Newbie with Rear suspension issues, 2001 KDX 220R

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BurnerTurner
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Joined: 10:46 pm Sep 27 2013
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Newbie with Rear suspension issues, 2001 KDX 220R

Post by BurnerTurner »

Hey All,
Im new to riding just purchased a 2001 Kdx 220r. At first I thought the rear suspension just wasn't set up properly, but after tweaking the lower and upper adjustment screws for the rear shock and having little change Im coming to you guys. How do I setup my rear suspension?
I need some help diagnosing if there is a rear suspension problem: I sit on the bike and the suspension is stiff and there is no rebound or bounce. push on the rear fender/back of the seat and the back end goes down but comes up really really slow, its almost like I need to lift it up.
I bought the bike and a buddy checked it over, he said the things in great shape and doesn't look like its been ridden hard, I figure worn out parts are unlikely but what do you guys think?

Thanks for your time.

Apologies if i previously posted in the wrong area ( introductions )
Vintner
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Location: Ketchum, Idaho

Newbie with Rear suspension issues, 2001 KDX 220R

Post by Vintner »

BurnerTurner -

There is a suspension section on this site, I recommend reviewing for info. There's probably guys on this site that are a lot more familiar with this than me, but I noticed no one has responded. I had similar issues with my 95 KDX 200. So, I rebuilt my rear suspension last September. When you put your bike up on a stand with the rear wheel off the ground, and there's play in the rear swing arm (ie, you can move it up and down), your bearings on your swing arm and rear suspension pieces and the rear shock itself are probably blown. I replaced the bearings myself. They are not expensive and the old ones can be pressed out and new ones pressed in if you have a nice sized bench vice and long larger sockets. Careful with pressing out the old bearings, as they are steel housings pressed into aluminum, so, taking a hammer and screwdriver or chisel to anything, will probably be a recipe for replacing a much more expensive part. If you're pressing in the bearings on your own, you will need a shop manual, so you know the depth of the bearings. I had help from friends that do this on their own and other friend's bikes as a hobby. I would look for the OEM bearings (I did not), because I think they have keepers on the needle bearings that make it easier to pack them with new grease and not lose the needle bearings (everyone seems to recommend the Bel-Ray waterproof grease). My rear shock was blown, so I sent my rear shock to Jeff Fredette (you can Google his name for his website), who rebuilt it for me. I also bought a rear spring from him at the same time that was right for my weight. It all went back together easier than I expected and works awesome now. This response may be an oversimplification, but hopefully, contains no misinfo.
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