Finally got around to installing my KFX 450R front shocks. Got them for a pretty awesome deal on eBay, $150 for a "brand new" set. They were taken off the bike before it had even been started. The guy still has three sets left, actually. Here is a link to the auction. Anyways, I wasn't sure how I was going to do the fabrication at first. I was seeking advice from two members on here that had installed the KFX shocks as well. One said they cut the eyes down with a hacksaw, the other said they ground them down. So I decided to use both methods. Instead of using a hacksaw and doing it by hand, I sought the help of a band saw. First we took off the stockers and used them for measurements. We basically had to take 1/8" off each side of the eye. Instead of punching out the metal bushings and stuff, we just cut right through it. This is where the band saw proved very useful. The metal coupling is hardened steel, sawing by hand would have been a pain in the ***. After cutting as far as possible without hitting the reservoir we switched from the band saw to an air angle die and cut the rest of the eye slice off. From there we tried mounting the shock to see where we were sitting. Almost there but still had to do a little more work. Took an air sander and flattened down the back side of the shock eye, also took the grinder to the back side of the mount on the frame and finally had to grind down the nut where the plastics bolt on. After all that, the shocks bolt on like they were made for the bike.

Overall it was a fairly simple job, took about 4 hours of slow but steady work. I must say the band saw is they way to go for this job. If you don't have access to one, good luck. It definitely can be done, it will just take a lot more work.

Feel free to ask any questions. Pictures will be in the next post.