View Full Version : Identifying fork springs, and refitting forks help.
Mikey360
22-10-13, 01:38 PM
So just tipped the forks upside down and pulled the spring out to find these....
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/Mikeyg36001/IMG_0354_zps113b3245.jpg (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Mikeyg36001/media/IMG_0354_zps113b3245.jpg.html)
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/Mikeyg36001/IMG_0352_zps22c8ece6.jpg (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Mikeyg36001/media/IMG_0352_zps22c8ece6.jpg.html)
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/Mikeyg36001/IMG_0353_zpsd39c2bb5.jpg (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Mikeyg36001/media/IMG_0353_zpsd39c2bb5.jpg.html)
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/Mikeyg36001/IMG_0351_zps1f6ce79e.jpg (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Mikeyg36001/media/IMG_0351_zps1f6ce79e.jpg.html)
Are these progressive springs!? they're definitely compressed at the bottom end but wasn't sure it was some unusual wearing or just standard.
Oh and who's seen looper?
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/Mikeyg36001/IMG_0355_zpsabc72e48.jpg (http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Mikeyg36001/media/IMG_0355_zpsabc72e48.jpg.html)
:p
Standard springs look like that from what I can remember from doing mine.
Standard springs are progressive, when you pop them back in the closer coils go at the bottom.
Some after-market springs are also progressive but I don't know a set that look quite like that off the top of my head, so I'd say those look quite standard.
Jambo
Mikey360
22-10-13, 04:38 PM
Damn, thought I had a hidden extra there! But it does make sense considering the diving front end.
Thanks Guys!
Mikey360
22-10-13, 04:48 PM
Right bit of an odd one...
Just changed the fork oil, no problems what so ever until it came to putting the wheel back on.
I did the axle back up only to find it wasn't flush to the fork, but was on the threaded fork. There was about 5mm sticking out which in turn meant I couldn't put the caliper back on as the mounting bracket was catching on the disc itself :smt104
The SV has never been in a crash (HPI checked) and there was no rough and tumble while changing the oil.
I checked all the clamp bolts weren't too tight, took the axle out and put it back in to check something hadn't caught etc.
I solved the problem by pulling the fork out as hard as i could until the axle was flush with the fork bottom, and got the girlfriend to do up the pinch bolt on the bottom of the fork.
Is this a regular thing that happens? Have I done something horribly wrong?:confused:
The only other fork oil change I've done was on the Speed Four.
speedo sensor not engaged properly. another thing is that you have to bounce the front a few times to get axle to sit right. are you sure you have the forks the right way round?
Mikey360
22-10-13, 05:20 PM
Speedo sensor is set properly made sure of that, and the forks are defiantly the right way round, threaded fork bottom nearside and pinchbolt fork bottom to the offside.
I have bounced the front end a few times now just to check its all set (still feels soggy -_- ) but haven't released the pinch bolt in fear of the caliper getting stuck on the disc again.
rotate the offending fork leg in the yokes and see what happens. although there is no recording of a crash that's no indication that there hasn't been one.
did the forks/wheel come off easily when you were dismantling the front?
the axle can get stuck in the fork leg and draw the fork inwards, best to use a little grease on the spindle when putting it in, that way the spindle wont catch on the bottom hole of the fork leg and slide into its normal position, once together you then must bounce the front to settle the forks on the axle, then tighten the pinch bolt.
Mikey360
22-10-13, 05:33 PM
Forks came off very easily, no problems at all. I did grease the axle before it went back in, it doesn't seem to be catching at all.
I'll give the fork a twist as recommended, just hope to got its not bent!
Thanks for the help Bibio, you're an SV godsend! :-D
Mikey360
23-10-13, 08:41 PM
Right bit of an update in case anyone has this problem in future.
Took it over to my dads workshop after work (the journey to work was interesting as the wheel wasn't straight at all!) to get it up on the engine crane (much easier that hoisting the bike to the roof, and it keeps it level)
My dad noticed the front fender looked completely out of line, which implied that something wasn't right somewhere.
As Bibio suggested, i twisted the top part of the fork after slackening the pinch bolts, which helped a lot! I tried the other side too and voila! No more sticking out axle, twisted fender or riding sideways!
I think rather than having bent forks, the yolks just needed slight adjustment to align everything.
Now that the bikes actually riding true, I wish I'd gone with 15W oil rather than 10W, with the standard springs, to accommodate my heavier figure, but it's still a huge improvement on what it used to be like!
Thanks for all your help guys! :-D
eeerrrmmm hate to say it but if you had to twist the forks in the yokes then you have bent forks. or the yokes were out of alignment but once both legs are in the yokes then the stanchions should align the forks in the yokes.
if they were not bent they will sit straight. if the yokes were bent then same thing, twisting the stanchions would make no difference and the forks would still be squint.
when assembling forks you put one fork leg in the yokes the tighten the lower yoke pinch bolt, this straightens up the yokes, you then put the other fork leg in and tighten up the lower yoke pinch bolt then tighten the top yoke pinch bolts.
MJC-DEV
24-10-13, 06:54 AM
Now that the bikes actually riding true, I wish I'd gone with 15W oil rather than 10W, with the standard springs, to accommodate my heavier figure, but it's still a huge improvement on what it used to be like!
Thanks for all your help guys! :-D
15W oil is pretty horrible to ride with without emulators as every road ripple hammers up your arms, it's way too harsh with stock damping (IMO). After I did this, I went to emulators and heaver springs - what a revelation that was!
Mikey360
24-10-13, 06:39 PM
eeerrrmmm hate to say it but if you had to twist the forks in the yokes then you have bent forks. or the yokes were out of alignment but once both legs are in the yokes then the stanchions should align the forks in the yokes.
if they were not bent they will sit straight. if the yokes were bent then same thing, twisting the stanchions would make no difference and the forks would still be squint.
when assembling forks you put one fork leg in the yokes the tighten the lower yoke pinch bolt, this straightens up the yokes, you then put the other fork leg in and tighten up the lower yoke pinch bolt then tighten the top yoke pinch bolts.
Hmmmmmm, bit concerned now... will pop in with a ruler in the next few days and check out the forks. Really hoping I just tightened something up in the wrong order, can't remember for the life of me if I did it in that order.
15W oil is pretty horrible to ride with without emulators as every road ripple hammers up your arms, it's way too harsh with stock damping (IMO). After I did this, I went to emulators and heaver springs - what a revelation that was!
Ah with that advice I may just go for some linear/progressive springs in the near future rather that 15W! Cheers
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