*** KX, KDX Caliper and brake line Bulletin ***

Questions and comments about converting to beefier forks..
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Indawoods
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*** KX, KDX Caliper and brake line Bulletin ***

Post by Indawoods »

As I was converting my front brake line to the KX configuration I ran into a snag.
The brake line would not mount on my KDX caliper. It seems the KX caliper is designed along with that stock line. This may not be the case with aftermarket lines but it is very true for OEM.

Thankfully, I had purchased a KX caliper and all is perfect now. I know there had been some questions that arose out of the conversion and calipers so I thought I had better let everyone know.

If you are mounting everything in the stock KDX configuration then you should not have any issues.

FACTS:
Using a (OEM) KX brake line requires a KX caliper.

Using a KDX brake line using KDX routing, the KDX caliper can be used.
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Post by T-Roy »

Wow, thanks for the heads up, as I was going to purchase an aftermarket steel braided KX line.

What exactly would not match up? Was the banjo bolts a different size?

Thanks again.
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Post by skipro3 »

Thanks for the insight Inda. I never tried that, as I had a complete KX front end including caliper and brake line.
Explain more what doesn't fit.

T-Roy, I'm going to add a steel braided line to my KX caliper. I was planning on ordering from Spangler. Do you have any recommendations?
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Post by Indawoods »

Same size... just with the (OEM) line there is a nipple on the fitting and the caliper has a recessed area for the line to hug the caliper that the KDX's don't. If you have the tools to machine the KDX's caliper then this probably isn't an issue.
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Post by T-Roy »

Ski, I was going to use Fastline. I have no real world experience with any of them to speak of. :sad:
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Post by canyncarvr »

Thanks, Inda.

Yup...I had a good number of questions about that whole thing. Figured I'd just find out. The snag you're talking about was something I knew was going to come up. I've looked at the KX caliper..the brakeline routing..and knew the KDX didn't have the same cable 'guide' formed into it.

Here's another item along the same line.

The KX mount style puts the brake line underneath the LH fork leg. Obviously the brakeline then runs all the way UP the fork in the front.

The KDX style takes the brakeline around the LH leg on the INside, then up.

There is a 'CR style' mounting kit that can be put on the KX fork that routes the brakeline in a KDX fashion. The KDX routing is generally considered a better deal for the woods. Consider that the KX routing exposes a whole lot of brakeline..and puts it right up front, too. I've heard there is such a kit...I've been told by a dealer that there is such a kit...I don't have a part number or source for it.


Looking at BuyKawi (Bike Bandit..whatever) you see the back side of the fork guards. I don't know if there is a brakeline guide incorporated into the LH guard. There IS a brakeline guide that is part of the guard guide that clamps onto the outer fork (upper) tube.

I'm looking at a set of carbon fiber guards for my forks. $100. They show (on the pic anyway..not necessarily a sure thing) that the LH guard has a brakeline guide ON the guard itself.

Now..this is a guide..it is NOT the clamp for the brakeline that you see on the lower oem KDX leg. I'm assuming that there will need to be something fabricated to HOLD the brakeline when it's mounted in the KDX fashion on the KX forks.

For anyone that has a KDX caliper and KDX brakeline routing on their KX forks....what did you use to secure the brakeline to the upper (non-moving) fork tube? Or...did you just let the brakeline ride in the guides?

**edit**
Called my local 'guy'. He has UFO kits that include the fork guards AND the guides. About 1/3 the cost of carbon fiber. I couldn't stand it. I bought them instead.

Hey! $100 here. $100 there. Pretty soon you're talking about REAL money!!!
Last edited by canyncarvr on 01:35 pm Mar 22 2005, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Indawoods »

That's where I was at CC....

I HAD the setup in the KDX fashion.... my concern was that it was not secured anywhere and couldn't find a good was to secure it. So.... that's why I went the KX format. Much more secure but requires more different parts.
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Post by canyncarvr »

How about fashioning a clamp similar to the KDX clamp...sticking it to the upper KX tube? ***this is obviously wrong..corrected further down this thread.***

Now...that 'sticking' is going to require (ugh...) an epoxy job.

Crap. Where you was is where I'm gonna be. ...and I don't have KX caliper. Besides, running the brakeline underneath the fork bugs me for a woods application.
Last edited by canyncarvr on 06:59 pm Apr 01 2005, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Indawoods »

Ahhh... It's got a guard and not an inch and a half from the ground unlike the KDX forks. I don't foresee and problems with the setup in the KX form... but who knows? If I do... I will report back.

I think the KDX caliper will work, just have to grind away some metal on the KDX's. :razz:
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Post by Lutz »

I'm sure you must have seen this before (I got the mounting idea from TexKDX on the "other site"), but here it goes...

When I put the KX forks on my bike, I reused the KDX caliper and line. In order to secure the brake line, I simply drilled holes in the lower fork guard near the top to mount the clamp that was originally on the lower leg of the KDX fork. The clamp is in basically the same position as it was on the KDX fork, and clamps onto the line at the same place it did originally. Basically, the entire front end was assembled without the brake line; then I mounted the brake line and let it sit in its most natural position; finally I positioned the clamp on the line against the front of the fork guard (applying just enough force to the line to get the clamp in a mountable position), marked the spot and drilled. Then I routed the brake line through the KX guide at the lower triple clamp. This way, the brake line works exactly like it did on the original KDX, only it is clamped to the lower fork guard instead of the lower fork leg. The clamp is now flat against the fork guard, as opposed to perpendicular as it was on the KDX fork leg. If anyone needs more explanation, let me know. I'll see if I can find some pictures.

