Need Help!

[Coyote Chris]

Help!  I took apart my 2003 Connie's forks and one spring came out with the wide spacing on top and one spring came out with the wide spacing at the bottom!!!!!
Does the wide spacing part of the spring end up a the top of the fork or the bottom???  I have had this bike since new so this screw up was done at the factory.

Thanks for your help...
chris

[jim snyder]

I believe its "tight" wound coils at the top, but they should both be the same for sure.

[Coyote Chris]

Thanks!  That is what the aftermarket spring providers say in their instructions, also.  So unless I hear different, that is what I am going to do.....the fork with no weeping seal had pretty clean oil after 32,000 mi but the fork that had just a bit of weeping was filthy....flushed both out.....put in Belray 15w.
I think the guy who put my forks together was at his first day at the job....tripple clamp bolts terribley overtightened....I still have no idea how much tube should show above the top trippleclamp.  Mine came from the factory with 7mm of chrome above the top trippleclamp, including the bevel.....

[Coyote Chris]

Fred Harmon said by e-mail that the closely wound section goes down, then said he was going by memory when I offered this on line pdf guide.
http://www.gtrmania.com/upload/Download/Kawasaki_GTR1000_Front_Fork_Oil_Seal_Replacement.pdf

The upshot is that I still dont know the truth, but the truth is out there....

Larry Buck, where are you?

Chris

[midnightrider]

Ok. I may be looking at this way too simple minded but, it's a coil spring. It has the same spring rate if it's installed up side down or right side up. What's the problem?

[yoman]

Tighter wound part of the spring goes to the top.

[Coyote Chris]

Thanks, yoman!  I just KNEW someone here has done their forks and remembered.  I think Fred is a bit confused as his Goldwind and my NT700v, for instance, have them the other way.....

Thanks
Chris sleeping better now....

[bbroj]

Ok. I may be looking at this way too simple minded but, it's a coil spring. It has the same spring rate if it's installed up side down or right side up. What's the problem?

For the engineering minds out there, I tend to agree with the quoted post. Is there a difference, and if so, why?

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

There's no difference in functionality, but I think it's the difference between sprung and unsprung weight. since you want the least unsprung weight, the tight coils go to the top. Steve

[bbroj]

Interesting. I never considered the springs themselves as either sprung or unsprung weight, but as the defining factor between the two and neutral to both. Not arguing, 'cause I have no idea and am sincerely curious, but doesn't the entire weight of the spring get carried on the bottom end of the fork, and if so wouldn't it be considered unsprung?

[works4me]

There's no difference in functionality, but I think it's the difference between sprung and unsprung weight. since you want the least unsprung weight, the tight coils go to the top. Steve

This^^
You don't want to accelerate/decelerate the additional mass of the tighter coils as the wheel moves up and down.
Less unsprung is better.

[bbroj]

Got it! That makes sense to me. The motion of the fork assembly (ideally) takes place at the lower end of the fork. Less mass/weight being accelerated and decelerated= better performing fork. Thanks!

[enim57]

The tight wound coils will always compress first as they are the softer, therefore if they are at the top, all of the open coils will be accelerating up/down all the time. If the tight coils are at the bottom then only they will be accelerating until fully compressed. Also, having the tight coils at the bottom lowers the centre of gravity of the spring.

In use I don't think it makes a noticable difference. If you want a real difference replace them with heavier straight wound springs, then thicker oil, then cartridge emulators, and finally a fork brace.

Regards, Russell

[Coyote Chris]

Just as an aside, when I cleaned out all the yucky dirty oil and replaced it with 15w Belray, the right fork seal weeping stopped.  Also, I suppose that the final airspace above the oil would change a bit if the wide part was down instead of up, but no matter...the forks work fine and now the right one doesnt weep.

[yoman]

Job well done