2 questions - front suspension and turn signals

[portdave]

1978 GS750 with 83 1100E front suspension with anti-dive and air bridge (installed by PO)

Blinkers
On the way to work this morning my blinkers at times would stay on solid instead of blinker. By the time I got to work I tried turning the lights off and then sometimes it would start to blink. Also when it was blinking it seemed slow...

Suspension
I have the manual for the 78 but not the 83 1100E. I am considering trying to just get the right forks back on the bike and putting some PS springs in there. Looking for suggestions and thoughts...

Spent some time trying to research forks. Found damper screw at top of fork that seemed to help with the rebound. Before that it was not coming back up very well. Also figured out how to add air to the bridge. That raised up the forks a little more.

Now I seem to notice some instability at around 40-60. A slight wobble if I barely hold on or let go for just a second. I thought maybe the head bearings might be shot or just loose. I tried tightening them some. Not too tight but just before I feel drag. I also loosened the appropriate bolts before I did this according to my manual. Then tightened all back up.

This did not seem to help much. I still noticed the wobble this morning on the way to work.

I am thinking of getting some new bearings but which bearings should I get? The ones for the 78 or for the 83?

TIA.

David

[ksimonet]

I have found that a low battery will cause the blinker to stick on.

[posplayr]

David

Just a quick response.

The turn signal relay needs to pull sufficient current to cause a bi-metallic spring to heat up and break contact. If the grounds are bad and not enough current flows or only one light is working, or you change to lights that do not pull enough current then the lights may not blink although they stay on. Hope this helps.

On the forks , the GS1100ED forks are larger diameter and should be stiffer than the smaller diameter GS750 forks. It is an upgrade and should make the bike more stable in turns(i.e. less flex). On the other hand the GS1100ED forks are not trailing (the axle is in line with the fork rather than behind it like the earlier) This tends to make the steering quicker, more trail is lazier.

The standard up grade is to do PS springs, a fork brace is always nice (available for $99). If you want to go all out get a cartridge emulator from Racetech. An uncut PS spring and racetech emulator is a little stiff which his nice for the 1100, but may be a little too much for a lighter 750. You might go Racetech all around if you do the emulators.

Also normally the anti dive is disabled with the emulator which you should do one way or another. The right springs will make the air unnecessary.

You should be able to get PS springs for those forks and in fact if I ever do a Gixxer suspension upgrade on my GS1100ED, I would fit the forks and swing arm to my 81 GS750EX.

See link below for Cartridge emulators install on GS1100ED

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=121271&highlight=cartridge+emulator&page=4

There are cheaper ways to go, but this solution is pretty nice.

On on the bearings, they should be identical check the micro fice for the sizes of both models.

Posplayr

Now I seem to notice some instability at around 40-60. A slight wobble if I barely hold on or let go for just a second. I thought maybe the head bearings might be shot or just loose. I tried tightening them some. Not too tight but just before I feel drag.

I think the zero trail on the forks probably makes this low speed wobble more likley if the fork bearing is loose. I have had to keep tightening mine after I replaced mine. Still needs it but have not gotten around to it. The wobble is only at low speed and worse at liek 20 mph is you take your hands off the bars. No hint of instability at higher speed, although if it is loose enough it can crop up. I would keep tightening using the light drag with lifted front wheel technique.

[portdave]

I have found that a low battery will cause the blinker to stick on.

That is probably it. I let a friend borrow my charger and I just got it back on sunday. Charging now as we speak so to speak.....

Thanks.

[portdave]

David

Just a quick response.

The turn signal relay needs to pull sufficient current to cause a bi-metallic spring to heat up and break contact. If the grounds are bad and not enough current flows or only one light is working, or you change to lights that do not pull enough current then the lights may not blink although they stay on. Hope this helps.

On the forks , the GS1100ED forks are larger diameter and should be stiffer than the smaller diameter GS750 forks. It is an upgrade and should make the bike more stable in turns(i.e. less flex). On the other hand the GS1100ED forks are not trailing (the axle is in line with the fork rather than behind it like the earlier) This tends to make the steering quicker, more trail is lazier.

