New Stuff and a few questions.

[Ryan]

well as some of you know i just got my first car. This is a good thing but not in the sense that now i have less money for my kdx. . So i decided to return my Ipod to the store and get the money back. I just spent $200 on rockymountain for swingarm, rear shock, and linkage bearings. I also got 3 spark plugs, 2 stroke oil, brake fluid and finally a new piston kit. It totaled $215 with shipping and i think the money was very well spent. At any other site it probably would have cost me $25 more at least. Now, the only things that i have left to do besides putting it back together are getting a new tube in the rear tire, and getting my suspension done. I am extremly tired of having to pump up my rear tire every time i want to ride.

I have a few questions though about my suspension.
I dont have much to spend as i need to pay for my car and my honda.

I dont think the guy that owned it before me did anything to the suspension. So im guessing the forks need new oil (a given) and im guessing the rear shock needs new oil, and nitrogen. At my dealer they said this would cost about $90 to get just the rear shock done. This seems like alot of money to me.

The suspension on this bike seemed very very very bouncey since when i first bought the bike. Maybe it is supose to be like that? Im thinking that could be one of the reasons why it is so hard for me to turn, My front wheel always wants to go out from under me.(i know it could also be from lack of experience) And like i said, if i push on my seat with one finger the bike goes down like 3 inches. Is this normal?? Is there anyway i can adjust my suspension so that it is meant for my weight without spending much money? Any help would be great

[m0rie]

I dont think the guy that owned it before me did anything to the suspension. So im guessing the forks need new oil (a given) and im guessing the rear shock needs new oil, and nitrogen. At my dealer they said this would cost about $90 to get just the rear shock done. This seems like alot of money to me.

Ryan - How much do you weigh? Thats going to impact what you need to do with the forks and shock to get the suspension working correctly.

That should about right for a shop to diassemble, clean, change oil and add nitrogen when you add in shop labor. The bouncyness most likely relates more to incorrect sag settings and having the clickers in the wrong position for the riding conditions. I think i'd check/reset the sag in the rear to be within the recommended range. Fredette has some recommendations for the rear sag on his site. The process for setting the sag has been mentioned here before so just do a search for it. The front forks you should be able to handle changing the oil on.

[Ryan]

i weight 140 pounds without gear. So im guessing 150 around with gear.

[m0rie]

Ryan - You need a lighter rear spring for your weight. A 4.6kg from a E series (89-94) KDX shock would be a good match. You should be able to find just the spring or a complete shock on ebay for cheap ($20) so thats an easy upgrade. Until you replace the spring your not going to be able to set the sag correctly in the rear which is going to affect how well your rear suspension works. Your borderline on the springs in your forks. I'd leave them as is for the moment and just change the oil.

[Ryan]

how can you tell i need that spring.. im not trying to be smart i was just wondering how you knew so that i can know. thanks

[m0rie]

Springs are rated for a certain weight. The 5.0kg spring on your KDX is commonly rated for a rider around 200lbs with the stock shock, pull rods and linkage.

This might help you a bit:

http://www.frpoffroad.com/kdxposed/suspensionTips.aspx

[Ryan]

wouldnt the stock spring make it stiffer not more bouncy? a spring that is less weight would make it more bouncy, right?

[Indawoods]

Gotta think about compression and rebound settings... those are what contols the action.

[Colorado Mike]

The spring is bouncy, the shock makes it less bouncy. If your shock is in real bad shape and has no oil in it, then it's not really a shock anymore, and all you have is a bouncy spring. Rebound damping keeps the spring from bucking you off as the suspension tries to move back to it's normal position after you hit a bump. Compression damping keeps the spring from compressing too rapidly when you hit the bump.

[layoutd]

odd how the springs on the shocks are designed for a 200 pounder and the fork aprings are designed for a 135 pounder.

[Ryan]

also frp does suspension work, has anyone ever had him do some work? and for the $60 he charges does he also put in mew oil and new nitrogen? thanks

[Ryan]

so to make my rear shock stiffer i would have to adjust both the dampening and the rebound right?

[Colorado Mike]

you could do everything yourself, except the nitrogen. I've never done it, but I've heard some on this forum go that route, and then just pay the dealer $25 or so to charge the nitrogen. Adjusting the suspension all starts with haveing the right spring for your weight. then the terrain factors in as well. we can't just say 12 clicks out on compression and 4 out on rebound or something. Read up on how to set the clickers after you have a good shock to deal with.

[Ryan]

ok, do you guys think i should pay my shop $70 to put in new nitrogen,oil, and to clean it, or should i pay $85 to have it sent to FRP. Also are you sure a 89-94 spring will work on my bike? And can i put this on myself, as well as changing the oil without any special tools? thanks im reading my manual and it says when putting in new oil i need to drain the nitrogen, is this true?

[Ryan]

ok, well since you all say i can replace the oil myself, i started to try, I have taken my spring off, and need to know what to do next, im guessing i have to let the nitrogen out next?

ok, i read futher into the manual
and this is what i have done, but i have one question

1. I took off the spring
2. Pushed the shaft all the way down, and releashed the nitrogen, my question is how long should that take, it says " push slowy release the nitrogen by pushing on the vavle core with a screwdriver. "

i did this but it seemed like the nitrogen only came out for like 2 seconds, does this seem right?

[Lutz]

2 seconds doesn't sound unreasonable. There isn't very much in there. The first time I did mine, all I got was a quick 'pfft' - probably well under a second. That was the first service my shock ever had in 4 or five years though, so some of the nitrogen had probably escaped over the years.

[Ryan]

well i just let the oil out, when i did there was still some nitrogen in there... it went everywere, all over me, and a 10x5 area of my garage... i hope this saves me some money.

[KDX220PHIL]

[Ryan]

ok i got pretty far and now i am stuck, im not sure if i need to clean the inside of my shock. I suppose i should to check my "bladder" but im not sure how, this is when jason and others who have done this can step in , this is were i am right now.

here are two veiw of what i have taked off

http://img101.imagevenue.com/img.php?lo ... G_0272.JPG



http://img128.imagevenue.com/img.php?lo ... G_0273.JPG

here are two views of what i dont know what i should do next, The manual says take the circlip off, which you can kind of see along the edge, but it is to far down, it says to push (the black center) down 10mm to get to it, but im not sure how to do this. Any help would be great.

http://img42.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc ... G_0274.JPG

http://img137.imagevenue.com/img.php?lo ... G_0271.JPG

[Indawoods]

Can you take any bigger pics?

There's a special tool...a kinda press, or you can do it yourself if your real strong.