Front Forks

[Chris Canning]

A bit late after 10 years of ownership,but is there anyone in the UK had a set of forks revalved and by who.

[rybes]

give this place a try. they do alsorts of suspension goodies

http://www.mctsuspension.com/home.htm (http://www.mctsuspension.com/home.htm)

[Chris Canning]

Have they done yours?

[rybes]

no. i was goin to get em to do mine but they didnt list bits for a steamer just springs

[Chris Canning]

It's from the horses mouth I'm after,I've plenty of suspension contacts,but I'm not in the guinea pig mood  :D ,I've had enough with my Ohlins :roll:

[rf9rider]

A couple of good mates have used Ktech, and very pleased with them and quality of work.

http://www.k-tech.uk.com (http://www.k-tech.uk.com)

[zombie2]

Hey Chris
I reworked my forks over the pond.
I put in progressive springs with race tech emulators and a step up in oil weight and the results have been awesome , especially with the dymags fitted to the bike.
The front end lost it's tendency to dive and held the line really well in full on hooligan mode.
Probably the best mod on the bike for my style of riding .
The only reason I swapped the dymags out was for my trip to Alaska and the trans-lab highway, I swapped out and put the stockers on for those trips.

[Chris Canning]

A couple of good mates have used Ktech, and very pleased with them and quality of work.

http://www.k-tech.uk.com (http://www.k-tech.uk.com)

Oddly enough I know one of the co-owners of Ktech,but other informants tell me they've lost the plot as they now make their own shock and everything else is a minor detail,but you also have to realise this suspension game can be real bitchy,and that's said from experience as I've had more than my fair share to do with great and the good of road racing in the Uk,hence why I'm looking for yea I've had mine done by So en So.

[Chris Canning]

Hey Chris
I reworked my forks over the pond.
I put in progressive springs with race tech emulators and a step up in oil weight and the results have been awesome , especially with the dymags fitted to the bike.
The front end lost it's tendency to dive and held the line really well in full on hooligan mode.
Probably the best mod on the bike for my style of riding .
The only reason I swapped the dymags out was for my trip to Alaska and the trans-lab highway, I swapped out and put the stockers on for those trips.

It's the race tech emulators I'm interested in,I've got Ohlins springs with 15wt and the forks are ok when they've warmed up,but their pretty basic to say the least.

[dftuttle]

Hi, I'm new here.
Just installed Emulators & Race Tech springs in my Girl yesterday.
Definately something within the relm of do-able of the home mechanic. The only thing that felt kinda schetchy was drilling more holes on the stock damper rods. :shock:  Once you start, there is no going back.
Everything else is just basic fork service. Just make sure the emulator is seated correctly in the damper rod before you drop the spring in. You can't see it because of the oil is above that level.
Tip: Telescoping magnet & a length of 3/4" PVC pipe cut long enough to stick out of the fork tube while extended , but shorter than your magnet.
There is a bolt on top of the emulator that you can use the magnet to hold it at the bottom of the pipe while you guide it down.
Put 100 miles on it today on everything from twisties to freeway. Got to love Southern California, 80F today. Was very different, but I like how the bike turns in now. Very solid & more responsive to changes mid-corner. Less dive under braking, too. I just have to find the balance again after going to a much stiffer spring.

[Seavoyage]

DIY!

To balance out the rear suspension, and eliminate fork dive, I installed Ricor Intiminators, with Amsoil 5W suspenion fluid to 107mm air gap.  I did not have to drill my damper rods.

http://www.intiminators.com/ (http://www.intiminators.com/)  or if in the US: http://store.ricorshocks.com/triumph_s/44.htm (http://store.ricorshocks.com/triumph_s/44.htm)

With the proper valving, suspension fluid, preload, and air gap you do not have to replace the front fork springs if you are ~ 150-170 lbs.  You wan't to use the softest springs avaialble to hold you up on static sag, then controll the pitching (fork dive) with low speed compression (front), low speed rebound (rear). Bumbs on the road are managed with the high speed compression/rebound.

I've previously used RT Emulators. I'm not a fan of tuning with heavier weight fork oil. You should use the lightest fork oil and let the valving work.  Modern suspension does control dampning with orifice size or suspension fluid weight, dampning should be controlled with valving...

Oddly, Triumph uses fluid volumes and not the air gap measurments with spring removed and fork fully compressed. measurement using fluid volume and not air gap is extremely inaccurate!

Air gaps use the compressible air (as opposed to non compressible fluid) as a 'bump stop' to keep the forks from bottoming out. The less air (gap), the stiffer the end of travel.

The following air gaps are provided:

720cc cc (107mm air gap) for VIN 198875 and after (955i).  The increase in fluid volume was to reduce the fork dive.
Prior VINs had 682cc (119mm air gap).  Front fork spring rates were increased from .400 kg/mm  to .600 kg/mm on T709EN and 1050.
 '06 955i use 655cc (146mm air gap).

Interesting note: Steamers used .460 kg/mm spring rates.

You can also install Speed Four preload adjustable fork caps on the 43mm KYB forks. Do not use the fork caps for the Scrambler (41mm KYB forks).

Final fork spring rate and preload are all based on sag measurements.

I posted another thread on rear shock valving for Girlies:  http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797 (http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797)

[Bixxer Bob]

Good stuff. I've read your posts and it seems we finally have someone who knows suspension.. Very interesting  :D

[atokad]

Pulled my forks off today!  Ordering some parts and will then have local specialist re-work them for me.  Looking forward to it!

Time for a new front tire, so that will be done while the front end is off. Heidenau or TKC, haven't decided yet.

Going with a Sasquatch rear shock mod soon too.  

The 'ol girl waiting for some new legs.  Kind of a visually disturbing picture actually.  Sorta looks like an accident just happened. Just happens that my ceiling hoist is near my garage stall but I had just enough room to still get the VW in for the night.

[delecti]

Hi had my forks fitted with racetec gold valves, (2006 tiger) with terry haines in Sydney (they have been in for 66,000kms) he preloaded the spring by 2.5 turns (as he had done 6 to 8 tiger front end in recent years and found that to be best for my size) I put the original springs back in and 10w oil with a 165 min air gap.
This took care or the problems with the forks not handling small bumps and wooden bridges etc on the ordinary aussie roads. However it still dived and the rear would get airborn when braking very heavy, to fix this fitted a set of wirth progressive spings all good front end is great. weigh about  85KG (190lb).
Mark