Spring swap, do u have to remove fork?

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cleoent
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Spring swap, do u have to remove fork?

Post by cleoent »

All the guides i've seen show the forks being removed from the bike, do you have to do that???

And if it's not too much trouble, can someone tell me why you have to remove them?
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TopperHarley
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Post by TopperHarley »

you dont

put the bike on a stand. you will need to remove your bars.

remove the cap which is threded into the top of the tube with a 30mm socket
Last edited by TopperHarley on 02:45 pm Nov 11 2007, edited 1 time in total.
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Indawoods
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Post by Indawoods »

uh... no.
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Post by cleoent »

why do they do that then? Should i take off the front tire at least or is that also unnecessary?

God i love how quickly you guys respond!
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Post by Indawoods »

Just support the bike by the frame.... make sure the front forks are off the ground. Loosen the top pinch bolts... uncrew the caps to get to your springs... careful... they are under pressure by the spacers...
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Post by cleoent »

ok so this guy definitely did too much work.

http://www.dishers.com/hobbies/Repairs/

I'll give it a go and report back with any probs. Thank you so much!

I feel like i should pay to use this site!
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Post by Indawoods »

Don't let me hold ya back! :lol:
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Post by TopperHarley »

you will need to collaps the spring a bit by pulling down the spacer and slip a wrench on the nut that is underneath the cap. put the 30 mm socket back on the cap and remove it from the rod. Voila! remove spacer, washers and spring.
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1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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Post by TopperHarley »

donations to the site are gladly accepted.
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1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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Post by Indawoods »

It's actually nice that the forks are still on the bike... it holds the tubes for ya....
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Post by TopperHarley »

if you were going to change your oil, put in new seals, etc. you would need to take them off the bike.

will you be using the stock preload spacers?
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2003 KDX220 mine(under construction)
1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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Post by cleoent »

can i use the stock spacers? I'm having a hell of a time pulling the stupid spacer down, i can't imagine that being very much fun to put back together!

Is there something i'm doing wrong or does this seem about right?
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Post by TopperHarley »

its difficult..try pulling it down and slippin a smaller maybe flat wrench if you have one, with the mouth that will fit around the rod but smaller than the backer nut. this is how I hold it down.

if you have both caps off, you may want to place somethin under the front tire to raise the springs out of the tubes a bit. give you some room to work

the stock spacers are large. about 30 mm of preload i think. target preload is 10-12mm
If you run into Heidi, have her look me up in her little black book and give me a call.
Im feelin a little wild today.
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2003 KDX220 mine(under construction)
1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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Post by Indawoods »

Target for me is about 5mm....
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Post by cleoent »

so if i were to measure stock spacer, subtract about 18mm i should have good size for new spacer right? does that take into account different sizes of springs between the xr and kdx springs?
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Post by Indawoods »

You have to measure the 2 different spring lengths and determine what the preload length of the spacer will be. 1" Schedule 40 PVC works best for spacers instead of the stock metal tube.
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Post by TopperHarley »

if you drop the new spring into place, thread the cap on all the way. measure the distance between the bottom of the cap and the top of the spring. you want you spacer and your washers to fill this gap + the amount of preload you choose to try.
Last edited by TopperHarley on 03:38 pm Nov 11 2007, edited 1 time in total.
If you run into Heidi, have her look me up in her little black book and give me a call.
Im feelin a little wild today.
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/GATEWAY2-STROKE
2005 KDX220 mine
2003 KDX220 mine(under construction)
1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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Post by cleoent »

sound easy enough.
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Post by cleoent »

ok here's a pic. I dont know if perhaps i'm doing something wrong, but it seems like they are already a big preloaded. the spring is pushing the two washers together, does this sound normal?

If that's normal, then what my plan is to measure between the two washers and add 10mm, sound good?

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Post by TopperHarley »

how much space w/out the washers?

measure w/out washers in place......take this measurement and add your preload to it .....subtract thickness of washers(only the flat surface not the sleeve part this will fit inside the spacer).....this is what you will cut your spacers to.


does that make sense or just confuse you? :rolleyes:

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Last edited by TopperHarley on 04:37 pm Nov 11 2007, edited 1 time in total.
If you run into Heidi, have her look me up in her little black book and give me a call.
Im feelin a little wild today.
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/GATEWAY2-STROKE
2005 KDX220 mine
2003 KDX220 mine(under construction)
1998 KDX220 1/2 Brother-in-laws, soon his own
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