The easiest and fastest way to remove the entire front end as one piece, still requires you to take apart the handle bars and the top plate of the triple trees. I think. I'm hitting the big 27 this year and my memory is failing me.

The really lazy way would be to leave the bars intact just remove them from the top plate. below the clasps you will find the hex bolts that join the two top plates together. ( I know I'm confusing someone)

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/schematics/Suzuki/SU0084_051.gif

that might help.  anyway remove both top plates of the triple trees and everything will slide down off the frame, after you remove the stearing stem bolt (item 15.)

If my advise means anything, I suggest you just take you time and dissasemble it all one piece at a time ending with the forks, especially if your gonna be doing it anyway.
It is way easier to do it while everything is still on the bike, I know from experience.  (kinda snooty, huh?)

anyway, hope I helped. good luck 

I don't know about the alternator, but you should take pics of your progress.  something like that would be  a great addition to SANJAY's Wiki page.

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 17, 2006, 11:29:40 AM
Onto the alternator...Clymers says you need this special tool or you can use the rear axel to pull out the alternator (not using the correct part name here but its the guy with all the magnets on it).  I tried the rear axel thing but it doesnt really come close to fitting...how do you go about getting that out??

Any more inormation on how to go about getting this out??  I guess its called the generator rotor assmebly...

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 18, 2006, 05:18:58 PM

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 17, 2006, 11:29:40 AM
Onto the alternator...Clymers says you need this special tool or you can use the rear axel to pull out the alternator (not using the correct part name here but its the guy with all the magnets on it).  I tried the rear axel thing but it doesnt really come close to fitting...how do you go about getting that out??

Any more inormation on how to go about getting this out??  I guess its called the generator rotor assmebly...

I'm about to do that myself on my '02 GS.  The thing is pressure-fit onto the end of the crankshaft, so basically there are two choices: you either use a puller (like this one but the right size), or you can use a bolt + a spacer.  I can't recall if it's the Clymer or the Haynes that describes it, and unfortunately I don't have them here with me, but as I said, you need a bolt, NOT the axle itself.  I might do this on Sunday, I can give you more details then.

Oh, and about that generator rotor, I recommend inspecting it thoroughly.  I basically almost completely tore down my engine unnecessarily because I didn't find a broken magnet when I first inspected it... 

yeah i've been keeping up with your project WildBlue.  I'll have to post pictures and the specifics of what the Clymer's manual says.  I wont have a chance to work on her again till Monday so let me know what you find.

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 18, 2006, 05:18:58 PM
Any more inormation on how to go about getting this out??  I guess its called the generator rotor assmebly...

You can teardown the engine without removing the rotor.  That's what I suggest you do.  Using a slide-hammer is risky; the shock can break loose the fragile magnets (even if that's how Clymer does it).  

I'm just getting back to work now and looing at the clymer's manual it says for crankcase disassembly to remove the AC generator rotor etc, unless I misread it.  For those of you that have't seen my previous thread (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=28797.0) it seems that a connecting rod bearing became damaged under low oil.

Is there a better way that I should be going about this teardown?  Currently, the engine is out of the frame but otherwise mostly intact.

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 21, 2006, 10:34:00 AM
Is there a better way that I should be going about this teardown? 

Gee, I just told you that you don't have to pull the rotor to remove the crankshaft.    If all you intend to do is work on the bottom end then just turn the engine upside down, split the cases, and leave the top end alone.  That's how I would do it.   

Oh, I thought that in addition to all of the bolts on the bottom of the engine, there was the one bolt that held it all together that was located under the primary drive gear which is behind the A/C rotor if I'm not mistaked, which it sounds like I am I guess.

Well update either way.   Because I wasn't sure of the above I went ahead and got to the bare frame.  Stripping should start soon although summer school final is going to start to distract me 

Quote from: vsboxerboy on August 21, 2006, 08:25:57 PM
Oh, I thought that in addition to all of the bolts on the bottom of the engine, there was the one bolt that held it all together that was located under the primary drive gear which is behind the A/C rotor if I'm not mistaked, which it sounds like I am I guess.

The primary drive gear is on the right side on the engine.  Perhaps you meant the starter clutch gear?  There is a case bolt behind the drive sprocket but that's behind a different cover.  At any rate, even Clymer shows the cases split with the rotor on the crank.   

herm well, my mistake then...i hadn't really looked at the engine I'm sure it'll make much more sense when I get in there

In case you decide to remove the rotor after all, here's what the Haynes says:

"blah blah blah Suzuki special tool blah blah blah.  Alternatively, it is possible to thread an M14x1.5 bolt into the rotor (or use the swingarm bolt, which has the same thread size) and tighten it down so that it bears on the end of the crankshaft and pulls the rotor off.  This method requires a short spacer (36 mm long) to be inserted between the bolt and crankshaft end.  Thread the bolt into the rotor and tighten it down whilst preventing the crankshaft from turning.  Note: A smart tap on the head of the bolt will help jar the taper free."

So in summary, remove the alternator rotor bolt, then insert the spacer, then thread the metric bolt until it pushes the rotor out.  I haven't had time to do this myself, but it's going to happen in the next couple of days.

yeah i have that same exact passage in the clymers manaual but it must be a misprint that it says to use the rear axel instead of the swingarm bolt.  Thanks.

update: frame is stripped of old paint, rust is getting sanded off and getting her ready for paint

oooookay havent had an update in a loooong time-

well I painted my frame with the rattle can, it looks pretty good and you would not BELIEVE how much rust I cleaned/sanded off of the frame it was pretty crazy.  Anyway, I'm in the process of getting everything back on the bike but the engine still hasn't progressed much since the last post.  As it sits right now the engine is out of the bike with the pisons still connected to the rods, the left and right covers removed, the oil pan removed along with all other bolts on the bottom (those two allen bolts included).  I haven't removed the clutch on the right or the generator on the left.  I wanted to know what else I have to remove to split the crankcase to get to what I believe is a shot rod bearing.  Gisser told me that I don't need to remove the generator, but what about the clutch??  It looks like a lot of work that I would like to avoid if possible...

Quote from: vsboxerboy on September 08, 2006, 09:45:11 PM
but what about the clutch??  It looks like a lot of work that I would like to avoid if possible...

The clutch does have to be removed to access the shifting mechanism and bearing retainer screws.  Good practice since the clutch is a consumable and may one day need attention at some point depending on mileage & abuse.  Helps to take a picture of the shifting set-up after the clutch is removed to facilitate reassembly.   

grrr well alright, so I guess I need that clutch removal tool then huh?  how were peoples experiences with the clutch in terms of difficulty??