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Alright guys, how do I get the damper rod out of the cartridge? There are no wrench flats on the "piston nut" like the KYB disassembly instructions say. Does the top of the cartridge have to come off? Supposidly these are 1997 KX125 forks.

These are the cheap ebay forks I go that need a rebuild, you can see by the pictures how nasty the oil was.

I got it out, I found a write up by Jeremy Wilkey about it. I had to drill out the stakes in the cartridge tube. Hopefully I did not go too deep. I wonder if these really are from a KX?

what about that flat part on the top of the cartridge (left of the pic)? Can you unscrew it?
Does the "piston nut" turn in any way?

nevermind just read your next post. Good job!

Yea, it came right off when I drilled out the 4 stakes.

Here is the stock valving I found. I am pretty sure it is stock because the swaged nuts were in place. I am going to take the other one apart to double check the order in case I screwed it up.

No bladders to be found. Maybe they are from a 96?


Base valve
nut
cup washer
spring
25mm washer
collar
piston
6X 24mm
2x 22
20
18
14
16
11
2x 18 thick


cartridge valving
nut
washer
4x 11
14
17
20
15
23
3x 27
piston
4x 27
26
24
22
20
18
16
2 x 14
thick 25
collar

Well, I got them cleaned up, now time to figure out the valving.

After doing some reading, it looks like I got a set of KX triples with yz forks???

Any suggestions on changing the above valving stacks? I weigh 195.

I already have a set of 2001's on my bike now, these forks are going to be my learn how to fool with valving set. I am going to make a custom adapter for my axle so that I can easily bolt them up to the 2001 triples and axle (I hopre anyways).

i had almost the same problem with a second pair of kx forks i bought. To get it off you have to unscrew sleeves or whatever you want to call them. It will most likely be hard to do because of loctight.

The cartridge? Or the piston nut?

cartridge

Yea, the cartidge was staked and loctited, it came apart fine after drilled out the stakes with a ground flat drill.

Anyone have suggestions for changing the shim stack?

I don't see much low speed rebound. That is a beefy HSC stack but no transition into a progressive LS rebound, unless the single thick 25 is it being separated by the 2 14's which wouldn't be very progressive. The LSC is rather beefy too.

This stack is not what I was expecting for a stock stack.

What do you think, take out 2 of the 24's from the LSC and 1 or 2 of the 27's from the HSC and leave the rebound alone?

Yes, removing those would soften it up, which is usually what is needed for a woods set-up. It is at least a good place to start. I was wondering how these forks will react to a hard high speed compression hit beins it has what looks like a limited HSC stack. It appears it won't be overly stiff. Try it and run the clickers through the adjustments and see what you get. That new stack could be good for a rocky area like Walker or Reiter. Oil choice and height will play a big role in the overall feeling too.

EDIT: You could run them as is and give it a thorough pounding on a familiar trail with good corners and roots and rocks, then tear em apart and do a change. That way you have a realistic objective baseline. After all, they are a spare pair.

I think I will remove one or two 24's from the LSC and leave the rest alone, then go give them the torture test at Reiter. Within the next couple of weeks I am going to pull apart my 2001's to remove bladders and mod them as per your doc. Thanks Brad.

Reiter is like the best torture place I've ever seen. Especially that rocky trail that goes way up to the look-out behind Index. Yes I would at least take out some of the LSC which is obviously too stiff. You could come down that Index trail at say...30 mph and do some real good HSC tests. But call the air-evac chopper first so they can be waitin fer ya! And make out your will before you come down.

Curious........

Re: '..it came apart fine after drilled out the stakes with a ground flat drill.'

Hand held drill or drill press?

A drill bit that you GROUND flat? NOT an end mill?

Not much of a drill bit if you can easily grind it...is it?

I used a hand held drill (no drillpress or milling machine at home). Only drilling in a little bit, I started with a full 3/16" drill, then stepped up to a full 7/32," then flattened out the pocket with my ground 15/64" and went deep enough to remove the stake. I think 6mm is bigger than needed from my oberservations, I think 4mm would work. 6mm end mills are kind of hard to come by unless you order one.

Well, I used a die grinder with an abrasive wheel, no drill bit is safe from a high speed die grinder!

Next time - being that you have a die grinder you could of also used a abrasive stone for sharpening a chain saw to remove the stakes. Would have saved you a little time.

I just need a TIG welder and I would be good to go!

Charlie, any thoughts on my shim stack?

To digress some...

It needs to be a stone particularly used for saw chains? Not just an abrasive wheel..or cut-off disk?

Any other valving insight? The forks are going back together this weekend.