Why would someone remove rubber bumpers from inside forks?

JohnnyP636

JohnnyP636

Well-known member
Site Supporter
So I have a set of 05 636 forks that someone wants me to change the seals on because they are leaking, and I just noticed while disassembling them. That someone has removed the rubber bumpers that go under the cap for when the forks bottom out...Besides giving you 10mm more travel, why would anyone do this? Its clear the chrome fork bottom has now come in contact with the bottom of the aluminum frock cap, as there is now an impression in it....Never seen this before....
 
frekeyguy said:
DIY gone wrong?
Click to expand...

Its not like you can just forget to put them back in, youd either have to cut them off or take the cap off the springs/valves to get them off...So it was done with intent, just dont know the reasoning behind it...
 
Pics?? I don't know where they go
 
JohnnyP636 said:
Its not like you can just forget to put them back in, youd either have to cut them off or take the cap off the springs/valves to get them off...So it was done with intent, just dont know the reasoning behind it...
Click to expand...

I've read before that some people do it to get more travel..not sure why you'd need more..
 
Did they put in heavier springs at least? I've seen changes where you have to cut something to gain the space for adding something else, but you don't end up removing, just taking a chunk out.
 
Baggsy said:
Did they put in heavier springs at least? I've seen changes where you have to cut something to gain the space for adding something else, but you don't end up removing, just taking a chunk out.
Click to expand...

Springs are stock
 
Parts bin forks? maybe from a few crashed bikes or such? I've got a few sets of bent/broken forks lying around here that I could make a good set, and if putting them together after being apart for a while I'd probably **** something up, and maybe forget a part or two. I'd also look at a manual, or fishe to make sure i got it right though.

Maybe somebody got tired of bottoming out the forks, and thought,....if I only had about 10mm more fork travel. People do some strange things to motorcycles in the pursuit of performance. Not all of it is based on fact, or sound logic.
 
I've heard of seemingly odd things being done in conjunction with suspension tuning to achieve specific objectives (like 10mm more travel ...) but with stock fork springs ... doesn't make sense.

Manufacturing error from day one? It's not like this fault is visible or easily detectable once the fork is assembled.
 
That would be a misguided/misinformed attempt at suspension modifications, trying to get MORE suspension... where in the end it would result in LESS suspension.

Those would be the "jounce", the last attempt for the forks to handle a compression... even the shape of the jounce is important (meaning don't change it unless you know EXACTLY what you're doing).
It would be the last bit of cushion before the two fork tubes just STOP sliding...BANG, upsetting the front end incredibly.

You see that modification at the drag strip ALL THE TIME. The thing launches OK, then BANG the rear end unloads and just spins.
 
bitzz said:
That would be a misguided/misinformed attempt at suspension modifications, trying to get MORE suspension... where in the end it would result in LESS suspension.
Click to expand...

I would think that this kind of mod would require some serious knowledge. Is the damping cartridge going to work as expected at that amount of compression? Is the damping profile going to work when the fork is moving outside the range of its original intent? Lemme rephrase, it would require some serious knowledge for it to actually work well. :-)
 
Its possible that someone had a set of Race Tech springs in there and they got swaped out for stock at some stage
 
Delboy said:
Its possible that someone had a set of Race Tech springs in there and they got swaped out for stock at some stage
Click to expand...

Racetech springs require removing the bottoming out rubber stops? The bike has 35,000km and the fork oil was too clean to be OEM, so I know it was changed at some point and someone was in there at one point...Other then the fresh oil and the missing rubber stopers I did not notice anything else that wasnt stock, even the setting are stock...
 
Forks were previously sent to a shop for a refresh and the junior mechanic assigned to the task f'ed up when reassembling???
 
beverage said:
Forks were previously sent to a shop for a refresh and the junior mechanic assigned to the task f'ed up when reassembling???
Click to expand...

They dont need to come off the vale/spring assembly to change the fluid or do the seals....Which leads me to believe they were removed on purpose, as you have to compress the spring and take the cap off to get them out.

Meh I'll take a pic in a bit and show you guys what Im talking about
 
It just seems like such a terrible idea. Has anyone ever seen them dry out before (ie. could they have cracked and instead of replacing them they just removed them?). If you are getting that close to the end of your suspension travel, I want more rubber as a cushion, not less.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom