2004 fork rebuild. Wrong springs?

[eRw1n]

I just rebuilt my forks. I did racetech’s spring rate calculator and got the recommended springs. They were a good bit longer than my stock springs, but I didn’t think anything of it. I think I remember seeing within or on the packaging that they may be longer. My spacer didn’t fit as snug inside the top of the new spring as it did in the stock spring. Again, didn’t think much of it. Well now the front end is completely reassembled and with my preload turned all the way out, I only have 12mm of rider sag. I double checked the part number on my packing slip with the part number from the rate calculator. They match. Am I missing something or did I just get the wrong springs?

 

[tdelegram]

I just rebuilt my forks. I did racetech’s spring rate calculator and got the recommended springs. They were a good bit longer than my stock springs, but I didn’t think anything of it. I think I remember seeing within or on the packaging that they may be longer. My spacer didn’t fit as snug inside the top of the new spring as it did in the stock spring. Again, didn’t think much of it. Well now the front end is completely reassembled and with my preload turned all the way out, I only have 12mm of rider sag. I double checked the part number on my packing slip with the part number from the rate calculator. They match. Am I missing something or did I just get the wrong springs?

I would call race tech rather than asking the interweb, not saying there isn't people out here that may know, but do you know who to believe and that is familiar with your year and model bike as well as the race tech replacement. Race tech has a great customer service line that I have used in the past on dirt bikes.

 

[DethWshBkr]

I rebuilt the forks on my 05 R1, same thing. The RT springs are significantly longer.

First off, massive kudos for even being able to get it together!!!
I cut down the plastic spacer, the same length as the spring is longer.

 

[DethWshBkr]

 

[DethWshBkr]

Part 13/30 is what I cut down. The spring is a solid inch longer, so I cut the spacer down an inch.

 

[eRw1n]

View attachment 8766


Part 13/30 is what I cut down. The spring is a solid inch longer, so I cut the spacer down an inch.

I had to get the heavier springs because I’m a big guy and I had to use every ounce of my weight to compress it and get it together. Lol. I knew it shouldn’t have been that difficult. Racetech has instructions (not provided with the springs ) on how to measure the set length of the spring when assembled and the free length of the spring outside of the tube. Did some math and determined a minimum preload and figured a length to cut my spacer down to. All the trouble is still worth doing it myself IMO.

Thanks for your help!

 

[bmart]

I recently put straight rate springs in one of the VFRs and it looks like it was a straight tape measure job. Total distance of old springs, washers, and spacer equals the new shorter springs, washers, and longer spacer.

This may not always be true, but the numbers look pretty good so far.

 

[Yurzi]

I just rebuilt my forks. I did racetech’s spring rate calculator and got the recommended springs. They were a good bit longer than my stock springs, but I didn’t think anything of it. I think I remember seeing within or on the packaging that they may be longer. My spacer didn’t fit as snug inside the top of the new spring as it did in the stock spring. Again, didn’t think much of it. Well now the front end is completely reassembled and with my preload turned all the way out, I only have 12mm of rider sag. I double checked the part number on my packing slip with the part number from the rate calculator. They match. Am I missing something or did I just get the wrong springs?

Dethwshbkr has it right, you need to cut your spacers (part 13, 30 in diagram) by an amount equal to the excess spring length. You have no sag now because you have way too much installed preload.

 

[4alexmcknz]

It's been two months, have you managed to fix the issue?