Two fork springs?

[ryonker]

I just disassembled my front forks, and instead of a spacer and a long spring, there are two springs; long one and a short one.

This is on a 78 750C. The springs were seperated by a washer.

Is this the "normal" fork set up on this bike?

Rick

[twiggy2cents]

yes im pretty sure that was a progressive rate spring before they had such a thing, my shop manual for my bike says the old ones had that

[Hammered]

I just disassembled my front forks, and instead of a spacer and a long spring, there are two springs; long one and a short one.

This is on a 78 750C. The springs were seperated by a washer.

Is this the "normal" fork set up on this bike?

Rick

Was in my 1982 forks I have on my chop build. The replacement Progressives were a one one piece.

[ryonker]

Thanks guys!

The other oddity is that there is no hex shape on the end part of the forks (you know, put a 19mm od bolt on a 24 inch piece of rod, slide it in the fork tube).

I kept trying to catch something with the rod and bolt and it didn't seem to work. But I just unscrewed the bottom hex bolt and it still came right off. The end of that short piece has a circular hole at the end and not a hex shape.

[Steve]

Yep, some of those early springs were merely dual-rate, not truly progressive.

Amost as good at the time, but they are still just as worn out now.

.

[ryonker]

Yep, some of those early springs were merely dual-rate, not truly progressive.

Amost as good at the time, but they are still just as worn out now.

.

So are you saying I should replace them?

Here are some pics.

[ryonker]

Here's a pic of the end piece that is round and not hex shaped.

[Steve]

Replacing them would be your call, but I think you would notice the improvement.

A LOT of change will also be noted by simply changing the fork oil and putting in the proper quantity of the proper weight oil,
but there's nothing like having the proper spring rate, too.

.

[ryonker]

Replacing them would be your call, but I think you would notice the improvement.

A LOT of change will also be noted by simply changing the fork oil and putting in the proper quantity of the proper weight oil,
but there's nothing like having the proper spring rate, too.

.

Yes; good thing I didn't ride it much (I am riding my 79); there was almost NO fork oil in it !

[salty_monk]

I did a set of 550E forks EXACTLY like that. (Hex came straight out on those too!).

I took out the small spring & replaced it with a solid spacer the same length (it was about 4" from memory).

Instant upgrade! Forks felt like the ones on my 1000's (with progressive upgraded springs in them).

I would suggest trying it!

Dan

[ryonker]

I did a set of 550E forks EXACTLY like that. (Hex came straight out on those too!).

I took out the small spring & replaced it with a solid spacer the same length (it was about 4" from memory).

Instant upgrade! Forks felt like the ones on my 1000's (with progressive upgraded springs in them).

I would suggest trying it!

Dan

Dan, what did you use for the spacer?

Rick

[Nessism]

PVC pipe. If the front end is too stiff after you ditch the smaller spring, you can cut the smaller sping in half and only replace a portion of if with the spacer. The idea is to experiment until you find the stiffness you want.

[salty_monk]

As Ed says thick wall PVC pipe is best as it's easy to cut etc but actually on that one we used some galvanised steel plumbing pipe because Ed's neighbour just happened to have a couple of pieces the right dia & length (those fittings you get at OSH or wherever with a thread on each end already at 4" lengths). No cutting or finishing required. Worked great. We didn't have any PVC the right Dia.

Ed lives pretty close to me so often gets roped into my projects!!

Dan