I guess my memory failed me, I did not remember that spacer in there when I had my fork springs out. I had better re think this.
Sorry for the false start there Jim.
Sorry for the false start there Jim.
-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
Jim's 1980 SG Miss September
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
Yeah, it does Pete.
No worries Bob. When you get it sorted, we can go from there.
The whole point of adding the 1" spacer is to fix the usually-too-soft stock springs and save the cost of buying expensive aftermarket replacements. Pete and Bob, you guys will want to check your springs to make sure they haven't been replaced. If they have been, you won't need to add the extra spacer. Pull them out and measure the free length. Here's some specs .....
I don't know what aftermarket springs measure but I do know they are a little bit longer.
Even though the '77 forks differ internally from the '78 and later ones, all the parts can be swapped around. Personally, I like the '77 forks. I think they were made a little bit better. The changes introduced on the '78 and later forks appear to be mostly cost cutting measures. The only real improvement I see in them is that they added little top out springs. But, you can swap those into your '77 forks if you like .....
The '77 fork tubes differ as well. You can pull the bushing and it's associated parts out of the bottoms. On the '78 and later tubes, they are crimped in place .....
I actually put together what I call a "hybrid" set of forks using what I felt were the best parts from the 2 types. I used '77 tubes and damper rods (Minton modded, of course), '78-on adjustable top caps, springs, and top out springs. They worked quite well but were a little soft. This was before I worked out the additional 1" spacer thing. I may try them again this season with the spacer. Assembled, they came out about 10mm shorter than a normal set, due to the taller '77 damper rod head and the added top out washer. But, that's not a bad thing. We routinely raise the fork tubes slightly in the trees (1/4" to 1/2") to lower the front end a little. These "hybrid" forks just do it internally. This is an old road racer's trick. Lowering the forks shifts the weight bias onto the front wheel a little more. This more firmly "plants" the front wheel and is supposed to improve steering feel and handling.
I don't know what aftermarket springs measure but I do know they are a little bit longer.
Even though the '77 forks differ internally from the '78 and later ones, all the parts can be swapped around. Personally, I like the '77 forks. I think they were made a little bit better. The changes introduced on the '78 and later forks appear to be mostly cost cutting measures. The only real improvement I see in them is that they added little top out springs. But, you can swap those into your '77 forks if you like .....
The '77 fork tubes differ as well. You can pull the bushing and it's associated parts out of the bottoms. On the '78 and later tubes, they are crimped in place .....
I actually put together what I call a "hybrid" set of forks using what I felt were the best parts from the 2 types. I used '77 tubes and damper rods (Minton modded, of course), '78-on adjustable top caps, springs, and top out springs. They worked quite well but were a little soft. This was before I worked out the additional 1" spacer thing. I may try them again this season with the spacer. Assembled, they came out about 10mm shorter than a normal set, due to the taller '77 damper rod head and the added top out washer. But, that's not a bad thing. We routinely raise the fork tubes slightly in the trees (1/4" to 1/2") to lower the front end a little. These "hybrid" forks just do it internally. This is an old road racer's trick. Lowering the forks shifts the weight bias onto the front wheel a little more. This more firmly "plants" the front wheel and is supposed to improve steering feel and handling.
hotshoe
XS650 Enthusiast
The whole point of adding the 1" spacer is to fix the usually-too-soft stock springs and save the cost of buying expensive aftermarket replacements. Pete and Bob, you guys will want to check your springs to make sure they haven't been replaced. If they have been, you won't need to add the extra spacer. Pull them out and measure the free length. Here's some specs .....
I don't know what aftermarket springs measure but I do know they are a little bit longer.
Even though the '77 forks differ internally from the '78 and later ones, all the parts can be swapped around. Personally, I like the '77 forks. I think they were made a little bit better. The changes introduced on the '78 and later forks appear to be mostly cost cutting measures. The only real improvement I see in them is that they added little top out springs. But, you can swap those into your '77 forks if you like .....
The '77 fork tubes differ as well. You can pull the bushing and it's associated parts out of the bottoms. On the '78 and later tubes, they are crimped in place .....
I actually put together what I call a "hybrid" set of forks using what I felt were the best parts from the 2 types. I used '77 tubes and damper rods (Minton modded, of course), '78-on adjustable top caps, springs, and top out springs. They worked quite well but were a little soft. This was before I worked out the additional 1" spacer thing. I may try them again this season with the spacer. Assembled, they came out about 10mm shorter than a normal set, due to the taller '77 damper rod head and the added top out washer. But, that's not a bad thing. We routinely raise the fork tubes slightly in the trees (1/4" to 1/2") to lower the front end a little. These "hybrid" forks just do it internally. This is an old road racer's trick. Lowering the forks shifts the weight bias onto the front wheel a little more. This more firmly "plants" the front wheel and is supposed to improve steering feel and handling.
Fork Mods Continued...
While discussing the Minton fork mod, 5twins suggested adding a 1" spacer to the springs to compensate for spring sag. I've read several old road tests and such... and thinking back to personal riding experience, I decided to go that way.
Heh... yuse' guys didn't think I'd just hack off a piece of metal and stuff it in the fork... did ya? Nah... I tend to overkill stuff
I took some 6061 stock and made these....
