another spring question

The forks are the same from 96-present.

There is a cut off.

The 96-99 are a .382kg/mm rate

The 00-present are a .40kg/mm. These are the stiffer units that you want to use.

Thanks for at least trying a search. Unfortunately, the search function is largely useless unless searching for everything from a given user name.

Here's the same info again:

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From CDave (3-3-03):

It’s the 1996-99 0.38kg/mm XR400 springs that are interchangeable and commonly used in 1995 to 2003 KDX200/220s.

From racetech:
'96-99 xr400r 43mm showa .38
'00-02 xr400r 43mm showa .40

'H' model kawi spec:
'00 200 kdx 43mm kyb .35

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Don't take the above as a disagreement with what matt sez...it's not. The '00-02' reference is simply what race tech showed at the time. I don't doubt it also applies to 03s.

If you order a set of springs that include the above listed years, they will work.

Note it's not aftermarket springs FOR the honda you want..it's actual parts from honda. Come complete with honda part numbers and wingy thingys on the packaging.

They are 530mm (or so) in length. Be sure to fashion a correct preload spacer. Certainly do not use the huge oem steel tube in its original length, anyway.

A preload of 5mm is a lot...3mm is fine.

I installed a set of .38 FRP springs this winter and used the stock spacers (90mm), it made an awesome difference when I tried it this spring. After reading some posts last week about preload I decided to try mine at 10mm, it feels so much 'plusher', hard to imagine the front end feeling any better.

Canyncarvr you mentioned 3 to 5mm preload above, do you reccomend that for the XR length only or the stock (470) length also?

Any opinions on the 530's over the 470's?

Not to parse too finely...but I'd hesitate to say I 'recommend' anything. I relay my personal experiences with 'stuff' and what I've read others in-the-know to have said, but different riders have such a large variance of 'needs', I hesitate to couch my imos as 'recommendations'.

...besides....there is some responsibility inherent in recommending anything. Can't have that! ;)

That said, most aftermarket springs are coldwound. They have a considerably higher failure rate than hotwound springs. If they don't actually fail (I had a set that did after a couple of rides), they are not as 'resilient' as a hotwound spring.

If you take a coldwound spring and preload it at a very low number (like 3mm), you may very well end up with no preload at all in a short time due to the spring changing length.

If you maintain the forks as you should, this wouldn't be a huge problem..you'd be taking them apart for at least an oil change a couple times a year and you would notice the problem.

BUT...for those that service their forks every five or six years..well, you can see that minimal preloads on springs that may change length would be an issue.

Towit: I'd not put 3-5mm on a coldwound spring of any length.

But then, I wouldn't use the oem spacers on a 470mm spring either (35mm or so preload). Some do. Different voices, different choices.

Glad you like your preload change. Big difference, 'eh?

I have a set of springs out of an 96 xr600 that I'l part with. I am gonna go ahead and have mine set up by mx-tech.

I just recently replaced my stock springs with 99 XR 400 springs, in my 2001 KDX 200. I did it just like CC said with 10mm of preload. It made a new motorcycle of mine. I opted for the 99 year because I am old and slow and wanted them softer than the '00 up models. I believe the longer spring than stock made a lot of difference too. The improvement in the forks sure is a confidence builder. CC and others have the experience--listen to it--you don't have to reinvent the wheel--that is what is great about this site!

In a recent thread CC and others described step by step how to do it yourself with minimal difficulty and no special tools. If you like just bogey in yourself and do it. You will have to make a new spacer to give yourself the correct preload and you should remember to loosen the triple clamps on the tops of the fork tubes before you take out the tube caps. It may take you an hour the first time--less on the next one! Have at it.

Registered users can do searches. Please do one. The search function is still suffering from a hit it took awhile back, but it's quite useable in this case. Attached is a jpg that shows what you get with a "fork AND spring" word search and "canyncarvr' as a user name. I know there are others, but these are threads I've been on, and I know the search function 'likes' names to be used these days..so that's why I used mine.

I think it's in the posted list, but here it is again: A 'how-to' on fork springs from matt disher. Click HERE! .

Jeremy has a good write up on suspension tuning HERE!

Try google.com for searches on just about everything internet. A well phrased search will get you a ton of references.

If you have a specific question, please ask.

**Note**
There are clips on the end of the oem springs. Make sure they come OUT with the original springs, and make sure they go IN on the 'new' springs.

Changing springs is no big deal. With any just plain average mechanical skills it is a simple process.