YZ250 SSS forks: Need to get revalved for woods?

[LSHD]

I picked up a set of 2006 SSS forks for my 2005 YZ250. Not sure what springs they have. Need to open them up.

 

If they are stock (0.428), will they work well for trails and just a little bit of track with just clicker adjustments? I ride trails 95% of the time. It is necessary to get them revalved? Rear shock is an 07 0.49 titanium unequal pitch. I weigh 172 pounds without gear.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Excitable]

best way to know is ride it and adjust them, if you cant find a setting you like have them done.

[desertbound1024]

I would respring it for your weight and riding ability/style and see what you think. The clickers give you alot of adjustability, so I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't need a revalve.

[LSHD]

Sounding good. I think my weight is pretty good for the stock suspension. Will pop these open and check the springs and then just ride and see how they feel.  The Showa's on my 11 KX250F were done by Factory Connection and are awesome in the woods but still work on the track, but I have heard (no experience) that the KYB SSS forks are pretty good in factory trim.

 

My only concern is if they came off a 450, which I think uses a much higher value spring than I need. Will let you know.

Edited November 18, 2015 by LSHD

[Hans Schmid]

I think putting in lighter pressure springs is going to really improve the forks without touching the valving. As for the shock, it would have a 5.6kg titanium spring if it came off a 450...

[peski111]

The SSS forks are the best stock forks around.  You are right on the mark as far as weight.  When my son son got his new yz125, our suspension guys said the stock setup is going to be great.  Here is what we did.  Ran all the clickers in and ran a few laps.  Then ran all the clickers out and ran a few laps.  Then set them all in the middle and worked it from thee according to how he wanted it to feel.  That was 3 years ago.  He is within 1 click of what he wants no matter where we go. 

[Hans Schmid]

The SSS forks are the best stock forks around. You are right on the mark as far as weight. When my son son got his new yz125, our suspension guys said the stock setup is going to be great. Here is what we did. Ran all the clickers in and ran a few laps. Then ran all the clickers out and ran a few laps. Then set them all in the middle and worked it from thee according to how he wanted it to feel. That was 3 years ago. He is within 1 click of what he wants no matter where we go.

The best you have ridden, is the best you know...Guaranteed you could make them better...

[rpt50]

If you ride a bike with an offroad revalve, you will never be happy with the MX valving in the stock yamaha fork (SSS or otherwise).  It is simply not designed for trail/woods conditions.  

 

I also have to say that the stuff one reads about the "wonderous" SSS forks and how they are perfect for every condition is pretty much fantasy.  I am not much of an MX guy myself, but I can ride well enough on the track to recognize that the SSS fork works very well in that environment.  But if you compare the SSS fork to pretty much any competently revalved fork offroad, you will instantly feel the difference, and recognize that the SSS fork needs work.

 

The other important point is that you don't need to have SSS forks to get a good result offroad.   I currently ride and race an SSS bike (06 yz) and a non SSS bike (03 yz) both revalved by the same tuner.  Both bikes were borderline terrible in the woods before being revalved.  Now both are fantastic, and if there were someway to ride and not see the forks, I guarantee that 99.9% of riders could not tell the difference between the SSS and non-SSS fork.  I also had an 05 yz revalved by Factory Connection until last summer. That bike was just as good suspension-wise as the two bikes I have now.

 

The bottom line is that whatever fork you choose to use, if you want optimal results for OFFROAD riding, the best money you can spend is a fork and shock revalve/respring for your weight, ability, and riding conditions.  This will make far more difference in lap times and enjoyment of riding than pipes, graphics, and all the usual crap people spend money on.  

[peski111]

The best you have ridden, is the best you know...Guaranteed you could make them better...

Previously ran suspension mods in a yz125 and yz12f both.  Revalved and re-sprung for weight and ability.  They were very good, but he likes the current stock set up the best. 

[aled]

PM and I will tell you how to revalve them yourself. Well, the basevalve anyway. Not a big job. The mid-valve should be Ok.  

[numroe]

If those unknown SSS forks are off a YZ450F then the comp valving will be way too firm for off-road trails. Both the base and mid.  If you put softer springs in them, then the reb valving will also be way too firm/slow.

