Installed Fork Adjusters Today

20567 Views 43 Replies 16 Participants Last post by R3Wheelchair, Oct 16, 2020

FangShui

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

3

I received the fork adjusters I ordered from eBay today. In case anyone is worried about the fit and the quality, these fit perfectly and are much sturdier than the stock caps.

Installation is about a 20-25 minute job. They don't come with any instructions, not even in Thai. So:

You will need:

6mm allen wrench or hex head socket
22mm socket or adjustable wrench
Anti-seize lubricant
10mm socket or wrench to adjust the pre-load after installation

FIRST: Remove the load off of the front forks (they will be under pressure!) by lifting using either: a stand and the appropriate triple tree pin for the R3; a motorcycle jack (this is what I used and, once positioned correctly, it was very stable); or a car jack and a block of wood. The front tire should be just off the ground. Make sure the bike is stable before continuing with the install. I can't emphasize this enough!!!!!!!

NOTE: If you use the last method you will definitely want someone to help you hold the bike in position! This is NOT the preferred method but will work if you VERY CAREFULLY position the wood block. Use at your own risk!

1.) Loosen the pinch bolts on the clip-ons with the 6mm allen key/hex head socket

2.) Unscrew the stock fork caps with the 22mm socket (or wrap electric tape around the cap and CAREFULLY use an adjustable wrench). If you're just going to toss the stock caps, or re-cycle the aluminum, ignore the CAREFULLY part.

3.) Remove the O-ring from the stock caps. You will re-use this.

4.) Place the O-ring on the fork adjuster

5.) Spread some anti-seize lubricant on the threads of the adjuster and on the small 1mm lip of the adjuster that contacts the stock spacer inside the fork tube.

6.) Carefully wipe off any anti-seize that you get on the O-ring.

7.) Screw in the adjuster and tighten to 5 foot pounds with a torque wrench. If you don't have a torque wrench, just tighten it snugly, don't really lay on the muscle, it's aluminum! The pinch bolts keep things from loosening up anyway.

8. Re-tighten the 6mm pinch bolts.

All done! You can carry a 10mm wrench with you to adjust the pre-load during a ride until you achieve the performance of the forks that you're looking for

The range of adjustment is around 5/8"

Sorry, I won't have a chance to test these out until this weekend at the earliest.

eBay seller that has these listed right now in Black, Gold or Silver (contact him to verify color availability) for $39 USD shipped:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-R3-PRE-LOAD-PRELOAD-ADJUSTERS-/261930751396?hash=item3cfc4a15a4

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Reactions: 4

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SpearsRacing

· #2 · Jul 23, 2015

Those are AWESOME......That will be the start of getting the front suspension to the point of Good......it will save a LOT of time to make pre-load adjustments....

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

SpearsRacing said:
Those are AWESOME......That will be the start of getting the front suspension to the point of Good......it will save a LOT of time to make pre-load adjustments....

Cheap, quick and dirty, so to speak. It's a start.....

Too bad TST or you guys don't make those add-on wingnuts in a 10mm size, for adjusting them on the road without a socket or wrench.

SpearsRacing

· #4 · Jul 23, 2015

FangShui said:
Cheap, quick and dirty, so to speak. It's a start.....

Too bad TST or you guys don't make those add-on wingnuts in a 10mm size, for adjusting them on the road without a socket or wrench.

Im sure we could but buy the time we do it the cost for the drawings, and the making of the items and lets not forget everyone want a different color it would be not worth the time as a business.

pattonme

· #5 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

Agree, look nice. I'm in the process of making my own. And yes they will take those ebay 'wing nuts' (17mm in this case).
Alas I can't make them that cheap (manual lathe) and they would only come in silver and not nearly so 'fancy' with all those scollops and such. Pics soon.

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

SpearsRacing said:
Im sure we could but buy the time we do it the cost for the drawings, and the making of the items and lets not forget everyone want a different color it would be not worth the time as a business.

Totally understandable. They're a real niche item as it is. Maybe TST will make other sizes soon. They have them in 14mm and 19mm so far. It was a great idea.

Reactions: 1

pattonme

· #7 · Jul 23, 2015

SpearsRacing said:
everyone want a different color it would be not worth the time as a business.

that's what Chinese contract CNC manufacturing is for... If you buy in quantity of 500 or 1000 per color. hehe.

Actually I'm surprised how often 10mm keeps popping up. Andreani uses that size. And similar replacement caps for the Ninja 300 have it too. I guess people don't think you need wingnuts for 10mm because wrenches/sockets are small. 14 and 17mm hex and we're talking much bigger tools.

