Use and order of Installation

[dna9656]

Maybe I missed a post, maybe I'm being redundant but I need some assist with this:

I'm installing Progressive Suspension's (PS) Progressive Springs.

What's done:

I have the forks together, I tightened the 10mm hex screw with the 3/8" impact gun because I could not get a hold of the special tool and "T" handle Yamaha specs to do this job.

I got the fork oil at 5.5" even though the book says 13.8 OZ. (so I'll need to know if I have to add/subtract oil too...) I cycled the fork (I have completed only one tube of the fork in the hopes of correcting only one if I screwed it up.

Now the next question:

Do I use ALL these parts or only some and in what order are they installed?

I know the threaded cap goes last (duh) but the plug(?) with the "O" ring(?) I donno; the factory washer or the PS spring? the PS spacer? the PS washer?

 

 

I posted another question yesterday that got missed too: PS says if you have 2 springs (I think they mean in the tube separated by a washer) they want you to remove one.

This spring is in the lower tube so I think it's excluded (left in) Does anyone know fro sure please?

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by dna9656

[Marcarl]

The lower part stays as is. Make sure you have all three washer installed in order. The spring stays put.

On the top end, the shouldered washer goes on top of the spring if it fits, other wise use the plain washer. The factory spacer can be used if that works for you or you can use the plastic spacer provided. What this does is preload the spring, so it really has no effect on the operation of the fork other than how much preload is there. Now, preload will result in stiffness, the more preload the stiffer the spring, resulting in a softer or harder ride. Some guys have no preload and some use the whole spacer, and some use something in the middle. It's important that both are the same.

[dna9656]

The lower part stays as is. Make sure you have all three washer installed in order. The spring stays put.

On the top end, the shouldered washer goes on top of the spring if it fits, other wise use the plain washer. The factory spacer can be used if that works for you or you can use the plastic spacer provided. What this does is preload the spring, so it really has no effect on the operation of the fork other than how much preload is there. Now, preload will result in stiffness, the more preload the stiffer the spring, resulting in a softer or harder ride. Some guys have no preload and some use the whole spacer, and some use something in the middle. It's important that both are the same.

 

Well, I like the idea of using Yamaha's shouldered washer and spacer becasue it has an "O" ring on it providing extra sealage (well, you got leakage; why can't you have "sealage"?) and there is no plastic in the tube. So, spring, OEM washer and spacer, then the plug! I'm glad I don't have to use the plastic plug; that causes way more force to over come on the threaded cap!

Magilla Gorilla doesn't stop and play with me any more so I would be pushin' that baby down alone!

 

 

THANKS!!!

[Marcarl]

Yes, that piece of plastic will require quite a push, with the possibility of cross threading the stopper. You can cut the plastic done to a manageable size, I think most of us cut them in half and the only use the one. The washer is there for protection, from the sharp ends of a spring digging into a spacer, that's it's only real purpose

[Marcarl]

I got a sneaky feeling that the shoulder on the OEM washer doesn't fit into the Progressive Spring.

[dna9656]

I got a sneaky feeling that the shoulder on the OEM washer doesn't fit into the Progressive Spring.

 

It seems to fit just fine!

Thanks a lot for your help Carl!

[dna9656]

Yes, that piece of plastic will require quite a push, with the possibility of cross threading the stopper. You can cut the plastic done to a manageable size, I think most of us cut them in half and the only use the one. The washer is there for protection, from the sharp ends of a spring digging into a spacer, that's it's only real purpose

 

So I put all but a little of a 16 OZ. bottle of oil in one tube (the book calls for 13.8) so there is more than the prescribed 13.8 OZ. I cycled (no pun intended) the fork tube up and down several times while I poured the oil in (no gurgling) and the level is as precisely at 5.5" from the top as I can get it (I used a vernier caliper to measure the depth of the oil from the edge of the tube) so I KNOW that's correct.....

[coolwind57]

I just rebuilt my forks and upgraded to Progressives two weeks ago.

 

You must have a different year than my 83, but I didn't have that plug with O-ring that's under your plug. I cut my PVC piece at 5/8" and used two shouldered washers on either side. This gave me nearly 3/4" of pre-load (I tossed the long Yamaha spacer that filled in the difference between the factory and Progressive spring. This PVC/double-washer assembly was all that went under my single O-ring cap. The Progressive spring made good contact with the shouldered spacer.

 

Like others have said, the lower unit requires those 3 washers to be installed in correct order--Two wavy spring washers surrounding the discontinued flat washer. I bought my flat washer off of Ebay and it ran $12-14 each (ouch!). The rod spring gets retained as before.

 

My filling with oil sounds about the same as yours.

 

So far, I've used no air to adjust. I'm thrilled with the results. I rode all weekend. Love it.

[dna9656]

I just rebuilt my forks and upgraded to Progressives two weeks ago.

 

You must have a different year than my 83, but I didn't have that plug with O-ring that's under your plug. I cut my PVC piece at 5/8" and used two shouldered washers on either side. This gave me nearly 3/4" of pre-load (I tossed the long Yamaha spacer that filled in the difference between the factory and Progressive spring. This PVC/double-washer assembly was all that went under my single O-ring cap. The Progressive spring made good contact with the shouldered spacer.

 

Like others have said, the lower unit requires those 3 washers to be installed in correct order--Two wavy spring washers surrounding the discontinued flat washer. I bought my flat washer off of Ebay and it ran $12-14 each (ouch!). The rod spring gets retained as before.

 

My filling with oil sounds about the same as yours.

 

So far, I've used no air to adjust. I'm thrilled with the results. I rode all weekend. Love it.

 

Thanks for the benefit of your direct experience! Yes my bike is an ;88 and the forks have 2 major differences so far as my limited experience goes; the brakes are dual piston on the '88 and the anti-dive units are designed differently. The cool thing about the 83 to 85 forks is that they can be upgraded with "R-1" (I may have this confused with "R-1000) dual piston brake calipers. These calipers are dual or quad piston design, I don't remember which but they are a bolt on mod with the toughest part being the brake hoses. Skydoc has a kit for this mod and other cool stuff too. Check him out here on the forum!