Dumb Fork Gaiter question

[rwingsfan]

I installed a set of fork gaiters from the auto parts store. They actually fit really well. Problem is when braking and the fork depresses, the boot sucks in and takes a bit to recover after extending again. Do I need to have a little relief hole or something?

 

[xjwmx]

There's a super duper all-encompassing uber meister thread on gaiters somewhere here....

But yes, I think there's a hole at the bottom.

 

[rwingsfan]

Hmmmm....I searched all the threads with fork gaiters, fork boots and the like. There were some but none that answered my question. I ALWAYS search first ask questions later. Maybe I missed it, but I suppose you could have answered instead of giving me the old "just use the search" answer.

 

[xjwmx]

Actually I did answer you. And I let you know there's a comprehensive thread available for the finding. What else can I do?

 

[rwingsfan]

Sorry, my bad I did not see the answer at the bottom, my apologies. Aside from that, I did not see this answered in the uber gaiter thread. Thanks

 

[xjwmx]

I will help you look, because I want to bookmark it.


dotdotdot


http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3050




Webmeister:
is there any way to turn on substring matching so that gaitor brings up gators ?

 

[rwingsfan]

Thanks again. Yeah that is the thread I found and read. I did not find anything about a relief hole, thus the question. It would be nice to have substring matching, but at least here the search is not nearly as fussy as some forums.

 

[xjwmx]

Ok, it was somewhere else I read about the hole. 5twins rocked in that thread. Maybe he will chime in.

 

[MrBillohnooo]

While on the subject of gaiters...I have used heat shrink tubing at the top and bottom ...looks really clean. The local electric supply has it...not cheap though. one size did both ends.

 

[xjwmx]

I need to find some of the rare 4" dia. tubing to do my speedo bezel.

 

[5twins]

Yes, most have holes although I didn't mention that in the thread. They need some way to release the pressure or besides shrinking like yours on rebound, they would puff up like a balloon on compression, lol. Mine had 2 pairs, one set a bellow up from the bottom and the other a bellow down from the top. I cut the top pair off when I shortened the boot but just having the bottom pair seems to be adequate. Maybe your set only had the top holes and you inadvertently removed them if you shortened the boots. Here they are in the top portion of the boot that I cut off. They're a little smaller than 1/8" and about 1/2" apart .....

I installed my boots with the holes facing to the rear.

 

[Tomterrific]

I used a paper punch.

 

[5twins]

I've come up with a "new improved" method for the top mounting on these truck shock boots. I used to cut them about 1/4" above the low point in a bellow so I would leave a "V" of rubber to hold the cable tie. I've come up with a better method that utilizes that nice fitting top. If you look at the bellows, you'll notice they taper. The top ones are smaller and they get progressively larger as they go down. This is good for what we are about to do.

Shorten the gaiter to the length you need by cutting several bellows off the top. Make it a nice cut at the low point of one of the bellows. Cut that nice fitting top and one bellow below it off the section you remove. Insert the bellow on that top mounting piece into the top bellow on the lower section you just shortened and are going to use. Since the bellows taper and get larger as you go down, that smaller top bellow fits perfectly inside a larger one that is several bellows lower. This works so well, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner, lol.

This is such a nice interference fit that you don't need any glue or anything between the 2 bellows. The top mounting section fits so well on the fork tube that you probably don't need any sort of cable tie or hose clamp there either.

 

[nj1639]

I used a paper punch.

or an adjustable wheel leather punch

 

[Cafe-Dave]

Decided to go looking for some, at jegs.com

Bingo

http://www.jegs.com/p/Skyjacker/Skyjacker-Shock-Boots/1171358/10002/-1

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...reId=10001&catalogId=10002&N=4294964441&Nty=0

How much fun is that.

 

[xs650newb]

To the OP:

What was your source for the gaiters?

I am asking because I am looking for a decent price.

Best,
Adam

 

[Davep]

Search on the internet for 'Mr Megapack'. He sells fork gaiters that are perfect for the XS 650, I used a leather punch to put a hole in mine to let air in and out, just ensure the hole is facing down so the rain can't get in.

Don't bother buying fork gaiters from Heiden tuning, they are dealers for Mikes XS parts so I assume the gaiters will be the same, they're designed to fit CB550 Honda and are just a crap fit.