Chain and Fork Questions

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Cassutt
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Chain and Fork Questions

Post by Cassutt »

Just getting back into riding after many years away and have aquired an 04 KDX 200. Working on dailing it in for me and have a few questions.

What is the proper chain slack?

For adjusting compression dampening on fork which direction on the clickers for stiffening, Clockwise or counter looking at the bottom?

What is proper technique for bleeding air from the front forks?
bmcd308
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Post by bmcd308 »

Chain slack is 55 mm to 65 mm per the Cyclepedia manual, which I convert in my head to "a little over two inches" to "about two and three-quarters inches".

Full clockwise on the forks (all the way in) is stiffest. Stock setting is 10 clicks out.

I never bother with bleeding the forks, so I don't know.
porterdog
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Post by porterdog »

>|<>QBB<
bmcd308 wrote:Chain slack is 55 mm to 65 mm per the Cyclepedia manual, which I convert in my head to "a little over two inches" to "about two and three-quarters inches".
...measured with the bike on the kickstand, between the swingarm and the chain, just aft of where the chain slider ends.
jswag
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Post by jswag »

anyone ever find a chain that dosent "stretch" after 80 miles..i have to adjust mine that often. :?
Cassutt
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Post by Cassutt »

Thanks for the info. Seemed like such simple questions, but no manual and surprised I couldn't find direct answer in searching.
porterdog
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Post by porterdog »

>|<>QBB<
jswag wrote:anyone ever find a chain that dosent "stretch" after 80 miles..i have to adjust mine that often. :?
IME the o-ring units will stretch a bit after you first install them (recheck slack after ~300miles) and then it slows way down.
threestroke
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Post by threestroke »

I see this is a bit old, but a 520 street chain rated for 1000cc bikes doesn't stretch. I ran one of those on my 400KTM through 3 sets of sprockets, in the course of a year and a half, with many many many hours.

I do have a question, how many links does a stock kdx (05 200) chain have. 108?
The object of life is not to cross the finish line safely, but to slide across sideways, battered and bleeding,
bike smoking and leaking, screaming "YEEHAWWW, Lets do it again!"
porterdog
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Post by porterdog »

>|<>QBB<
threestroke wrote:108?
Si!
threestroke
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Post by threestroke »

Danke!
The object of life is not to cross the finish line safely, but to slide across sideways, battered and bleeding,
bike smoking and leaking, screaming "YEEHAWWW, Lets do it again!"
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

Re: 'What is proper technique for bleeding air from the front forks?'

Invest in some bleeders. MotionPro has 'em. The short ones require drill&tap, the tall ones (the short ones screwed into a thread adapter) don't.

The OEM forks (mine anyway) built up a considerably amount of pressure during a ride. The single most productive, beneficial thing I ever did to the OEM forks was put some bleeders in 'em.

After which time the answer to the question became: 'Unload the forks, push the button.'

You could carry a little screw driver around with you and do the same thing. But, about the time you either drop one of those bleed screws and can't find it...or the pressure in the forks blows it into the weeds somewhere, you're going to be wishing you had a set of poppers in their place already.

IF you happen to run your forks up in the clamps some..AND you have fat bars, I'd guess there might be a lack of space issue if you try to use the longer bleeders.

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Cassutt
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Post by Cassutt »

Will check out the bleeders. So far have not found that I have been building to much air in the forks, but the screw driver thing is kind of a pain.
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