Racetech gold valve install - self-install?

**CookMySock** · 29th July 2008, 13:12

"Racetech kits are designed to be installed by home/hobbiest mechanics - comes with instruction DVD etc etc"

Anyone installed these themselves ? Did your forks ? Shock ? How hard is it to do ?

The racetech bits themselves aren't pricey, but by the time I have someone do the front and rear its touching 2k.

DB

**Cajun** · 29th July 2008, 13:22

suspension is a very very dark art. one small mistake can be huge problems.
get someone who does it, even if its your local bike shop will know someone local he might be able thelp

**CookMySock** · 29th July 2008, 13:57

Well, here I am told two conflicting things - there is a huge discrepancy between it "being a very very dark art", and "designed for the home mechanic". One of these things does not fit.

Can we hear from a "home mechanic" who has done it ?

DB

**Cajun** · 29th July 2008, 14:03

install parts and doing the manual work isn't that hard, its the stuff like setting them up, and tweaks that only people who deal with all the time know/learn.

And one small mistake can cause big issues. in handling, know this from past experence

**CookMySock** · 29th July 2008, 14:15

Originally Posted by Cajun

And one small mistake can cause big issues. in handling, know this from past experence

Like what sort of mistake ? What problems did you see ? Share your experience.

Steve

**xwhatsit** · 29th July 2008, 14:44

10... 9... 8...

(counting down til when Robert Taylor appears and lambasts all us gumbies for even thinking we could fiddle with suspension without 20 years of experience and a gold-edged certificate from that Swedish company whose name I forgot...)

**CookMySock** · 29th July 2008, 14:58

I invite his, or anyones, constructive criticism. "Don't do it coz u will die" is not helpful. But mostly, I'd just like to hear from someone who has done it - someone on KB will have.. If the kit comes with DVDs, written instructions, graphs for setting it up and so on - how hard can it be ? Its not for race use, and it only has to be 4-5 times better than the standard hyo shock (shudder..)

DB

**R6_kid:Me** · 29th July 2008, 15:14

I think the consensus is buy local, get local support.

**forkoil** · 29th July 2008, 15:28

I've installed the racetech emulators in sv650 forks with handwritten instructions from RT. No problems but of course you should be confident with the spanners. If you are a gumboot who overtightens, burrs off bolt heads etc then dont try it. One tricky bit was having to drill out the oil holes in the existing damper rod (in effect to negate it low speed damping effect), it was for an 11mm hole, now its damn hard to get an 11mm bit for yer avg home drill which has a 10mm chuck. I also installed the spring kit which is step one before the emulators really. This is tricky in that you have to get the spacer length right so the static sag is within the fork head adjustor range, and the sag that RT gives is without rider, the spring rate is the bit that varies by rider weight, so I presume you got the correct spring rate for your weight. Make sure you put the emulators in the right way up, its obvious when you see how they work. I also reset the sprint tension on them according to the racetech instructions.
Keep everything clean, and follow the instructions, use common sense and bobs yer uncle.

**Pussy** · 29th July 2008, 17:08

Originally Posted by forkoil

I've installed the racetech emulators in sv650 forks with handwritten instructions from RT. No problems but of course you should be confident with the spanners. If you are a gumboot who overtightens, burrs off bolt heads etc then dont try it. One tricky bit was having to drill out the oil holes in the existing damper rod (in effect to negate it low speed damping effect), it was for an 11mm hole, now its damn hard to get an 11mm bit for yer avg home drill which has a 10mm chuck. I also installed the spring kit which is step one before the emulators really. This is tricky in that you have to get the spacer length right so the static sag is within the fork head adjustor range, and the sag that RT gives is without rider, the spring rate is the bit that varies by rider weight, so I presume you got the correct spring rate for your weight. Make sure you put the emulators in the right way up, its obvious when you see how they work. I also reset the sprint tension on them according to the racetech instructions.
Keep everything clean, and follow the instructions, use common sense and bobs yer uncle.

The Gold Valve cartridge kit is WAY more fiddly. The shim combination possibilities in them are huge. Plus there can be real bastard staked nuts etc to remove.
I'm not trying to spend your money, DB, but quite honestly for the cost of the labour content, I'd be inclined to send the forks to Robert to have the valves fitted. It has the very real danger of being an easily fucked up job... and Robert has done literally hundreds of them

**vifferman** · 29th July 2008, 17:15

As I own a VFR, I have access to an illustrated "How To" on one of the VFR forums with explicit details on what to do, which shims to use in the stack, what order to put them in, where to drill holes, what size, etc etc. Because of that, and having done a fair amount of work on my own bikes over the years, I would consider doing the job myself. However, I am leaning towards getting RT to do it, because I'm sure I can trust him to do a better job.
Plus my wife gets pissed off when I "fiddle" with what used to be "our" bike (it has now reverted to being my bike, due to unauthorised "fiddlings" having somehow sullied it.
Plus I'm getting sick of doing stuff like this.

**CookMySock** · 29th July 2008, 19:35

Originally Posted by forkoil

I've installed the racetech emulators in sv650 forks with handwritten instructions from RT. No problems but of course you should be confident with the spanners. [....] Keep everything clean, and follow the instructions, use common sense and bobs yer uncle.

Hrm that sounds like me. Cant see why I cannot do that.

Originally Posted by Pussy

The Gold Valve cartridge kit is WAY more fiddly.. [....]staked nuts etc to remove. [....] for the cost of the labour content

Way more fiddly than forkoils emulator install ? They are not the same units ?

Originally Posted by vifferman

As I own a VFR, I have access to an illustrated "How To" on one of the VFR forums with explicit details on what to do [....]Plus my wife gets pissed off when I "fiddle" with what used to be "our" bike

Can I just join that forum and view said instructions ? Or do I have to buy a VFR first ?

Er, I don't mean to advise, but it sounds to me like you need another bike.. I wouldn't dare touch my wifes bike without her express invitation.

Steve

**Pussy** · 29th July 2008, 19:48

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Way more fiddly than forkoils emulator install ? They are not the same units ?

Yes! Modifying damper rod forks to take cartridge emulators is a completely different kettle of fish to revalving cartridge forks

**AllanB** · 29th July 2008, 20:01

Ah bring back the early 80's when you just added heavier oil and a stack of coins on top of the springs to improve your front end.

If your bike was really fancy it may have had air caps on the top of the forks!