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parker72001
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new springs

Post by parker72001 »

i am 6' 5'' and 175 lbs., i was going to redo my forks, indawoods said to get xr400 springs with a rate of .38. i looked at rocky mountain and all i can find is some stupid honda springs, i might just be retarded but anyone who can find me some springs anywhere, i want them.
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Post by KDXer »

XR400 springs are Honda. I am the same weight and height and went with genuine .38 Honda XR400 springs.

I think someone mentioned a thumper site as a good source for springs as most XR400 riders upgrade to heavier springs.
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Post by KDXer »

Part numbers;

51401-KCY-761 are .40's
51401-KCY-671 are .38's
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Post by KDXGarage »

He was probably referring to the Honda OEM springs, not aftermarket springs that will fit a Honda XR400R. From the part numbers provided by the top bloke, KAY DEE EXER, they are $93.12 shipped from http://www.ronayers.com. They are $75.46, plus shipping at http://www.servicehonda.com. The Service Honda site says minimum $8 shipping, but I doubt it is $18, so that seems like the best place to get them to me.

You may also want to go buy a section of Scedule 40 1" PVC pipe in order to make some spacers to fit in the forks along with the Honda OEM springs. When you take the old springs out, you will see some steel, thin tubes. You may want to replace those with a length of PVC pipe. You may also cut the stock spacers to a shorter length if you wish. Getting a smooth, flat finish on the end of a steel pipe may be tougher than the PVC pipe. With either tube, I suggest you use a pipe cutter to cut it to the proper length.
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Post by KDXer »

Or take the stock steel spacers to a machine shop and they can cut them any size you want. For what its worth and depending on what you want to do BUT......

You could get a set of KX125 (.38s stock I think) forks of ebay (not much more than new XR springs), swap them over with yours, sell yours and you shouldn't spend alot more if any and you will have killed several birds with one stone. Just some more options to confuse ya. :mrgreen:
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Post by KDXGarage »

KD, you are playing a risky game of internal and external diameters there, fellow. :lol: Heck, you didn't even mention which year model. :shock:
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Post by KanuckKDX »

KAY DEE EXER wrote:XR400 springs are Honda. I am the same weight and height and went with genuine .38 Honda XR400 springs.

I think someone mentioned a thumper site as a good source for springs as most XR400 riders upgrade to heavier springs.

This true. See the XR400 forum at http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/.

Post a wanted in the proper forum and it's likely you'll find someone with the proper srpings. I have some heavier springs coming for my XR4 and if I like them I may have the stockers for sale. But I may like them in my KDX if the .35's I have coming are too light.

I will post a "for sale" on this website and post in this thread if I don't like them in my KDX. But don't hold you breath, that will be after October. They will need a lengthy test and I am pretty busy for the next 2 months.
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Post by Wallydog »

I have a set of 98 XR 400 springs I would let you have for $50 including shipping. Sold my KDX due to Bilateral hip replacement in May. Not sure what kind of bike I will be on next spring. These were bought for my KDX 220 but I never used them. I got used to the soft front end of the stock set-up just fine. Hope this is OK to post like this with a For Sale item. If not I am sure someone will let me know.
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Post by canyncarvr »

There is a 'for sale' forum on this board. You would likely get better response is you also posted there.

...I didn't look if you DID that already! :wink:

Don't look for Vince to be busting your chops over the post. He's not as all high and mighty as some mod gods.

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Post by Veedub »

Honda Springs? We don't need no stinking Honda Springs.
http://www.frpoffroad.com/catalog/detai ... ?ProdID=16
FRP offers .38-.40-.42 for $69.00 and even includes some PVC pipe to make your own spacers. I weigh 185 and have the .38 with great results.

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Post by KDXer »

From memory the FRP ones are shorter than *EDIT* (GENUINE HONDA) XR springs and possibly not hot wound.... CC has the knowledge on this topic maybe he can verify or crucify what I have said.


*EDITTED*
Last edited by KDXer on 12:32 pm Aug 15 2005, edited 4 times in total.
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Post by Veedub »

The FRP springs were longer than my stock springs were, I had to make the PVC spacers much shorter than the steel ones that came out. I do not know how the honda springs compare in length to the stock KDX? I would hope that FRP would not sell crap springs, he is the KDX master after all.

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Post by Indawoods »

I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the FRP springs...and if there was, he wouldn't sell them.....
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Post by KDXer »

I'm sure there isn't either but there is a difference that was my main point. :mrgreen:
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Post by Indawoods »

If you want fast, simple replacement...that's the way to go. Besides...you might be able to talk to the man himself and get recommendations based on how you ride and your weight.

