Suspension Revalve Work

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KDXGarage
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Post by KDXGarage »

Friendly relationship posts? Sorry, I must have missed it.

The buykawasaki diagram shows 2 total, so one in each tube. I have seen the diagram for H model forks, and I am familiar with what you are talking about on those forks, though. When I pulled mine apart, they just had one on the top in each tube.

The '91 - '94 KDX250 and '93 - '94 KDX200 forks are cartridge forks. 1992 KDX200 was the last year of damping rod KDX200/220/250 forks.
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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

Jason wrote:Friendly relationship posts? Sorry, I must have missed it.
You will find it here.
http://kdx.woodsrider.net/viewtopic.php?t=230
CC must have a rash or something.

:wink:
Jerry

I'd rather be a smartass like carvr, than a dumbass like.... well, you fill in the blank!
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Post by KDXGarage »

Ah, OK. Thanks. I am glad to say that there are enough posts on here that I can't keep up with all of them. :-)
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karbon_dunn

Post by karbon_dunn »

I checked on the manuals I have both the 01 and the 02 versions. I just sent the engine out to EG this morning so I will probably wait a little before I go on to that project. I'm still waiting on all my bearings/seals for suspension and wheels and I still haven't decided whether to strip/powdercoat the frame yet either so the forks are a couple weeks away I believe and I still need to get new springs for it.

Kudos out to you all who have giving me tips in this part of my bike. I'm sure I will have more to come as the time goes...and before Jason asks, I will try to get pics and all as I go.
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Post by canyncarvr »

Well, yes...I do have a rash. Thanks for asking! ;) A good dose of poison oak from digging out (and putting back in) culvert on MRA (local Motorcycle Rider's Assoc) property. But the road rash I got a couple of weeks later from wiping out on the frozen tundra up on the hill (through two shirts and elbow guards..) scraped it right off! It's almost gone!!

The point is...Jason! ... the 'friendly' part is just a joke. No one's getting bent out of shape anywhere 'round here.

**edit** The following is pretty much all wrong for the models in question. Note Jason's following post!! **edit**

If KDs bikes are '01 and '02, then he will want to make sure he keeps track of those bottom clips if he does the work himself.

Spring change goes something like this:

Remove the front wheel
Loosen top clamp bolts, loosen top cap on forks
Loosen bottom clamp bolts
Remove forks (Optional. A must if you're changing oil..which you should!)
Unthread top cap, collapse fork to expose spring
Holding the rod nut (14mm), remove top cap
Remove old spring with bottom clip attached!
Put bottom clips on new springs. Crimp securely
Use 1" PVC to fabricate a spacer with desired preload
Put 'em back together. Screw the tube to the cap, NOT the cap to the tube

Watch torque on install!
Bottom clamp bolts 18ft/lbs
Top clamp bolts 14ft/lbs

If you removed the forks, use caution when reinstalling the front axle. The cap nuts are only something like 87in/lbs. Virtually zip. Easy to break the studs. No gap on the top of the cap. You will have a gap on the bottom.


That leaves out a lot of basics...like getting the bubbles out of the new oil (pump the rod, let them sit a bit)..stuff like that.


Cheers!
Last edited by canyncarvr on 03:54 pm Jan 06 2005, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by KDXGarage »

Karbon-Dunn, are you replacing the seals and bushings in the forks? If so, you will need to do a little more work, separating the inner and outer tubes. You will need a tool to hold the cartridge still. The tool looks like a castle nut on the end. It is a different tool than the conventional forks need. If you want, I can take a picture of the OEM tool and post it in this thread. You will also need a 14mm hex socket (Allen head). The tool holds things still while the 14mm removes the compression adjuster assembly (base valve assembly). Let me know if you are going that far on your fork work.

cc, his two bikes are both 1993 KDX200's. His manuals' part numbers end in -01 and -02. Your instructions are pretty much the same as the USD forks, though. I think it is 14.5 on the top bolts and 17.5 on the bottom bolts. No cap nuts on these forks. I think the rod nut is 17mm on these.

I will add this. Hold the rod nut and loosen the fork cap. The manual(s) (both my -02 E manual and my 1995 H-1 manual), didn't make this very clear. It made it seem like you had to hold the fork cap and screw the rod nut down. That won't work if someone already screwed it down as far as it will go.
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Post by canyncarvr »

Yanno...I thought I'd just misrembered the first time and the 01 and 02 versions were years.

oops. Good thing I wasted all that space!

Thanks!

BTW...the nut/cap thing. The way it generally works on the 'H' model (and from what I understand you to say it's the same) is you do hold the rod nut alright, but the cap won't start to unscrew from the rod until by turning the cap you thread the nut to the end of the rod threads. THEN the cap will break loose and thread off.

You have to hold the rod to break loose the cap, but what you're gripping is the nut. The first thing to come loose is the nut/cap connection, then you don't get a 'grip' on the rod until the nut bites at the end of the threads.

Hope that's clear. It does explain (if it's understandable) what you're saying about how the manual phrases the take-apart.

Of course, that means you jammed the nut with the force it takes to break the cap loose from the rod. Keep that in mind when you're putting it back together. You will easily thread the cap on the rod. It'll turn..and turn...and turn...tighten (cap to rod) then break loose again! Huh? What you just did was break the jam force you put on the nut to the end of the threads. Then it turns summore until the nut reaches the cap. THEN tighten to spec.

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