Forks gone bad

[Numskull]

I finally got around to installing a pivot works fork kit on Sunday(my only day off). I got out there about 8:00am thinking I would get her done no later than 11:00 so I could have the rest of the day riding a finally tuned 426

At 10:30 I was thinking how easy it was to install new seals, bushings and wipers and how great of a mechanic I am.

Then come the part to add the oil. I couldnt find a ruler or tape measure for measuring oil level, so I was gonna try just adding the 19 .oz I thought the manual called for and soon realized that wasnt gonna work. So I improvised by taking a piece of paper and pencil over to my receiver hitch and marking it at the 2" square hole so I could have a reference. Then I pulled one of the overflow hoses off the carb and marked it at 5" and proceed to siphon the oil out until the desired 5" mark.

Well Now that I have the forks installed, they work worse than ever Maybe I should retire from the suspension business. ?

1) forks have major sticktion. Does it take awhile for new seals to break in?

2) Compression is very stiff/harsh

3) rebound dose not seem to have any damping, bounces up fast.

My once good handling bike is now a nightmare to ride. I wish I had the money to send it to the pro.

Any one have some good advise for me before I tear it apart and try again

Oh ya, I used belray 5wt

[jerryls]

Need a little clarification: you did this out in the field?

Jerry

[jwriott]

My guess is that you have too much oil and some air in the forks. Did you completely drain the forks?

[LimyWPom]

I agree with vmax on probably too much oil. If your oil level was OK, have you tried the method shown in the manual to get back to the factory settings, where you wind in the rebound and compression settings all the way, then count rebound as 10 clicks out and13 clicks out for compression. Mine is an 05' so could well be different.

[GCannon]

Read The Manual!

[Numskull]

Thanks for your reply

Need a little clarification: you did this out in the field?

No in my garage, but thats about the same as the field

Jerry

No in my garage, but thats about the same as the field

My guess is that you have too much oil and some air in the forks. Did you completely drain the forks?

I didnt take the cartridge out, I just drained them and pumped the piston a couple times. But Im hoping its just the oil level. Ill take em apart this weekend and try the minimum oil level, I think ill go get the gauge, and put my old bushings back in also.

I agree with vmax on probably too much oil. If your oil level was OK, have you tried the method shown in the manual to get back to the factory settings, where you wind in the rebound and compression settings all the way, then count rebound as 10 clicks out and13 clicks out for compression. Mine is an 05' so could well be different.

Yes I had set them at 12 and 10 per factory settings.These forks are behaving way outside of adjustment parameters. Major sticktion, harsh compression, and no rebound damping. I skipped measuring that compression nut on top of the piston rod, maybe ill do that this time

[MotoGoalie]

When you put the new oil in, was the fork completely compressed? Compressed as in about 3 feet tall instead of the 4 feet tall.

[bg10459]

On the oil height - Drain the forks well, pump the damper rod and the fork tube to make sure you got it all. Add oil and measure with the forks fully compressed, as in the length of the upper tube only. Then, make sure you work the damper rod up and down as many as 30 times to bleed the air out. Stay away from the extremes of the damper rod travel. Also, work the fork tube up and down, again, staying away from the extremes. Measure the height without springs after the oil has had time to settle (maybe 10 mins.).

On the rebound (stiction and compression is probably due to oil height or bleeding) - did you loosen the damping adjustment screw all the way? Failure to do so could result in a bent or broken push rod or, if each side wasn't set the same, damping circuits may not be equal.

Try re-doing the oil and strictly follow the manual. I did, using Mobil syn ATF at 120mm and my forks are better than ever.