2002 yz 426 Fork woes

[jeffd]

Jer:

I have a 2002 YZ426F and the forks are giving me fits. For starters I am a light rider (175 lbs. max) and I race x-country and ride some moto-x. I just spent some serious quid getting the suspension re-valved using Gold valves, The rear shock is great as it is plush as heck. The forks on the other hand are stiff as crap. Oil level is @ 100mm, springs are stock. As for the valving, I am unsure of the specs, but it was supposed to be valved for a "plush" MX setting. There ain't no plushness there though. The forks are harsh through the initial and mid stroke. One lap at the last x-country race and I felt like I had been using a jack hammer all day. BTW - I even backed the clickers all the way out to no avail.

Is it my oil level? Do I need to take some out? Am I over-sprung? Help!

-Jeffd

 

[flynbryan]

as im sure you know there is a big difference between mx valving and hs,enduro valving. i think you probably didnt explain in depth enough on how "plush" you wanted plush to be. from articles that ive read bikes set up for woods racing bottom greatly on the mx track, not painfully,but they do use all there travel. even "plush" mx suspension will pogo you around a woods trail like your riding a jack hammer. i raced hs w/ softer springs and seriously backed out the compression w/little results. i just dove through the stroke easier. i would suggest contacting race tech and seeing if they would correct it for you. most companies stand behind there work and will revalve it for less of a cost(and sometimes for free) :yeehaw: good luck and im sure race tech will give you a hand. :thumb:

 

[JonB]

Jeff, a few months ago I bought and installed Gold Valves in my forks. I went with the valve stack Race Tech recomended for a plush MX setting. My results were the same as yours. Very, very, very harsh!!! I don't know where thier settings work but in the Northeast US they are not good IMHO!!
I'm sure they put a 2 stage valve stack in your forks. A high speed and a low speed. Right now I am at the softest high speed stack Race Tech lists as a possibility. This is like 5 steps softer on the high speed than they recomend. I basically went 1 step softer at a time to get where I'm at and they work very well.
The low speed stack they recomeded seems to be working well.
Just in case you don't know the high speed stack controls things like roots, rocks, square edge bumps. The low speed stack controls big hits like from bigger jumps or sand whoops.
Don't worry too much about your oil level. 100mm should be right in the ball park. If it was the oil level then you would still feel all the harshness on the little stuff but bottom out baddly on the big stuff.

Anyway, this has been my experience. If you want to know exactly what I'm running for valving you can e-mail me at jblain@fosters.com.

Jon

 

[HONDA65]

You may want to consider running softer springs as well.

 

[DEANSFASTWAY]

Yeah find a pal with some used 125 springs maybe and slip one or two of them in , You dont even have to remove the forks from the bike . GOOD LUCK

 

[DEANSFASTWAY]

Or 250 springs @42/43 might work good for H/S

 

[IBWFO]

There are plenty of Race-Tech shops in your area. I can't imagine any using the stock springs with your weight though.
What shop did you go with?

D