View attachment 112776
View attachment 112777
View attachment 112778
View attachment 112779
View attachment 112780
Did I get carried away? Yup, I'd say so. Did I have fun doin' it? Absolutely
hotshoe
XS650 Enthusiast
Hey Jim, if those spacers fit a 79 special I sure could use the dimensions on them, I have the stuff to make them and would like to make them before I take the forks apart. Thanks in advance.
Here ya go Hotshoe. I started with 1" stock and just skinned a thou. off just to clean it up. You could just leave it at 1". The top dimension should be 1.55"...
hotshoe
XS650 Enthusiast
Perfect, I'll start on them today. They will help on the 197x bike I posted pictures of awhile back. Thanks again.
Hmmmm.....OK - this is getting more complex than I had thought.
Better hold off Jim - and as Mailman said - sorry about the false start.
Pete
Better hold off Jim - and as Mailman said - sorry about the false start.
Pete
Will do Pete. Just to give some reference/context... I checked my springs (80SG) against 5twins chart and mine have sagged just under a half an inch. That's with 20,000 miles on the clock. Pretty sure the spacers will help mine as I'm sure that sag also took a fair bit of "spring" out of 'em.
For doing all this measuring, it helps to have a metric tape measure. If you don't have one, spin by Walmart and pick up one of these. They're only a dollar and have a metric scale on one side of the tape. I bought several so I don't have to be running back and forth between the house, garage, and shop when I need one. Also carry one in my cars .....
All of my tapes, except the really old ones are metrics....
Hi Pete,All of my tapes, except the really old ones are metrics....
yeah, metric up one side and inch down t'other. Do you suppose that the tapes sold in Quebec are bilingual as well as dual measurement?
Like the metric edge having it's sevens written like backward italic capital Fs?
& back to fork spring spacers, my '84 had 'em built in.
Remove the rubber cap to see a giant screwdriver slot. Push'n'turn with big screwdriver once for partial and once again for full preload.
Yes, all '78 and later forks had the preload adjuster caps, but it's still not enough for a firm enough ride. Maybe it was when the bikes and their fork springs were new, but not anymore. I also think bikes that spent most of their lives parked on the sidestand as opposed to the centerstand suffer from sacked out springs more frequently. They had more of the bike's weight sitting on them all the time.
Buffing is.... F&#king Messy!
Back in the day, I spent a few years as a flight mechanic on Boeing 727 and Douglas DC-8 freighters. The outfit I worked for used a hub and spoke system like most airlines still use today. If an aircraft had to fly outside that system (which was all the time), they'd take a mechanic along to maintain it. Hence the name flight mechanic. Since you were "off station", you had to take your own tools along with you... 'bout a hundred pounds worth. So, I bought a tool box with a handle and wheels. It was sure a lot easier than carrying a hundred pound box and slowly.... my arms shrunk back to normal size..
Anyway... I haven't done that kind of work in about 15yrs. and my faithful box on wheels has forlornly sat empty in the basement ever since.
Where am I goin' with this? Here...
My old box on wheels has a new life... as a portable buffer. Yeah, I know that's a grinder motor and not a buffer... sue me... it works.
Now, instead of makin' a friggin mess in my garage, I can do it out in the driveway. And a bonus... inside the box is all the stuff you need for buffing. Compounds, sticks, extra wheels, face shield, dust masks... whatever.
Oh... and the box on wheels is plum tickled to be needed again.
Back in the day, I spent a few years as a flight mechanic on Boeing 727 and Douglas DC-8 freighters. The outfit I worked for used a hub and spoke system like most airlines still use today. If an aircraft had to fly outside that system (which was all the time), they'd take a mechanic along to maintain it. Hence the name flight mechanic. Since you were "off station", you had to take your own tools along with you... 'bout a hundred pounds worth. So, I bought a tool box with a handle and wheels. It was sure a lot easier than carrying a hundred pound box and slowly.... my arms shrunk back to normal size..
Anyway... I haven't done that kind of work in about 15yrs. and my faithful box on wheels has forlornly sat empty in the basement ever since.
Where am I goin' with this? Here...
My old box on wheels has a new life... as a portable buffer. Yeah, I know that's a grinder motor and not a buffer... sue me... it works.
Now, instead of makin' a friggin mess in my garage, I can do it out in the driveway. And a bonus... inside the box is all the stuff you need for buffing. Compounds, sticks, extra wheels, face shield, dust masks... whatever.
Oh... and the box on wheels is plum tickled to be needed again.
Last edited:
I like it! Keeps your garage clean!
Ha ha nice Jim! I have one just like that. It's my dedicated plumbing parts and tools box.
That it will Bob. I'm sittin' here lookin' at the bench I took it off of and wondering do I clean it or just throw it away... it's that bad.
Handy ain't they?
Yessir! I do a lot of kitchen and bathroom reno's and hate wasting time looking for tools. Lot's of dedicated boxes and tool bags.
motorbikerx
XS650 Addict
Yep!...I went the PVC 1" spacers too, them, combined with 10W full synthetic fork oil and a thorough cleaning of the seals with my home made Sealmate theres no weeping fork oil and they perform satisfactorily
Anyone ever use these K&L cylinder rebuild kits?
Good....junk? Comments...
Good....junk? Comments...
Similar threads
