z900 rear disc spoked hub . Steel spoke flange removal.

[zed1015]

Anyone know if the disc side chromed steel ( now rusty) spoke flange can be removed from the hub and then refitted ?
I presume it's pressed on ?

[Philippe]

Hi zed1015

a long time ago I tried to remove that part too...I didn't succeed. I guess it's pressed on and I don't know how to remove it.
Not much of a help but now you know it. Good luck anyway!
GrtZ
Philippe

[z1bman]

give z power a call

[DeadZedDave]

Hello zed1015, I think the chrome flange is screwed on ! (?)
I just had a look at a couple I have lying about and to be honest I'd always assumed a press fit - and a fairly light press fit to allow for aligning the spoke holes LH/RH and to avoid damage to the chrome - HOWEVER what I can see, looking on the hub end with the 4 disc bolt holes, is there is a annular clearance maybe 5mm deep between the alloy and the steel AND on the two hubs I'm looking at its not uniform / true i.e. theres a bit if a "run out" to the clearance groove. For a press fit of two machined diameters I wouldn't expect to see this - I'd expect a uniform clearance - so I'm thinking - an internal screw thread could look this way. Could be a LH one I think ? This is pure speculation on my part and it'd be interesting to hear what Zpower might say but based on what Phillippe has said, plus what I can see, I'll be surprised now if its a press fit ! If you find out the answer it'd be good to know ! Anybody out there got a part drawing ??

[chrisNI]

That's been a thing for years - I know it rotting out is the main reason Z1000 spoked hubs are so scarce even in comparison to their fronts, I think the one on mine was rotten within three or four years. I've never heard of a successful way of repairing them - so far...

[zed1015]

The hub in question belongs to a friend and isn't in my possession.
He just sent me pics and asked me if i knew how it was assembled and can it be split for rechroming etc.
Obviously without knowing whether it's pressed or screwed on etc he's going to make no attempt to remove it as he has no spare in case things don't go well.
Personally i don't see that there should be a problem with removal and repair etc once the method of securing is known unless it's of a permanent nature.
Ideally a sacrificial damaged hub to work on would give the final answer.

[DeadZedDave]

100 % agree with you zed1015. If somebody has a scrap / unusable hub, the steel flange could be cut through radially to release the "grip" (and perhaps prised apart a little if needed) and if its screwed on or pressed on - or anything else - it should become clear. Then, if theres some special tools or whatever could be made up it would be a process to go forward to repair / restore these wheels. The only note of caution in my mind is that I doubt Kawasaki intended these parts to be disassembled after manufacture and also with the passing of some 45 years since the components were assembled its probably going to be difficult to disassemble! Theses probably going to be an element of luck dependant on the environment where the wheel spent its life (US Dry State vs, UK rain and salty winter roads). It'll be good to find an answer though. In the short term it might be time for a wanted ad for a "good" replacement wheel for the project ! Strictly speaking its a z1000A1 / A2 wheel (z750b twin also) and at one time you couldn't give these wheels away.... lately however I've seen a few on e- bay break the £200 mark. Lately theres more people looking to restore the early z1000 and bike prices are starting to climb so coming up with a way of restoring the rear hub would be a good result going forward.

[ADRIAN H]

They are pressed on. A chap in corwall managed to separate them.

[DeadZedDave]

This sounds like good news !

[zed1015]

They are pressed on. A chap in corwall managed to separate them.

Just the news i was hoping for and what i suspected.
Thanks.