What you don't want to do is try to mount the line rigidly to the upper tubes. If you do, the brake line will be forced to move closer to the ground or bend in a very weird way when the forks compress. Whatever line routing you use, the line needs to be mounted rigidly to the lower leg, and free to float (in guides) past the upper leg all the way to the master cylinder. Just check it out and you'll see what I mean.
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Post by canyncarvr »

re: 'What you don't want to do is try to mount the line rigidly to the upper tubes. If you do, the brake line will be forced to move closer to the ground or bend in a very weird way when the forks compress.'


Uh...not with USD forks. As I read your post, mount the brakeline to the fork guard..and that is exactly what happens. The fork guard moves up and down. The upper tubes do not.

You maybe are referring to the fork guard guide? That is attached to the upper tube? And...as said...it don't move up and down unless the whole front end does! :wink:


***Sorry, Lutz. You're right***
I honestly don't believe it. I did it again. Re-reading it THIS time...I get a completely different (correct) idea of what he was saying than the FIRST five times I read it. ****! I need to shut up a lot more. 'Unencumbered by the thought process.' Yup. That's me!!!

Thanks IC for pointing it out!
Last edited by canyncarvr on 06:57 pm Apr 01 2005, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by IdahoCharley »

CC - I believe Lutz is saying as the USD lower fork compresses into the outer tube the excess brake line must go somewhere. If it is fixed on the lower tube - and the brake line is allowed to floatl upward along the upper tube it will arc and not kink as lower tube compresses over trail junk.

IF it is rigidly fastened on the upper tube - as the lower tube compresses into the outer tube, the brake line will either flex out or down exposing it to brush, snags, etc.
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Post by canyncarvr »

Sorry. Apologies posted. :oops: Wrong agin'!!

But..that brings up this. Mounted that way..what happens when you hit something (forks bottom)? Is there enough room in the fork guard guide to pass the brakeline bracket? The LH guide has a guide for the KX style brakeline..wouldn't do any good in this case. I'll look at mine tonight...seems there isn't enough room.

..slot the guide to let the bracket pass? Let the fork guard be held by the 'outer' part of the guide?

Is that part right?

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Post by Lutz »

Sorry. Apologies posted.
No problem...I didn't read your reply in unedited form until now anyway.
Mounted that way..what happens when you hit something (forks bottom)?
Actually, the way I have it mounted, the fork guard guide would interfere with the brakeline bracket...if I was using the fork guard guide. I don't use any guide for the fork guard (something I forgot to mention before). The guards are really plenty stiff on their own, they don't really need a guide. Also, quite a few OEM and factory race bikes either don't have them or do away with them, namely CRF's, KTM's, Ricky's RM, etc. Granted, these bikes use a guard that is stiffer in the first place, but not by a whole lot. Besides, from what I've seen, fork guard guides aren't very robust in the first place - I've seen them knocked out of place on a YZ80. Once they're knocked out of place, the guards aren't free to move; that is, the guards BIND (oh the dirty word!) on the guides.

IMO, the fork guard guides are superfluous equipment - that is to say: ditch 'em and save some space and weight.
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Post by canyncarvr »

They hold your Seal Savers on!

Looking at my guides..it looks like there might be enough room for the bracket to pass through the existing brakeline guide...if you took a snippet out of the fork guide where the line guide is molded in.

Guess I'll find out. May just end up with the KX routing.

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Post by Indawoods »

The old style guards would work much better for the woods and mounting purposes. The guards rode on a rail type system under the guards. It may be possible to adapt a set of these to the newer forks... don't know though.

What makes them ideal is that you could easily use the KDX routing and secure the line with small holes drilled in the guards and ty-wraps.
And if you wanted to use the KX mounting method... they had a molded in guard all the way down the guard! Nice setup... don't know why they changed it... maybe weight? :roll:

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Post by skipro3 »

Inda: I think Yamaha uses that molded in guard method currently. Maybe since they use KYB forks it would fit the KX forks.
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Post by Normski84 »

I have recentley carried out the KX conversion on my bike and have know come to fitting the calliper and line.

However i positioned my calliper in place and started to insert the bolts and notticed there was about a 4mm gap that need closing i thought to myself this cant be right so out of curiosity and tightened up the mounting bolts and it pulled in tight and this caused the disc to flex making the wheel tight and not free wheel.

I made sure that i bought evrything KX and all from the same year bike O4'. Would point out that when installing the front wheel with axel and spacers it was a little bit of a stuggle a had to tap the axel through using a rubber mallet but seemed stiff?

Have i gone wrong somewhere?

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Post by Varmint »

Please tell me the wheel is a KX wheel. I'm pretty sure the KDX front wheel does not fit on the KX forks.
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Post by zomby woof »

Holy old post Batman :shock:
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