Rear Shock

[kelvinmercer]

Hi sorry to pester everyone again but....... with my 93 KDX I was wondering if its worth putting a heaver spring on the rear shock.
I am about 180cm tall and weigh 90kgs.
I wont be racing or going to stupid on it just wondering if a guy my size would be to big for the stock bike.
Or can I set my rear shock hard enough as it is standard.
I have been quoted $160.00 for a new spring. (5kg rating)
Is it money well spent or keep it standard.
Cheers guys

 

[Michelle]

Kelvin, check to see what your stock spring rating is before you do anything. With the 95+ models, I'm sure stock is 5kg. If it's not, maybe someone who needs a softer spring would be happy to swap with you?
In other words, you may not be getting anything for your money & just need to set the sag on the bike up properly or get the shock serviced.
Hope that helps some
Michelle

 

[JasonWho]

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[Matt90GT]

http://www.racetech.com/evalving/English/mctype.asp

Click on that link. Racetech has a great online advisor for spring rates.

 

[Matt90GT]

http://www.racetech.com/evalving/English/mctype.asp

 

[KAY DEE EXER]

Does anyone know if the 94 and 98 model rear springs are different. I "think" they are but need confirmation please.

 

[canyncarvr]

Check buykawasaki.com for spring rates (and part numbers). That should answer your 'Are they different?' question.

As jason said, they are different in the states. OZ is a different issue. Also, as jason already said, shock setup is crucial. Worry about that before you spend an $$ on a new spring.

 

[kelvinmercer]

Thanks for the replys.
I will wait to see how my bike goes after i put it back together, and see how it is once I have set the rear shock up.
I just thought it might be a good time to do it now while my bike is in a millon pieces.
But a rear shock change later on is not a big job if I need to do it.
I read in my service manual I can set the gas 1500kpa by adding a little more nitrogen so I will maybe look at that first.
As for how many pounds I will be carrying I think all up it will be around 200 pounds (maybe) I think there's 2.2kg in a pound in Australia we dont use pound so excuse my ignorance.

 

[JasonWho]

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[canyncarvr]

re: I can set the gas 1500kpa by adding a little more nitrogen.

Me no comprende.

Set the gas by adding nitrogen?

If you presume to increase load carrying capacity by adding nitrogen pressure to the shock bladder, I concur with jason...'I don't think so.'

The purpose of the pressurization is to eliminate cavitation in the shock fluid, not to carry (or not) more load.

 

[JasonWho]

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[Matt90GT]

The Buykawasaki site is not good for comparing what will fit to each other, especially springs.

That site can tell you exactly what same part was used on bike A as on bike B with no differences between the parts. now you change the color and you now have a new part number! You change the spring rate, you have a new part number. You change the diameter of the spring, you have a new part number!

So if you are talking springs, look aftermarket. Racetech, WhiteBros both have good online catalogs to tell you what years use the same shock spring sizes. IE the spring fits a 90-93 KX even though the factory units are different rates between those years and the springs can have different colors, the same spring will physically fit any of the 90-93 years.

Make sense?

 

[skipro3]

The discription at buykawasaki states the spring rate. There are usually the optional springs listed as well with a slight difference in part #'s and the spec code says (option).

SPRING,SHOCKABSORBER,K=5.0,BLU
SPRING,SHOCKABSORBER,K=4.8,BLU (OPTION)
SPRING,SHOCKABSORBER,K=5.2,BLU (OPTION)

This example is cut and pasted from their site for a 1999 KDX220R and demonstrates that the stock spring is 5.0 with optional 4.8 and 5.2Kg rate springs.
The 1993 KDX spring is 4.6 with 4.4 and 4.8 as options. 5.0 will probably be too much for general woods and play riding as it is beyond the rates of their optional springs. I'm guessing that the reason for a difference in stock spring rates for the 2 different years is due to suspension geometry.
Now, go out there and figure out your suspension and be sure to update us with your results.

 

[skipro3]

4.8kg spring is now on the for sale forum for your purchasing pleasure!
And I bet you can find someone there to buy your old one.

 

[JasonWho]

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