Minor Winter Project - installing suspension worth 1/3 of the bike - Page 9

Papa_Complex · 03-15-2011, 06:49 AM

I'm hoping that it'll come up to the level of the Penske, on my VFR. The research I did, before buying it, tells me that it should be in that class.

I really doubt that it will match the feel of the Ohlins Type 4, that I had on a previous bike. Nothing that I've tried, on the track or off, has come close to it. In the course of 3 years it did need several rebuilds though, where the Penske just soldiered on.

Rangerscott · 03-30-2011, 09:14 PM

UPDATE and don't give me any whiny bitch excuses.

Papa_Complex · 03-30-2011, 09:15 PM

Stripped it and waiting for a chance to gut the forks.

Rangerscott · 04-08-2011, 12:41 AM

Still being lazy?

Papa_Complex · 04-08-2011, 06:57 AM

The forks get gutted this weekend. Hopefully my electric impact gun will be able to generate enough torque, to get the retaining bolts out of the fork bottoms. If not then I might have to make a trip to the local shop, and have them do that.

The pop can is on the end of the handlebars because that isn't a handlebar; it's a piece of conduit acting as a stand-in to keep the controls in place. During the week I pulled them so that I could replace them with a set of Renthal bars that I had to drill the holes for the switchgear locating pins in, then slapped a brace from a set of Hardy dirtbike bars on. The bars will go back on after the forks, just to make my life easier.

As an aside it always amazes me when I disassemble a brand new machine, and find things like the axles are completely dry. I realize that the bearings do the job of allowing the wheels to spin but, come on, what about corrosion and disassembly?!

Papa_Complex · 04-09-2011, 05:08 PM

Starting up:

Off with the fork caps.

Drain the oil

Remove the spacer, washer, and spring.

... and you're left with a fork, with the damper rod assembly yet to be removed.

More later.

Rangerscott · 04-09-2011, 09:30 PM

Damn. I wreally wreally want to do an R1 swap to my vfr. Maybe some day.

Papa_Complex · 04-11-2011, 06:08 PM

Damper rod and spring assemblies above the forks.

Bitubo cartridge inserts below the forks.

Cap, locking nut, spring, and spacer have to come out, before securing the damper. Oil level has to be measured without the spring in place.

Then Loctite (blue), copper washer, bolt, and impact in to spec.

And ready to be filled, reassembled, and capped for installation.

Papa_Complex · 04-11-2011, 08:42 PM

That bit is for tomorrow.

Papa_Complex · 04-12-2011, 07:18 PM

And now.... (drum roll please) THE FINAL PRODUCT!

I would have taken shots of the forks being filled and reassembled, but I was a couple of hands short.

03-15-2011, 06:49 AM	#81
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	I'm hoping that it'll come up to the level of the Penske, on my VFR. The research I did, before buying it, tells me that it should be in that class. I really doubt that it will match the feel of the Ohlins Type 4, that I had on a previous bike. Nothing that I've tried, on the track or off, has come close to it. In the course of 3 years it did need several rebuilds though, where the Penske just soldiered on. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/

03-30-2011, 09:15 PM	#83
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	Stripped it and waiting for a chance to gut the forks. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/

04-08-2011, 06:57 AM	#85
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	The forks get gutted this weekend. Hopefully my electric impact gun will be able to generate enough torque, to get the retaining bolts out of the fork bottoms. If not then I might have to make a trip to the local shop, and have them do that. The pop can is on the end of the handlebars because that isn't a handlebar; it's a piece of conduit acting as a stand-in to keep the controls in place. During the week I pulled them so that I could replace them with a set of Renthal bars that I had to drill the holes for the switchgear locating pins in, then slapped a brace from a set of Hardy dirtbike bars on. The bars will go back on after the forks, just to make my life easier. As an aside it always amazes me when I disassemble a brand new machine, and find things like the axles are completely dry. I realize that the bearings do the job of allowing the wheels to spin but, come on, what about corrosion and disassembly?! __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/ Last edited by Papa_Complex; 04-08-2011 at 07:20 AM..

04-09-2011, 05:08 PM	#86
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	Starting up: Off with the fork caps. Drain the oil Remove the spacer, washer, and spring. ... and you're left with a fork, with the damper rod assembly yet to be removed. More later. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/

04-11-2011, 06:08 PM	#88
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	Damper rod and spring assemblies above the forks. Bitubo cartridge inserts below the forks. Cap, locking nut, spring, and spacer have to come out, before securing the damper. Oil level has to be measured without the spring in place. Then Loctite (blue), copper washer, bolt, and impact in to spec. And ready to be filled, reassembled, and capped for installation. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/ Last edited by Papa_Complex; 04-11-2011 at 08:39 PM..

03-30-2011, 09:14 PM	#82
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	UPDATE and don't give me any whiny bitch excuses.

04-08-2011, 12:41 AM	#84
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	Still being lazy?

04-09-2011, 09:30 PM	#87
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	Damn. I wreally wreally want to do an R1 swap to my vfr. Maybe some day.

04-11-2011, 08:42 PM	#89
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	That bit is for tomorrow. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/

04-12-2011, 07:18 PM	#90
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	And now.... (drum roll please) THE FINAL PRODUCT! I would have taken shots of the forks being filled and reassembled, but I was a couple of hands short. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/