I have the 750ec bike and I thought mine were originally in line with the forks. I know the L model is different. The larger tube (37mm?) makes sense. I just don't want to deal with the anti dive or the air bridge. Are the 850 forks an option to use with the PS springs and maybe the emulators down the road when I have more money?

I might just try and make the best of what i have right now. Do you have an adjuster at the top of your fork for dampening? Using a flat screwdriver and pushing down with the weight off the forks.

I will look at the parts again for the head bearings. I thought they were different on the fiche but at least I know they will work either way. I have tightened it a little and it seems a little better. I probably just need new bearings.

I got a chance to look at some of your restore. Absolutely amazing. I wish I was closer to see it but we are on opposite coasts.

I really appreciate you taking the time to help.

God bless.

David

[posplayr]

OK the low cost approach

The most important thing to do is make sure the steering head bearing is in good shape not dry and not notch. If any doubts just replace it.

PS springs are pretty cheap ($55 as I recall), but as an alternative you can cut don the springs you have and add a larger spacer to increase the spring rate. I've never done it but do a search I think Nissem has described doing this several times but dont cut off more than about 4" (his reference).

Finally if you go to a home improvement store and get some flat brass plate, you can make some block off plates as I showed in my link. That blocks the oil from the antidive and then use some JB weld (properly cured) on the banjo fitting coming from the brake caliper to the antidive. I also showed a picture how I used a Dermal tool to increase the port size so the JB weld could be inserted and pressed into the orifice to block off the brake fluid from getting to the anti-dive units.

As far as air just bleed it and it is gone.

The adjusters at the top are spring preload. I thing there are about 4 settings. You will also see pics of those in the link. The damping adjustment for the 83GS100ED forks are at the bottom of the fork just below the antidive unit. A knob terms with 4 settings. After my racetech emulators min damping control has to be achieved by emulator adjustment. For now it rides great so there is no reason to change.

Thanks for the complements on the project. It was way more work than I thought it was going to be. I got a lot of help from members of this board so I'm just giving some back.

A little advice, get a real Suzuki manual even if it is PDF...

Posplayr

[portdave]

The most important thing to do is make sure the steering head bearing is in good shape not dry and not notch. If any doubts just replace it.

PS springs are pretty cheap ($55 as I recall), but as an alternative you can cut don the springs you have and add a larger spacer to increase the spring rate. I've never done it but do a search I think Nissem has described doing this several times but dont cut off more than about 4" (his reference).

Finally if you go to a home improvement store and get some flat brass plate, you can make some block off plates as I showed in my link. That blocks the oil from the antidive and then use some JB weld (properly cured) on the banjo fitting coming from the brake caliper to the antidive. I also showed a picture how I used a Dermal tool to increase the port size so the JB weld could be inserted and pressed into the orifice to block off the brake fluid from getting to the anti-dive units.

As far as air just bleed it and it is gone.

The adjusters at the top are spring preload. I thing there are about 4 settings. You will also see pics of those in the link. The damping adjustment for the 83GS100ED forks are at the bottom of the fork just below the antidive unit. A knob terms with 4 settings. After my racetech emulators min damping control has to be achieved by emulator adjustment. For now it rides great so there is no reason to change.

Thanks for the complements on the project. It was way more work than I thought it was going to be. I got a lot of help from members of this board so I'm just giving some back.

A little advice, get a real Suzuki manual even if it is PDF...

Posplayr

Thanks once again for all your information. I do have the PDF on my 78 along with the Clymer but I need to get a PDF for the 83 front end. I have had a hard time finding one.

Thanks for the info on the adjusters. I thought the one below the antidive was for how much the antidive came into play with 4 being the highest. I have mine at 2 now. I might try and put it to 4 and see how it feels.

Thanks for all the great pics on your restore. I looked at the brass plate and the way you blocked off the banjo fitting. Pics are awesome. Worth a 1000 words!!

I might try and cut them or just wait til I have the money for the PS springs. How easy to get back in there and adjust the emulators?

I am gonna get some bearings at the minimum.

God bless and have a great day. Thanks so much for all your help.

David