Front Air Suspension Question GS1100G

[londonboards]

I seem to have a fairly unusual air balancing system on my GS1100 and it poses the problem of how to get the fork tubes out of the T.

See: My GS1100G Blog - Front Air Suspension

This is the system:







How do I get these off:





Greetings

[SVSooke]

The 83 750's have the same thing.Put some penetrating oil on the top and bottom of the fittings and knock the rust down on the upper stanchions.Once you have some lubrication on the 2 o rings they move easier.

[londonboards]

SVSooke thanks for that.

Can I assume that they detatch fully by sliding up? I am guessing there is a hole in the stanchion somewhere that allows the air to pass?

Greetings

[hjfisk]

Yes just o-rings underneath with a hole in the tube. A little lube and some twisting should get them. I myself would spray the fork tube with a light weight oil and hit the tubes with some 2000 grit sand paper and clean the rust up before removing them , it will make it easier to get them off.The 2000 grit paper works real well with like wd40 as a rust remover on fork tubes , it will remove the little pitting that is so common on fork tubes, it also will not mark up the chrome surface.

[hampshirehog]

As hjfisk says. They are a tight fit (they obviously need to be to keep the air in). You will need new O rings when you put things back together.

[tatu]

Looks like those tubes are toast anyway, but certainly remove the bumps of rust before trying to get those banjos off. There is a hard chromer that I saw at Stafford advertises in the classic motorcycle mag will do the pair for £125 which is not too bad., failing that if you're not in a rush give me a call when I get back,. Check to see if they're straight, if not don't despair. I know a clever man.

[londonboards]

Does this "air suspension" actually work?

OK I see now. I have got the collars off and there is the little air hole in the fork stanchion:





The thing is I am thinking of getting this air hole filled and doing away with the air suspension system all together. Or does it really work? I seem to remember that it never really held it's air and was difficult to pump up as it doesn't really take much volume of air and it's difficult to get the right pressure to display on the gauge. And I found the darn thing the other day:



Greetings

[hampshirehog]

I have used both:

http://www.dynasurf.co.uk/index_files/Page645.htm

and

http://www.hardchromeplating.co.uk/services.cfm (ask for Frank if phoning).

for fork chroming. They're quicker than Philpotts and do a great job. Cost is the same at both - £150 including return p&p.

You can get those holes sealed off and use uprated springs (Hagon / Progressives / Wilbers etc).

[londonboards]

tatu I have seen the hard re-chroming advertised but not as cheap as that. I seem to remember about £225 / £250 which included reconditioning the bottoms.

As a result I bought myself another set for about £50 which don't have anything like the same amount of pitting but they turned out to be 40.80 mm stanchions and mine are 36.70. They look like being from a 16 valve GS1100 not the 8 valve that I have. I might get a T from one of those if it would fit mine. That's a possible alternative solution.

Greetings

[londonboards]

So the air suspension bit is not worth having? No road holding advantage?

Greetings

[hampshirehog]

So the air suspension bit is not worth having? No road holding advantage?

Greetings

It was a good idea at the time I suppose and does work. The Achilles heel was always leaks and finnicky set up.

Whacking some of those other springs in there will do the job just as well, if not better.

[tatu]

you got pm, check to see if the same tube length/diameter is used on any other gs and give that fella a ring, he might have what you need without holes and good chrome

[londonboards]

Cheers tatu I will call him. Sounds like a good guy to know.

Where can I get lengths and diameters from? I will sell this other pair I have as well but it's better to know which bike they will fit.

Greetings

[tatu]

Cheers tatu I will call him. Sounds like a good guy to know.

Where can I get lengths and diameters from? I will sell this other pair I have as well but it's better to know which bike they will fit.

Greetings

Someone posted up a chart on here a few weeks back that gave the details, failing that measure them and ask here, lots of knowledgable folk here.

[hampshirehog]

The Wemoto website gives the dimensions of the forks they sell.

Plus there's this which i have used and is accurate (so far as I know):

http://scandalon.com/2009/06/motorcycle-fork-diameter-chart/

What length and diameter have you got and what did you buy?