product install - progressive fork springs
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:30 pm
Just thought I'd let you guys know how my fork spring install went tonight
in case anyone is contemplating the same mod.
I have a 2006 KLR that I purchased last July. One of the things that
eventually got on my nerves was the way the forks dived on braking. It
really got annoying as things wore in a bit. Here's how it went.
I was looking on the web and stumbled upon at website at
http://www.finishlinewest.com/progressive_front_install.htm Pictures are
worth 1000 words and it didn't look too tough to do. All you need for tools
is a Phillips screwdriver, a graduated container, a deep well 19mm socket, a
long extension, ratchet, and a bike lift or some other way to get the front
of the bike off the ground. I got a Craftsman Professional Motorcycle/ATV
lift for Christmas, so I was ready to go. My install went slightly
different than the one on the website. I was able to complete the work
without moving the handlebars which was nice and saved a bit of time.
First, with the bike firmly on the ground, I used the ratchet and socket to
loosen the top caps on the forks. They were very tight on my bike and took
a fair amount of force to break loose. Also, the fork caps have a rubber
O-ring inside which helps keep things tight. Don't try this while on the
jack. Next, I lifted the bike using the jack to take as much pressure off
the fork springs as possible. I carefully removed both fork caps keeping in
mind that the fork springs do push against them. Once the fork caps are
removed, the fork spring spacers will extend out the fork tubes about 1
inch. I then removed the spacers and put them with the corresponding fork
tube caps, separating left from right. It probably doesn't make any
difference which goes where, but I like to keep things organized.
While I'm thinking about it, let's talk about spacers. The factory spacers
are metal and maybe about 4 inches long. Also quite thin in the sidewall.
I'm sure it is stronger than it looks, but it came across as being pretty
chintzy material. I purchased my springs from Fred at Arrowhead
Motorsports, and they came with pre-cut PVC spacers. I think this is worth
mentioning as it is a time-saver since you don't have to shorten the factory
spacers, and the PVC spacers look far more robust than the factory ones.
Since the spacers don't move inside the forks I believe they are a definite
upgrade from stock.
Next step was draining the oil out of the fork legs. Here's where you use
the screwdriver. There is a handy drain plug at the bottom of each fork leg
facing towards the outside of the bike. I did one leg at a time using a
Ratio-Rite graduated cup to measure how much oil came out. 420 cc's of oil
in each leg. As the oil came out I looked at the pretty red fork oil and
thought it was kind of a shame to replace it as it looked so clean.
However, when I drained the cup after each fork leg I was surprised to see
some dark material (likely dirt) and aluminum dust in the bottom of the cup.
I decided right there that regular fork oil changes are going to be part of
my maintenance routine. Fork oil isn't that expensive and it's an easy job
to do. Regular changes will probably extend the life of your fork seals
too.
Next step is removing the old fork springs. I just grabbed the front wheel
with one hand and compressed the forks and grabbed the spacer washer and
fork springs with the other hand. With no spring pressure the forks
compress very easily. Pay attention to the orientation of the spacer
washers. They are just a steel washer with a hole punched through them with
a shoulder on the inside of the hole. With a little imagination they
resemble a cowboy hat. Just remember that the crown of the hat goes inside
the spacer to keep it properly located on top of the springs.
I then replaced the fork leg drain plugs and measured out the fork oil. I
purchased 1 quart of oil with the springs and was wondering if I might be a
bit short, but not to worry. There was enough left over that I could have
flushed out each leg with about 50 cc's of oil. Of course I figured this
out after I had filled the tubes with the new oil. If I had some clean
containers available, I could have measured it out before hand, but I now
have extra oil for flushing at the next service.
Following the instructions I placed both new springs in the fork tubes
making sure the tightly coiled ends were facing up and replaced the spacer
washers making sure I had the correct orientation. PVC spacers go in next.
Here is the part of the install where you have to be careful. The
Progressive springs are longer than stock even with the shorter PVC spacers,
so you have to compress them a bit more to get the fork tube caps started in
their threads. A way to make this easier is to use a long extension on your
socket so you have something to grab with both hands. Work carefully to
make sure you don't cross-thread the caps in the tubes and really ruin your
day. The left one screwed on with no trouble, but it took a few tries to
get the right one started. With both caps securely started I lowered the
bike to the ground and tightened accordingly. Project finished and it only
took about 45 minutes.
My thoughts on completing the project are this. First, it is an easy
upgrade that anyone can do. It isn't mechanically taxing and requires tools
you likely already have. Second, while purists will insist that the fork
tubes should be completely disassembled and thoroughly cleaned, it's not a
bad idea but doing it this was will probably work just as well. My winter
crew is doing woodworking in the shop so everything was covered with a fine
layer of dust. I'd have had to take the forks apart on the kitchen table to
find a spot clean enough to do that, and I really didn't have that much
spare time. Regular oil changes should flush most of the crud out after
time.
Finally, I had called Progressive Suspension in September and asked their
advice about upgrading the suspension. I really expected them to try and
sell me a complete suspension, but that wasn't the case. They did recommend
that I lose the factory fork springs and then set up the rear suspension.
Handling and ride is supposed to improve dramatically. If after setting up
the rear, you still want more performance, then spring for an upgraded rear
shock. Since I'm on a budget it seems like good advice.
In closing I hope this will be of use to some of you. Feel free to drop me
a line if you have any questions.
Ross Lindberg
Fertile, MN
Oakdale, CA
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