Reactions: 1

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 23, 2015

pattonme said:
that's what Chinese contract CNC manufacturing is for... If you buy in quantity of 500 or 1000 per color. hehe.

Actually I'm surprised how often 10mm keeps popping up. Andreani uses that size. And similar replacement caps for the Ninja 300 have it too. I guess people don't think you need wingnuts for 10mm because wrenches/sockets are small. 14 and 17mm hex and we're talking much bigger tools.

Traxxion makes some 10mm ones (at $24.99 plus shipping on eBay)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Traxxion-Dy...Domain_2&hash=item3cc939bc0a&vxp=mtr#shpCntId

Capitalview

· #9 · Jul 23, 2015

I never understood the point of those things. Once you have your pre load set, unless you gain or lose a lot of weight, you shouldn't need to adjust it.

I guess if you let someone else ride it they might come in handy. Other than that, just fancy bling. Spend your money on something useful, like NOS!

pattonme

· #10 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

yikes!! You can buy them direct for $10, errr EACH. So $20 a pair. (squeeky voice: "never mind")
http://www.traxxion.com/FingerTip-Preload-Adjusters/

pattonme

· #11 · Jul 23, 2015

Why? Some people go back and forth between single and 2-up. If you go to the track a lot, then you're adding a couple lines of preload and then taking it off again for commuting. Sure, one can use a wrench... But color and bling aside, if you're sitting at a light and you just "want to try" another turn and see if you like it, you can.

Reactions: 1

Capitalview

· #12 · Jul 23, 2015

Hmm, didn't think of the two up riding or dual purpose bike for track/street.

Eh, nothing unusual about me being wrong, lol!

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

Capitalview said:
I never understood the point of those things. Once you have your pre load set, unless you gain or lose a lot of weight, you shouldn't need to adjust it.

I guess if you let someone else ride it they might come in handy. Other than that, just fancy bling. Spend your money on something useful, like NOS!

They're actually very useful to alter handling characteristics. I know some riders that use them a lot. Increase pre-load for aggressive riding, decrease for more leisurely riding of for rough road surfaces.

For Sport Touring, adding weight in a large tank bag and panniers can be offset by increasing pre-load, both front and rear.

On the track they're useful to adapt to different tracks surface conditions, too. Bumpy track = softer setting, smooth track = harder setting. On a very bumpy track a hard setting can cause a low side because of large wheel hop. Saw it happen once. The rider dusted himself off, adjusted the setting to full soft back in the pits and won the next two races.....

And on and on.....useful little gadgets and at only $39 for these particular ones, not spendy at all.

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 23, 2015

pattonme said:
yikes!! You can buy them direct for $10, errr EACH. So $20 a pair. (squeeky voice: "never mind")
http://www.traxxion.com/FingerTip-Preload-Adjusters/

But no 10mm available on close-out.

Found these, already wing-nutted, so to speak.

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FangShui

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 23, 2015

Capitalview said:
I never understood the point of those things. Once you have your pre load set, unless you gain or lose a lot of weight, you shouldn't need to adjust it.

I guess if you let someone else ride it they might come in handy. Other than that, just fancy bling. Spend your money on something useful, like NOS!

I'm not too sure the R3 could handle NOS without blowing a gasket or worse.

It already blows gaskets without NOS. See Gregg Spears inside the engine posts.

Reactions: 1

Capitalview

· #16 · Jul 23, 2015

FangShui said:
I'm not too sure the R3 could handle NOS without blowing a gasket or worse.

It already blows gaskets without NOS. See Gregg Spears inside the engine posts.

I was just joking.

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 23, 2015

Capitalview said:
I was just joking.

I figured that. The timing was just too prefect, though, with Gregg's posts....

t-rav_12

· #18 · Jul 23, 2015

Awesome write-up, Fang. Those are the same ones I bought last week. I got tired of waiting for Sato Racing to get theirs up ($138 + shipping). Now I'm jus' waiting for delivery.

t-rav_12

· #19 · Jul 23, 2015 (Edited)

FangShui said:
Found these, already wing-nutted, so to speak.

[iurl="http://www.r3-forums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9577&d=1437691227"]

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Yeah,...no. These look like something you'd trip over in your yard or find at the end of a garden hose. LOL

FangShui

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 23, 2015

t-rav_12 said:
Yeah,...no. These look like something you'd find in your yard or at the end of a garden hose. LOL

For those really hot days

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