Okay, I'll join the club

Questions and comments about converting to beefier forks..
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kelasaki
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Okay, I'll join the club

Post by kelasaki »

Just got a complete front end from a 99 KX125 from Ebay. I'll be putting it on my 03 200 this winter.

I've had a search going for about a year, but I've been too cheap to pull the trigger till now. Bidding started at $50 and stayed that way, maybe it was the pick up shipping only. Picked it up on Saturday, and it's got a DID rim on it. Cool.

I'll be doing some searching on offroad valving for these, but does anyone have any specific recommendations for 99's, riding mostly rocky PA Enduros and Harescrambles? Thanks.
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krazyinski
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Post by krazyinski »

good deal send them out and have them re valved and sprung before putting them on. then get your rear shock done. you will be in love.

shims are old and week and the stock valve's are junk. your time and frustration are worth something. The learning curve is huge, you have a fifty % chance of getting it right the first time out, and could spoil what could have been a nice ride by getting beat by your own bike, physically and mentally.

Get them done by a pro!!! MX TECH, local PRO ACTION, RG3 its worth the money.
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kelasaki
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Post by kelasaki »

I was hoping the valving on newer (if 99 is new) MX forks weren't as restrictive as the stock fork valves. If that isn't the case, has anyone gotten GV's for these from Fredette, set up somewhat close to their needs (like he did with the KDX GV's)?
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wanaride
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Post by wanaride »

Listen to krazyinski!

Unless you already know what you are doing, just send the forks to a real tuner and have them done right. I tried doing it myself. I created a big mess, lots of stress, lots of wasted time, and I ended up sending them to a tuner anyway. Why go through the hassle if you don't have to? Life is too short...
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kelasaki
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Post by kelasaki »

Why are people always trying to stop me from doing the things I love ... hours of swearing and throwing tools around my garage ;)

I'll take it under advisement.
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Post by kelasaki »

Okay, it's definitely winter now. I've got these forks apart. They are supposed to be 99KX125 forks and I figure they are because they are 46mm and the handlebar clamps are integral to the top triple. But when I took them apart the internals don't look like the parts diagram on buykawasaki.com. Anyone else with 99s notice this?

My Fork

Parts Diagram
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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

YOurs have bladders. Take the bladders out, remove 6 of the largest shims from the base valves, reassemble and fill with 5wt oil, (90mm from the top I think....) and give them a ride. I have my '02's set up that way.

I can tell you for sure that my 99 KX125 forks did not have bladders in them. I had gold valves installed and couldn't really tell the difference on the trails I ride. Most of my riding is 2nd/3rd gear with high speeds of about 35 mph and average speeds of 11/12 mph. I set the comp. dampening all the way out as well. Have fun!!

Here's a KX250 2002 innards:
Image
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Jeb
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Post by Jeb »

Racetech Gold Valves.

I picked up a kit on ebay for dirt cheap. It worked out that way because I found the Racetech part number on their website and kept watching. I see Gold Valves on there all the time - I'm currently watching out for one for my shock!

The kit includes the valves/shims, other parts depending on your bike, a video, and a set of tables that help you with the shim stack. The tables guide you through a bunch of variables like weight, riding type, skill, etc.

It DOES take some time to do this. If you're like me it takes extra time because I'm just not that good at this kind of stuff. But patience, the right kind of tools, and the Racetech kit make it reasonable.

Tools? You might want to consider getting this (or fabricating some facsimile thereof):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Combo-Fo ... enameZWDVW

Unless you know they're in good shape consider replacing the oil seals/wipers and both sets of bushings.

Results? While I haven't given mine a good workout since I'm still cautious with relatively fresh knee surgery, I've ridden mine for short distances/durations. Each time I push it a little further, and what is obvious to me is the forks are NOTICEABLY plusher. The valving/shim stack eats up the small stuff, and I'm somewhere in the middle of the compression/rebound adjustment range (that'll change a bit when I get to really tuning them). I used to have compression out all of the way, rebound set for what I was riding, and the fork oil level low. The results were hands down better performance than the OEM forks but harsh riding for the slightly-rough terrain and bumps encountered during braking. That seems to have changed with the Gold Valves in.

But remember that the forks are only half of the suspension! I very recently replaced the stock shock spring with a stouter one. Again, I've not pushed it much at all but the improvement in balance is noticeable for what riding I've done. If I push the footpeg down now I get a fairly even movement of both ends, and it just feels better when I ride even if I am going pretty slow.

