Help ! Fork springs Question

M

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Apr 30, 2000

377

0

• Aug 3, 2001

• #1

O-Tay, I ordered springs from Fredette weeks ago. I asked for them for my size/weight approx 110lbs 115-120lbs with gear on.

Now that the bike is stripped of it's forks and the old springs are removed, I don't really see that much of a diff. In fact the springs that I have from Fredette are marke 38's

I was thinking I'd get 41's or something. Can someone verify what weight/size are stock and if 38's are my size or at least close before I put it all back together ?

thanks.

-Matt

 

M

Michelle

Sponsoring Member

Oct 26, 1999

1,245

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• #2

What bike are we talking here?
For a 95-2001/2 KDX200, stock is 6.8 (.070) - part # 44026-1638
Okay, so it looks like you got stock springs, rather than different
springs, so there won't be any difference. I'm roughly your weight (I
really don't know what I weigh, but am somewhere around there or a
bit more - this female don't like scales or believe in them).

Anyways, to the point - when I got my lighter shock spring, I'd asked
Jer Wilkey what weight I should have. He said I could run with stock fork
springs but he recommended 4.4kg rear. (note: racetech had
recommended 3.8, which I do think may have been too soft, but I'll
never know). I would contact Jeff and ask him if he did just send you
stock springs (verification) and if so, send them back and get a rear
spring instead. (check with him obviously for what rate to run)

Hope that helps some, and sorry for rambling, just trying to explain
all the details I know :) (also sorry for the slang, but I can't help
it sometimes)
Michelle

 

Last edited: Aug 4, 2001

A

andrew

Member

Aug 7, 1999

278

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• #3

Michelle, I think Matt is talking about his fork springs, not his shock spring.

Matt, I believe the standard spring in a 95 - 00 '200 is .35 and the Freddette recommended springs (21 lb) is about .38

I just put in a set of eibach fork springs made to suit an XR400. They are longer than the stock KDX spring, and the ones I got were rated at .41

the result... FANTASTIC !!

btw, if you want the part number, go to www.eibach.com and look uo XR400; it'll give you the part numbers of the different rated springs.

cheers mate,

 

A

andrew

Member

Aug 7, 1999

278

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• #4

OOPS

I haven't really answered your question, have I??

Hmmm, 120 lbs, thats about 55kg's; a fair bit lighter than I, at 80 kg's !! Maybe your .38's would be fine, in fact I'm sure they would.

 

M

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Apr 30, 2000

377

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• Thread starter
• #5

oy crappo...

I weigh 210-220... not the previous typo'd amount 120. So my question is are these 38's from Fredette at least somewhat strong than stock ? I know I specifically asked for my weight.

The real one 210ish.

I'm thinking now that I've put it all back together that I don't have the right springs.

They feel a tad stiffer but that could also just be the 7wt ATF oil talkin back and not necessarily the springs.

I'd hate to think that all I went through was for not :(

-MD

 

M

Michelle

Sponsoring Member

Oct 26, 1999

1,245

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• #6

Cleaning up my post:
fork springs:
.33 is stock for the 220
.35 is stock for the 200

A 110lb person should look at a softer shock spring. Apologies to Mac
if I've misled you in any way about stock suspension, that was not
the intention - I blame the manual for being confusing.
STOCK IS NOT .38

 

Last edited: Aug 7, 2001

M

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Apr 30, 2000

377

0

• Aug 4, 2001

• Thread starter
• #7

Crappo,

Well, compressing them into the forks was a little harder and with the change to the Mobil1 ATF (being 7wt) I'll at least get a little improvement. I'll have to look at the invoice if it can be found, I actually bought them over a month ago.

I know what I asked for, as we discussed it. The springs that came out weren't marked in any way.

$#@!@%@!#!:scream:

 

A

andrew

Member

Aug 7, 1999

278

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• #8

Hey, Michelle, I know what you were trying to say now, and you're right - putting a softer shock spring on to match his standard fork springs would have made sense...

Matt, 210 lbs is about 95 kg...I'd definately try to swap your .38's for a set of .41's or even .43's, if Fredette will come to the party. If not, try and sell 'em to some one else and cut your losses.

I'm about 80 kg and my .41's are purrrfect....

Cheers,

 

M

Mac

LIFETIME SPONSOR

May 17, 2000

505

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• #9

Matt, I weigh 210 with gear and also ordered 21lbs(.38) springs from Fredette and they made an incredible difference. I argued a little bit with Fredette because I thought I would need stiffer springs but he insisted that .38 was the right spring.....he was right. I use mobil1 atf in the forks @ 95mm and I can easily do a double. If you ride alot of trails with occasional MX like me then use the .38 springs, I you ride alot of MX then maybe the .41 would be better.

 

M

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Apr 30, 2000

377

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• Thread starter
• #10

Hrms.... I rode it a bit Sat night, but our track is like concrete now that it's been so dry. My prior issue was mostly bottoming out in cornering causing the front to slide far too easily. I can't really judge that right now.

I put the clickers back to the default 10 clicks out after the spring and oil change. Where do you have yours ?

It does feel a little better but I'm still not conviced. But then again I may not have replaced 'stock' springs. They are not marked anywhere and by the looks of the oil that came out was probably never changed.

-MD

 

C

canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~

Oct 14, 1999

4,005

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• #11

.38s are not stock. Considering as a fact that the springs you HAD were stock, .38s are a good step up from stock.

My first set of springs (I'm about 200# 'with stuff') from jeremy (mx-tech) were .42s. Too stiff for me. Jeremy swapped me an XR400 .40 set.

They're just fine!

Markings on springs are usually lightly scratched (buzz pen) on one end or the other. Easy to miss.

Good to hear you're not 110#! I recalled you saying earlier something a bit heftier, so 110# would mean some sort of deadly disease or something.......

 

M

MADisher

Grand Data Poohbah

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Apr 30, 2000

377

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• Thread starter
• #12

Yep, I'm definately not shrinking, and glad to hear the .38's are not stock (whoot). The ones that came out don't have any markings at all so I assume they are stock.

Looking forward to pounding it in the soft stuff.

wh00t !

 

M

Mac

LIFETIME SPONSOR

May 17, 2000

505

0

• Aug 6, 2001

• #13

10 clicks out
mobil1 atf @ 95mm
This setup is good for me riding New England trails. Sometimes we hit the sandpit for some track riding and I can do medium sized doubles without bottoming. If I rode MX more often I would probably try heavier springs but I dont want trail riding to suffer so i'll stick with my .38's

Try 8 clicks out mobil1 @ 90mm if you are still bottoming.