what all do i need to put new springs and oil in my forks

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parker72001
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what all do i need to put new springs and oil in my forks

Post by parker72001 »

i'm going to put new springs into my forks next month and i just need to know exactly what i will need, i'm buying some xr400 .38 springs from sluggo and i need some schedule40 pvc pipe and i just ordered some bel-ray 5w fork oil from rm. is there anything else that i need? what tools do i need, what about that big syringe looking thing, can i just use a big syringe, if you can deciphre (sp?) any of this please respond, no rush, not working on it until september.
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Post by m0rie »

You'll need a syringe and a piece of tubing to set the fork oil level. I'm not real familiar with the kdx cartridge forks but I believe you will need a cartridge holding tool to change the springs out. Someone with some real information will come along shortly and give you the scoop.

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Post by KDXGarage »

Do you have a torque wrench?
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Post by parker72001 »

no, how much are they?
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Post by KDXGarage »

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but that's what I was talking about a few weeks ago about maintenance mindset and having the proper tools. I see over $15,000 worth of off-road vehicles in your signature, but no torque wrench(es). If Craftsman is good enough for you, then until next Tuesday, they are $60 each for their midgrade models. Go to http://www.craftsman.com and you can read more about them. The inches-pounds model will handle many of the fasteners on your bike, but getting the foot-pounds model would also be good. If you get them, you can really cut down on the number of broke or stripped out fasterners you will have.

While you are down there, you can get the 1 1/16" 6-point socket I mentioned yesterday for the rear axle nut, plus a 1 3/16" 6-point socket for your fork caps. They're not a pipe, but they are very shiny, if that helps. :grin:
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Post by parker72001 »

ooh, shiny, that sounds nice
:lol:
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Post by KDXGarage »

The torque wrenches are part chrome, too!! :mrgreen: Sorry, had to throw that in there quickly. :lol:
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Post by parker72001 »

ok, i got the oil (5w bel-ray high performance or something), now i need to get a torque wrench, and what else, a big syringe and do i need to get a cartridge holding tool or not?
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Post by KDXer »

I just used a long piece of electrical wire fed through the spring and tied onto the rod below the nut. Too easy....
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Post by KDXGarage »

You don't need a cartridge holding tool or the rod holding tool. You can just lightly grab it with some needle nose pliers above the threaded area, then twist the spring down, then hold it with one hand while you move the pliers from the side to inside from the top of the spring to hold the top of the damper rod. It makes it easier, but it is not a "must have" tool.
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Post by parker72001 »

okay, i'm not doing this for awhile but i'll post pics of everything and ask a lot of questions, thanks for all the help, you guys rock! :supz:
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Post by canyncarvr »

Jason: I don't follow that...but I know what you mean.

Parker, you will need to loosen the cap from the tube. Do that by keeping the lower clamp bolts tightened, loosen the TOP clamp bolts, then loosen the cap before you take the forks out of the clamps. The bottom clamp will hold the fork tube.

When the fork is out, unscrew the cap and drop the top fork tube. Use something to hold the spring below the jam nut that is against the cap. Some use an open end wrench to do that...I cut a rod diameter-sized slot in a piece of sheet metal to do it. With the spring held out of the way, put a wrench on the jam nut, remove the cap from the rod.


At that point the spring comes right out.

BTW..oil level is set with the all the bubbles out, fork collapsed, spring out, rod down.

All the bubbles come out by a lot of pumping of the rod by hand after you put in the oil..then let it sit for awhile. Maybe tap the fork with a rubber mallet. If you hear ANY bubbles (yeah...you hear'em) when you pump the rod..you're not done, yet.


NOTE!! The cap will stick to the rod. When the jam nut/cap junction is broken loose, the stuck cap will turn the rod and thread the now free nut all the way down to the end of the rod threads. You may wonder what all the turning is about...and THEN it will get tight again because you have to break the cap loose from it being stuck onto the rod. The same will be true when you put it back together (after figuring and installing your preload spacer and the OEM washers). When you thread the cap to its stop on the rod, you will have to thread the jam nut back UP the rod to the cap before you (using your new shiny torque wrench) set the jam nut to the cap.

For your perusal..attached is the CNC'd spring tool I use: (thassa joke)

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Post by KDXer »

And remember to turn the fork tube not the cap to retighten upon reassembly. :grin:
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