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XT suspension

By weantright,
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Grand Master

weantright

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Well I removed the front wheel axle for the second time in its life and out came some aluminum threads. So what to do?? Don't need an upgraded CC or OC Sachs forks but do need something to replace these crappy forks. So my thoughts were a KTM 85 fork as on paper the stroke and diameter are nearly the same. Has anyone looked at this type of set-up?? I don't have an 85 to verify but I can get a complete front end for around $600. Is it worth the risk or just jump to the full size forks? And no the cartridge solves one issue but not the issue at hand,,,,, cheap crappy quality!

Concerns with the full size forks, rise in seat height, too stiff and too tall in clamps.

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kawagumby
kawagumby

4th gear?   I pin mine full out in 6th gear on fireroads full of rocks, potholes, and the occasional water bar.  And that is with the stock front suspension with 15 wt oil and the stock shock. I guess

kawagumby
kawagumby

Woman!?!  Hell's-bells...my friend, that makes a difference to a lot of men too!  The seat height makes dabbing easy without losing your balance, the low weight and CG make the bike super-flickable...

kawagumby
kawagumby

I recommend using anti-seize compound on aluminum threads any time you have components apart.  Also, keep the torque on the low side -

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wwguy

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"Full size" forks only raise seat height if you adjust them higher than what you already have.  Most of the full-size CC & OC forks fitted to the XT have been shortened by 30mm, so they don't ride high in the triple clamps.  My experience has been that stiffness (or plushness) reflects the fork's spring rate, valving, and oil more than anything else.  I'm running a set of 48mm CC Zokes with 5 wt. oil on mine an find the ride more plush and more fun to ride than with the stock Olle forks.

FWIW I also ride a Yamaha WR250R dual-sport with 46 mm KYB forks.  Design is OC, but is inferior to the 48 mm OC forks on WRF trail bikes.  But the outer tube upper and lower triple clamp landing points are the same diameter as the stock XT.  Stock valving in these KYBs is questionable, but they're great after a Race Tech re-valve.  I initially considered them for my XT but was ultimately discouraged by the effort required to match fork offset, axle (or wheel), spacers, and brake hangers.  Pretty much the same challenges as everyone faces with XT fork mods, which I think is why the expensive bolt-on kits have been as popular as they have.

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Grand Master

weantright

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10 hours ago, ossidog said:

Search here or Facebook or whatever to get the lowdown a

nd people really hate my honest reviews as I have ad both a RR and  XT but get ready to spend a couple of thousand getting that bike rideable.  RR is a far far better bike

RR for this application is not very good. Need low seat height, low weight and reduce power.

I have known about the crappy suspension from the day it was released. For the intended purpose the bike fit well but the forks are letting us down in other ways outside of the poor handling. Quality is lacking a lot so do we fix the crap or replace it???

9 hours ago, ohiodrz400sm said:

The axle carrier threads off I believe. Call Rodney and see if he can order one.

Another option is to helicoil it.
I had the same problem last week with my shock.

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app
 

I will first chase the threads hoping it works otherwise helicoil will go in to get it rideable. On every fork the clamp/carrier threads on. For the price, down time and potential future damage is it worth it?? Plus she gave her concent and checkbook for new suspension because she's tired of missing riding waiting for parts/tools. 

8 hours ago, kawagumby said:

I recommend using anti-seize compound on aluminum threads any time you have components apart.  Also, keep the torque on the low side -

Yep this was the issue from the factory. First time the axle was locked on so bad I needed heat to remove it. Second time the treads came out. It's just a bad design or good design with poor materials. Either case it broke and I replacing it with better. 

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Grand Master

GP

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A nice set of OC KYBs, shortened, resprung, and revalved would be a far better choice, more suited to the application, and much more affordable to setup and maintain.

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Grand Master

weantright

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18 minutes ago, ohiodrz400sm said:

If you have the wife's consent and check book than the answer is clear.http://www.motosupply.com/beta-beta-beta-ohlins-fork-p-2474.html?osCsid=q27jo4hihtks1vt3f6tjf8g9v3

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app
 

Would jump on this but it's a Sachs fork and CC.

3 minutes ago, GP said:

A nice set of OC KYBs, shortened, resprung, and revalved would be a far better choice, more suited to the application, and much more affordable to setup and maintain.

+1, Just need to get some measurements for the offset or buy the Boano clamps, axle and spacers then the OC KYB's. Not concern about valving as ProTune has done a set already with good results. First thing is to chase the threads and get it back on the trail.

 

On ‎7‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 10:54 AM, ohiodrz400sm said:

The axle carrier threads off I believe. Call Rodney and see if he can order one.

Another option is to helicoil it.
I had the same problem last week with my shock.

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app
 

No helicoils for the M20 - 1.5 but Time-Serts are available at $200.

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Grand Master

ohiodrz400sm

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No helicoils for the M20 - 1.5 but Time-Serts are available at $200.


http://www.threadtoolsupply.com/M20x15-professional-helical-insert-repair-kit.html

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app


I'll go see if I can find some here at work.

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app

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Grand Master

weantright

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29 minutes ago, ohiodrz400sm said:

 

 


http://www.threadtoolsupply.com/M20x15-professional-helical-insert-repair-kit.html

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app


I'll go see if I can find some here at work.

Sent from my XT1650 using ThumperTalk mobile app
 

 

Thanks for trying, $150 for helicoils,,,, ouch!

15 minutes ago, ossidog said:

I have owned both, I think you are talking 6 pounds if that and one inch.

The XT really is a horrid frame too 

Seat height, one inch means a lot to a female! Power is the biggest thing that would cost more to get to then upgrading the XT's suspension for our needs. Right now our XT's power is like a CRF230. Plus we already have the XT with options, would be too much to convert over or buy again. I would hold on to these forks if they weren't so dam cheap.

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kawagumby

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4 minutes ago, ossidog said:

BS, put it 4th gear on a corridor road.  

4th gear?   I pin mine full out in 6th gear on fireroads full of rocks, potholes, and the occasional water bar.  And that is with the stock front suspension with 15 wt oil and the stock shock. I guess whomever is setting up your suspensions needs some help in sorting out your problems with this bike, or...mebbe you're not an experienced rider or don't understand what this bike is designed to do. 
Sorry to get so curt with you, but thousands of experienced riders love this bike, including me - and I've yet to tap it's full potential as I've just installed the new fork cartridge released recently.  I also have the 390 RR-S and it can't hold a candle to this smoker in the rough tight stuff - neither could the 2015 KTM/Husky TE250 smoker I got rid of, or any of the converted motocrossers I've used for off-road and racing hare scrambles. 

I'll grant that mebbe for your specific weight, size, or type of riding, the stock XT may not be the best bike for you, but that doesn't make you an authority on it.

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kawagumby

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27 minutes ago, ohiodrz400sm said:



Ask any woman, 6lbs or 1 inch makes a difference.
 

Woman!?!  Hell's-bells...my friend, that makes a difference to a lot of men too!  The seat height makes dabbing easy without losing your balance, the low weight and CG make the bike super-flickable...I can take this bike on radical trails I used to only ride my super-mini's on.  No other bike full-sized bike can do that for me.

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canamfan

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Boana racing has just released a cartridge kit for both forks, so you have 2 springs and two cartridges one for each fork and rebound adjustment on the left forks top, and compression adjustment on the right forks top. Sierra motorcycle supply has them listed in Boana race parts. $800 bucks, so kinda expensive but I've ordered it, only thing is I had rotator cuff surgery 3 months ago so it will be awhile before I can test it. While I'm off I'm doing some upgrades.

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