Which springs

[splashcroft]

Hi all,
I have a question which I am sure has been asked before but can't find the answer I need.
I am keeping my stock springs as parts are hard to come by in the UK it seems and I am on a bit of a budget. The big question I have is which spring weight to use and how to install them.
Basically I can get hold of some Eibach fork springs much cheaper than racetech springs in the UK. However after enquiring on racetech and fredette they seem to have different opinions on which spring weight. I’m on a budget so want to get the right thing. I weigh 105kg with all my gear somewhat more just after Christmas riding mixed terrain mainly enduro practice days open sections and tight woods technical bits. I can’t seem to find anything on Eibach spring rates but I am led to believe they supply racetech. So are the spring rates the same?

haha
Just one more thing (thanks for staying with me) how to install aftermarket springs. I have heard a lot about removing shims etc. I reckon I can do this myself but wouldn’t know a good suspension setup from a bad one. (Only ridden about a dozen times).

What do you all think?
Cheers

[canamfan]

I weigh 190 lbs without gear and used 42kg racetech springs and gold valves. I would get 44kg springs next time as i bottom the 42's out on g-outs.

[KDXGarage]

I give up. What bike do you have??

[splashcroft]

Haha, sorry I forgot to mention it's a KDX 220 year 2000. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated

[KDXGarage]

.46 and 5.4

[splashcroft]

Ok cool thank you, that's the same as I thought going by racetech but is it the same for Eibach springs? I can't seem to find any info on there spring guides.
Also just the last one, is it a straight swap out for the springs? obviously change oil and seals and probably bushings, if I have them apart I might as well do the lot. I have read a lot about shims and spaces needing to be cut from PVC pipe? Does this make a diference?

Thanks

[KDXGarage]

The springs are not that tough.

Make spacers to give around 4mm of preload.

No difference on brand of springs and rates.

[splashcroft]

Ok thats good to know, I might still end up getting racetech, supplier of eibach has run out of .46 and only has .48.
Is it best to cut the spacer to replace the metal one already there to make it one piece?
Also when you say adding 4mm of preload do you mean just extending the spacer by 4mm?
What weight oil, 5w best?
Cheers for your input, I'm learning a lot about suspension in general and specific to my forks

[KDXGarage]

Cut the included spacer to replace the stock spacers.

Imagine you had the fork tube off the bike with the chrome inner tube in your hand...

now the fork cap is loosened and removed from the fork tube...

then the nut under the fork cap is loosened and the cap is removed...

the cap will spring up a little as it was compressing the spring a little....

the idea is to cut the spacer to a length that requires it to compress the spring 4mm from its full free length

[splashcroft]

Thanks for all the advice, my internet is down at the moment so only get it when I drop in to get a big mac.
Race tech springs on route, hopefully here in a couple of days. I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully not through teary eyes sat in a puddle of fork oil with bits of springs and spacers round me. haha