Well folks, I have been sorting out an LT80 with severe bore wear myself. Because of others having problems with rebuild kits, we went for a re-bore and oversize genuine Suzuki piston and rings. I finally got the cylinder and piston back this week, and guess what, the new rings don't fit the new piston, they are tight in the grooves, though the ring gap is correct in the cylinder. So, have Suzuki sent out a bad batch of pistons, or rings?

 

After complaing at the eBay seller about the top end kit, they quickly sent a replacement at no charge. Meanwhile I sent the China cylinder to a bike shop to have it bored and matched to a piston kit. Upon receipt the machinist just laughed at the quality...or lack there of. He said he had seen a couple of local guys bring their bikes in with questions about kits from the same supplier. Apparently they are all crap. The shop hooked me up with an OEM Suzuki cylinder, bored it to 50.5 with a Pro-X piston. Now I'm waiting on the brown truck to trek cross country with my, hopefully good, top end kit.

By the way...if anybody wants my unopened replacement China kit at a discount I'll make you a deal! 😄

 

They are all china kits and I think the ring got smashed on the pin. Go look on allibabba. They sell for 13 bucks in volume. WTF you think you get for 13 bucks!?
Also, there IS a top and bottom to rings. I think some of you have them in upside down.
I just ordered 2 kits @ 43 bucks each. what you want for yours? Prolly worth more...it's a niche.....LMAO

 

For sure pay for what you get. I was hoping to get lucky with discounted parts, but that didn't happen. Maybe by fault of the parts, but likely by fault of my wrenching and building skills. Hopefully I get it right this time around.

I searched this and other forums and saw some threads talking about top and bottom of rings being marked with an indicator, others saying the rings on these LT80s don't have a top or bottom. I spent hours looking for a bevel, dot, letter or anything I could convince myself was a top or bottom indicator. I found nothing so assumed they could go either way, perhaps I got it wrong.

From images I have seen on the web, it seems pretty clear when an indicator is present. What should I be looking for on the rings to indicate top and bottom? When my new kit shows up, if I post a couple of pics could you help me to make sure I get it right this time?

Thanks!

 

Thanks Jack, I looked for one, but must have missed any mark on the rings to show which way is up, I'm well overdue for an eye test, so maybe need new spectacles. I have just checked the workshop manual and it shows an expander behind the lower ring, didn't see that in with the new rings, though there were the remains of one on the old piston, perhaps my eyes let me down again, or have Suzuki deleted it?

 

My China kits had the expander ring too! I want sure if this was an optional part or not. Kind of like the rubber boot in the carb.

I googled it and found differing opinions. I put it on last time. If the new kit has one I probably will install it as well unless one of the gurus here say otherwise.

 

interesting!
My china kit had two rings, both identical, no markings at all. I looked and looked and looked I have a magnifying glass on my desk for this purpose LOL
So I installed them that way ( no top ring nothing facing up just two identical rings)
after checking gap
So far its working well.

 

Merryman: Suzuki uses that squiggly ring on stock size. .5 up don't use one.
If the rings don't spring in and out of the piston you got it upside down. You can feel the difference...sort of..
There should be a "T" or a "N" sometimes a .5 mark on the ends.
Yes, the china rings seem unmarked for the most part.
For what it's worth, I throw the squiggly ring away.

 

I just installed the piston/rings into the jug (Jack supplied piston/rings & bored/ported jug)...all went well as expected coming from Jack!


I set the piston down as far as it can go and let the cylinder rest on the top ring (the 4 bolts at as a vertical guide)...gently compress the top ring and the jug will slide down to 2nd ring, repeat.


If all is good the jug will slide down...if you miss the ring gap pin it will be a struggle...and yes the rings should feel like little springs in the piston groove...any binding is a sign of trouble...


My $0.02

 

Not so hard eh.
A story: I send my National motor to Utah. I agreed to only receive parts cuz this guy has experience. He built 250R's and everything.
OK. I get a call, I'm a no good xxxxx I'm xxxxxxxx etc. rickp really made me upset.
He's had enough and has his mechanic (bro in law which he doesn't pay) get ahold of me. I send a cpl pistons to fix the problem. I'm a xxxxxx again. I build another cylinder cuz the one he sent back looked funny. New motor sucks. FINALLY I get the guy to say" bro had me on top the machine swinging a sledge to get the cylinder on". "I told the bro their was pins"....ya right, neither one had a clue.Sledge hammer...Geesh. I suppose I'm not going to see my 300 bucks he owes me...Lol
Just to finish my rant...
Don't do business with LARSON Crane Svc.
HAHAHAHA