Best forks to swap on my S2R 800?

[Mr Gazza]

Very smart. Now the fun of setting it all up starts.
You'll soon get an idea of the spring rate when you set your static and dynamic sags.

Your brake lines ought to loop out rearwards. They will munch the paint/lacquer on your mudguard if you ride it like that. They could potentially kink or touch the tyre too.
Your MOT tester should spot it anyway.

[yourguitarhero]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Very smart. Now the fun of setting it all up starts.
You'll soon get an idea of the spring rate when you set your static and dynamic sags.

Your brake lines ought to loop out rearwards. They will munch the paint/lacquer on your mudguard if you ride it like that. They could potentially kink or touch the tyre too.
Your MOT tester should spot it anyway.

Ok, good spot, thanks.

I did have to move them around a little to deal with the different connection point on the new calipers.

The headlight cowl is at the wrong angle too...

[Darren69]

Glad you got it sorted, looks good. Those were actually the orignal TiN forks from my S4 Fogarty but I think they are the same as S4R/ST4S forks anyway. I do have a couple of other sets available too so msg me if you want some

[yourguitarhero]

Had a wee look at the adjustments today and spotted a small issue
I think my axle should have some holes in it so you can poke a screwdriver up and turn the compression adjuster in the bottom of the fork leg but they aren't there. Surely you don't have to take the axle out?

[Darren69]

Yes there should be holes through the axle but it is possible to fit without lining them up. Not sure if there were some without holes?

[Mr Gazza]

Look at the right hand side of the axle. (the opposite end to the nut.)
There should be two notches out of the end of the tube visible when it's in the forks.
These should line up with the centre line of the leg up and down, then the holes for the compression adjusters should all line up properly.

[Dukedesmo]

As above, the spindle needs to align with the forks, there's a tool that makes it easier meaning you can tighten up the nut and hold the spindle in the correct position.

Something like this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293141693...3ABFBMiueC4Kpk

[utopia]

Apologies if I'm stating something that you already know here, but I thought it worth a mention just in case.
The procedure for tightening the spindle should be as follows.

First rotate the spindle so that the notches are correctly aligned. The special tool is not necessary for this, it just makes this part of the job slightly easier. I've never used one myself.
Then TEMPORARILY tighten up the spindle clamp bolts on the right hand fork leg to stop the spindle rotating while you tighten up the nut on the left hand side to the correct torque. Then tighten the clamp bolts on the left hand side.
Then (and this is the important bit) slacken the clamp bolts on the right hand side so that the fork bottom is free to slide laterally on the head of the spindle. Then while holding the handlebars in the dead straight ahead position, apply the brake and bounce hard on the forks a number of times. This will straighten the forks so that both stanchions are accurately aligned with their respective upper legs.
Finally, without turning the bars at all, retighten the spindle clamp bolts on the right hand side.

Failure to follow this procedure will result in stiction in the fork action and accelerated wear in the bushes and seals.

Another very important point to note is that the clamp area of the lower fork legs can easily be overstressed when the spindle clamp bolts are tightened.
Do not fully tighten one of the bolts first followed by fully tightening the second bolt. This uneven tightening procedure has been known to cause cracking. Instead tighten one bolt very gently, then the other equally gently, then tighten each one in turn a little more until the correct torque is reached. I always tighten mine in three or four stages up to the correct torque, even though the specified torque is relatively low.

[utopia]

While I'm at it, torque specs are as follows ....

Lower fork leg clamp bolt 19Nm (14 ft.lb) (manual specifies 1-2-1 tightening sequence)
Front wheel spindle nut 63Nm (46 ft.lb)
And for good measure, Yoke to forkleg clamp screw 22 Nm (16 ft.lb) (I use 1-2-1 gradual sequence here too)

In all three cases, the manual specifies lubricating the threads with Shell Retinax HDX2, which is a black, molybdenum disulphide grease (but any grease is better than none).

[yourguitarhero]

Very comprehensive, thanks!
Will be down at the garage tomorrow so will check then.

I did pick up one of the alignment tools

[Mr Gazza]

Excellent and very important advice from Utopia.
I always find it amazing how slack one bolt goes when you tighten the other. There must be a considerable twisting force on the clamp if you just do one all the way.
Little hops on each bolt is best, more like a 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2, but that would look silly in the manual.

One thing about the manual that I don't agree with is 63Nm on the axle nut. Good luck getting that torque on it. I've never been able to get anywhere near that before the (good quality) socket tries to twist off the skinny nut.
Besides, once the nut has snugged the wheel assembly up to the left leg properly, it's work is done. The clamp bolts do the work of holding everything in place.
I'd be quite happy riding without the nut, but I'm not suggesting that you try it.

[yourguitarhero]

So, turns out the axle doesn't have holes in it to reach the adjusters in the bottom of the fork legs. I guess they were like that as the 800 doesn't have adjusters down there.

Does anyone have an axle with holes in they could sell me?

[Mr Gazza]

One or two on ebay nudging the £40 mark!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...ucati&_sacat=0

[yourguitarhero]

Is this what I need?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266926817439

[Darren69]

There's a part number and fitment list on this K bike one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154342150...mis&media=COPY