Kayaba Spring Guides
Posted: June 15th, 2007, 1:07 pm
You know those white spring guides inside your Kayaba forks? You know what I'm talking about, the big white things about 6-8 inches long with guide fins on them. Anyhow, over time these things have a tendency to swell up and cause the springs to catch on them resulting in a pretty nasty stiction. When I took mine apart for the first time a few years ago, I literally had to unscrew the springs to get them off. I didn't know any better, I had never attempted it before. So I put my new, correct rate springs in, and was amazed at how much better the bike performed. Well, after years of hearing how much difference having your suspension properly worked over can make, I finally caved and had mine done. The guy I took them to has 20 years of experience doing this and used to work for Race Tech. (he's also one hell of a woods rider up here) I also chose this guy because when I talked to him, he had solid answers for me on what he does, how he does it and what it's based on. He has EXTENSIVE seat time on all the bikes in some of the nastiest terrain to be found. When he goes out riding, he has telemetry hooked up to his bike and gathers data about exactly what the suspension is doing, dumps the data into his database and compares that to how the bike felt to him. WOW! I showed up early to pick them up while he was in the middle of working with mine and showed me what was going on. He then proceeded to take the guides to a grinder to make the springs glide over them like they should. I also had new valving put in based on what he and his database said I should have after discussing what I ride and how I ride. The best part? I only owed the guy $240 afterward.
Anyhow, they are back on the bike now, and I should be going out for a ride tomorrow to try them out. I'll let you know what happens.
If you have Kayaba forks with the white spring guides, check them out to make sure the springs slide over them easily. The black ones apparently don't swell.
Anyhow, they are back on the bike now, and I should be going out for a ride tomorrow to try them out. I'll let you know what happens.
If you have Kayaba forks with the white spring guides, check them out to make sure the springs slide over them easily. The black ones apparently don't swell.
