikes. They are both 34mm but I am concerned about the damping rod setup and the retaining snap ring for it.

Will all of the guts of my 78 tubes switch to the 76 tubes? Is length overall the same? I have contacted DC but no response as yet.

 

Hope someone can help. Numbers are different all the way on partzilla "76 to "78.

Thanks RT. I fear the numbers do tell the whole story. Mine are not pitted but bent so I have hope that a machine shop can assist but again no luck finding one so far.

The rest of the bike is great - It's a project that I put down 6 years ago, feels great to be riding it.

Came with no carb, bought a Mikuni - jetting is close with a 180 main I think I may have an exhaust restriction as it runs great to 6k then sputters a bit. I have to go through the oil pump, rear signals, build a rear rack/pannier standoff and then ride it!!

I have OEM grips and left mirror on the way.

Anyone know of a shop that can straighten my tubes? They are not rusty at all - just bent just below the lower triple mount. I am not afraid to ship them wherever.

Thank you.

It seems unbelievable that you can't find a machine shop that will help...  "Machine shops" of our youth were more hands-on places that did repairs and maybe now they are all "CNC" shops where if they can't program a computer to do the job, they can't do it?

But still, there's a LOT of tractors and heavy equipment out there so there must be shops out there near you that repair stuff that bends and breaks?  Or maybe not. 

You could also spend 30 seconds doing a search online like I just did.  framestraightsystem.com/Motorcycle%20Fork%20%20Repair.htm

Sounds like they can do it.

 

Thanks Mark. Yeah it seems the machine shops in my area are none to brave - I was thinking v blocks and a press is all it would take.

I did find that shop in Michigan, I guess I was hoping for a first hand account - 'I sent my tubes to shop x and they were great'.

Thanks to all for your help, another DT will be smoking up the neighborhood soon.

Even a metal/steel fab shop should have equipment to do the job. My local shop have helped me when I brought stuff to them.
Sneezles61

Thanks all.

DC did reply - as expected the internals are different.

My tubes are off to TN, not MI - I was wrong there. I talked to Rohn of Rohn jon's frame straight - seems like a solid guy.