New shock - first impressions

**Robert Taylor** · 2nd April 2014, 06:45

Originally Posted by nzspokes

I do keep the forks clean, something Im big on. The seals I got are NOK after looking closer at them. The sliders are very polished over the seal area. When you run the seal over the area by hand its much easier to move. Guess then my tubes are stuffed?

( Sight unseen ) They should be measured for wear as a matter of course. The sliding surfaces can be re cross hatched in a lathe with several applications of 600 grit emery and light oil

**nzspokes** · 2nd April 2014, 07:07

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

( Sight unseen ) They should be measured for wear as a matter of course. The sliding surfaces can be re cross hatched in a lathe with several applications of 600 grit emery and light oil

I suspect thats the issue but im at a point of not putting anymore money into this bike. What would you consider a wear limit to be? I will measure tonight. but the seal moves far easier over the wear area. At a guess replacing the fork tubes would be more than the value of the bike.

**Robert Taylor** · 2nd April 2014, 18:14

Originally Posted by nzspokes

I suspect thats the issue but im at a point of not putting anymore money into this bike. What would you consider a wear limit to be? I will measure tonight. but the seal moves far easier over the wear area. At a guess replacing the fork tubes would be more than the value of the bike.

If you get them ACCURATELY micrometer ( not vernier caliper! ) checked at the wear thrust points and in unworn section and advise

**nzspokes** · 2nd April 2014, 18:18

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

If you get them ACCURATELY micrometer ( not vernier caliper! ) checked at the wear thrust points and in unworn section and advise

I dont have a micrometer any more. I have been told to use scotch bright on them.

I feel a dollar auction coming up.

**sil3nt** · 2nd April 2014, 18:34

Look what arrived!

Click image for larger version.

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Look pretty genuine to me

Well except for the seals. No idea who ARX are.

Funny how I can take photos of this but not what I was asked.

Email coming your way about the forks Robert.

**sil3nt** · 11th May 2014, 14:19

Forks have now been done.

Have done a couple of short test rides and have been impressed. Holding a line through a corner is effortless and I am no longer feeling every little bump in the road.

My last ride before I put the shock in I noticed the steering was getting worse and worse. Almost like it was backwards. Turned out it was the steering head bearings. Today I was starting to get the feeling again. Something was not quite right. I looked down and saw the stem nut cap sitting on the tank

The stem nut was loose enough for me to undo it with my fingers. I pulled over punched the cap back in and tightened the stem nut as much as I could. I turned around and headed straight for home. On the way the cap fell out again. Any large bump was enough to pop it out. No idea wtf is going on with this. The bike hadn't been ridden since (well less than 100k) they tightened the bearings so will go back to the shop and see what they say.

**sil3nt** · 13th May 2014, 12:51

Sure enough the bearings were loose again. Will be interesting to see how long it takes for them too loosen up this time....

**nzspokes** · 26th May 2014, 18:36

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

You always have to very specifically request GENUINE if that is what you want. Many aftermarket ''offerings'' are made of less pliable material with shall we say ''cheaper tolerancing''.

Bit of a thread dredge but can these seals give sticktion? as a rough feeling so small bumps? Reason i ask is last week an Ohlins came up for the right price on TM, so now its on and making a huge improvement the front now feels a bit harsh over the little ripples. Over bigger hits its fine. I did get All Balls seals for it as that was all I could get in a hurry when I did the forks(they were leaking very badly when I got he bike). I think spring rate is good.

So do wonder if the seals could be grabbing a little. Happy to swap them out with OEM as I wanted to strip the forks again soon to change the fork oil.

Also whats your take on fork braces? From what im reading its common for VTRs to be fitted with braces, on bikes that track day a bit. They say it steadys the bike. Would be interested in your thoughts.

**Robert Taylor** · 27th May 2014, 08:31

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Bit of a thread dredge but can these seals give sticktion? as a rough feeling so small bumps? Reason i ask is last week an Ohlins came up for the right price on TM, so now its on and making a huge improvement the front now feels a bit harsh over the little ripples. Over bigger hits its fine. I did get All Balls seals for it as that was all I could get in a hurry when I did the forks(they were leaking very badly when I got he bike). I think spring rate is good.

So do wonder if the seals could be grabbing a little. Happy to swap them out with OEM as I wanted to strip the forks again soon to change the fork oil.

Also whats your take on fork braces? From what im reading its common for VTRs to be fitted with braces, on bikes that track day a bit. They say it steadys the bike. Would be interested in your thoughts.

Yes the friction those seals induce is massive and we refuse point blank to fit them. If they are combined with forks with low friction coatings they will wear it away in short order. NOK or SKF are the very best seals. OEM are often NOK brand.

**Robert Taylor** · 27th May 2014, 08:37

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Bit of a thread dredge but can these seals give sticktion? as a rough feeling so small bumps? Reason i ask is last week an Ohlins came up for the right price on TM, so now its on and making a huge improvement the front now feels a bit harsh over the little ripples. Over bigger hits its fine. I did get All Balls seals for it as that was all I could get in a hurry when I did the forks(they were leaking very badly when I got he bike). I think spring rate is good.

So do wonder if the seals could be grabbing a little. Happy to swap them out with OEM as I wanted to strip the forks again soon to change the fork oil.

Also whats your take on fork braces? From what im reading its common for VTRs to be fitted with braces, on bikes that track day a bit. They say it steadys the bike. Would be interested in your thoughts.

Fork braces are useful where there is very little rigidity stock. But often they should be renamed ''fork bind braces'' if they have no facility to compensate for tolerance stack up

**nzspokes** · 27th May 2014, 09:34

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Yes the friction those seals induce is massive and we refuse point blank to fit them. If they are combined with forks with low friction coatings they will wear it away in short order. NOK or SKF are the very best seals. OEM are often NOK brand.

Where can I get the SKF ones from?

**Robert Taylor** · 27th May 2014, 09:51

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Where can I get the SKF ones from?

Supply in all sizes is patchy at present, in the meantime go for oem

**sil3nt** · 27th May 2014, 12:27

So last time I posted I had just had the steering head bearings re-tightened. I went to a trackday at Hampton Downs that weekend and had a bit of a ride around. The track was cold all day and I just wasn't really in the best of moods to enjoy it. Could feel the steering head bearing moving around under hard braking which is not exactly good. It was the first outing on track with the updated fork internals. I don't actually have much to say about them at the moment given the steering head bearings were shit which messed with the feeling from the front end. I did notice I was able to trail brake into corners now. Before the updated internals the bike wouldn't want to turn until completely off the brakes. I was running the forks flush with the top yoke rather than the 10mm sticking through that I had before. This slowed the steering down quite a lot. I wanted to run flush with the top yoke to see what effect this would have. Will experiment with different levels of fork showing through the top yoke and find something that suits me.

After the trackday I had new steering head bearings put in. The ride home felt a lot better. Just need to rebuild the brakes before I can head out again.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 27th May 2014, 12:31

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Its set 20mm longer???? Did Robert set it up like that? Ive not lifted many bikes but the most ive heard of is 6mm.

.

That's nothing.

**nzspokes** · 27th May 2014, 22:50

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Fork braces are useful where there is very little rigidity stock. But often they should be renamed ''fork bind braces'' if they have no facility to compensate for tolerance stack up

This is the one that has been recommended, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coerce-Fork-...235adf&vxp=mtr

But thanks for your help.

These Ohlins shock things seem to work ok as well.