Different specs between OEM & Race Tech's products.

[squiggy]

Now that I'm getting closer to rebuilding my forks to my 2001 750, I've finally tore apart an old bent fork I bought on ebay last year (edit to add:) so that I can practice on it before doing my own.

Two thing I noticed, Race Tech's outer bushing is a whoooole lot taller than Suzi's bushing.





And their springs are a bit shorter than Suzi's springs. The ones in the plastic are Race Tech's.





Anyone else have experience with Race Tech's products for the '98+ Kat to tell me these are correct?

I double checked the part numbers from Parts Unlimited's web site and these are suposed to be correct.

Race Tech's web site has been down for a couple weeks so I can't check there just yet or get their phone number...unless it's on the install sheet, hmmm, I need to look there.

[ken123allen]

no bro but i have a set of forks that are off a 600 if you need them.

[thetable]

When I got my RaceTech springs, I got an aluminum tube that I got to cut into shorter pieces for spacers. And yes the springs were a bit shorter than the OEM springs.

[squiggy]

When I got my RaceTech springs, I got an aluminum tube that I got to cut into shorter pieces for spacers. And yes the springs were a bit shorter than the OEM springs.

I have the spacer tube as well. I just wanted to make sure I did get the right ones.

I now have the emulators on order. I'll have to do a "How To" post on it when I'm done. There wasn't much info when I did a search regarding the emulators here.

These damping rod forks are pretty basic on the inside. I was rather leery of doing them myself, which is why I bought a damaged set on ebay. This way I can practice dismantling the innards and be ready for when I do my own forks.

[squiggy]

Picked up the Race Tech emulators today. There's not much to these things. It is supposed to be the cat's meow, though. Once I get the forks done, then I can install the Ohlins rear I bought from Cyber, like last year.

For the forks with adjustable rebound, which includes my 2001 750, brazing the rebound holes shut is required. As well as cutting off the rebound rod that is controled by the slotted mechanism at the top of the fork cap.

So, rebound can only be adjusted by changing fork oil. Race Tech recomends 15W, but I already bought 10W.

The emulators control compression, adjustable, though. Oil controls rebound and spring spacer controls preload.


What I am curious about is whether Traxxion Dynamics pre load adjustable fork caps for the Suzi SV650 would work on the Kat. They both are 41mm forks, but ours is Showa where as the SV are supposed to be KYB.

[GregS]

Just a thought. Don't "cut off" the rebound adjust rod as it will pull off from the fork cap. Also a well known "trick" from my Yamaha FJ days, when installing emulators you can keep the rebound adjustment and not weld up the holes. If interested in the write up's on this shoot me an email at: [email protected]

[squiggy]

For the forks with adjustable rebound, which includes my 2001 750, brazing the rebound holes shut is required.

So, rebound can only be adjusted by changing fork oil.

A couple thing i need to add, Race Tech instruction manual says that one of the three rebound holes still can be used to permanetly set rebound. The rest of the two holes need to be bazed closed.

Then, rebound can be adjusted by changing fork oil.




Oh, and Greg I got your email, thank you.

[GregS]

RaceTech wants the holes brazed closed because they have you removing the guts of the rebound adjuster. If you gut the adjuster you are opening up 4 rebound holes so would need to weld up 3.
The FJ mod I mentioned leaves the rebound adjuster in tack and you can then adjust rebound by lifting out the emulator and using the previously removed adjuster rod to change rebound. If you then consider the changes you can make with fork oil, you have a lot of adjustment available.

[squiggy]

The FJ mod I mentioned leaves the rebound adjuster in tack and you can then adjust rebound by lifting out the emulator and using the previously removed adjuster rod to change rebound.

I'm wondering if I do leave the rebound adjuster in, it seams it would be an obstruction to the compression stroke. So, I would need to adjust the preload on the emulator itself to compensate for the fluid obstruction.

Yes, no?