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Questions and comments about converting to beefier forks..
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Mr. Wibbens
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Bet you never thought you'd see this?

Post by Mr. Wibbens »

LOL

Check out the recommendation from the TT Off-Road Riding Expert

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showth ... p?t=958740
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scheckaet
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Post by scheckaet »

he could make a hybrid kx 200 with KDX fork on it, would make the ultimate woods machine :roll: :rolleyes:
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Post by TWMOODY »

That must make my used oem KDX forks worth a mint !
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Tedh98
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Post by Tedh98 »

Yeah, KDX forks were the last thing I was expecting as a recommendation.
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Post by David_L6 »

>|<>QBB<
TWMOODY wrote:That must make my used oem KDX forks worth a mint !
That's what I was thinking!
2000 KDX200 / 2002 CR250 / 2003 CR250 / 2008 TT-R230 / 2011 Brute Force 750 / 2012 Brute Force 750 EPS
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Post by SS109 »

OK, I have some "classic" '90 KDX forks for sale. These are THE woods forks to have! Don't miss out on these complete, factory stock forks! Only $300! :mrgreen:
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Post by zomby woof »

Just keep this in mind the next time somebody quotes an "expert", or one tells you something :lol:
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Post by kdxtreme »

Dwight likes it oldschool everyone is different. I was hauling on mine with the stock forks but I bent them good on the third ride so I got a little sketched out about the underhang but I'm different also. :supz:
Did I say riding?
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Post by TWMOODY »

>|<>QBB<
kdxtreme wrote:Dwight likes it oldschool everyone is different. I was hauling on mine with the stock forks but I bent them good on the third ride so I got a little sketched out about the underhang but I'm different also. :supz:
You need some stock forks ?
Give you a deal !
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Post by johnyblaze »

While I'm not sticking up for the stock KDX forks (I have a pair setting in my garage as well) I will say that I think the advantages of USD forks in general are sometimes overblown. For instance, the DRZ400 has a great set of conventionals that can be made to do whatever you want.... and won't blow through seals twice a year. The difference is that the KDX stockers were spindly little guys that lacked the adjustability and guts required by their riders. I rode a set that had been revalved and resprung and they weren't that much better than stock. Nowhere near as good as the KX250's I later installed.
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

Yeah, the trick is getting an MX valved fork to soak up the small bumps like the stock kdx forks did though. I imagine this is going to be an easier task than trying to get the stock forks to handle any kind of big hits.
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Post by SS109 »

After having my '96 forks re-valved I absolutely love them. They soak up everything yet still can take the big hits without bottoming or jarring my teeth out. The stockers were great at slow technical stuff but they were never going to handle the fast, aggressive, desert riding I do.
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

Agreed. I hope my MX forks turn out better after some work on the shim stacks.
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Post by Tedh98 »

I was glad that I posted that question on TT, the advice I was given was a step in the right direction.

I went riding this AM with the changes that were suggested and the forks are much better. I'm going to try one more change on the MV to see how it works, but I think I'm close to being satisfied with these forks.
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Post by Julien D »

Good to know Ted. When I'm ready to work on my shim stacks, I will hit you up for some advice if that's cool. Did you manage to take any pics while you had the base and/or midvalves apart? I wasn't planning any changes to the MV, but if you find it helps, I certainly will. I'm in the same boat as you. I like the way they soak up landings and big hits, but on the tight bumpy single track they are pretty harsh.

My forks are 43mm KYB's, mid 90's yz250. I think the basic config should be similar. Yours are probably 46's?
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Post by Tedh98 »

>|<>QBB<
juliend wrote:Good to know Ted. When I'm ready to work on my shim stacks, I will hit you up for some advice if that's cool. Did you manage to take any pics while you had the base and/or midvalves apart? I wasn't planning any changes to the MV, but if you find it helps, I certainly will. I'm in the same boat as you. I like the way they soak up landings and big hits, but on the tight bumpy single track they are pretty harsh.

My forks are 43mm KYB's, mid 90's yz250. I think the basic config should be similar. Yours are probably 46's?
I'm not anywhere close to being an expert, but I'll try to help you out. I've really learned a lot just reading posts in the Suspension section on TT.

Any pictures I've taken are here , I've got a page set-up to track the changes I've been making on the forks. I've updated that to include the changes I just tested today.

I believe my forks are 48's.

If you haven't seen this site before, http://valvinglogic.com/index.php, it can be helpful in comparing stacks between different bikes or the same bike over different years.
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

what i've gotten kind of confused about, is which secion of shims in the base valve is the high speed stack. In that first picture where you have laid everything out from the base valve, which section relates to the high speed damping?
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Tedh98
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Post by Tedh98 »

The HS are the shims furthest away from the piston (usually the smaller shims) and the LS (usually the larger shims) are the ones closest to the piston.
Last edited by Tedh98 on 08:42 pm Mar 04 2011, edited 2 times in total.
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

So in this picture...

Image

There is only one shim closest to the nut, the rest are on the other side? Or is it that small crossover shim that separates them?
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Post by Tedh98 »

I wasn't thinking correctly when I replied, I'll edit that.

You are correct, the crossover shim (4th shim from the left in that picture) separates the HS from the LS. So there are three LS shims (shims 1-3 starting from the left), the crossover (4th) and the rest are the HS shims.
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