Racetech isn't the only company that offers fork valves, but they are the only one that I know of that offers the how-to with the valves. You might NOT get lucky on ebay or maybe not willing to wait which in that case you're looking at in the neighborhood of $160 for the valve kit.
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Post by plb »

« Tool for Fork disassembly on Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki & Yamaha Street & Dirt Bikes 41-46mm Forks: Aids in assembly and disassembly of most 41, 43, 45 & 46mm Kayaba (KYB) and Showa inverted forks.»

I have a KX125 2005 48MM fork and I will put on my bike this winter. What tools I must buy to pit new springs and Race Tech Gold Valves????????????

I think I can't use this tool... it's for 41-46mm and I have a 48mm. :shock:
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Post by Jeb »

^ Yeah, the newer mx forks are bigger so you'd need to get the tool appropriately sized. Racetech will offer them but they'll be pricier there. Do some searches, maybe there's a cheaper alternative similar to the one on the link.

I made my tool out of a section of the type of PVC pipe you can run electrical underground through (grey-colored). It seems denser/studier than the more typical sched-40 PVC (white). Made notches to fit in the slots on top of the cartridge but used biggest diam pipe possible.
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Post by plb »

Thank Jeb for your advice.

Do you have pictures to show here and instructions to built the tool?

Thank you very much.
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Post by motorider200 »

I bought a tool made by motion pro and it did not work for my 02 kx250 forks. The inside diameter of the tool was to small to fit over the shiny part on the top of the damper assembly. You can see it in skipro's picture. I also removed the bladders and modified the RB (restrictive barrier) AKA big washer that sits below the spring. I setup my forks according to a write-up from bradf and I love the action of the forks. I can email or post it up if any body wants it.
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Post by TWMOODY »

Jeb,
Did you remove the lower mid valve shim stack and o ring then replace with a check valve plate with a spring instead of the o ring ?
If so was the check valve plate supplied with the GV kit?
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Jeb
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Post by Jeb »

>|QBB<[/url]
TWMOODY wrote:Jeb,
Did you remove the lower mid valve shim stack and o ring then replace with a check valve plate with a spring instead of the o ring ?
If so was the check valve plate supplied with the GV kit?
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "lower" mid valve stack, but, yes, I replaced the midvalve assembly with the check valve that was provided by the Race Tech kit. Apparently they provide these parts if they're needed depending on what make/year bike. My USD forks are from a '98 yz125 and there are a few differences. There was no o-ring involved in my conversion. The midvalve stack I replaced with the check valve was between the piston and the "dish" (to the right of the piston). Don't know if the picture helps, hopefully the comment about Race Tech providing the checkvalve does. Give 'em a call to be sure!

Image
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TWMOODY
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Post by TWMOODY »

>|QBB|QBB<[/url]
TWMOODY wrote:Jeb,
Did you remove the lower mid valve shim stack and o ring then replace with a check valve plate with a spring instead of the o ring ?
If so was the check valve plate supplied with the GV kit?
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "lower" mid valve stack, but, yes, I replaced the midvalve assembly with the check valve that was provided by the Race Tech kit. Apparently they provide these parts if they're needed depending on what make/year bike. My USD forks are from a '98 yz125 and there are a few differences. There was no o-ring involved in my conversion. The midvalve stack I replaced with the check valve was between the piston and the "dish" (to the right of the piston). Don't know if the picture helps, hopefully the comment about Race Tech providing the checkvalve does. Give 'em a call to be sure!

Image[/quote]

Thanks Jeb PERFECT!
I was wrong saying the lower it was actually on the upper side of the mid valve(or right side as you said and in your pic) The o ring was oe instead of the spring over the collar and the cuped washer.
I think race tech provides 8 .30mm different diameter washers depending on what size the mid valve is.
I found out the hard way that my forks are actually 2001 instead of 2003
AFTER purchasing springs/bushings/seals/ but the Gold Valve are the same.
2001 and under are 46mm tubes and 2002 and up are 48mm.
Thanks for the pic !
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TWMOODY
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Post by TWMOODY »

Forgot to write this .......
You did not remove the stack on the left side of your pic closest the
the lock nut and base washer did you ?
Can't tell by the pic and see no reference to removing that?
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