New fork stiffness

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 04:22 am May 20 2005

When I stand over my bike with the front brake applied and rock back and forwards, the front forks don't dive AT ALL. Am I right in thinking this could be stiction caused by new seals and sealsavers ?? I can get the front to dive by rolling and slamming the front brakes on but under average body weight they don't budge... Good or bad ?? Cheers all...

BTW my front end is complete and I will post some pics up when I get a chance.

BIG problem !!! One of the pinch bolts for the front axle (caliper side) snapped of. Mind you this was with far less than 18lb of torque. Far canal !!!

Now what should I do ?? Its going to be impossible to get right into the bolt hole to easy-out the broken stud so I've tightened the rest up snug and gave the axle an extra nip and I will cross my fingers. What else 'can' I do ??? The bolt was already twisted waiting to be snapped by the colour of the snap (old dirty not new shiny snap) and the little amount of pressure required to snap it. DRILL / RETAP ??? Thanks for listening...

Trev

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 10:28 am May 20 2005

Is there any static sag to the forks? In other words, on a stand, and the forks fully extended because the front wheel is off the ground, mark on the fork guard where the upper tube meets it, then under the bike's own weight, check it again. The difference is the static sag.
Stand on the left side of the bike, holding the bars, lock up the front brake with your right hand, put your right foot on the left peg and bounce up and down a bit. The front and rear suspension should move at the same time. Not the same amount, but the suspension travel should start at the same time. If not, then either there is too much preload on the forks, or too much stiction as you suspect. New fork seals, especially the race tech heavy duty ones, have quite a bit of stiction brand new. Ride the bike a few miles and it loosens up.
I bought some of this new stuff off ebay:

It works but don't clean your forks with Castrol Super Clean later, it comes off with that stuff.

I know I've read about the front axle studs snapping and a repair proceedure somewhere:
http://www.kdx.woodsrider.net/viewtopic ... light=axle

If there's nothing to grab onto, it's not going to be easy to get that stud out. But do it. I don't KNOW, but it can't be a good thing to put all that load on the other stud. If it gave out at the wrong time, things could get ugly.

Post by **Indawoods** » 10:52 am May 20 2005

KD and Ski... I believe most of the issue lies in the assembly procedure and the tube pinch torque. I had to put my wheel on several different times to avoid bind. What you call stiction (certainly you will have a little) is actually fork bind.

Put the wheel on, torque the axle to spec. Everything else being loose. Spin the wheel hard in the direction it will be turning and lock the brake. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Now, tighten the axle pinch bolts to torque and then the top clamp bolts to torque and finally the lower clamp bolts to torque, if you play around with different torque settings on the lower clamp bolts... you'll see that the tighter they are ...the more stiction you will have. I ended up at 13 Foot pounds for these.

I went through all the same problems your having other than snapping a bolt and these steps resolved all my issues.

Hope this helps....

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 04:03 am May 21 2005

Thanks guys I'll try the above methods and report back. FWIW the 03 KX axle pinch bolts are "bolts' as aposed to studs. I'll get some pics up later tonight, I'm going to the garage now to try and get the broken bolt out... Wish me luck !!!

I'm gunna need it..........

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 01:02 pm May 21 2005

$#@#@$@#%$#@$#%$@#%^%^%$^%#%$@$%@$#@$%$#

It's now 4am and I started working on it at what, about 7pm GRRRRRRRRRRRR.

I got it out eventually. Why do I always get the nightmare jobs ?!?!?!

I drilled and slipped and drilled and slipped and slipped summore etc etc... The remainder of the bolt wasn't flat where it snapped so the drill bit kept slipping off centre and headed for the nice, soft aluminium fork base. Because it was in a recessed hole I couldn't see what I was doing so I'd try and drill a bit, have a look, drill a bit more and have another look etc. I finally and I mean FINALLY got the bastard out with a long screw extractor (basically and easy-out but long and skinny like a tapered drill bit)... WooooooHooooooo !!!! Now I'm off to bed with a splitting headache... Night all...

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 01:16 pm May 21 2005

Going to work on it...
Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 7:03 pm
Finally finished
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 4:02 am

Not bad only 9 hours !!!

Oh tried the methods to stop stiction.... It's still there...

Post by **Indawoods** » 01:23 pm May 21 2005

How did you put the oil in? How much? Measured with the forks compressed I hope!

With the forks off... can you compress them without much effort? If so... it's the front end assembly causing the issue... if not... it's the fork causing the issue.

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 01:26 pm May 21 2005

They were done by Shock Treatment with 110mm oil level / 5wt oil...

I'll do more testing tomorrow... Cheers buddy...

Post by **Indawoods** » 01:26 pm May 21 2005

Stiction is much less pronounced than bind. You are binding! Stiction can easily be overcome by your weight... bind cannot.

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 01:28 pm May 21 2005

I'll give your method another try later today. Thanks again...

Post by **Indawoods** » 01:31 pm May 21 2005

Try this KD... Tighten the axle with wheel on the forks to spec and only tighten the top triple clamp fork bolts... do you have (stiction) bind then? If not... It's assembly!

Post by **KDXGarage** » 04:04 pm May 21 2005

This sounds oddball, but have you thought of taking the front wheel off, putting the forks on some sort of padding, then trying to see if it is having the same problem?

Post by **Indawoods** » 04:19 pm May 21 2005

Yeah Jason... it could be incorrect assembly of the spacers and wheel causing them to bow in causing bind. Got any pics KD???

It really did take me a while to figure out mine... was looking in all the wrong places as to why they were like yours. Got it fixed now and are very sensitive to the slightest bumps. I LIKE 'em!

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 11:19 pm May 21 2005

I'll put pics up very soon...

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 07:16 am May 22 2005

KAY DEE EXER wrote:I'll put pics up very soon...

NEW PICS UPLOADED...

All the 'binding' issues seem to be fixed. I removed everything (forks, wheel and clamps) and put it back together with 14lb of torque for the pinch bolts. All seems alot looser, still a tiny bit stiff but I think thats only the seals. Thanks a million Vince !!!

Here's the naughty axle bolt.

Post by **Indawoods** » 08:59 am May 22 2005

Glad you got it sorted out... looks great!

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 10:00 am May 22 2005

Cheers for the compliments but its thanks to all of you guys for helping me out. Jerry, Vince, Brad, Jason amounst others I sincerely thank you all for everything you guys have done to help me out. I could absolutely not have done it without you all. You's ROCK !!!

m0rie · Post by **m0rie** » 10:29 am May 22 2005

Looks pretty sweet Trev! I think your going to be in Heaven when you finally get to ride that bad boy.

-Maurice

KDXer · Post by **KDXer** » 10:37 am May 22 2005

Cheers buddy, I think its called "Nirvana".

nir·va·na ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nîr-vän, nr-)
An ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy.
It should be sweet. Bring on Friday !!!

Post by **KDXGarage** » 10:57 am May 22 2005

Cool! I am glad you got it sorted out. I hope your ride goes well. Be careful with your eye.

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New fork stiffness

New fork stiffness