GS1000 fork spring length

[hampshirehog]

Hi - new, and very scruffy, 1979 GS1000S bought last week and my first post. The forks on the bike have cracked mudguard mounts so I bought a replacement pair of Ebay. Arrived today and need rebuilding. My manual says the minumum fork spring free length is 416mm. However, when I measure the springs in the new legs they are only 350mm and no way have they compressed 70mm. Are there different lengths for post 1980 bikes, if so what is the minimum spring length / what level fork oil etc.

Cheers
Wally

[hampshirehog]

I've split the new forks right down and I reckon they are from a 1981 GS1000G (circlip holding the fork seal in is different but I can't find a better match on the parts diagrams at alpha-sports). As I'm only really interested in the fork legs (outer tubes) does anyone know if they are interchangeable with the GS1000S 1979?

Alpha-sports list the LH outer tube numbers as 51140-49000 (GS1000S) and 51140-45101 (GS1000G).

New fork legs are in good nick, stantions are badly pitted and useless. I want to prepare the new legs for swapping over when the weather gets too horrible to ride.

Wally

[Steve]

First of all ... WELCOME TO THE FORUM. \\/ (This will have to suffice until BassCliff finds you and gives you the "offishul" welcome. 8-[ )


Some early forks had two springs in each leg. Is there a possibility you have one of those models? I, too, doubt that the spring would relax by 70mm, so I would suspect the presence of a second spring.

I just did a quick look on Bike Bandit and saw that they have different springs listed for the S model and the L model. The standard and the E model share a spring with a third part number. No specs are listed for any of them, so I can't tell what the differences are.


.

[BassCliff]

Hey howdy hey!

Mr. hampshirehog,

Let it be known that on this day you are cordially and formally welcomed to the GSR Forum as a Junior Member in good standing with all the rights and privileges thereof. Further, let it be known that "good standing" improves with pictures! :-D

Thanks for joining us. I'm sorry I don't have any expertise with your bike, but you can download this manual if you like.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
(The unofficial GSR greeter)

[hampshirehog]

Thanks for the welcome chaps. The guys over on CB1100F.net tipped me off about this site. I could have done with finding it a while back when working on other GS models as I had to re-invent the wheel a few times.

I used to spanner on Suzukis for a living in the late 70s / early 80s (before the owner's son inherited the dealership and cashed in) so GSs and GTs were my bread and butter. (I still shudder when I think about how many GT250s I rebuilt when all our 17 year old learners crashed them or blew them up) Hopefully I can make a positive contribution, though the memory has hazed over with the grey hairs!

Anyway, the plot thickens on the forks. According to wemoto.com their replacement stantions for a GS1000G are 612mm - mine are 595mm which is standard for the E/S etc. So that probably rules these out as G forks. I'll polish the new legs up anyway and have a measure up of the internals on the S when the weather turns and if it works out do the swap.

Wally

[bwringer]

There's also the possibility that the fork springs were replaced at some point. Progressives are wound from noticeably thicker wire, but it would be tough to tell the difference without a side-by-side comparison.

[hampshirehog]

Swapped the fork legs over today and the springs in the old legs were only slightly longer at 360mm so I guess I was wrong and the springs have compressed that much. Looks like it's a pair of progressives on the way to go with the new seals.

Interestingly, out of all 4 forks I only recovered around 200ml of really filthy fork oil - how do people ride these things when they've got that bad! And interestingly the front mudguard (which is a bodged Honda CB900F item) was held on my 4 bolts all of different thread. And 1 bolt in the LH caliper was the wrong thread. And the (expensive) steering damper was on upside down! Starting to think I've bought a wrong 'un here - the motor runs nice enough but I'm worried what I might find when I strip it down.

Wally

[Suzuki mad]

Hampshirehog,

I think a lot of people think that when they start working on a new bike. 'What a pile of sh*t I've bought!'

Part numbers are key as bits look the same for each bike. If the legs are the same dimensions then you may get away with it or use seals for the outers and new stations. A M Philpot (01582 571234) do a full rechroming service for the tubes a lot cheaper than replacement stantions.

Lots of wrong bits and bodges all over the place. Not supprising for a bike thats nearly 30 years old!

If the engine runs fine and doesn't burn oil then leave it alone. Sort out the electrics and the cosmetics.

Suzuki mad.