Myself...since I think I know everything... I would buy XR springs in the weight I think I need based on how I ride and live with my decision. :lol:

The more agressive a rider you are then, slightly heavier springs should be used. Fredette will confirm this also. In all my dealings with Jeff...he has been nothing but helpful and fair. A true asset to the sport! :prayer:
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Post by dave04kdx »

I bought a set of FRP springs last winter. I got the .42's and after 10 minutes of riding I knew they were not what I wanted. Jeff took the .42's back and sent me a set of .40's no charge. IMO you cant ask for any better service than that! :supz: I was able to use the stock spacers with the .40kg springs also. I have bought a few items from Jeff other than the springs and have always been treated well.
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Dave04 brings up an excellent reason for dealing with Jeff. Not only is his price for new springs the lowest, his knowledge on the KDX unbeatable, but he apparently will even exchange the springs if you buy ones that are not to your liking!! Sounds like service with a smile. :grin:

FWIW - I've read a few posts concerning springs an how the hot wound ones last longer and do not sag as quickly as cold wound springs. Our Honda XR springs lost about 3 mm of preload since we installed them this spring. ~600 miles on the KDX with the XR springs.

On other bikes over the years I've noticed that after the first season of use when I've service the forks normally there is about 2-3 mm of difference in the spring length. (Mostly Race Tech springs) The next year the length will either remain the same or possible drop another 1 mm or so. The following season it seems like the length has stabilized and remain at that length for the next 2-3 years (seems like I sell my bikes at about 4-5 years of use) My point is - I believe all springs will lose some of their intial length with use. Should not matter as long as the spring rate is correct: you may want to correct the preload after the first season of use but then I believe it is unlikely most of us would mess with changing the preload again unless we gained 10-20 lbs. IMO

Bottom Line Based upon my very limited knowledge it is much more important to get the "correct rate" of spring for your weight and riding technique. This is especially true if you are planning on keeping the OEM fork valving. I would base my decision around the spring rate and not limit my options to only XR springs.
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Post by KDXer »

IMHO I would rather have an extra 3 inches of spring than 3 inches of steel spacer. I'm not saying either one is better or worse than the other just general observations. :grin:
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Post by canyncarvr »

I'm not saying that either one/way is better or worse, either.


Just that I'm right. :wink:


...thass'a joke, son.


I'ts highly unlikely that Jeremy Wilkey has NOT forgotten more about springs than I will ever know. The cold/hot-wound point of view came from him, not me. And what does he sell? Coldwound springs. How MANY sets would he sell at $200/pr. if he hawked hotwound springs? I would suppose that is a factor in his sales choice considering his comments in the past regarding spring manufacture.

I believe that 'fast and simple' is usually the wrong way to go about most things. That does not preclude intelligent and expeditious choice however.

While my points of view about rather minute things have had exception taken to them in the past I don't spend time making it all up. Not a single one has to agree with any of it. An example: The difference in handling in my bike was considerable with a change of 3mm in my fork spring preload. I rode over the same track with both setups making the same turns/changes at the same places and same speeds. The preload change was a big deal. That doesn't make me necessarily knowledgeable about how things work...more likely just plain anal about some things.


A glittering clean, spotless beautiful bike isn't one of those things! It is for some folk. That's fine with me!!

If you prefer 470mm springs having ridden with a set of 530s, that's great! If you prefer 90mm spacers with 30+mm of preload having ridden with other preloads, that's great, too! If you are convinced one is better than the other based on what someone told you...THAT is fast and simple (choose the definition that suits).

I've had coldwound springs drop 5+mm in length over the space of three rides. That's not likely a coldwound issue as much as it is simply a spring failure. My Honda springs changed zip.point in length over three years use. I chose those springs after several other spring setups.

The point of this isn't to harangue anyone with my point of view or to cast dispersions (sic..another funny!..ha ha ha! Yeah..sometimes I just kill myself :rolleyes: ) on anyone else's choices.

The point IS to encourage experimentation with different choices at most, tuning of what you have at the least.

My bike is a WHOLE lot more fun to ride when I'm pleased with the way it is running. Time after time I've been to the 'It can't get any better than this!' point..then I'm surprised yet again!!

BTW...it's steenking Honda springs... :wink:

BTW2...Spring rate is far more important than how they are made or who makes them. Well....excepting Billy Bob's Bodacious Bawdy Boinger Boutique springs.... Springtech/Eibach/OEM branded would generally be preferable in that case.

Well...unless you GOTTA have BB'sBBBB pretty-in-pink springs..... :blink:

BTW3...RRohrich says toluene give you lousy throttle response. I don't agree with that either. But...he likely wasn't talking about a 5% mix, either! He can NOT use it in his 446.12345cc Yamaha...I will use it in my 'lil KDX and we can both ride happily ever after!

Cheers!

BTW4...Mr. Fredette is indeed a good sort. Heck...he might even be a top bloke!!

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Post by Tazmanian »

I just installed the XR400 .38 springs on my bike over the weekend. They had been on back-order from Superior Honda for about two months. Everybody must be buying them up for their KDX. I've noticed a much plusher feel when riding -Thanks for all the great advice on this site!
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