[Aaron-71]

Since you got your new oil seals and dust seals from RaceTech, you should put up on here how their fitment into the Forks is. I'm curious if I should spend the $112 locally for crush washers, oil seals and dust seals at my Suzuki dealer... or just go the RaceTech route since I'm ordering stuff from them anyways.

Did you also get new fork tubes for your Kat? Looks like you did!

[maniac1886]

I didnt get the seals from racetech. they are allballs seals from ebay. I believe my total was $25 for the seals and $342 for the rest. I didnt order new tubes. I honestly dont know what that is.

I didnt get rush washers, i didnt know the size i neeeded.. Im hoping when i get them apart, i will be able to find a pair locally

[shpielers]

Crush washer size: 8mmx10mm

They aren't easy to source locally. Ronayers and bikebandit have them.

There's a thread from a couple days ago that talks about which part # they are on bikebandit. I can't find it but I'm also looking on a phone. It exists though.

The "tube" is the material for making spacers in the forks. You make some measurements and then cut what you need and drop them in. The length you cut them to depends on how much preload you want. On my post 600 i think I cut each to ~6" so I had a fair bit left over. That's normal, so don't think "did I F up, why would they give me so much, I must need it" - you don't. You need as much as you need and they don't know how much that will be so they give you extra.

[maniac1886]

Sweet! good to know! Thanks for the info! i was curious when i saw it in the box. I started that thread, and it's worth linking to so here it is:

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=136096

Its part #9 under suspension>OEM parts>Front Damper. We talked about that in the chatbox though. The bikerbandit part number is 1091328

[92xjunker]

I used the old ones and cut off 3/4" but, I also have manual preload adjusters with about 1 1/2" adjustment

[shpielers]

Where'd you get the manual ones? Source them from a different bike or make yourself? Cause that would be nice...


Ah bikeRbandit

I will always laugh when I see that.

[92xjunker]

TMOD made them some time back.

[Aaron-71]

Lots of great info on this thread. Glad it was made and all these things have been brought out.

The preload spacer was one of the things I was curious about from Squiggy's write-up. He mentioned them, but didn't really have any great pics. Just the ones of the tape measure. Not that I'm complaining, but I always like to know EXACTLY what I'm doing before i even start working on something.

Love how I can learn every time I log on to this site.

[shpielers]

So I finally got around to fixing those rebound holes I drilled too small... Only a year later...
So first off, holy mother of gremlins! Only about 25k miles on the forks since I rebuilt them, way nasty inside! I thought they were so bad a year ago because of mileage/age, but apparently it really doesn't take all that much...

Anyways, enlarged the rebound holes from the incorrect 3/16 to the correct 5/16", installed new inner bushings ( RT still doesn't seem to know the 03+ have an 8mm bushing, not 12...) And oil seals, cleaned everything out as best as I was able, and played with the emulators. I ended up installing the blue spring and going with 4 turns of preload. (Originally had yellow with 3 turns).

Initial impression: bike is handeling more like its on rails again - again highlighting that fork oil really is something you want to change maybe every 20k miles max.
Ride seems plusher, which is what I was going for. Roads were wet and it was dark by the time everything was back together, so I couldn't push it, but so far, feels good. Curious to see how it does on a more spirited ride.
Although now I can really tell my shock needs a rebuild...