 

Simply put, any stock YZ SSS MX valving is a big compromise over what works well for off road technical trails. Forks and shock.

 

My forks are valved substantially softer than stock YZ250 SSS 2 stroke settings. Like an all-round setting, but more biased toward rough MX tracks, and they are still much too firm for technical trails. I don't believe they can be fixed. I've tried lots of things. The valving is just a choice.

 

Besides, if you have forks of unknown history then they need at least fresh oil and a general inspection of all typical wear parts. And at that point anyone who knows what they are doing can change the valving with an additional 45 minutes of work.

[MANIAC998]

I picked up a set of 2006 SSS forks for my 2005 YZ250. Not sure what springs they have. Need to open them up.

 

If they are stock (0.428), will they work well for trails and just a little bit of track with just clicker adjustments? I ride trails 95% of the time. It is necessary to get them revalved? Rear shock is an 07 0.49 titanium unequal pitch. I weigh 172 pounds without gear.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

1. Will they work well for trails and just a little bit of track with just clicker adjustments?  Yes, both the open bath and the SSS forks will work well for trail riding. Perhaps not ideally, but they will work well non-the-less.

 

2.Is it necessary to get them revalved? No. Again, both sets of forks can work well for trail riding. Racing, either against your buddies, or in a sanctioned event might show some of there shortcomings, but for trail riding, they will work quite well.

 

Can they be made to work better?  ABSOLUTELY!!! How fast do you want to spend?! LOL!!!

[Snider]

Well I finally got my SSS fork set.. I think I got screwed.... Could someone measure the total length of their sss fork from the very bottom to the very top... looks like I  got a set of lowered ones ha ha ha

Edited November 25, 2015 by Snider

[Hans Schmid]

Well I finally got my SSS fork set.. I think I got screwed.... Could someone measure the total length of their sss fork from the very bottom to the very top... looks like I got a set of lowered ones ha ha ha

Those are two entirely different forks...

Thinking about this, is that your 05 fork on the left?

Edited November 25, 2015 by Monk

[Snider]

Those are two entirely different forks...

Thinking about this, is that your 05 fork on the left?

Yes thats my 02 fork on the left.. The one on the right is from a 09YZ450F... Do they put spacers in to lower them or shorten parts?

[Hans Schmid]

Yes thats my 02 fork on the left.. The one on the right is from a 09YZ450F... Do they put spacers in to lower them or shorten parts?

Hopefully spacers. Who knows though until you year them apart. Could be a butcher job also...

[Snider]

Hopefully spacers. Who knows though until you year them apart. Could be a butcher job also...

I got them apart and the spring is the stock spring length so I think it just has a spacer on the damping rod. cant get  to it till my inner cap wrench comes.. Oil was super clean. no wear marks . man that thing had 2" preload on 46 springs!...

[trailman006]

Another " Bolt on and ride " sale ? LOL. I've purchased a few of those. They can be made good and you would have taken them apart to see what was in there anyways.

[rjpjnk]

Well I finally got my SSS fork set.. I think I got screwed.... Could someone measure the total length of their sss fork from the very bottom to the very top... looks like I  got a set of lowered ones ha ha ha

 

Don't worry yet. Assuming they were lowered properly it it totally reversible and very easy to do. As you already suspected, there is simply a spacer on the rod inside that limits the extension. Usually, when done right, there is also a new spring stop added (requires cutting a grove) so that the original length springs can still be used without added preload. That's how my lowered set are set up.

 

Did you buy the shock as well? Those are a bit harder to restore to full length, but still 100% reversible.

[Snider]

Don't worry yet. Assuming they were lowered properly it it totally reversible and very easy to do. As you already suspected, there is simply a spacer on the rod inside that limits the extension. Usually, when done right, there is also a new spring stop added (requires cutting a grove) so that the original length springs can still be used without added preload. That's how my lowered set are set up.

 

Did you buy the shock as well? Those are a bit harder to restore to full length, but still 100% reversible.

Interesting do you mean here by the spring stop?