Best .38 kg Springs ?

Fredette Racing $59.95 plus freight.........

Is swapping springs a do-it-yourself operation? That is, lift front end, remove caps, swap springs, maybe change the oil. No special tools or anything?

On the newer KDX's ('95+) it's a little more tricky because you have to remove (and replace) the cap from the top of the cartridge rod. It takes about four hands since the springs have quite a bit of preload on them. I think it would be much easier if the forks were removed from the bike. Dump the factory oil/snot and put in some Mobil-1 ATF while you have them off the bike. A Kawasaki shop manual tells all you need to know.

Fredette is a good source.

You drink a beer, I'll take a leak........and we'll be the same weight. ;)

It is a DIYS situation.

But..you'll have a lot easier time if you remove the wheel, remove the forks (loosen the nut on top of the shock tube first).

The only 'special tool' you need is something to hold the spring so you can access the rod nut with a wrench. That 'special tool' can be a piece of metal with a slot cut in it the diameter of the piston rod...deep enough to sit on top of the spring. You'll be compressing the spring to expose the rod nut and slipping your tool beneath the nut.

As long as they're out..change the oil. Use mobil1-atf. Fill to 100mm from the top of the fork. Measure it:
1. spring out
2. fork collapsed
3. pumped a few times to remove any air
4. let it sit a couple minutes to get the bubbles out
5. measure it with the fork sitting straight up

Easier to overfill and use a syringe with tubing attached to make a 100mm length to reMOVE the excess oil.

Watch for the spring seat on the bottom of the springs you take out. They should be clipped to the spring. Remove 'em and make sure they are well attached to the new spring when you put them in.

Make your own spacer out of a piece of schedule 40 1" pvc pipe. Put the spring in the fork, the cap on the rod. Measure the distance from the top of the spring to the bottom of the cap (rod extended). Say it's 50mm. Subtract the thickness of the two locating washers (50-3=47mm).

For a 10mm preload, you'll need to cut a piece of PVC 57mm long (47+10=57mm). Measure each spring separately. Don't assume the are the same length. Fashion your preload spacer individually for each fork leg.

When you put 'em back together, hold the cap and twist the fork to tighten. Do NOT hold the fork and twist the cap.

Watch out for the front axle studs. Not hard to break 'em. Although they don't show on the buykawasaki.com parts breakdown, they are available from kawi (or most napa dealers or ace hardware stores I've been told). Oh...they screw into the fork. They aren't press-fit.

Maybe I missed something...but that's a quick overview.

Piece-o-cake.

Hey Canyn........whats the reasoning to twist the fork tube instead of holding it and just screwing in cap? I've never heard that.

Before he has a chance at answering that I am going to take a shot at his reasoning. The Cap has fine threads and is almost impossible to line up wile you are pressing down (fighting the preload) and alighning everything. If you do it Canyn's way (the old bike shop method - back in the old days you simply had to do it EVERYTHING alone/yourself cause there was no one else in the shop!!!) you simply use the mass of the fork assembly in your favor!!!
Now lets see if I am even close....
Woodsy

Add 1 step to CanCarvers 5 step fork fill procedure. After either step 3 or 4, extend the fork tube all the way out of the slider tube until it stops and you see a 10mm hole gushing expensive fork fluid. Air gets trapped between those 2 parts when you refill and if not bled your oil level measurement won't be valid.
I also drilled and tapped the boss at the bottom-rear of each lower fork leg. It's now possible to drain & refill without taking them off and apart. A flush with a little mineral spirits or kero gets most of the crud out.

Here's a good one... Fredette recommends a .35 spring rate for my 92 KDX 200 in my weight range. But, he doesn't sell 'em and I can't seem to find any on the net. Anyone have a good source?

Will 96-03 springs fit in your bike? I think .35 are stock in these models...just an idea.

Brandon