'99 fork parts?

I am dismantling a fork stanchion to replace it (with a pattern part; cost), and there is a light brown plastic ring/seat at the bottom, held in a groove. I have removed everything else, but I don't know how to get this out. I use Traxxion damper tubes with their version of RaceTech's emulators. The white plastic "bottom out cone" was already discarded, as per Traxxion instructions, but I can't remember if this brown plastic ring is a Traxxion part or if it was already in there. I bet the pattern stanchion won't have it in, if it is a Suzuki part. I have emailed Traxxion today (Sunday), but any info would be appreciated. I will ask my local (Plymouth) Suzuki dealer tomorrow, but I won't hold my breath!

[Sid Squid]

Do you mean the fork lower bush? Can you identify the part using this page? Linky

I cant think of what your describing, can you see it in the link below?

http://www.robinsonsfoundry.co.uk/co...xfrontfork.htm

edit:beat me

The part I am talking about is not on the Suzuki fiche. Part #8 is discarded, and instead there is a plastic guide ring at the bottom of the stanchion. The new Traxxion damper tube passes through it, and the topout spring seats on the metal ring just above it. I will try to post a picture.

Here it is. It's the small ring in the centre, about 1.5" from the bottom of the leg. It's a loose fit, and the damper tube slides through it.

[mikerj]

It depends on the replacement fork tube, some may come with the valve assembly fitted, others do not. If it doesn't, then you will need to remove the original one from the fork tube by filing the rolled end off the tube. With a sharp file this can be done in a matter of minutes without damaging the valve assembly.

The valve assembly will likely be held in place on the replacement leg in the same way, so you will need to fit the valve (after cleaning it of any filings!) and then peen the end of the tube over with a hammer. The secret to doing this neatly is to work around the tube several times, only bending the metal a little each time. This way you shouldn't introduce any splits or creases.

FWIW I replaced a fork tube with aftermarket parts on both my Pointy and my dads Curvy - the pointy fork tube came without the valve, the curvy one came with a different type of valve held in with a circlip.

If you have any problems feel free to give me a shout, I'm in Plymouth. Also I just found the valve assembly I took out of the old fork tube in my dads SV - you are welcome to it if you need it.

Thanks mikerj for a beautifully detailed answer. Is it a valve? I thought it looked like a guide; what does it do? Of course they didn't know anything about it at George White's. The pattern stanchion arrived yesterday with the valve in; white instead of brown plastic, but all there, I just have to put back together now. I hardly use it on the road these days, so I never seem to get to know people locally, otherwise we might have already met. The bike gets a bit hammered on trackdays (one of the front brake discs was nearly falling off when I took them off to replace them), but it's no use me having a faster bike; I highsided the Fireblade I used previously and nearly killed myself! This bike has one of James Holland's 700cc engines in, so is fast enough for my limited abilities (I'm 62, so I'm getting slower)! Anyway, hopefully we can meet up some time.
Richard.

[mikerj]

It's part of the rebound damping control. There is an excellent description of why this valve is needed on the Racetech website - a picture is definitely worth a thousand words in this case. Rebound damping is determined by both the small hole at the top of the damper rod, and also leakage past the brown plastic seal. You can just see the "wavy" spring that holds the plastic part against it's seat in the picture above.

Thanks again. I read all this in 2000 when I had my first SV, but didn't understand the significance of all of it. So that piece is the rebound check valve? I used Traxxion this time around, as they had already done the work on the damper rods, but had Peter Clifford set it up for me on a trackday at Anglesey, also the Nitron rear. When it still moved around on the back straight, he said "So?", so I just got on with it. It worked! So when it wriggles around on the straight (!) at Brands I just hang on and pin it. Mind you, it helped having an instructor riding an SV to follow; when I asked him when to brake for Paddock Hill Bend, he said don't, just knock it down one and turn! That was fun.
Richard.