Member Contributer hlf Posted March 3, 2006 Member Contributer Share Posted March 3, 2006 I've just had my '02 forks revalved by AfterShocks, and am now setting sag. To find the true sag, I'm taking 2 measurements. First, while sitting on the bike, I'm having a friend push down on the front and then slowing letting the bike rise to equilibrium with just my weight. Then, I have the friend lift the bike, and then slowly let the bike settle back to equilibrium. The average of these gives a more accurate measurement of the true sag. I'm getting 9-10 mm difference between the 2 measurements. This seems like a lot of stiction, so I'm paranoid something is binding (although, I've been pretty careful to ensure the forks are parallel during reinstallation). For those of you that have performed similar measurements, how much stiction have you seen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SagaciousDupe Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I don't know off hand the length of stiction on my forks, but I am curious about the temp of the oil in your forks when you performed these measurements. If the oil was cold, I can easily see why you would have more stiction. Pick a warm day, ride it for a while to get the forks moving and warm that oil up then measure again. $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer hlf Posted March 3, 2006 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 3, 2006 It's cool in NC this weekend; low 50's. I'll take it out for a spin to warm up oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VFR FLYER Posted March 4, 2006 Member Contributer Share Posted March 4, 2006 just had my suspension done at lee"s cycle service in san diego. the sag was set with me as the dummy(no pun) and he started with the sag set on rear shock first. most of your body weight is over the rear shock so if it is not right you will not get the front right. oil level is also critcial. if they installed the oil, don't mess with level. best of luck! :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer hlf Posted March 5, 2006 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 5, 2006 Thanks for suggestions. The rear sag is OK, and there is 3mm difference in the two sag measurements, so stiction is pretty normal in the rear. Unfortunately, this weekend has gotten way too busy, so I'm not going to be able to warm up the front oil and remeasure until next week... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04asphalt Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 more info please.... if i lift the front end while holding front brake the forks top-out and will just stay there. then I apply a little weight and the front end will drop. finally I sit on the bike, rear sag is good but the front end dosn't compress unless I really put some weight to it. I tried less pre-load in the front but then it dives under moderate braking. should I change the fork height from stock? the shock height is turned out so the rear tire is just off the ground while on the center stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 There might be a slight twist to your forks that need to be straightened out. There's a procedure on how to do it that I'm sure you can locate with a search. It involves loosening and re-tightening pinch bolts and the front axle in a certain sequence that I already forgot myself. I also found out that fork braces do wonders to eliminate most fork stiction on bikes. At least that's what it did for my Hawk GT years ago. Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 if I go back and follow the service manual for installing the forks would that cure any twist or binding? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't remember anything in the Honda service manual that specifically deals with "untwisting" the forks on the bike, but the procedure that has been going around has been sort of a tried and true traditiional way of doing it, developed by bikers through the years. I remember that the procedure involves boundcing the fork up and down to help out in the alignment process. I did the procedure on my bikes before and it really works. :thumbsup: Anyone out there that can give us directions/link to the information needed? Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 There are two procedures here: There is one stated in the Honda RC51 manual to be used whenever installing the front wheel. I am sure this can apply to other models. You tighten the Right side pinch bolts after inserting the axle and tightening the axle nut, leaving the Left side pinch bolts loose. With front wheel on ground, apply the front brake firmly and bounce the front end vigorously several times (careful not to shake the bike off the rear stand...). This seats the axle/wheel where it needs to be in relation to the forks/brakes. Then finish tightening the Left side pinch bolts. There is another method going around to ensure your forks are not binding, but like Beck above, I cannot remember it exactly. You could pretty much duplicate it using common sense though. I think it involves raising the front end with a stand (not the type that lifts the fork bottoms), loosening all the upper/lower triple pinch bolts, retightening the bottom ones first, then the tops. For good measure, I would then do the first procedure above to square the axle and bottom forks. Couldn't hurt, anyway. EDIT - I in fact found the 1st procedure in the 1998-2000 VFR manual last night too! But I had the Right/Left backwards. They are now corrected above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 if I go back and follow the service manual for installing the forks would that cure any twist or binding? I don't remember anything in the Honda service manual that specifically deals with "untwisting" the forks on the bike, but the procedure that has been going around has been sort of a tried and true traditiional way of doing it, developed by bikers through the years. I remember that the procedure involves boundcing the fork up and down to help out in the alignment process. I did the procedure on my bikes before and it really works. :thumbsup: Anyone out there that can give us directions/link to the information needed? Beck 95 VFR That procedure is in the manual! :thumbsup: That doesn't sound like a abnormal amount of fork stiction to me, it's very common from what I see to have that amount but I would call Phil at Aftershocks and ask anyway! Let us all know what he says. They are working on stiction in most the new SS bikes with low stiction coating, bushing and oil , but our VFR's have none of these unless Phil installed low friction bushings and or better oil. I had him use Ohlins oil in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04asphalt Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I remember reading in the manual about the axle part of installation but did it cover the order of tightening for triples? if not what is the order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Stéphane Posted April 13, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted April 13, 2008 As always, you can download the spreadsheet from my signature. Just happen try it today with Polarbear's bike. Works great. Stiction was off when the preload was too stiff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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