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1978 DT400E


RickN
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Members,

I have a 1978 DT400E which I am in the process of rebuilding. I would like to put disc brakes on the front end. Just wondering if any of you have done this??? I was wondering if the new TTR forks and wheel would fit??? Thanks, Rick

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Hi Rick,

I got as far as seeing if any forks that would take the disc brake wheel could fit into the steering. Nothing that I could find. Then I looked at steering bearing compatability to replace the whole front end. The only compatable ones are drum brakes anyway as far as I could find out. The first discs started coming out in the early 80's and things changed a bit in terms of longer and different diameter forks. Looks to be impossible to find a narrow and short fork that will takea disc brake wheel!

I have a mate that was also looking into it for his IT465 and he didn't get too far with it.

You're at least a bit closer in years so maybe you can do better. I'd love to hear if anyone has done it or if you work it out.

Gordo

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Members,

I have a 1978 DT400E which I am in the process of rebuilding. I would like to put disc brakes on the front end. Just wondering if any of you have done this??? I was wondering if the new TTR forks and wheel would fit??? Thanks, Rick

No they wont fit and they would look ridiculous if you made them fit. They would be too long by around a foot. Secondly with the shape of modern off road bikes the forks are as narrow as possible and the tank is cut round them. Not the DT. The position of the forks on the yolks is also very different.

I put DTR forks on a 81 DT175, just a head bearing swap, (any bearing company will do you taperd roller bearings in a bewildering amount of sizes) and some work on the lock stops. It ruined the handling, the steering lock was pants and the bike just looked odd. Like bolting wire wheels to a Lamboghini Giardo.

You could maybe make the legs from a comparable road bike work but then the disk brake will be no better than the drum.

Sorry to be negative, if you really want it to work you will need some skilled work to do it. Like getting lugs welded to your legs and then using a later hub/wheel/disk combo.

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Yeh rick , stick with the originals, they shud pull the dt mono-shock up. coz its lite. brakes are all calculated on wieght, my dt400 front brake was very good , B)

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